Getting into coffee was my downfall.
Had a pour-over at a café, thought "I can do this at home," bought a Hario V60. Watched YouTube tutorials. Made coffee. Tasted nothing like the café. Same beans. Completely different result.
Turns out water temperature was the problem. Pour-over needs 88-93°C. My regular kettle only boils to 100°C. "Let it cool a bit" — cool to what exactly? Every cup tasted different because I was guessing.
That's how I found the Fellow Stagg EKG.
What makes it special
Temperature control to the degree. 57°C to 100°C. Set 90°C, it stops at exactly 90°C. Hold mode keeps it there for 30 minutes.
Gooseneck spout. The long, thin spout lets you pour a thin, steady stream. Essential for pour-over — regular kettles pour too fast and disturb the coffee bed.
It looks gorgeous. Matte black, wooden handle. Kitchen decor piece.
My coffee actually improved
Set to 90°C, pour slowly — same beans, but bitterness dropped and sweetness came through. Temperature was the missing variable. Fix that, and you can focus on grind size and technique.
Beyond coffee
Green tea: 70-80°C is ideal. No more "boil and wait." Baby formula: Easy temperature control (not my use case, but popular). Instant ramen: 100°C works too.
Downsides
Expensive for a kettle. 150,000-180,000 won. Regular kettles are 20,000-30,000 won. If you don't do pour-over, this makes zero sense.
900ml capacity. Fine for solo coffee. Tight for a family.
Slower than regular kettles. Not ideal when you're in a rush.
Who it's for
Pour-over beginners who can't get the taste right. Coffee enthusiasts who want café-quality at home. People who like beautiful kitchen tools.
If you drink instant coffee, skip this entirely.
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