There are a lot of cool things out there that make us wonder — do they really work? In our I Tried It series, we set out to use them in the real world and have determined that, in fact, they really do.
The Products on Trial
The fan-favorite Stagg EKG Electric Kettle and newly launched Stagg EKG Pro Electric Kettle
The Tester
Melanie Yates, a daily tea sipper with an affinity for useful yet interesting-to-look-at countertop devices
The Brief
If you drink as much tea as I do — around 2 or 3 cups per day — making sure your kitchen has an electric tea kettle plugged in and waiting for the next refill is a lifestyle requirement. While you can make a cup of hot water for tea any number of ways (i.e., with a stovetop kettle, Keurig machine, or even in the microwave as a last resort), using an electric kettle is usually quicker, resulting in better-tasting tea that's been brewed to your exact temperature specifications, not lukewarm or molten-hot.
Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Kettle
The caffeine obsessives at Fellow take their brewing very seriously, which is why they developed the now cult-famous Stagg EKG Electric Kettle (as seen in the homes of Kourtney Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Jimmy Butler, and Amy Schumer, among other celebs). With its sleek look and digital temperature dial, it paved the way for a new tier of status kettles to enter the market.
In early October, Fellow upped the ante by introducing the Stagg EKG Pro Electric Kettle. While the two devices have nearly identical silhouettes, several key features set them apart — and may impact your ease and enjoyment of using them. Having spent well over a month with both products, we're breaking down what you need to know about each one.
The Forms
Both the original Stagg EKG and newer Stagg EKG Pro are undeniably chic and built for peak performance. Sitting atop plastic 6.5x6.5-inch bases, the kettles themselves both weigh 2.75 pounds, hold .9 liters, and are made of stainless steel. Their handles and lid pulls may be made of either plastic or wood, depending on your chosen color scheme.
And, oh yes, there are color options. The older Stagg EKG currently takes the crown for having the most hues available, not just of the two models reviewed here but of any electric kettle we've researched and reviewed previously. This one comes in 13 different color combos, including matte monochrome, metallic, accented with wooden handles, and even clad in unexpected shades like warm pink and stone blue. (We've also peeped this kettle in broccoli green on Great Jones' site, too!)
As for the newer Stagg EKG Pro model, it currently comes in just three color options: matte white, black, and black with walnut-wood handles. According to the brand, new colors will be released sometime next year, so stay tuned!
The Functions
Both the Stagg EKG and EKG Pro are powered by near-identical detachable bases that are equipped with a knob, button, and a small circular screen. The screen on the EKG Pro is a high-resolution, full-color screen that displays a playful color wheel of settings to spin through. Settings include a scheduling function that'll heat water for you at the same time every day, a pre-boil function that heats water to max temperature for sanitizing purposes, a chime on/off feature, altitude adjustment, adjustable hold-temp function, and Fahrenheit/Celsius reader, among others. When not in use, this same screen stays on to display the time, either analog- or digital-style.
The original EKG, on the other hand, has a more retro-looking LCD screen, and the settings you can adjust are more limited: temperature, Fahrenheit/Celsius reader, and hold-temp function. These latter two features actually switch to toggle on the back of the base — you may not realize they are there at first.
The most significant difference between these two models is their temperature control function. With the original Stagg EKG, you can set your precise temp to anywhere between 104 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also do this with the Stagg EKG Pro,
but it streamlines your options with “guide mode,” so you can pick your temp based on the beverage you’re brewing. It lets you skip from 180 degrees (for making white or green tea) up to 212 degrees (for herbal or black tea) in just a half-twist of the knob instead of multiple rotations. However, from our testing, both models heat water at nearly the same time: It takes just 2 minutes to heat water from the tap to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, no matter which one you're using. They both have real-time temperature readings, so you can see how close you are to being ready to pour.
Last but certainly not least, these kettles also contain fun little Easter eggs: You can play a secret video game on their screens! The original EKG kettle has Wormy (similar to Snake), and the EKG Pro has Bricky (inspired by the games Breakout and Brick). You probably wouldn't stumble across these games unless you were doing some major fiddling with the buttons, knobs, and toggles on the kettle bases, so they're well-disguised but very fun surprises.
The Flaws
While all of these granular features on both kettles can be a lot of fun to use, they can be tough to decipher when initially setting yourself up. These are kettles for “gadget” people — but once you learn the sequence of twists and presses that bring up the functions or temperature controls you want (and can see from the blinking “set” on the screen that your water is in the process of boiling), you should have no problem using it. In my opinion, the learning curve involved in doing something as seemingly simple as boiling water may sour some people on these devices.
The original Stagg EKG is the less expensive of the two kettles, but its $195 price tag is still quite steep for lacking what I consider to be a quintessential kettle feature: the indication that the water is done boiling! Even a bargain-bin stovetop kettle will whistle loudly to let you know your water is ready! While the “hold-temp” toggle on the back of the device will keep the temperature right where you want it for up to 60 minutes, I frequently found myself forgetting all about the kettle after setting it up to boil water for tea. The EKG Pro does have an alert chime, but you have to make sure it's toggled on, and the volume is loud enough to hear.
Closing Argument
Both the Stagg EKG and Stagg EKG Pro Kettles are examples of smart, playful, and out-of-the-box designs. The original Stagg EKG, while slightly limited in its functions, still provides precise temperature control, a lengthy hold function, and a playful palette of colors to choose from for showing off in your kitchen setup to your IRL and internet friends. The next-generation Stagg EKG Pro brings a full suite of features to tinker with (like chime loudness, hold-temp length, altitude adjustment, etc.), all from a beautiful high-resolution screen.
If you don’t mind the initial adjustment period in learning all that these tricked-out kettles can do, they’re worthy investments that’ll get a ton of use in a tea- or pour-over-drinking household. Plus, either of these would make an excellent gift for the caffeine, design, or gadget lover in your life — just saying!
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Melanie Yates is the senior service editor of Best Products, where she writes and reports pieces pertaining to the etiquette, dilemmas, and how-tos of gift-giving for different occasions. Previously, she was the site's senior home editor, covering all things decor- and bedding-related since 2015. Her digital byline can also be found on Bustle, House Beautiful, and Elle Decor. A longtime classical-music enthusiast, Melanie spends her off-hours enjoying performances big and small across New York City.
