I am an unapologetic coffee geek. I have explored blends, single origins, roasts, and brew tools. I've had a Baratza and a Fellow Ode, but I prefer to hand grind my beans every morning with a Hario Skerton Pro. For brewing, I've used a french press (Bodum, Fellow Clara, and more), percolator, Aeropress, Bialetti moka pot, Hario siphon, saucepan, and my most recent workhorse: a cloth-filtered nel pot pourover. Out of all those brew methods, the kokekaffe method has been the favorite for me and my wife (who tolerates my obsessions but admits her palate is not as snobby as mine). Kokekaffe is simply the best immersion method for capturing the full flavor of the bean and its oils, provided the beans are fresh and lightly roasted. If you want more info on this method of brewing, search for Tim Wendelboe's method (https://youtu.be/8gXuo8c_bNI) and James Hoffman's review (https://youtu.be/j1Es-3HtEPc). You will note that both of these experts use the Tias Kettle. That is because it is simply the best tool for kokekaffe. I've used a saucepan and a fine filter to mimic the method, but the wide base of the Tias Kettle offers better immersion, and the removable filter does a great job removing most coffee grounds during the pour (I tested and confirmed this by adding a secondary filter, and was only able to capture a few fines, and no boulders). The measure lines inside the kettle make even simpler to prepare an excellent cup of coffee (I use a ratio of 1g of coffee to 12g of water, or about 600g/6dL of water for 40g of coffee – always weigh your coffee beans if you want consistently good coffee). This is one expensive kettle, but for something that you should use daily, and pass on to your heirs, it's worth it. Plus, it can be used on a variety of cooking surfaces, though I'm not sure I'd put it directly in a fire because of the plastic (kokekaffe is also a method that can be performed outdoors, i.e. turkaffe.
My only complaint is cleaning the spent grounds out of the kettle. I recommend leaving some water left so you can swirl the remainder into a slurry before deftly inverting it over a compost bucket. It can be messy, but I'll scrape out any remaining grounds with a wooden soup spoon.
My favorite beans with the kettle right now are Choose KOS's Colombia - Jose Uribe. The light roast works well with kokekaffe, which teases out the richness well. One week after roast brews deliciously. Any older than three weeks, and I might break out the nel pot again, which was designed for old beans.
I ended up ordering this kettle twice because of a personal mixup, but Russ and Bridget's understanding and humor really won me over. It's always great to support a small business (even one on the other side of the country), but even greater when you get to partner with folks who care as much as they do about their customers, their offerings, and their products. I will not hesitate to order from Choose KOS again, and nor should you, no matter where you are. The Tias Kettle is a rare find in the US, and as far as I know, Choose KOS is one of the only official US retailers. But even rarer than the Tias Kettle are Russ and Bridget. Like the kettle, their goodness will stand the test of time.
