Step-Up · Electric kettle
Electric kettle: when temperature matters
A plain 1.7-liter Hamilton Beach against a Fellow Stagg EKG Pro gooseneck. One boils; the other aims.
Save unless you brew pour-over coffee or delicate tea. For everything else, boiling is the only setting you need.
Updated · First published.
Hamilton Beach 1.7-Liter Electric Kettle (40880)
Boils a big pot of water fast and switches itself off. Does nothing else.
- Capacity
- 1.7 L
- Power
- 1500 W
- Controls
- On/off, auto shut-off, boil-dry protection
- Body
- Stainless steel
- Warranty
- 1 year (listed)
Fellow Stagg EKG Pro Electric Gooseneck Kettle
Exact temperatures and a slow, steerable pour. Half the capacity of a basic kettle.
- Capacity
- 0.9 L
- Power
- 1200 W
- Controls
- Set temperature, hold, brew timer, display
- Spout
- Gooseneck
- Body
- Stainless steel
What the extra money buys
| Line | Base | Step-up |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1.7 L | 0.9 L |
| Power | 1500 W | 1200 W |
| Temperature | Boil only | Set to the degree, hold |
| Spout | Standard | Gooseneck |
| Warranty | 1 year | Not listed |
Spend if
- You make pour-over coffee most mornings.
- You drink green, white or oolong tea and want water below boiling.
- You like water kept hot for a second cup.
Save if
- Tea bags, instant coffee, oatmeal or pasta water.
- You make drinks for several people at once.
- You want the fastest boil you can get.
The trade-offs
A gooseneck kettle solves two specific problems: water too hot for delicate leaves, and a pour too fast and splashy for pour-over coffee. If neither describes your mornings, the Stagg's features sit unused, and you lose half your capacity.
The plain kettle is honestly better at its own job. It holds more, its 1500-watt element is more powerful than the Fellow's 1200 watts, and it has less to go wrong. There is a middle option: many basic kettles now offer a few temperature presets. That covers tea, though none gives you the gooseneck's controlled pour.
Listing checks before you buy
- Capacity in liters, and the minimum fill line.
- Whether there is temperature control, and in what steps.
- What touches the water. A stainless interior is the usual choice.
- Auto shut-off and boil-dry protection.
Red flags
- Plastic-bodied kettles with no word on the interior material.
- Gooseneck kettles whose wide spout pours fast anyway.
Product facts checked on October 30, 2026. Advice is research-based: we read makers' specifications and warranty terms rather than using the products ourselves.