Mark MorphewPerfecting pour-over coffee depends on a handful of factors that all need to align and come together to achieve an excellent cup.
One of those factors is water temperature and how you pour the water over the bed of coffee grounds. As minor as this may sound, just these two steps can influence the results of your brewed coffee noticeably.
This is where a good gooseneck kettle like the Timemore Youth can make all the difference.
The folks over at Timemore know how to make excellent coffee gear, and they have an extensive range of grinders, coffee scales (read my Timemore Black Mirror review), coffee drippers, and kettles – just like this one I will be looking at today.
It’s the Timemore Youth Pour-Over Kettle that I will be reviewing in this post.
Their coffee kettle ticks all of the right boxes. Let’s find out if it performs as well as it looks. Here’s my Timemore kettle review.
Timemore Youth Pour-Over Kettle: At A Glance
Flattery will get you everywhere, and there’s no mistaking that the Timemore Youth Kettle closely resembles the iconic Fellow Stagg Kettle.
– Hey, as they say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
The design is timeless, and I think Timemore has pulled it off perfectly by adding a hint of their own flair to make it their own.
When I unboxed the Youth Kettle, I was a little taken back as to how small it was.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not tiny, and it’s just the right size for a regular pour-over brewing. I guess I was expecting something a little bigger the marketing images look deceiving.
With only a 600ml capacity, the Timemore Youth Kettle won’t cater to more than one.
It is smaller than both the Fellow Stagg and the classic Hario Gooseneck ‘Buono’ Coffee Kettle. But for a solo coffee drinker, it’s a perfect size.
Timemore claims that the kettle can be used directly on a gas, electric, induction, or Halogen stovetop.
While I have no doubts this is possible, personally, I prefer to boil my water in a regular kettle first and then transfer it to the Timemore.
Why?
I can’t see the kettle withstanding the everyday abuse of a stovetop burner and the additional heat.
– The pouring is where the kettle shines. Let a regular kettle do the heaving lifting.
Design And Aesthetics
This kettle stays true to the Timemore range of coffee brewing equipment with its sleek matt black finish and simplistic design. Like their grinders and other paraphernalia, you have an option for white, which also looks elegant.
When it comes to aesthetics, the Timemore pour-over kettle is no doubt more stylish than traditional kettles.
The dark natural wood handle adds a stylish element to the design. The overall feeling of the product in the hand is well balanced.
The Timemore Youth has been constructed from durable 304 food-grade stainless steel with a matt black powder coating on the outer body. A shiny polished interior – the black and mirror-like interior make for a great contrast.
The lid is well constructed and fits snug on the kettle, a little too snug, to be honest, I often found it a struggle to remove. A nice feature is the air holes to allow for steam to exit safely.
The base of the kettle is triple-layered for extra durability. The added reinforcement is a welcomed sight as the Timemore can be used directly on a gas stovetop.
The build quality is not as premium as the more expensive kettles, but overall it’s well designed and thoughtfully considered.
How Well Does The Timemore Kettle Pour?
Let’s be honest the most important thing with a gooseneck kettle is how well it pours – how does the Timemore Youth stand up to the competition?
I won’t beat around the bush. The water flow is good for pour-over brewing!
As soon as I started to pour, I had a big smile on my face, and I knew that the Timemore had nailed the flow rate.
The gooseneck shape ensures that you have a constant 90-degree angle. Due to the design of the spout, a steady stream of water is almost guaranteed, which makes it perfect for beginners and professionals alike wanting to pour over their coffee bed precisely.
In addition, the thin spout lets you get close to the coffee so you can drip water exactly where you need it, reducing unwanted agitation.
Apart from the pouring spout, the handle’s contour has been designed to allow you to place your thumb on the top for more stability.
It’s a nice little feature, but to be honest, with the kettle only weighing 564 grams, it’s not that heavy even when it’s completely full.
Drawbacks: Some Things I Don’t Like
My main gripe with the Timemore kettle is the small capacity. It’s definitely on the smaller side when compared to other similar gooseneck kettles.
Timemore claims that the kettle holds up to 600ml of water.
Now while this is true, you will find it very difficult to pour out the water in a steady stream when the kettle is full to the brim. The kettle seems slightly off-balance when full, and it takes quite a bit of skill to pour.
Another minor issue is the matt black finish.
Don’t get me wrong, it looks fantastic. But I have found that it easily chips and comes off if you’re not careful.
Again, nothing major but something that I think is worth mentioning.
About The Timemore Brand
If you’ve got this far, then perhaps you might be interested in learning more about Timemore.
Timemore’s roots can be traced back to early 2012 when four coffee enthusiasts founded the company together.
Timemore produces well-made and durable barista-quality pour-over kettles, manual coffee grinders, coffee scales, brewing cones, and other coffee brewing paraphyllia.
Timemore is a popular brand in Asia, and it’s only in the past couple of years that Timemore, along with its modest range of coffee gear, has started gaining traction in the western part of the world.
– That kind of sums up the company in a few sentences.
Timemore Kettle Versus The Competition
The coffee kettle marketplace is crowded. Recently, there seems to be an abundance of manufacturers trying to carve out space for themselves, such as Coffee Gator, Fellow Stagg, and Brewista taking a lot of the market share.
Timemore is making waves in Asia, but they’ve not managed to crack the western markets like some of the competition have.
But in terms of quality, the Timemore brand excels and produces coffee gear that’s on par, if not better than the likes of Coffee Gator and similar brands.
The Verdict – Should You Get The Timemore Kettle?
Gooseneck coffee kettles are all about one thing – good control.
If you’ve ever tried, you will know just how difficult it is to achieve with a standard kettle.
The Timemore youth pour-over kettle does excel in this department.
The angular design of the gooseneck pouring spout and the tapered tip ensure that you have total control over the flow of water at all times.
You can quickly slow down or speed up your pour without any spurts or unwanted dribbles, and the oversized wooden handle makes for a secure grip.
All of this translates into more precise pours, which means that even the most temperamental manual coffee brewing techniques will be far easier to handle.
However, I have done some searching, and I have found a very similar pour-over kettle that looks identical, and it comes with a thermometer in the lid. You can find that here.
What We Love
- Great pouring control.
- Aesthetic modern design.
- High-grade stainless steel construction.
Take Note
- Small capacity for only 2 cups of coffee at a time
- Will discolor after prolonged use on the stovetop.
- The lid fits tight, and it can be a struggle to take off.
Excellent Timemore Pour-Over Kettle Alternative
A similar Timemore model sold at Amazon is very basic, but the pouring spout is the same. So if you don’t mind the simplistic aesthetics give it a try; I’m sure it performs just as well.
When he's not fiddling around with a new coffee gadget, you'll find him busy doing DIY projects around the home and taking his German Shepherd for a walk, who funnily enough is called Kona!
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Since the creation of the Bean Ground coffee blog in 2014, Mark and a small circle of coffee hobbyists have rigorously tested, reviewed, and researched coffee gear. In most cases, they have purchased the items themselves with the sole intention of rating and evaluating.
In that time, they have built up a list of quality points to look for and what makes specific equipment better than others. They cut through the noise and marketing hype that often surrounds products to give you their unbiased opinions so you can make clear decisions on your next purchase.
