Gooseneck kettle

A gooseneck kettle has a long, thin, curved spout shaped like the neck of a goose, designed to give precise control over both the speed and placement of a pour. This matters most in pour-over brewing, where an even, controlled pour keeps water moving steadily over the grounds instead of dumping and pooling in one spot.

Electric versions add a variable temperature control, which is useful since different beans and roast levels brew best at slightly different water temperatures, often somewhere between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Some models also include a built-in timer or hold function that keeps water at a set temperature for repeated brews.

When choosing one, look at the spout's flow control at both a thin trickle and a faster pour, since pour-over recipes often call for both during a single brew. A common mistake is using a wide, kitchen-style kettle for pour-over, which makes slow, controlled pouring for blooming and later pours much harder to manage.