PINO Digital Kettle Pro Review

If you brew tea with water cooler than boiling, or if you have any other need for water at a specific temperature, this is the perfect kettle. It will bring up to 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) of water to any temperature from 104°F to 212°F and hold it there.

If your green tea requires water at 170° to 180°, or your white tea is best brewed at 140° to 160°, or your oolongs call for 180° to 200°, this kettle will bring the water to exactly that temperature and hold it there until you need it without fiddling with thermometers or having to be ready at the moment the right temperature is reached.

It can also bring the water to a boil, of course, for black teas, and it will then hold it at 207°; just below boiling, so the oxygen does not get depleted if you are not able to use it immediately. And you can bring it back to a full boil by pushing the on/off button twice.

I've had this kettle for about a month. I use it at least once a day with a variety of loose teas. I used to heat water on the stove or in the microwave. If I needed cooler water, I would then either add cold water or wait for it to cool. Now I just set it and forget it. It saves me at least 5-10 minutes every time I brew tea. I put the water in the Pino Digital Kettle, set the temperature, and turn it on. Then I can go about weighing the tea and preheating the teapot and the thermos while the water is heating up. My previously complicated and messy operation is now smooth and efficient.

The kettle is simple to use and essentially fool proof. For boiling water, just push the On button. It will bring the water to a boil and then back off to about 207° and hold. For cooler water, use the up/down arrows to set the temperature then push On. It will bring the water to that temperature and hold it there. You can change the target temperature at any time except when it is first heating to a boil.

I do have a few minor criticisms, but they are truly minor.

1.There is no external water gauge. It comes with a metal strip that hangs down into the kettle with tabs showing water level. They are difficult to read and the strip is just pushed into a slot in the lid hinge. Mine was loose inside the kettle when it arrived. I thought this would be more of a problem when I first got it, but I now just put plenty of water in the pot and measure when I pour.

2.The kettle is all stainless steel, so the outside of the pot gets hot. But many kettles have this problem. Some type of exterior insulation would be nice, but I haven't burned myself yet.

3.The digital readout serves two functions. While the arrow buttons are being pushed, it shoes the target temperature. At all other times, it shows the water temperature. It would be nice to have two readouts.

These are minor.

The temperature is very accurate. I checked it at several temperatures over the entire range with two different food thermometers. It was right on.

The unit is attractive and appears to be well built

As far as I know, this is the only kettle that will bring water to a specific temperature and hold it there.

03/01/09 Update

I have now owned this kettle for about 6 months. I use it nearly every day. It works flawlessly. My tea is perfectly brewed. I don't know how I managed to make green, white, and oolong teas before. Now the temperature is always right on and ready when I am.

The kludgy water level guide kept falling off, so I threw it away. No big deal.

[...]

The IngenuiTea plus the Pino make tea making a snap. Here's my method for making pretty much any amount of tea. This method is particularly good for green or white tea brewed at lower temperatures. The last step will help keep it hotter longer.

1. Fill the Pino with fresh water and set the temperature.

2. Measure the tea into the IngenuiTea. I have a 40-oz (6 cup) thermos that I use for tea. To make 40 ounces of tea, I usually use about 10 grams of leaf.

3. Put some hot water into the thermos to get it heated up.

4. Set the brew timer.

5. When the Pino gets the water to the right temperature, pour the water into the IngenuiTea. It holds about 24-28 ounces.

6. Start the timer.

7. Reset the Pino to 180-190 degrees.

8. When the brew timer goes off, place the IngenuiTea on the thermos to allow the liquor to drain out.

9. When the Pino reaches 180-190, fill the thermos.

Now I have 6 cups of tea brewed at 140-170, but now brought up to 170-180, which will keep hot all day.

This is so much simpler than what I used to do. :-)

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Product Description:
Cordless Kettle Digital controller heats the water to your desired temperature ± 3%. Controller falls back to warm setting automatically, to keep water warm after boiling.Access from 360 degrees for easy lifting and replacing the kettle on its base."No Water" protection turns the unit off if there is no water remaining in the kettle.Concealed stainless steel heating base - easy to clean.1000 Watts for fast boiling. It boils two cups in less than a minute. 6 Cups (1.5 Liters) usable capacityKettle made of quality stainless steel. Water gauge indicates the water level in the kettle.

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