Beans & Water
By Youssef
The Convenience Catches UpNov 14, 2025Convenience Catches UpSep 4, 2025The Bottom of the PotAug 29, 2025The Burned Toast PrincipleJul 31, 2025The Email I Didn't SendJul 30, 2025My Flat Tire EpiphanyJul 30, 2025The IncidentJul 26, 2025I Burned My Tongue, Then Bought a $200 KettleJul 22, 2025My Sock Drawer Smells Like GuatemalaJul 18, 2025The Bitter CupJul 17, 2025
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I Burned My Tongue, Then Bought a $200 Kettle

Jul 22, 2025

I made my pour-over with water straight from the stovetop kettle, forgot to let it cool, and now my tongue feels like I licked a curling iron. So naturally I spent the next 45 minutes reading about flow restrictors and gooseneck spouts.

This newsletter is not a rational space.

Here's everything I clicked on while I waited for my mouth to recover:

  • This review of 12 kettles convinced me that variable temperature control is a need, not a want.

  • James Hoffmann made a video about kettle pour accuracy. Of course he did. It's mesmerizing.

  • The Brewista Artisan is like the Aston Martin of kettles. Overkill. I want two.

  • This guy 3D-printed a custom spout mod and I respect that more than I should.

  • I found a Kickstarter for a magnetic stirring puck that's supposed to "unlock your brew." Sounds fake. Still backed it.

  • I read an entire forum thread about water mineral content and now I think I need a reverse osmosis system or a therapist.

  • Someone on Twitter said the best brewing temperature is "whatever the water is when you stop overthinking it." Blocked.

  • I still use this $10 IKEA kettle when I visit my parents. It screams like a banshee. I love it.

If you burned your tongue this week too, consider it a baptism. You're doing the work. You're part of something now.

Y.

Beans & Water

I Burned My Tongue, Then Bought a $200 Kettle

Jul 22, 2025

I made my pour-over with water straight from the stovetop kettle, forgot to let it cool, and now my tongue feels like I licked a curling iron. So naturally I spent the next 45 minutes reading about flow restrictors and gooseneck spouts.

This newsletter is not a rational space.

Here's everything I clicked on while I waited for my mouth to recover:

  • This review of 12 kettles convinced me that variable temperature control is a need, not a want.

  • James Hoffmann made a video about kettle pour accuracy. Of course he did. It's mesmerizing.

  • The Brewista Artisan is like the Aston Martin of kettles. Overkill. I want two.

  • This guy 3D-printed a custom spout mod and I respect that more than I should.

  • I found a Kickstarter for a magnetic stirring puck that's supposed to "unlock your brew." Sounds fake. Still backed it.

  • I read an entire forum thread about water mineral content and now I think I need a reverse osmosis system or a therapist.

  • Someone on Twitter said the best brewing temperature is "whatever the water is when you stop overthinking it." Blocked.

  • I still use this $10 IKEA kettle when I visit my parents. It screams like a banshee. I love it.

If you burned your tongue this week too, consider it a baptism. You're doing the work. You're part of something now.

Y.