Once you have a V60 and a scale, the next upgrade most UK pour-over brewers look at is the kettle. Two names dominate that conversation: the Fellow Stagg EKG, an electric gooseneck with degree-by-degree temperature control that usually sells for around £155 to £165 on Amazon UK, and the Hario V60 Buono, a plain stainless steel stovetop gooseneck at around £50. Both give you the slow, steady pour that makes pour-over repeatable. The question is whether the Stagg's electronics are worth roughly three times the money, and that depends far more on how you brew than on how good either kettle is.
 Fellow Stagg EKG |
 Hario V60 Buono |
The short answer
Buy the Fellow Stagg EKG if you brew pour-over most days, switch between light and darker roasts, or want water sitting at the right temperature the moment you walk into the kitchen. Buy the Hario V60 Buono if you mainly want better pour control, are happy to judge temperature by waiting a moment after the boil, and would rather spend the difference on beans or a grinder.
At a glance
| Fellow Stagg EKG | Hario V60 Buono | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Amazon UK price | Around £155–£165 | Around £50–£55 |
| How it heats | Electric base, 1200W, UK plug | On the hob, or fill it from your normal kettle |
| Capacity | 0.9 litres | 1.2 litres full, 800ml recommended working fill |
| Temperature control | 57–100°C in 1°C steps, live readout | None built in |
| Keeps water hot | Hold mode for up to 60 minutes | No |
| Extras | Built-in brew stopwatch, Celsius or Fahrenheit | None |
| What can go wrong | Electronics in the base, element, display | Very little |
| Main compromise | Price, and slower to boil than a 3kW UK kettle | You guess the temperature |
Prices move regularly on Amazon UK; check the current listing before buying. Specifications are from Fellow's UK spec sheet and Hario's product pages.
Pour control: closer than the price suggests
The reason anyone buys a gooseneck is the pour. A normal kettle dumps water in a fast, thick stream that churns the coffee bed and rushes through the paper. A gooseneck lets you pour a thin, steady stream exactly where you want it, which is what keeps extraction even from one morning to the next. We go into why that matters in our Hario Buono spotlight.
On this point the two kettles are much closer than the price gap implies. Both have long, narrow spouts that are easy to keep at a slow, even rate, and both are perfectly capable of a gentle bloom and slow spiral pours. The Stagg's spout is designed for a fine, restrained flow and its handle is balanced so the kettle feels steady as it empties. The Buono has a slightly more traditional feel and gets lighter and easier to control as it empties too. If pour control is the only thing you want to improve, the Buono already solves that problem.
Temperature: the real difference
This is what the extra money actually buys. Water temperature changes how quickly coffee extracts. Most filter recipes sit somewhere around 90–96°C: lighter, denser roasts usually taste sweeter toward the top of that range, while darker roasts are often smoother a few degrees lower, where they pick up less bitterness.
With the Stagg EKG you turn the dial to the number you want, the screen shows both the target and the live temperature, and the kettle holds it. Switch hold mode on and it keeps the water there for up to an hour, which is genuinely useful if you brew one cup, then another, or get pulled away mid-routine. It is also handy if anyone in the house drinks green or white tea, which prefers cooler water.
With the Buono you work it out. The common approach is to bring water to the boil, either on the hob or in your normal kettle, and then pour it into the Buono. Moving boiled water into a room-temperature kettle drops it a few degrees on its own, and waiting a little longer brings it down further for darker roasts. It is not precise, but for one or two familiar coffees most people find a routine that works within a week. If you want a number without paying for the Stagg, a cheap cooking thermometer does the job.
Speed and the UK kitchen
UK kettles are some of the fastest in the world, because our sockets allow up to 3kW. The Stagg EKG runs at 1200W, so it is noticeably slower than the kettle already on your worktop. Retailer figures put 500ml at around three minutes to boil. For a single pour-over that is fine, especially since you can grind and weigh while it heats, but it is worth knowing if you are used to a fast kettle.
The Buono's speed depends on your setup. Hario lists the current 1.2 litre model as compatible with induction, gas and electric hobs, and it heats quickly on a good induction ring. Older versions on the market vary, so check the listing if you cook on induction. Many owners skip the hob altogether and decant water from their normal kettle, which is the quickest route of all and avoids any compatibility questions.
Capacity
Neither is a family kettle. The Stagg holds 0.9 litres to the fill line, while Hario recommends filling the 1.2 litre Buono to about 800ml so it pours cleanly. Both are comfortably enough for one or two cups of pour-over, or a single larger brew. If you regularly brew for four, you will be refilling either one.
Build, care and hard water
The Buono is a stainless steel kettle with a handle and a lid. There is nothing to break, and with basic care it should last for many years. The Stagg has a 304 stainless steel body but relies on an electric base with a display and controller; Fellow's UK spec sheet lists a one-year limited warranty, and the kettle must not go on a hob or in a dishwasher.
Whichever you choose, hard water is the bigger long-term issue in much of the UK. Limescale builds up inside any kettle, so empty it after use, let it dry and descale now and then with a citric acid solution. Filtered water also tends to make cleaner-tasting coffee; our hard water guide covers why.
Who should buy which
| If you… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Brew V60 a few times a week and mainly want a steadier pour | Hario V60 Buono |
| Cook on gas or induction and like gadget-free kit | Hario V60 Buono |
| Are on a tighter budget and still need a scale or a better grinder | Hario V60 Buono, and spend the rest on the scale or grinder |
| Brew pour-over every day and switch between roasts | Fellow Stagg EKG |
| Brew several cups in a row or get interrupted mid-routine | Fellow Stagg EKG |
| Also drink green or white tea at lower temperatures | Fellow Stagg EKG |
Before you buy either
A gooseneck kettle gives you control, but a scale tells you whether you used it. If you are not yet weighing coffee and water, a scale such as the Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2 will improve your V60 more than either kettle, and it costs about the same as the Buono. Fresh beans and a decent burr grinder matter more again. The kettle is a refinement on top of those, not a replacement for them.
Verdict
For most UK pour-over brewers the Hario V60 Buono is the sensible buy. It delivers the controlled pour that actually improves your cup, works with your existing kettle or hob, and has nothing in it to fail. The Fellow Stagg EKG is a genuinely better tool, not just a prettier one: accurate temperature, a one-hour hold and a built-in timer make a daily ritual easier and more consistent, especially if you move between roasts. Just be clear that you are paying around £100 extra for convenience and precision, not for a better pour. If you already brew every day and find yourself guessing temperatures, that extra is easy to justify. If you are still building your setup, start with the Buono and a scale.
