Balmuda The Kettle Review

We purchased the Balmuda The Kettle so our reviewer could put it to the test. Keep reading for the full product review.

If you’re a fan of pour-over coffee, you’re likely familiar with the importance of having a good grinder, fresh coffee beans, a scale for measuring out your coffee grounds precisely, and the right pour-over instrument. Another necessary component is a gooseneck kettle. This type of kettle helps to better control the flow rate and direction of your water, which helps produce a flavorful cup of coffee. I tried out the Balmuda The Kettle to evaluate its gooseneck spout, heating speed, design, ease of cleaning, and price. Keep reading to see what I found. 

Design: Simple and ergonomic 

Balmuda The Kettle is very simple to use. To fill it up, the lid easily attaches and detaches from the kettle. I liked that the lid made a click, assuring me that it was properly attached to the kettle. There's also a small opening on the lid that allows steam to flow out.

To turn the kettle on, there's a lever-like button located on the side of the kettle’s body (underneath the handle) that easily flips up and down. When the kettle is on, there's a dim light that illuminates at the end of the handle. This light is made of a tiny neon tube with a delicate glow. I found the light’s subtle glow to be fitting of the kettle’s sleek design. The light will automatically turn off when the water has started to boil, which I found to be a nice feature. 

Balmuda The Kettle also has a well-thought-out ergonomic design. The handle, for instance, is designed to fit snugly and comfortably in the user’s hand. This made the pouring process feel very natural, and never did it feel awkward. In addition, the entire kettle has a matte coating that's smooth to the touch and comfortable to hold. 

One minor design flaw of this kettle is that the cord is rather short, measuring 2.5 feet. This forced me to keep the kettle very close to an outlet whenever I wanted to use it.  

Material: Elegant and sturdy

This kettle’s body is made of stainless steel, and the handle and lid are made of polypropylene. I found that overall, this kettle feels like it won’t easily break, yet at the same time, I found it to be lightweight. I really liked the quality of this kettle. It definitely feels like it’s made with a lot of care and detail, but it’s still the perfect size and handling weight. 

Both the kettle body and base are uniformly black. I loved the elegance and minimalist aesthetic of it being just one single color. There's also a similar white option available.

Setup: Only takes about three minutes

Setting up this electric kettle was very simple and only took about three minutes. I filled the kettle up to the max line (located on the inside of the unit) with tap water, plugged it in, and flipped the lever down to turn the unit on and bring it to a boil. I then dumped out the water and was able to use the kettle as normal. 

Performance: Heats fast and pours precisely 

To test the unit, I used Balmuda The Kettle to make black tea and pour-over coffee for several days. I filled the kettle up to the max line, which equates to about 3 cups. In doing so, it only took about two to three minutes for the water to boil. I was so impressed by how quickly the kettle boiled water. To indicate that the water is boiling, the light at the end of the handle turns off automatically. 

I also loved the precision pour of the gooseneck spout. I was able to have such control over the flow rate of the water and direct it exactly where I wanted it to go. This allowed me to make excellent, high-quality pour-over coffee. This kettle has an automatic power-off function and boil-dry protection feature to ensure safety. 

One minor downside of this kettle is that the capacity is fairly low—it can only boil up to 3 cups of water at once. It was fine for my purposes since I only ever made 1 to 3 cups of tea or coffee at a time. However, for a larger family, this low capacity would be inconvenient. 

Another drawback of this electric kettle is that there's no way to control the temperature of the water. The ability to control the water temperature is ideal when making pour-over coffee and different types of teas. Since this kettle is on the pricier side, I would have expected it to have this feature. 

Cleaning: Must wash all parts by hand 

Though all of this kettle’s components must be washed by hand, I found that it’s not hard. The outside of the kettle and power base should be wiped with a slightly wet, soft cloth on occasion. The inside of the kettle should be rinsed out with water only. If stains start to build on the inside of the kettle, the manufacturer's instructions provide details on how to descale and remove the stains. 

Price: Benefits outweigh the higher price for coffee drinkers

Balmuda The Kettle retails for around $179, which is rather expensive for an electric kettle. However, I would say that it's worth the high price tag for coffee lovers considering the caliber of this kettle. Not only does it function flawlessly and with ease, but the ergonomic and sleek design really put it over the top. It also comes with a limited one-year warranty to add to the value.

Balmuda The Kettle vs. Chefman Electric Kettle

Chefman Electric Kettle: The Chefman Electric Kettle is an electric kettle that retails for around $60, but you can find it on sale for around $40. It has a glass body with a 1.8-liter (or 7.5-cup) capacity and comes with its own tea diffuser. What’s great about this kettle is that it has five temperature settings: 175, 185, 195, 200, and 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Each temperature corresponds to a different LED light that illuminates the glass body. The kettle also turns off automatically once the water reaches the user’s desired temperature. 

While this kettle is considerably lower in price compared to the Balmuda, it comes at the cost of style, quality, and pouring precision. The Balmuda has a sturdiness and quality that cannot be compared to the Chefman. Additionally, the Chefman is more ideal for tea drinkers due to the tea infuser and more basic spout. The Balmuda’s gooseneck spout, on the other hand, makes this kettle more suited for coffee fanatics.