For some coffee drinkers, the only proper way to start each morning is by enjoying a piping hot cup of personally concocted, pour-over java. With this trend soaring as of late, a San Francisco-based startup named Fellow decided to craft the ultimate electric pour-over kettle and recently took the project to Kickstarter. Dubbed the Stagg EKG — and EKG+ for those who desire Bluetooth connectivity — this minimally designed yet effective device excels at providing the absolute perfect temperature for crafting an ideal cup of Joe. That is if you don’t mind spending over $100 for the device.
A fully loaded kettle, the Stagg EKG and EKG+ feature variable temperature control, an easy-to-read LCD screen which displays the current heat level, and a Hold button which allows users to quickly pause on a desired temperature for up to 30 minutes. Each function works harmoniously with one another to not just grant greater control over the temperature of a pot of water but to make the process as easy and efficient as possible. For instance, setting the temperature is done as simply as twisting the EKG’s built-in dial.
“Brewing coffee is like baking a cake. Sure, you can bake all your batters at 350 [degrees Fahrenheit] but you’re going to get quite a few burnt bottoms and gooey middles,” stated Fellow’s Kickstarter campaign. “And sure, you can brew your coffee at ‘about’ boiling but you’re cutting yourself short in producing the best tasting cup of coffee. Did you know that freshly roasted coffee should be brewed at a higher temp than an older bag of beans? With Stagg EKG, you have complete control of temperature with a touch of a button.”
Aside from its main suite of features, the EKG and EKG+ also boast precision pour spouts, an extremely minimalist design highlighted by gorgeous matte black, and a counterbalanced handle which shifts the center of the kettle’s mass toward a user’s hand for easier pours. Additionally, Fellow crafted the kettle to support up to a liter of water, display Celsius or Fahrenheit readings, and comes with what it’s calling a “dope” cord wrap — now you know the thing is special.
As mentioned above, the EKG+ differs slightly from its basic version kin, sporting Bluetooth connectivity which allows owners to turn the kettle on or off via a companion smartphone application. The app also keeps track of the device’s current temperature and tracks the use of all recipes to allow users to go back and whip up the cup of coffee (or tea) they liked best.
What about that price? Early bird backers have the option of scoring an EKG for just $105 to $109 throughout the duration of the campaign — which checks in at a good $45 off the intended MSRP. For those who really want to go all out, Fellow offers a package deal of the Bluetooth-enabled EKG+ and an Acaia Pearl Digital Scale for just $249 (i.e., $100 off the combined retail value of the two products). As of this writing, the EKG electric kettle had already raised more than $127,000 to its initial goal of $100,000 with 57 days left to go in the campaign.
