Review on Bodum 11883-259US Melior Gooseneck Electric Water Kettle - 27oz (Matte Black) - Perfect for Precision Pouring & Brewing by Andy Baker

I bought this kettle to use primarily as a kettle that 'does the job' for my office coffee set up. I take my coffee seriously and have used both the Hario Gooseneck and Fellow Stagg EKG. I use Fellow a lot at home but didn't feel like spending another $150 so I bought this Bodum kettle. My review of this product is based, at least in part, on comparison to higher-end products like the Fellow Stagg EKG. First, I want to fix the leak/steam valve issue that many other reviewers have complained about. Contrary to some photos of this product that I saw before buying, mine doesn't have a plastic cap on the vapor valve; Bodum seems to have updated this part with a metal gizmo that I hope is literally more foolproof than any plastic part they've used before. To clarify, this kettle will not leak unless overfilled. If you fill it up to the fill line like a normal person, you will have a hassle-free experience of boiling water. Its construction is not at all defective and I have been using it several times a day for several weeks without leakage problems. It will likely leak if I fill it over the line, but every kettle including Stagg and other pricier options I've personally seen will leak through the holes in the lid if overfilled. Pour Rate and Quality: Before I talk about Bodum, I want to point out that Stagg pours at a rate I can only describe as icy slowness. Hario kettles pour much faster but still allow you to control the process. The Bodum kettle pours quickly, at a speed that most closely resembles the Hario, and frankly it's more pleasant to use than the Stagg. I suspect it excited the pod more, although the flow doesn't feel as delicate or controlled as the Stagg. The water jet produced by Bodum is stable, continuous or dripping, even at a height of a few centimetres. In fact, by any objective metrics like this, Bodum's performance rivals any high-end offering. Fully filled with room temperature water, it boiled in about 5.5 minutes. Cork on lid and handle. They seem to be expectedly brittle, but as other reviewers have said, I'm optimistic they can be replaced with a drawer handle or something if - definitely if, not if - they break. For this price range, I definitely can't fault Bodum. This kettle also wobbles a bit on the base, but only like a short leg table. The base is plastic and feels cheap because it is. Is it important? Not in this price range, no. In all important respects, this kettle behaves exactly like the more expensive high-end kettles. It's awkward to clean and has flimsy handles. The cable is short. So what? For less than $30, nothing gives you a good and controlled pour, a quick boil, and a neat design.