The Stagg EKG is one of the latest products from Fellow, a coffee device company dedicated to improving the way people brew coffee at home. Fellow is well-known for their wonderfully designed and incredibly functional coffee brewing apparatuses.
The Stagg EKG is an electric pour-over kettle complete with temperature selection, Fahrenheit-to-Celsius conversion, and capable of holding a chosen temperature for up to 60 minutes. Each Stagg EKG has an integrated PID controller to efficiently approach your desired brewing temperature.
The spout is designed just right to prevent the kettle from dripping and allowing you to achieve the perfect pour-over stream. We think the Stagg EKG is the perfect pour-over kettle for the craft coffee enthusiast.
Overall Score: 4.7/5
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Quality: 4.8/5
Fellow Products makes exceptional coffee apparatuses. The Stagg EKG follows that trend; it has a high-quality build and will stand the test of time.
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Value: 4.6/5
The Stagg EKG is an expensive gooseneck kettle, but we think it’s well worth the money. It has all the features you need in a kettle and more.
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Style: 4.7/5
Fellow Products has been on a winning streak when it comes to design; they have produced countless beautifully minimalist products.
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Size: 4.8/5
We think the size is just right and since they offer two kettle capacities, we’re sure one of them will be suited to your needs.
Pros
- Beautiful aesthetics – As will all other Fellow products, the Stagg EKG is the perfect kettle for your minimalist kitchen
- To-the-Degree Temperature Selection – The Stagg EKG has a control knob on the base that lets you select temperatures from 135-212° F (57-100° C)
- Quick heat-up – The unit uses a whopping 1200 watts of power to get your water from fridge-temp to brewing temp
- Hold Temperatures – The system can hold a selected temperature for 60 minutes before it shuts the heating element off for safety
Cons
- Temperature display – The temperature display screen feels a bit outdated to us and we aren’t in love with the pixelated style
- Pricey – This electric kettle is definitely not the least expensive on the market, but we assure you it’s worth every penny
- No cord storage – Lots of electric kettles on the market have a way to store the long cables that are attached to the base; we like to hide our cord so as to not detract from the minimalism of the kettle
Features
The Stagg EKG is chock full of features that we think make it an amazing pour-over kettle for the home barista or coffee enthusiast.
Temperature Adjustment
To start, one of the best things about this kettle is that it has temperature selection. The knob on the corner of the base is used to adjust the temperature from 135° F to 212° F (57-100° C). We love this adjustability because it lets us brew everything from AeroPress to pour-over coffee without losing cup quality by scalding the beans.
Brew Stopwatch
The kettle has a built-in brew timer that works like a charm. The temperature adjustment knob also doubles as a button to start the brew timer. When you’re ready to start it, you simply push and hold the knob down for 2 seconds. To stop the timer, you press the knob down one more time. We like this feature because timing your pour overs is one of the easiest ways to increase repeatability between cups.
Temperature Conversion
The Stagg EKG base is capable of switching between Fahrenheit and Celsius at the drop of a hat. All it takes is toggling the F/C switch on the back of the unit. When you flip between them, the screen will update to show you which unit you’re currently using. While you shouldn’t have to use this very often, it’s nice to leave the calculator in your desk while you brew coffee.
Digital Temperature Display
One of the novel upgrades that the Stagg EKG brought over the Stagg (in addition to being electric) is that it sports a digital temperature display, while the original Stagg uses an analog temperature dial. The EKG lets you achieve incredible precision because it tracks temperature on the digital display to a single degree. We really like being able to see the exact temperature the water is at as it heats up.
Holding Temperatures
Most people brew their coffee right after watching their water heat up. Some of us, however, don’t have the patience for that. Luckily, the Stagg EKG is able to hold a set temperature for 60 minutes before shutting off for safety. We dig this feature because we have a tendency to walk off as the water heats up, only to come back to water that has come to room temperature again. You’ll never have to heat water twice with the Stagg EKG.
PID Controller
One of the more tech-savvy features of the Stagg EKG is its internal PID controller. PID is a fancy electrical engineering acronym for a type of system that reaches a desired setpoint in a very efficient way. The Stagg EKG’s PID controller lets it achieve and maintain the temperature setpoint so that you can spend less time waiting on your coffee and more time enjoying it.
High Power
Although the kettle base seems small, it is capable of using a shocking 1200 watts of power to heat up your water. This power rivals most espresso machines and will get you from fill-up to brewed cup in no time at all.
Style
The Stagg EKG is made by Fellow Products, a coffee company known for their attention to design without neglecting functionality. The Stagg EKG is not only a work of art, but comes in a variety of styles. With three unique styles to choose from, there is a Stagg EKG that will fit anyone’s kitchen.
Matte Black
Matte black is the original color for the Stagg kettle line. It’s what was offered during the original Kickstarter campaign and we’re glad to see it made a reappearance in the EKG line. The matte black look perfectly compliments many of the other great Fellow products, like the Atmos coffee canister. It’s a great fit if you have a modern kitchen.
Polished Copper
The polished copper look is definitely more classic. It is perfect for anyone who has copper pots and pans hanging on the wall. We love the copper look because it’s classy and sophisticated while keeping the minimalist nature of the Stagg EKG. As a heads up—the mirror finish can get dirty easily, so you’ll want to make sure you clean it regularly to keep it shining.
Polished Steel
A very safe option for the Stagg EKG Kettle is the stainless steel look. It’s guaranteed to fit in with any of your kitchen appliances or decor. We love the polished steel for its mirror finish but it can also get dirty pretty easily. Make sure you’re polishing it up every so often to make it look like new.
Sizes
The Stagg EKG Kettle comes in two different sizes: 0.9L and 0.6L. We prefer the 0.9L because it gives us the ability to brew larger volumes of coffee, especially if we’re having company. The 0.6L size ideal if you’re not making more than a few cups of coffee or tea at a time.
Stagg EKG vs. Stagg EKG+
The Stagg EKG Kettle comes in two different variants. There’s the original EKG and the EKG+. The biggest difference between the two options is the EKG+ is a smart device. You can remotely turn on/off your kettle, keep track of your recipes, and connect to the Acaia Brewbar Tablet App via Bluetooth. Most of these features are probably not needed for the average coffee drinker, but if you’re a super coffee nerd like us or run a cafe, it could be worth the extra cash to upgrade to the EKG+.
Perfect Pairings
To make the most of your new Stagg EKG, you’ll definitely want to invest in some other important coffee gear.
Grinding Right Before Brewing
One of the best ways to improve how you brew coffee is to use a burr grinder to grind your coffee right before you brew it. A great introductory burr coffee grinder is the Baratza Encore. Baratza has been in the coffee grinder game for years and they come highly recommended from coffee enthusiasts.
- SPECIALTY COFFEE ASSOCIATION AWARD WINNING GRINDERS - Baratza grinders are preferred by coffee professionals and backed by Baratza’s world class support.
- GO-TO ENTRY LEVEL GRINDER - Baratza’s best-selling grinder, with its small footprint, is THE choice for brewing coffee at home. Available in White or Black.
- USER FRIENDLY - A convenient, front-mounted pulse button, plus a simple ON/OFF switch make it easy to grind fresh coffee.
- 40 GRIND SETTINGS - Engineered with 40mm commercial-grade conical burrs that help you explore the extensive range of brew methods (espresso, Aeropress, Hario V60, Chemex, French Press, and automatic brewers).
- WARRANTY/QUALITY PARTS - Hardened alloy steel burrs manufactured in Liechtenstein, Europe, plus a powerful DC motor. This combination creates a consistent grind and durability to ensure the longevity users have come to expect from the Baratza brand. The Encore is backed by Baratza’s world class support and a 1 year warranty. 2020 Update has exact same trusted functionality with a sleek new exterior.
Last update on 2023-06-06 at 00:16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Weighting Out Your Dose and Brew
A great way to improve consistency in brewing between cups is to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh out the coffee beans before you grind them. Since coffee geeks like us are pretty particular when it comes to kitchen scales, many of the coffee equipment companies offer their own coffee scales.
One of our favorite scales comes from the Japanese brand Hario. The Hario V60 Drip Coffee Scale is easy to stow away when not in use and comes with an integrated timer so you can time your pours and achieve the perfect brews.
- Hario V60 drip coffee scale measures in 0. 1 gram increments for highest precision
- Includes a drip timer for perfect bloom times and pours each time
- Integrated timer for complete and total control of your coffee brewing process
- Auto power off in 5 minutes (not activated when the timer is on)
- Scale dimensions: 7. 4" x 4. 7" x 1. 1" ; Uses 2 AAA batteries (included)
Last update on 2024-06-14 at 01:17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Making the Perfect Pour-Over
To brew the perfect cup of pour-over coffee, you need to have a pour-over brewer. One of our favorite pour-over brewers is the Chemex. It’s iconic and even is featured in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The Chemex can sit perfectly on any coffee scale and, since the coffee drips directly into the serving container, there’s no mess. We’d recommend the 6-Cup Chemex and picking up a pack of Chemex coffee filters.
- CHEMEX - simple, easy to use with timeless, elegant design
- All CHEMEX Coffeemakers are made of the highest quality, non-porous Borosilicate glass which will not absorb odors or chemical residues
- The patented CHEMEX pour-over design allows coffee to be covered and refrigerated for reheating without losing flavor
- All CHEMEX Coffeemakers are measured using 5 oz. as 1 cup
- Use CHEMEX Bonded Filters FP-1, FC-100, FS-100, FSU-100, Filters not included.
- Fits all CHEMEX Coffeemakers except CM-1, CM-1C, CM-1GH
Last update on 2024-06-14 at 03:59 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API