Why Temperature-Controlled Kettles Are Essential To Coffee

Brew better coffee with one simple gadget

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It's 9 a.m. You've got your fancy Ethiopian coffee beans, your grinder, your reliable Aeropress and your stovetop kettle. What's wrong with this picture?

That seemingly harmless kettle. If you're serious about your beans and your gear, you need to get yourself a temperature-controlled kettle. The perfect water temperature for coffee hovers between 195 and 205 degrees, well below the 212-degree boiling point. So if your water is too hot, the beans will over-extract, and you'll get a bitter taste; in contrast, if the water is too cool, you'll risk a sour, slightly weak taste.

The temperature-controlled kettle fixes this dilemma. Most models allow you to choose the temperature within a couple of degrees and hold that temperature awhile, if, say, you need to blow-dry your hair or something. Plus, this simple gadget improves dusty, less-oiled preground beans, as well as subpar beans.

Mornings just got more regimented—and way better.

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