Yes, you can make a pour-over using your average stovetop or electric kettle. You can use the same brewing method for a standard kettle as a gooseneck.
However, using a standard kettle to make pour-over is far from optimal. A gooseneck kettle offers greater precious with its long neck, allowing for consistent brewing.
What is a Gooseneck?
A gooseneck kettle is a specialty kettle designed explicitly for brewing pour-over coffee. The gooseneck was designed to offer greater control and precision than a standard kettle when brewing coffee.
The name is derived from the kettle’s long and slender spout that resembles the neck of a goose.
Why Use a Gooseneck?
The main reason for using a gooseneck is the greater degree of control that it offers users.
Its elongated spout and smaller nozzle restrict water and allows for a steady flow. These design choices allow for greater control during the bloom phase and to hit the correct water to coffee ratio.
The steady stream of water a gooseneck produces ensures no disruption in the water flow and that none of the water misses the coffee grinds.
What are the Cons of a Gooseneck?
While a gooseneck is excellent for brewing coffee, it is highly impractical for pretty much anything outside brewing a cup of coffee or tea.
The long spout means that pouring is slow. Most kettles rarely exceed a liter capacity, making goosenecks less than ideal for heating large quantities of water in a short amount of time.
What Can I Use Instead of a Gooseneck?
A standard kettle can make a perfectly adequate pour-over. Both electric and stovetop work fine. If you are in a real pinch and desperate for a cup of coffee, a pot would even work. Just make sure it has a spout.
However, you do not have the same control with these methods. It is much more challenging to control the flow rate and speed. This lack of control will lead to inconsistencies in your brewing and affect the overall taste of your coffee.
Do I Need an Electric Kettle to make Pour-Over?
No, you can use a stovetop kettle to make pour-over coffee. In fact, many gooseneck kettles are stovetop kettles.
Yet, there are certain advantages that an electric kettle offers that stovetop kettles do not. They heat water quickly and require no guesswork to determine if water is boiled. In the case of electric gooseneck kettles
How to Make Pour-Over Without a Gooseneck?
So what if you don’t have a gooseneck at hand, but you still want a great cup of coffee. Do not worry. You can still get great results with a standard kettle.
In fact, the brewing methods used with a gooseneck kettle is precisely the same as you would use with a standard kettle. Here is an example.
This example operates on a 17:1 water to coffee ratio with 18g of coffee and is for a Hario V60. Adjust this formula based upon your pour-over brewing method and taste preferences.
- Place your filter paper into your chosen filter.
- Pre-wet the paper using boiling water and discard the water.
- Place coffee into the filter, tapping the sides of the filter to flatten the coffee.
- 0-30 seconds: Bloom the coffee with 36g to 54g of water poured in a circular motion.
- 30-60 seconds: Continue to pour in a circular motion until 60% of the total water is added.
- 60-90 seconds: Add the final 40%
- Gently swirl the filter to flatten the coffee bed
- 150-210 seconds: Allow the coffee to drain completely.
Can I Brew Better Coffee with a Gooseneck?
While you can get a perfect cup of coffee using a regular kettle, gooseneck kettles offer a level of control that consistently produces excellent tasting coffee.
While coffee taste is subjective, the issues that negatively affect coffees taste are easily controlled with a gooseneck kettle.
It is not that gooseneck kettles produce better-tasting coffee. Rather, they offer more precision and control over the factors that can influence the taste of coffee. This greater control allows for consistent brewing and great-tasting coffee repeatedly.
What are the Different Types of Gooseneck Kettles?
There are two main types of gooseneck kettles, stovetop and electrical.
Stovetop Gooseneck Kettle
Stovetop kettles are heated using an external heat source, typically a gas or electric stovetop.
The kettle’s bottom is made from a strong conductor such as stainless steel or copper, allowing for the quickest temperature increase.
With no need for electrical equipment or power, stovetop gooseneck kettles are the cheapest form of gooseneck.
Electric Gooseneck Kettle
As their name suggests, electric gooseneck kettles are kettles attached to a power supply.
Most electric gooseneck kettles have added accessories, including built-in timers and temperature control. These extras allow for even greater control over the variables that affect pour-overs taste and enable users to experiment and perfect their brewing method more easily.
The additional features of electric gooseneck kettles make them one of the most expensive kettles on the market.
Why are Goosenecks so Expensive?
So why are goosenecks so expensive? Goosenecks are considered a luxury item and are in relatively low demand.
To justify making such a small quantity of their product. Companies slap a high price tag on their kettles. With electric goosenecks, the added accessories such as temperature control and timers mean more electrical equipment that justifies a higher price.
Are Goosenecks Worth it?
Ultimately that decision is down to you. Gooseneck kettles range from anywhere between $50-$260—a significant investment for an item with little purpose other than making coffee.
There are plenty of things that you may want to consider before forking out your hard-earned cash. Think about how much coffee you drink and how much brewing a good cup of coffee means to you.
Part of the joy of pour-over coffee is the ritual of making it. The joy of perfecting your method and experimenting with different factors like temperature, grind size, and pouring techniques. This is all part of making pour-over fun and enjoyable. If you are looking for a quick caffeine hit rather than a hobby, a gooseneck kettle is probably not for you.
If you are serious about pour-over, a gooseneck is a must. The degree of control it offers eliminates most variables that negatively affect coffee’s taste and will inevitably improve your brewing consistency.
Gooseneck kettles can last for years and make for a solid investment when looked after correctly.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.