If you brew coffee or tea by the cup or French press, you've likely found it frustrating how difficult it can be to get hot water to the precise temperature that you want. Most vessels offer a basic spout, which ends up disturbing the delicate leaves or grounds, splashing about. Even restaurant-grade hot water dispensers, like those made by Zojirushi, don't provide a wide range of temperatures, and when dispensing are hard to control.
That's why the Bonavita Variable Temperature Electric Kettle is such a perfect home-brew of cafe companion. Anywhere you want hot water at a precise temperature, and want to pour-over slowly, you'll find one just like this. The gooseneck design allows for anyone to carefully control the amount and placement of water, and it looks great besides. Of course, it does take up a bit more space and is a little harder to store. The base itself though is nicely-designed, offering not only six presets, but user control and adjustments- and it's accurate to within two degrees. There's room to hold the cord as well.
Stainless steel is more attractive than plastic, easier to clean, and doesn't affect the taste of water either. The handle is ergonomic, and thick enough that even at boiling, won't scald you while you pour. This model holds one liter of water, and heats up fairly fast, in about four to five minutes depending on setting and altitude of course. Plus, there's no beeping or other noises. They thought of just about everything, though we did notice some small cosmetic issues with the finish on the spout and body- it's a bit rough, and the weld visible in parts. That's not enough to stop us from suggesting it as nearly the perfect kettle if you need these features- available for around $90 online and in stores, and worth every penny for perfect pour-over results.