Bonavita Gooseneck Kettle Review: Reliable and Effective

If you’re a regular Coffeeness reader, you’ll know that of all the brewing methods out there, pour over coffee may just be the closest to my heart. With that in mind, this Bonavita gooseneck kettle review should come as no surprise.

Good pour-over starts with delicious coffee beans, of course. A reliable burr coffee grinder is another key ingredient, as is a coffee scale. But if you can’t pour hot water with precision, all of your careful prep might as well have been for nothing!

The right type of kettle is of the utmost importance. I’ve already written a guide to gooseneck kettles, and this model featured on my list of the best.

In today’s Bonavita gooseneck kettle review I’ll take a closer look at this sophisticated appliance. So, without further ado, let’s get the ball rolling!

Bonavita Kettle Review Overview

The Bonavita 1L Digital Variable Temperature Kettle is a simple, reliable beast in the world of gooseneck kettles.

This brushed stainless steel appliance isn’t the most stylish kettle in the world, but it does the job. Plus, an ergonomic, BPA-free plastic handle encourages easy and precise pouring. What’s more, the user interface is pretty simple and easy to navigate.

The Bonavita electric gooseneck kettle has a 1-liter capacity, which is perfect for pour over coffee or brewing tea. And since it’s electric, a 1000 watt heating element offers reliable and quick heating.

Even better, this Bonavita electric kettle has precise temperature control to get you to your desired water temperature. This sleek kettle can achieve anything between a steamy 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) and boiling water at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius).

If you’re multitasking while making coffee, you can even hold the water at your chosen temperature for up to 60 minutes.

These features make this $128.75 electric kettle stand out against cheaper electric kettles, few of which offer such complete control or precision.

Bonavita Variable Temperature Kettle Features

Now that I’ve given you a preview of my Bonavita electric gooseneck kettle review, I can break it down further! Read on below for my praise (and complaints) about this electric kettle’s basic features.

Size and Design

Thanks to its 1-liter capacity, this Bonavita electric kettle is a pretty good size for a pour-over kettle. It’ll certainly serve you well for pour-over, tea making and even cupping.

Now as far as the design goes, I’ll admit: as much as I love Bonavita, I’m often disappointed by their design choices. They rely too much on plastic for my preference.

Unfortunately, I feel the same about this Bonavita gooseneck kettle. A chunky black plastic handle tarnishes the appeal of the brushed stainless steel body. The same goes for the knob on the lid, which really draws your eye with its tapered shape.

That said, these plastic hand-holds have a function. The body of the kettle does get quite hot, so it’s nice that the handles are big enough to prevent accidental burns.

The kettle also sits on a black plastic base, which doesn’t hold much aesthetic appeal for me. I know, it’s a functional part of the kettle, containing lots of wires and a heating element. Still, I wish Bonavita had put a bit more thought into how it looks.

On the other hand, I can’t complain about the kettle’s design in regards to functionality. After all, it quickly turns cold water into hot water. In other words, it works!

Easy Grip Handle

I’ve already talked a bit about this chunky plastic handle, but I have some more to say about it. I promise, these aren’t more complaints!

I actually quite like the ergonomic design of this Bonavita kettle’s plastic handle. It’s big enough that it’s easy to hold. Heck, there’s even a little notch in the top to hook a finger or two into, which helps with control while pouring.

Control is especially important with pour over coffee, so it’s clear that this kettle was designed with that in mind.

Plus, since the handle is close to the body of the kettle, pouring doesn’t put much strain on your wrist. If you’re only brewing one cup a day, this isn’t a problem, but the ergonomic handle is still a nice touch.

Gooseneck Spout

I have virtually no complaints about the gooseneck spout on this Bonavita electric kettle. Unlike cheaper kettles, it’s clear that Bonavita’s design team put some thought (and calculations) into the spout’s angles.

The gooseneck spout encourages a lot of control, so you can easily pour with precision when brewing pour over. After all, I know you pour over nerds are keeping track of your flow rate! Ultimately, the design of this Bonavita gooseneck kettle will help you stay consistent even when pouring very slowly.

At the same time, if you want to be able to pour harder – when making tea or filling cupping bowls, for example – you can do that, too.

User Interface

There’s nothing flashy about the Bonavita electric kettle’s user interface, but there’s not much to hold against it, either.

Clearly labeled buttons tell you how to turn the kettle off and on, select a desired temperature and hold the kettle at a chosen temperature. You can even choose between Fahrenheit or Celsius for your unit of measurement.

What’s more, red digital numbers tell you the temperature of your water and are easy to see even in the dimmest light. The on/off button and hold button also alert you with a light in the top corner when they’re activated.

One complaint that I have is that this kettle doesn’t tell you when it’s done heating up. This isn’t a huge deal. Still, it could be annoying if you don’t use the hold function and your water temp starts to fall without you noticing.

So, if you’re going to buy this Bonavita electric kettle, my advice is to either always use the hold function or try not to get distracted while your water boils.

Furthermore, unless you read the user manual, some of the Bonavita’s special features aren’t obvious. These include the timer function and the ability to program in six preset temperatures.

That said, there would have to be even more text and buttons on the kettle’s base to tell you about these features. I can’t blame Bonavita for trying to stick with a slimmed-down design. Plus, this is just more reason to read the user manual!

Temperature Control

Temperature control is starting to be the hallmark of a good electric gooseneck kettle. But let’s not forget that Bonavita was one of the first brands to include it!

This Bonavita gooseneck kettle has precise temperature control, allowing you to heat water to your desired temperature. Hot water, boiling water – whatever you want! To choose your desired temperature, you simply press the plus and minus buttons.

The temperature control is accurate to within one degree increments. Even better, you can choose within a range of 140 degrees to 212 degrees Fahrenheit (60 to 100 degrees Celsius). This makes it super versatile for both tea and coffee.

Be aware that if you are heating to a lower temperature, the kettle may take longer to get there than it would if you’re setting it to boiling or just under a boil. I’m not quite sure why this happens, but I remember it being annoying to make matcha during my barista days.

On another note, if you’re constantly switching between coffee and tea, I’ve got some good news! You can program in up to six preset temperature settings. You simply keep pressing the “temp set” button until you find the right one.

Thoughtful technology like this feature is a big plus in my book!

Heat and Hold Function

Fellow got big brownie points for the hold function on its Stagg EKG kettle, but let’s not forget about this feature on the Bonavita Variable Temperature Kettle!

A 1000-watt heating element heats your water to your desired temperature. If you like to boil water for coffee, it can get to 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) within six minutes.

However, if you’re not quite ready to start brewing – maybe you’re folding your coffee filter just so, or multi-tasking with breakfast prep – you can simply choose the “hold” function.

So, how does that work? Well, when you set your desired temperature after adding the water, press the hold button.

Once the water gets up to temp, the heating element will switch on and off rapidly to keep the water temperature within one degree of your chosen temperature for up to 60 minutes.

That period of hold time is more than enough for most home baristas. After all, even if we’re multi-tasking while making coffee, we likely won’t forget about it for a whole hour. But this setting is quite useful in a commercial setting, where a barista may need to prep for a potential pour-over order during a morning rush.

How to Use the Bonavita Variable Temperature Kettle

Since we know all about the Bonavita gooseneck kettle now, I can talk about how to use it!

As with any kettle, you’ll need to add water first. Then, press the “on” button to turn the heating element on. From here, you’ve got two options for choosing a water temperature.

If you already have a few preset temperatures, press the “temp set” button until you find your desired temperature. You can then press “hold” if you want to activate the heat and hold setting. Otherwise, just wait and you’ll have hot water pretty soon!

If you haven’t programmed any presets yet, you’ll still first press the “”emp set” button. Then, press the plus and minus buttons until you get to your desired temperature. From there, you can press “hold” if you like, or just wait until the water heats up.

You can then do something else for a few minutes! Grind some coffee with your hand grinder, wash a few cups, set up your pour-over dripper …

The Bonavita kettle won’t tell you when your water is up to temp, so keep an eye on it. When it’s done – or when you’re ready if you’re using the hold function – remove the gooseneck kettle from its base. If you want to use the timer function, you can press the plus button to turn it on when you start to pour.

At this point, you know the drill: pour away!

Bonavita Gooseneck Kettle Cleaning

Cleaning this Bonavita electric kettle is a breeze. That said, you’ll want to avoid filling it with hard water. That’ll cause limescale and calcium buildup, which doesn’t taste great and can be a pain to clean.

I recommend always using filtered water for your coffee setup, to ensure clean and delicious brews and minimal buildup. You can also prevent limescale buildup by only filling the kettle with the amount of water you’ll need for brewing. Then, allow the kettle to air-dry between uses.

That said, even the best filtered water will eventually lead to buildup. Fortunately, the best cleaner for a gooseneck kettle is one you probably already have at home: distilled white vinegar. This common household product is affordable and available at pretty much every grocery store.

When it’s time to clean your kettle, just boil up some water and vinegar and let it soak for a few minutes. Then, loosen up any buildup with a mildly abrasive sponge. Using a little pipe-cleaner or narrow brush to scrub out the gooseneck every so often isn’t a bad idea, either.

This process is pretty similar to cleaning and descaling drip coffee makers. You won’t have to do it too often, and it only takes a few minutes!

Bonavita Kettle Technical Specifications

	Bonavita Variable Temperature Kettle
Manufacturer	Bonavita
Name	1L Digital Variable Temperature Kettle
Category	Electric Kettles
Max capacity	33.8 oz / 1.0 l
Hold function	Yes
Temperature range	140 – 212 F / 60 – 100 C
Timer function	No
User interface	Digital display, buttons
App	No
Cord length	1.7 ft / 53.3 cm
Weight	2.8 lb / 1.3 kg
Dimensions	11.0 x 7.0 x 7.5 in / 28.0 x 18.0 x 19.0 cm
Current price on Amazon	$128.75

Bonavita Variable Temperature Kettle vs Fellow Stagg EKG

When I think about comparing the Bonavita Variable Temperature Gooseneck Kettle with a similar model, a clear rival comes to mind. It’s the Fellow Stagg EKG, of course.

In terms of style, the Bonavita kettle is absolutely no match for the Fellow’s beauty. And I’m only being a little biased here. Then again, if you aren’t a fan of Fellow’s modern and boxy style, you may actually prefer the Bonavita.

The Stagg EKG also wins in my book for its ergonomic design. In particular, the Stagg has a weighted handle that helps offset your pour. This encourages a steadier flow rate and eases any strain on your wrist. While the Bonavita kettle does have an ergonomic shape to its handle, it doesn’t feel quite as nice to pour.

As for their user interfaces, these two electric gooseneck kettles are pretty comparable. You can set and hold temperatures for up to one hour on both the Bonavita and Stagg EKG. Both kettles also have a timer function, which is useful for pour-over.

Still, at $165.00 the Stagg EKG is a bit more expensive than the sleek Bonavita. And though Fellow holds the key to my heart, I’m not sure it has enough oomph to make it worth the extra cash.

See Also: Fellow Kettle Review

Bonavita Kettle vs Stagg EKG Comparison Chart

	Bonavita Variable Temperature Kettle	Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Kettle
Manufacturer	Bonavita	Fellow
Name	1L Digital Variable Temperature Kettle	Stagg EKG
Category	Electric Kettles	Electric kettles
Max capacity	33.8 oz / 1.0 l	30 oz / 900 ml
Hold function	Yes	Yes
Temperature range	140 – 212 F / 60 – 100 C	135 – 212 F / 57 – 100 C
Timer function	No	Yes
User interface	Digital display, buttons	LCD screen
App	No	No
Cord length	1.7 ft / 53.3 cm	2.5 ft / 76.2 cm
Weight	2.8 lb / 1.3 kg	2.7 lb / 1.3 kg
Dimensions	11.0 x 7.0 x 7.5 in / 28.0 x 18.0 x 19.0 cm	11.5 x 6.7 x 8.0 in / 29.2 x 17.1 x 20.3 cm
Current price on Amazon	$128.75	$165.00

Verdict: Bonavita Gooseneck Kettle Review

Now that we’ve reached the end of my Bonavita Gooseneck Kettle review, what do you think? Is this the kettle for you?

I regularly used this kettle during my barista days, and I can say that it didn’t make me have to think too hard. And in the middle of a morning rush, that’s a good thing! 

Still, I plan on purchasing this kettle soon to make sure it’s as good as I remember it being. I’ll make sure to update this review once I’ve got some test results to share.

Overall, I think this kettle is great. I don’t love the style of the Bonavita electric gooseneck kettle, but I do love its functionality – and functionality is more important in a kettle, anyway.

Whether I’m brewing up some pour over coffee or making a French press, I’d be more than happy with this kettle.