I'm thinking of getting a pouring kettle, but I'm a little unsure what to get. I currently brew on a Kalita 155 with a small, cheap stainless steel kettle that I bought years ago. It doesn't offer much control, and I'm thinking of getting either a Chemex or Kalita 185, so I may be doing more pour-over brewing. That means I have to consider getting a decent kettle. I'd prefer to boil water in a separate kettle on the stove and fill up my pouring kettle, so I don't need to worry about it being stovetop compatible, nor do I want an electric kettle with a cord or base or anything like that.

Size: Is it better to just get a large kettle (say, 1L), even if I'm only making a 250ml cup of coffee? Or should I get a smaller kettle and just refill it halfway through if I'm making a larger batch?

Material: Copper or stainless steel? Enamel?

Price: I should be able to afford most of the mass-produced ones (yes, even the ones made in Japan).

I owned a Hario Buono and now the Kalita kettle. The Hario was very hard to control and gave OK results but not more than that. I tried the Kalita kettle at a friends and was blown away by the perfomance difference. The controle is so much better than the Hario and my pour-over got much better just by using the Kalita kettle. I'm one happy camper. Just my 2 cents.

I use the kettle for making 300gr cups of pour-over using the Kalita 155. I just fill the kettle with around 600gr of water to provide it with some thermal mass. After making the brew I rinse the Kalita with the kettle and nothing gets lost. Works great. A 1L kettle will satisfy your needs.

I have used a ton of kettles. I have settled on both a TIamo 1.6L kettle for my 1 quart KONE3/Chemex preps and a Paico for smaller amounts. The larger size "kettle:prep volume" ratio keeps water temp better stabilized.

Love them both. For your use, suggest the Paico. It comes and goes on ebay/Amazon. I have extra Tiamos if you wish to contact me off line.

A lot of shops around here seem to favor the enamel Kalita kettles for what seems to be absolute control. We got a Mila stainless steel kettle that has a nice spout at a restaurant supply store on Zhongqing near Wuquan....they have a bunch of different brand coffee gear (Mila, Pearl Horse, Kalita, Tiamo, Hario, etc ) but it seems that they are all pretty spendy. I think the Mila was 900$ or so. For various reasons the Kalita gear is really over the top expensive...we got a wave dripper at a restaurant supply on Huamei near Zhongzhong and it was 1100$ with no filters

erik82 wrote:... and now the Kalita kettle

Do you mean this one?

http://www.kalita.co.jp/home/52073?lang=en

Boldjava wrote:...and a Paico for smaller amounts

I can't find much discussion about this one.

orphanespresso wrote:A lot of shops around here seem to favor the enamel Kalita kettles for what seems to be absolute control. We got a Mila stainless steel kettle that has a nice spout at a restaurant supply store on Zhongqing near Wuquan....they have a bunch of different brand coffee gear (Mila, Pearl Horse, Kalita, Tiamo, Hario, etc ) but it seems that they are all pretty spendy. I think the Mila was 900$ or so. For various reasons the Kalita gear is really over the top expensive...we got a wave dripper at a restaurant supply on Huamei near Zhongzhong and it was 1100$ with no filters

I may know the store you bought the Kalita dripper from (the 185? Ceramic, glass, or stainless steel?). Did you mean ZhongGang Rd. instead of Zhongzhong? Was it a block or two north of ZhongGang Rd? If so, that place does not have the greatest prices. I also think I know that other store where you got your Mila from (you got the recommendation from Lulu, right?). Their prices are more reasonable. I'm assuming the Mila is stainless steel.

The advantage of living here is that Japanese coffee products are usually cheaper than in the US and Europe, so it's the only break I get. I've seen more enamel ones recently, but not much discussion about them yet on the forums.

I would recommend the Monarch Methods kettle. They come in either 320 mL or 500 mL. I have been using the 500 mL one daily for a while now and love it. Lots of control and no need for a scale. Also the craftmanship is beautiful.

http://monarchmethods.com

If you can swing it, I'd highly recommend getting a Takahiro. I was hesitant to spend that much money on a kettle, but after watching the flow control the baristas at Coava Coffee have with them, I decided to pull the trigger and get one. I have not been disappointed. It offers better control than my Hario Buono w/ EPNW flow restrictor (which is no longer available). Other than the Buono w/ flow restrictor, this is the only kettle I've been successful with at riding the bloom on a pourover. You can get them cheapest at Amazon or see if Prima or Blue Bottle will price match.

SlowRain wrote:Do you mean this one?

http://www.kalita.co.jp/home/52073?lang=en

Yes I mean that one. I really love it. I would buy a 1L kettle if I where you because with larger groups it's also suitable whereas a 500ml kettle will only be usefull for yourself. Thermal mass is also very good with a 1L kettle.

The Kalita Wave kettle is the tool of choice for discerning professional baristas in our area. Based on your search criteria, it seems like an ideal kettle for you. It's very well built and offers good pour control.