Brewista V-Spout Electric Kettle, Large 1.7 Liter Capacity For Pour Over Coffee, Smart Digital Heating Element, Perfect for Cupping, Stainless Steel

Energy Efficient Stylish Anywhere Appliance
Out of its flashy retail box, this kettle has the look and feel of quality to justify its price. So it was pretty, but I was eager to put it through its paces and also to get an idea of its energy efficiency.Initial setup was easy–remove the two main parts from their plastic bags, put water in the kettle and place it on its base. I was only testing at that point so did not take the generally recommended (read paranoid) step of washing the kettle. I planned to heat to boiling so did not worry about disinfecting the brand new unit. Anyway, I would never use soap on a pot intended for coffee or tea. I’m just not THAT paranoid. Next step took a minute–reading enough of the included quick start guide to learn the function of all those buttons–only a puzzle on first use, after which they make sense.After first power-on I immediately switched from the default Celsius temperature scale to Fahrenheit (are we not Americans??) then cycled through the temperature presets. I selected 140F to start and pressed the start button. From there I was wowed. The pot contains a probe that communicates liquid temperature to its base, which displays actual sensed temperature. Time to take 4 cups of water from 62F to 140F was about 2 1/2 minutes. I then added cold tap water to double the volume in the pot, which lowering water temperature to 112F, and I increased the set temperature to 150F. 50 seconds later the setting had been reached, marked by two beeps and a cessation of heat. Finally I used the fast boil feature to see how quickly the pot could get to a full boil from 150F with one button press. Answer: almost exactly 2 minutes. I removed the pot of boiling water from its base and placed the pot on my bare hand. It was only mildly warm. I also placed my bare hand on the base itself to find the same. I am not sure how it does that since there is no mention of induction technology, but I assume all heating goes on in the insulated kettle bottom. Of course the kettle’s metal sides remained at boiled water temperature so, being a smart boy, I did not place my hand on that.During all heating stages I measured energy use at 1KW, with basically zero energy used during standby. By my best estimate of 8 minutes to get 8 cups of water from cold to boiling the energy cost calculates out to under a penny. Granted our hydroelectric power rates are lower than most other areas in the US, but everywhere my results should translate to less time and money using this kettle than by heating water on electric stove top or even in a microwave. Surprising!Yes, I live to gather data like this; but most users just want their tea and coffee ready to serve as quickly as possible. This electric kettle achieves that purpose with a flare, and a very fashionable look. A packet of descaler is included to help make that overall fine stainless steel appearance last over time. I do like this pot o’ mine and, based solely upon the features I tested, give it my unmitigated recommendation.

Precise pour-over control without the gooseneck
THE BASICS: Like most kettles, this comes with a shorter cord, about 28 inches in length. There are internal markings for measurement at 0.5L (the minimum water level), 1.0L and 1.7L (the maximum water level). The stainless steel construction inside and out means your water only comes in contact with a familiar, not-toxic material. The handle and base portion that comes in contact with the heating element are plastic–and an exterior portion of the lid–probably as a means of buffering temperature in areas that contact your hands. It’s a really great design.THE SPOUT: Of course, the stand-apart features of this kettle are the base and the spout. As this is described as a “cupping kettle” the spout design is especially important. There are holes punched into the metal to give you the pouring control you need (in any situation) and the taper of the spout itself enables the high precision targeting you need for your pour-overs. This is a great substitute for a gooseneck kettle in a tip-and-pour style that allows for more water volume than the thin stream from a gooseneck. And, because it’s brewista, you know they’ve considered optimizing flavor extraction in this design. I’d argue that this design is just better overall–whether cupping or just making broth. You want control, consistency and reliability anytime you’re around scalding hot water.THE FUNCTIONS: The heating surface of the base is glass-just like my stove! I’ve not seen a kettle base like this before. All functionality is built into the base, which I prefer to my old kettle which had the controls on the handle and I accidentally hit them often enough to remember. And there is lots of functionality, including the ability to mute the beeps, if desired, the ability to set your own temperatures and a fast boil function. This system also has a built-in count-up timer function up to 60 minutes, useful for cupping. This would make a great gift for your favorite coffee roaster and coffee enthusiast, though there are plenty of other uses for this kettle too.

Good for my use
I’m really impressed with this electric kettle. The spout feels a little bit then. But it doesn’t seem to be an issue with making boiled water. It’s easy to program the heat that you want for your water. It doesn’t boil over. I like that it keeps it warm for about an hour that way if you want to refill your absolutely able to without a problem. There is no metallic taste to the water once it’s done. The only issue I found was that it’s a little bit harder to clean than a regular pot.