These three are my favorites:
1) Pino Digital Kettle Pro ST-876 ($75) – This is the pino digital kettle that is most in demand in the specialty coffee residential market.
- Pros: Heats to and then keeps the temperature at a relatively steady level (this is what makes it different from other kettles, it does not just heat to boiling and shut it off, but heats to and maintains any temperature you desire). An indicator lets you know how much water to add (in ml). It holds 1.5 L of water. It can be easily lifted off the base to allow cordless pouring. The kettle automatically shuts off when there is no water.
- Cons – It doesn’t have a very good pour spout. You don’t get much control over the pour when you are manual coffee brewing. Although it’s not expensive enough to be intimidating, it is certainly worth the investment.
2) Hario Buono Electric Kettle, VKB-120HSVE (95), – The Buono Kettle has just gotten better.
- The Buono can be used in place of a Pino and a Buono, which many coffee afficionados used to have to buy. The Buono’s long, thin spout is ideal for pouring… making manual coffee brewing more enjoyable because it can be controlled better.
- Cons – Although the price is higher than buying a Buono or Pino individually, it is still quite affordable. The new Buono electric is 800 mls rather than 1200 (like its predecessor). Hario made the decision to reduce the size of the Buono Electric. However, this does not mean that we will be receiving 1000 ml pours per day. We are trying to keep people updated as we know more about when this will be offered in the States: http://prima-coffee.com/blog/hario-buono-v60-electric-kettle.
Capresso Cordless Kettle 259.03 $60 – Why use steel when you can have glass?
- The pros: It is all glass which makes it a better choice for liquids. You can also see the water heating up which, in a nonscientific way, is really cool. After boiling, the device automatically shuts off. Corded base can be lifted off for cordless pouring. This kettle is a great water kettle.
- Cons – It is not capable of setting and maintaining the temperature like the Pino. Not suitable for controlling pours such as the Buono.