In my last coffee related post, I discussed how I prefer the slower, pour-over method of brewing at home. The benefits of pour-over come from the control the coffee brewer (you!) have in the process. Getting a good grind (covered in my last post) is essential but so too is the direction and flow of water running through your coffee grinds. Some brew methods call for “blooming” the coffee with a small amount of water to wet the grinds, but not pass through. With a regular short-spout tea kettle, it’s really hard to control the flow enough to achieve this. With a gooseneck kettle, like the Hario Buono, you have an unbelievable amount of control over the flow speed and direction. When I make coffee, I bloom for about 45 second to a minute and then begin to pour a steady stream in counter-clockwise circles, stopping intermittently to allow the water to pass through the grounds. This kettle makes that process a joy. When I first purchased it, I thought I would prefer an electric kettle, which has the added benefit of giving you even more control over the water temperature, but I have grown to love this stovetop model. I tend to store it right on top of my stove also because I think it’s a great looking item for the kitchen.