You’ve probably seen those kettles with long spouts used with pour over brewing methods (V60 or Chemex). If you’re new to the world of pour-over, that’s just another purchase for you. And if you’re wondering if a gooseneck kettle is necessary, the good news is, it is not.
Pour over brewing is a precise method that uses measured time and water flow speed to brew the coffee. A gooseneck kettle is designed to be light, easy to hold and give you great control over your pour, whether you want to slow or increase the water flow. If you can do that using any kettle, or any container even, you’ll be all set!
Best Alternatives To a Gooseneck Kettle
Before you go looking for alternatives, try to practice using your regular kettle. You’ll want to pour as slow as you can, in a slow circular motion. If that did not feel comfortable to you, proceed to find an alternative.
your alternative tool needs to have a few things:
- It needs to be light,
- It needs to have a tight spout
- It should preferably have a lid, but that’s not necessary.
Here are a few things to try:
French Press Pot
If you have a press pot around, it’s made to withhold boiling hot water and has a small spout. It’s lightweight, too. You’ll still want to make sure not to pour the water out quickly. But because it’s lighter than a regular kettle, you’ll find it easier to control the flow using it.
Coffee Carafe
Similar to press pot, a coffee carafe, whether made of glass or thermal, has a great spout for the purpose. They’re also lighter than your average kettle, which makes holding them easier on the wrist.
Stainless Steel or Ceramic Liquid Measuring Cup
This one can definitely be a great alternative and can give you a good pour of water. I specifically said stainless steel just to be sure it can handle hot water. If you have a glass one, and you can confirm it won’t shatter due to high temperature, you can try and use that too.
Gooseneck Kettle vs. Regular Kettle, Why Use One Over the Other?
Here are some design differences to start with, to help you understand the point of a gooseneck kettle.
The Spout
The spout of a regular kettle is large and short, and once you pour, a stream of water will come pouring out. You don’t want that happening when your doing pour over, it will ruin your brew. The spout of a gooseneck kettle is long, thin and slightly curved which works on slowing down the water flow.
The Weight
Kettles aren’t that heavy, but they will feel like heavy when you have to pour out of them in a consistent flow for about two minutes. On the other hand, gooseneck kettles are lighter and have specially designed handles to give you a comfortable grip.
Conclusion
While a Gooseneck kettle is not a requirement for pour-over coffee, it definitely makes the job much much easier. If you don’t have the budget for one, or simply don’t want to add one more thing to your kitchen, you can definitely try and use your regular kettle. It will take some practice until you get the speed and flow right, but it can be done. Otherwise, you can go ahead and try the alternatives I suggested above.
