The joy of whatching a man talk about a topic you’re not interested in, reviewing a product you don’t have the slightest interest in buying, ever. I love it.
But then the filter wouldn't fold flat for storage without potential for a different kind of damage. Perhaps the filter cone should be stored somewhere within the kettle, rather than in the side of the case.
If the filter had been folded in manufacturing at a 90 degree offset from the seam placement, then pinching the filter open wouldn't have put stress on the seam.
@@jingruiyu6854 Not really. Lots of people say "interesting choice" and mean that the choice is interesting. It can also be a polite way to criticise something of course, you can tell based on tone and context.
I've cobbled together my own version of this with a collapsible silicone kettle, Porlex mini, and AeroPress Go. Obviously not as nice as this, but it served me well on a recent vacation - fresh coffee every morning was excellent. Here in the US, the kettle is definitely a must, because most hotels actually won't have one. I stayed in 4 hotels on vacation (socially distant nature park road trip), and none had kettles - one didn't even have a coffee maker or microwave. The fact that this doesn't have a grinder is a shame. I actually thought from the thumbnail that the storage canister was a Porlex, but was disappointed. Honestly having something like this that is clearly aimed at serious coffee nerds, but then seems to assume you're using pre-ground coffee, is just.... confusing? At the very least, it makes me think they might not know their customers very well.
They sent James Hoffman a lemon. They clearly don't know their customers... If i was sending my product to Hoffman, i would check and triple check to make sure nothing like this split filter would happen
Good to know in the US hotels do not have kettles typically. Neither hotels in Spain and Italy, as kettles are not widely used there. But in the UK and Germany I have seen kettles regularly.
If you don't mind, what sort of kettle do you have? When travelling by car I just grab the one off my counter but I would love to try something a bit more travel friendly.
Will the Porlex mini fit totally inside the Aeropress Go when it's all bundled up with the red cap on? The bundle fits exactly inside my travel kettle but I haven't picked up a travel grinder yet.
I have one of these kits and just spent 3 weeks with it in remote places. Before the pandemic I flew about 100-120 flights a year so this spoke to me in a huge way. Typically I carry a little kit from Onyx with an areopress, beans and a grinder. Most US hotels don’t have kettles (or ones I’d want to use at least). I used the metal filter for 2 cups a day for three weeks. I had some slow draw down issues but no splitting. Like you, I worried about the kettle being too warm or too damp to pack up. But I found if you take the lid off it kinda dries and cools itself with 5 mins. Overall I love this thing. But I share a few critiques: - no grinder. Had to bring a small hand grinder with me. - unclear what the different guides inside the kettle mean. I knew the middle marker was 350ml (from the included guide), and I know the little plastic test tube I carry is reliably 17g. I use that in lieu of a scale and it worked fine across a verity of beans. But I’d like to have know what the other makers are in case I wanted to brew say 500ml - weight. This works fine in checked luggage. But when I’m in roadwarrior mode I pack pretty light and fit in running clothing. Not sure where this thing will fit into my carry on if we ever get on planes again. But overall I have to say, I really love it! It’s absolutely replacing my areopress roll and will certainly be a staple any time I’m on the road in the future.
A huge THANK YOU to all the companies out there making coffee stuff for James to review! You may not know it, but that is in fact your main reason for being.
I'm so grateful for James and his channel. Thank you for fueling my passion for coffee ❤️ you've been such a massive inspiration and I have learned so much going through your videos!!
I’d love to make James a cup of coffee using my method on the aeropress with my preferred beans and see the look on his face whilst he calls it ‘interesting’
I purchased this kit primarily for use at my desk at work (with the added bonus of using it for travel in a non-COVID world). The kettle really is great for pouring! I use the fill lines so it’s just enough for each cup I brew. I find that if you remove the lid of the kettle after you have poured, the residual heat will cause any remaining water droplets to evaporate off. Re-nesting would be no problem (although I don’t typically do that as I leave it on my desk). I do agree with the comments on the coffee storage, I would prefer a grinder that nests inside the cup. But it works great if one wanted to grind coffee at home and then bring it into the office to have enough for 2-3 cups of coffee. I do live in the U.K. and have a transformer at the house and experimented using the kettle at 110 and then at 220. Basically, at 110, it takes longer to heat up but it isn’t quite as angry of a boil as at 220.
I would just like to say how much I appreciate that you take the time to test the product and decide what you like and dislike before you review it. Too many youtubers do an unboxing/review where I'm watching them figure out how the product works in real time, which doesn't make for a good review.
I bought this as I was traveling 2 weeks out of most months, but received it in the middle of COVID quarantine and so have not had the chance to travel with it. I did brew a cup at home to try it out, and using the provided metal filter, I found it did a very good job. Being at home I could freshly grind my beans. I agree that the small container for coffee is a joke, but given the nesting doll design, they really didn’t have any other option. Adding a small hand grinder would have also bumped the price up and as you said, most people likely use pre-ground coffee. As you point out the issue of the capacity to store coffee in any form is too small. Adding a bag of beans and a hand grinder is what I will have to do to round out my kit (and a scale if I really want accuracy, and I have a lot of kit). To be fair, prior to this I did take a collapsible tea kettle, scale, grinder, filters and travel cup, so this will save a little room on the road. At the end of the day is the quality of the coffee worth it, I suspect yes, but will report back when I get back from a weekend trip I have to take next weekend.
Allen Stanten I had the exact same experience I had to brew at home to try it out because all of my travels been postponed. I did learn some thing from the video though. I didn’t realize it came with the metal filter. I will have to look for it I’ve been using paper
I can't tell the size but if you have a porlex mini could you test to see if it will nest inside the coffee container? (and if not then the thermos?)...pretty please
Who would be willing to spend that much money on this and still use pre-ground coffee. ? I'm saying whoever uses pre-ground coffee would probably go to a convenience store and just get a cup of coffee or drink the hotels coffee they serve in the dining area. Not spend that much money on a system like this.
@@davidmcdaniel6270 You'd be surprised... There's a shockingly large market in the US for people who are "into coffee" but aren't really in the scheme of things but will spend money on a fancy setup to then go use preground coffee.
I have the Pakt. This is a really comprehensive review and James made good points which I fully agree with. I do actually think it's worthwhile for me as an all-in-one product for frequent short trip travelers who stay at a hotel or Airbnb a lot. Hotel or Airbnb kettles are rarely goosenecks and often come with limescale or tainted with cheap coffee smell (in the case of a coffee brewer). The water does take longer to boil due to the lower wattage. I am happy yo carry a bit more weight and make some space for it than having to put up with disappointing coffee :) One thing to mention is you need to bring a grinder with you as well if you are like me caring for fresh ground beans haha
I’ve been waiting for this review! I received this kit about 10 weeks ago, and have been using it multiple times a day at home for V60 and espresso during shelter in place. The kettle actually sits on my counter next to my Aram espresso maker. Watching your vid now, more comments/through story after seeing your review Ok, just finished watching. I’ve used the reusable filter a few times with no issues or ripping. But don’t love it, so I use Vario V60 filter papers from Japan. The kettle has been a joy to use, makes consistently hot water fairly quickly and retains heat nicely. The kettle cools down within about 10 minutes and packs up nicely. In most US domestic hotels you don’t have a kettle, usually they have a k-cup machine or some other odd pre-packaged coffee in a filter pod. So I completely see the travel use case, though with COVID times who is traveling for business? What I’ve done is to use this as my home electric kettle. Which over the last 10ish weeks has held up nicely to 2-3 espresso drinks a day. I do wonder at how it will hold up over time and whether i need to invest in a kettle specifically made for home/daily use. Right now if i were traveling with this for longer than three days I’d bring the Comandante grinder, if shorter than that I’d probably just pre-grind coffee prior to leaving for the airport or roadtrip and put it into the small coffee container. It holds enough coffee for about 3 V60 pourovers.
I'm glad you were able to review this. I backed this kit in Kickstarter, and have it in my own hands too. I will say that I pretty much agree with your review. I know it's a little heavy, it was a bit expensive, I'm not really a fan of metal filters anyway, and this kit may not be for everyone, but I feel it very much is for me, and I'm glad I have it. My typical travel is trips of 2-4 days. My typical routine is that I have one great cup of coffee in the morning, and that's it. I don't drink coffee all day. I savor my morning cup. It's an indulgence, and like many here, I'm sure, I spend more than the average person on my beans. I always would travel with some accommodation for making my own coffee. Unlike your experience, I have found that the hotels I stay in do not have kettles, in fact most don't even have a microwave in the room. My first solution was that I would carry the following...a collapsable camping filter cone, paper filters, whole beans in a ziploc bag, s small digital scale, a small hand grinder, and a silicone vessel that you could microwave water in. It worked a few times, and then hotels I stayed in didn't have microwaves, so I replaced the silicone container with a small electric kettle. But that was larger and more to pack. It's fairly small, but didn't pour well, and had a handle that made it unwieldy. Airport security would often open my carry on bag to see what it was. Also, the preparation for a trip was a bit harried...collecting all the stuff and packing it, and sometimes forgetting something in my haste. So when I saw the Pakt, I thought it might simplify my routine. I've received the kit, and used it at home. I haven't traveled with it yet due to travel restrictions from the pandemic. But I really like what I've experienced, and I can't wait to travel with it. I'll just tuck some paper Hario #1s where the metal filter is. The amount of beans that carries is just fine for my type of travel and use. I find the mug comfortable and nice to drink from. I'm not concerned that it isn't a spill proof travel type mug, that's not my use. I'm typically just using it at a hotel conference room or something. But to me the star is the kettle. I really like the feel of it, and how it pours. My other solutions were clumsy, and this feels more elegant and enjoyable to me. I like that the kit is most of what I need in one case. I still will throw a hand grinder and small travel scale in my bag, the the amount of individual things I have to collect just went way down. I don't know that it suits everyone's needs, but it hits a sweet spot for me.
There are so many products like this these days, focused on being "premium" and "lifestlye" in total disconnect with the actual realities of working and middle class people IMO.
Then working and middle class people probably aren't their target audience. Premium would tend to imply they are designed for those who can spend more.
@@olivermitchell4968 i tend to disagree with you here because on the surface this seems like a DIY solution and a filter coffee brewer which is hardly a luxury item. i think that what is being sold here is an idea, the identity of someone who might find a use for such a thing rather than a practical solution to a regular person problem, and not necessarily to an audience that can easily afford it. but that's just my take anyway.
Target market is definitely the "premium lifestyle" but that does not mean "coffee obsessive." The overlooking of how to work in a grinder IMO is pretty evident of that (they could have left it empty for "add your own grinder!")
"Premium" doesn't have to do with the item, but rather the materials the item is made from. I am absolutely willing to pay more for a premium item that will last over an ikea style piece of junk that's only going to lose it's usefulness in a couple of years. Yet the market for all products these days is flooded with cheaply made junk that is designed to sell at a low price. There's nothing premium about a kettle and a pour over, so you're paying for the materials the items are made from as well as the design. It might be a good choice for someone with a small living space who occasionally travels. Then they can just bring their everyday kettle with them.
I honestly expected a grinder when I looked at how big it is. It feels like it packs everything but a grinder. Definitely a nice option for traveling. Packing a regular V60 set is indeed disastrous. It would’ve been perfect if it came with a grinder that fits in it but I guess if you’re traveling with a carrier or in a car, there should be enough room for a hand grinder.
For travel I have a wacaco nanopresso to make a shot of espresso, find it to be a very handy device. Use a mix of a nespresso machine and V60 for making coffee at home so already using the same pods. You just need something to take hot water along in. Find it handy to make an espresso at work, though in my current situation thats not possible and its currently sat in the office where I can't get at it... Had to switch to a V60 when a family member knocked my chemex off the kitchen worktop.
In the US and Canada you are not likely to have a kettle in your hotel room. You will likely have a coffee machine of some form, usually a very cheap (and dirty) peculator that you will need to struggle to get your boiled water from. So I see value in providing a compact kettle.
I was so excited for this kit and picked it up as the perfect solution to tiny living in an RV where space is at a premium. It has been a bit of a learning experience for me as it tends to brew differently than my nicer coffee setup at my office. I agree that the major miss with this kit is the lack of grinder and scale. You almost need a second case to carry those things, which frustratingly defeats the purpose of having it all in one. I find that I am consistently refilling the beans container because I am going through them too quickly (I brew 20g at a time). I use 01 size V60 paper filters which fit perfectly, but often my brews go a lot longer than when brewed on the actual V60. Part of this is due to having to do too many pulse pours. The smaller brewer is ill equipped for a 20g/320g brew as it fills up really quickly. In addition you can usually see some seepage happening around the seam of the brewer, which Pakt explains away as expected behavior. Overall, though, I am usually pleased with the brews I take away from it.
I’ve had mine for over a year (bought mine through the original kickstarter) and I love it. Two things, one I completely agree that the kit can be difficult the day you leave from your trip (cooling, drying, etc). Two, I was given a Java press hand grinder that travels well with the kit though I agree having a hand grinder as part of the kit would be great. Also my filter is still going strong. Great video! Found your channel this evening and I’m officially down the rabbit hole! Love the content sir!
Supreme Clientele British courtesy-speak. Remember hearing a British tour guide in Loire valley looking down on a river from chateau wall saying “not very clean is it.” As an American (embarrassing to be these days) I was impressed with the understatement.
My take on the cup is that it isn’t intended to travel from point A to point B. I would say that this kit is more of a solution to hotel coffee. Here in the US, the coffee makers are abysmal and do not make good coffee. I would take this with me and use the kit to make good coffee in my room.
I’ve got one. It has been working great for me for weekend trips. Switched to paper filters because I got a slight metallic taste from the metal filter. The production did a poll with the early kickstarters on whether they would like a grinder and 90% voted for just having a grounds container. Personally I use it for whole beans and have a separate bag that has a grinder and aero press in it(my old set up that has become a mixed set up). I love it mostly for the kettle. I have not found a kettle that looks so sleek but is meant for travel. Places where I travel never have kettles and since travel at least every other week, I hate not having my coffee kit. I had to get really good at figuring out coffee temperatures in microwave for aero press while I traveled before this. Now I have a kettle for both a pourover and aeropress wherever I go.
I'm one of the Kickstarter backers, so I've had mine for a while. The kettle is outstanding, and I honestly prefer to pour with it over my Bonavita. Something about holding the kettle by the body of it, rather than a handle, is very pleasing. While James' point about hotels and airbnbs having kettles is spot on, they usually have *garbage* kettles. Doing a pourover with a clumsy spout on a shitty kettle is an awful experience. This kettle is delightful. Ultimately I fully agree with James' assessment that a hand grinder would've made this kit complete, but I imagine that would've also increased the price point substantially, if you look at the Porlex Mini as an example of something they'd try to incorporate into the dimensions of the little canister and how much that costs. Due to work I move around a lot (every few years) and my stuff follows me around the world, albeit 2-3 months behind me. So having this has been a GODSEND because I can just toss it in my luggage (along with my Timemore Chestnut and Acaia Lunar) and know that I've got the bare minimum quality coffee experience with me. In that sense, it's been worth every penny, and I'm super impressed with it and glad I have it. But my use case is very unique.
Honestly, I would just appreciate being able to buy a small kettle like that. I can come up with my own, good assortment of things to brew with and drink out of easily, but a little kettle like that would be very nice.
It’s not exactly what you’re looking for but I saw Al Cheng mention that he used an old Sahara Tiger thermos that has an adjustable screw top for pouring.
@@segamble1679 With this kit, imagine the fun you could have driving around looking for a water fountain next to a power outlet. Make a game of it for the kids! Driving right past starbucks cause you need to use your kit to get your moneys worth
@@dan110024 Oh to be sure. It's a very high quality product, and quality certainly costs. But the problem is, the price point that they sit at is an overshoot for the problem that it purports to fix. For the price they charge, 180 dollars, you could buy coffee at a shop dozens of times. Or you could throw together your own travel kit with off the shelf for half the price.
There’s very little use for this in UK... everywhere you’ll ever travel to will have a kettle. This makes more sense in US where hotels etc never have kettles and people often do travel with a full on kettle
I've been waiting for your review on this. I've been eyeing it since it was pitched to me on instagram/kickstarter/wherever. This would work for me really well as a travel kit. Being on the road, coffee is the one thing I can control, and I love my pourovers. Having a condensed travel kit would bring me a sense of home. However while thinking about my purchase, the main component I was concerned about needing to have a grinder, weight, and volume of the storage container. You addressed all these. Thanks for the video.
I also had my filter split on the first try. I contacted the company and they rushed me a replacement. I was also able to use metal seaming pliers to bend a new seam and make the broken one as good as new. I personally like my kit. I agree that a grinder that nested would be preferred. I often stay in hotels that only have those pod type of coffee makers, so I do see a real need in the US for this.
I purchased the Pakt specifically for the durable-looking dual-voltage kettle. Dual-voltage kettles are relatively hard to find and they're not very sturdy (I've purchased one in the past and it lasted one trip). Additionally, as other commenters have noted, US hotels usually do not have kettles and I often travel to international locations without decent coffee shops. The kit as a whole works well and I'm pretty pleased with it. I also like the fact that I have a pour-over kettle that won't have a bent neck when I take it out of my bag at the hotel. I agree that this kit is expensive, but I also understand that economies of scale come into play when producing it. Producing something in quantities of a hundred is going to be much more expensive than in the thousands. As much as I enjoy having the ability to make a quality cup of coffee or hot water when I travel, I doubt there's a large enough market to drive the cost of this kit down. Additionally, the choice to include a container for grounds instead of a grinder makes sense since designing this thing around a Porlex would not only increase the cost, but increase the size of the kit. Ultimately, I'm good with the design trade-offs made with this kit. I may be in the minority, but I can live with reduced accuracy/control for a pretty good cup of coffee if the alternative is diner coffee or no coffee at all.
A grinder is such a difficult thing to get right, especially in a kit like this. If I were the designer, I would have specifically left it out in favor of the coffee holder too!
A good grinder would also add a fair bit to the cost... And they may be assuming that we'd want more selection/control over such a finicky element. That said it would still be a nice option to sell a version with a grinder and to find a way to integrate or add a scale and timer.
Scale would've been great, but i agree with the grinder. So small = takes too long too grind, and it will add 50 bucks to be even decent, not even good. I definitely wouldn't want a shitty small grinder that I would have no use for. I used bad grinders before and realize pre-ground coffee might be better than badly ground coffee.
I’ve had mine for a few months now and taken it on a few trips. I’ve enjoyed it as I am now able to brew quality pour over coffee on the go. However, I do end up having to bring my hand-grinder, bag of coffee, and a scale in addition to the kit which does take up a fair amount of space. For the flow issue I have found that using size 01 vs 02 paper filters seems to solve the problem. Overall, I am very happy with it and it suits the kind of travel I typically do but definitely not for everyone
You bring up several frustrations that I know I would've been bothered by...the metal filter breaking, the crease on the thermos, the lack of a scale or a grinder, and the fact that you need to get a bag of coffee.....for $160 or $189 (presumably + tax, because the US has that ridiculous system) is expensive even for the convenience it offers. Great review as always, James
It’s about time!!! IM EXCITEDDDDD. Since I got the Pakt, I’ve wondered.... Has James Hoffmann learned about this yet?? If so, please with cherries on top have him review this product.
Elwin, I’ve only used it once as I wanted to teach my colleagues how pour over works. I produced good coffee and had to bring my grinder still... cause who uses pre ground beans. I was hoping to go to different countries this year and my goal was to let people taste my coffee, without damaging my ceramic & glass pour over set up. This is a close to perfect minimalist thing to have! It’s not for everyone, but definitely is something for me despite its flaws! 😀
Hi James. Much as I'm an aficionado of cool little kits in general, and also am our family's coffee travel barista, I agree with you about the incompleteness, weight and price of this product. Just for the sake of comparison, I did a little inventory of what I usually take for making pourovers when we travel. This is definitely not a cool, style-coordinated kit, but it is actually complete, economical and lighter weight than the Pakt Coffee kit: I use a $15 digital scale, a $15 plastic V60 cone, a $25 steel and silicone dual voltage collapsing electric kettle (600 ml capacity), and either a $50 "OK quality" burr hand grinder (260 grams) or my Commandante (630 grams). All this fits along with some coffee beans into a toiletries bag that's 5" x 7" x 10". Total weight: 1300-1700 grams, total cost about $150 with the economy grinder, another $350 to include the Commandante (which is almost always worth the weight for the improved brew quality). We also carry a fully leak-proof thermal cup or small thermos, which cost about $30 and weigh between 250 and $25 grams. Of course for shorter trips we can pre-weigh aliquots of beans, omit the scale, and decide in advance whether we will need to bring our own boiler to bring down the total weight to about half... So, overall, the kit hasn't captured my wallet... Thank you as always for your work.
I did buy it. I (used to) travel 4 days a week, with very little access to good coffee. The hotels I stayed in would have a bad pod system coffee machine. To me this seemed like a good trade off to get a good cup of coffee while I'm on the road. Unfortunately I never got to try it out in the field because it only got delivered after COVID stopped all travel for me. I did face the stalling issue even while using V01 filters, but thankfully the metal filter didn't break. I really do like the metal filter, partially because I prefer metal filters from a sustainability perspective, (I use the fellow prismo and able kone) but it did make a surprisingly clean cup. Overall I do appreciate the design and love the kettle, because traveling in the US, I don't come across many kettles. A grinder would have been great, but as I said it's a trade off. I'd rather enjoy 2 day old grounds and the pour over ritual than the abysmal coffee served in the hotels and workplaces of corporate America.
Comandante grinder fits inside! Just received my Pakt and the innermost container is very close to dimension of grinder. Some packing details to work out- grinder handle for one...
You know what, James, I think it's absolutely fine this way for two reasons. 1. There are so many hand grinders out there, and not trying to compete with any of these seems to me like a smart move. 2. Going for a V60 compatible (if I understand you correctly) for the filter is pretty smart. This seems perfect for a weekend getaway scenario where you are opinionated enough about coffee to have your own preferred hand grinder, or lazy enough to grind the coffee before departure. My last try at a travel setup was the original Cafflano, and I would have really preferred not to have the grinder in exchange for a V60 compatible funnel. That way there is a chance that I myself may tune the setup to produce excellent coffee. That was never really possible with the Cafflano.
Hey James, first thanks for your always honest opinion and wisdom. You’ve helped me so much on my new found coffee journey! Second, your look of wonder when you paused a bit and mentioned buying ground coffee vs whole bean got me pondering it too. I remember I noticed a few days ago when I went grocery shopping and bought some whole bean that mostly whole bean had been bought. And I know this because this particular store doesn’t really get replenished much and I was there just a few days before my last time. But that’s just my store. However, I think that’s something you should look into! Call up some of your favorite roasters and ask them what their customers buy nowadays. Or if possible, some big retailers that sell a decent amount of coffee. Maybe things have changed a bit. Have a good one. And keep on keepin’ on!
I have this, and I have been using it at home with surprisingly good results. I usually use paper filters, but I did try the metal filter and got a much cleaner brew than I expected. The only way that I could figure out how to keep the metal filter open was to use paper clips to fasten the filter to the filter holder, and it worked. I agree that it’s probably too big and heavy to put in a carry-on. I bought it to use at my partner’s house when I stay over, but I have enjoyed rotating it among the various devices that I have.
As a minimalist and survivalist, i decided to keep a 12vDC Electric Immersion Heater for Water and a bag of quality instant coffee with me at all times. I can't count the number of times this got my morning started in weird situations. Like unexpected travel during Covid where no places near me with coffee was available. I still got my coffee, even if it was straight black.
I discovered this channel two days ago and the quality and content is amazing and made me curious about coffee thank you so much♡ (sorry to my instant Nescafe)
Hello James. I am writing this in response to your asking. I did back this project over a year (1.5?) ago and held hands with PAKT all the way to delivery in early 2020. I purchased three units to be assured of a winner. I do travel the world for a living and have made coffee in a myriad of ways in 30 years of said world travel. Really was excited to have a nested kit. I have had the opportunity to get to know a couple people at PAKT and they are lovely folks. Where to start? The weight overall was a bit shocking to except. The nesting I though was superb. The kettle boils to 202F and shuts down. Nice. The bean/grounds carrier, same opinion as you. The brew cone; one of my three kits was defective entirely and PAKT promptly sent out a new one. The metal filter screen is I think a 90% disaster in every way. Some may have noticed the sound it made in your video as you acted calmly trying to tear it away from its hold LOL. The mesh fabric is a good one for micron size etc, but an unfinished or hurried idea for a filter just to make it to market. I made coffee with it everyday multiple times fr three months so far this year. The build quality (sans filter mesh) has held up very well. The kettle seems to be running as consistently in temp as day one. I do get the occasional "angry boil" as well, but only occasionally. I would like to see a grinder nestled in the pack and am working on that now. OA with over a years anticipation to receive and use the kit and 6 months of travel use, I give it a 6 out possible 10.
I really like the design. Nesting doll stuff is always so facinating. The kettle though is really the only piece I could see myself wanting, that is if an aeropress would fit in it. And it was sold by itself for less than $50 lol
If you do fermentation projects at home, you might already have a vacuum solution on-hand. They make vacuum lids w/ pumps for mason jars, typically used for making sauerkraut, kimchi, hot sauces, etc. One of those lids plus a brown glass mason jar to filter out more light and you'd have a good vacuum seal solution for under $10 (unit price).
So I’ve had this kit since March, I’ve been working continuously through this lockdown. I absolutely love this, I work in events and it’s been incredibly useful for gigs. I’ve been using the metal filter every day and have had no issues, I would guess you got a dodgy filter kit. Apart from that I would agree with everything you said, a small grinder that doubled as the grounds lid would have been amazing. But 8/10 from me as I now don’t have to deal with the rubbish coffee at job sites.
So 7 months on from this and I love this thing even more. During lockdown (3.0,4.0 I can’t remember where we are) having all of my own things each day is a potentially a life saver. When I get up in the morning I grind 150g of beans which is enough to give me 10 cups through the day. At the end of the day pack it all up take it home disinfect it, same next day. What James missed in this review is the carry case, there’s a small flap in the lid that you can put v60 filters in about 30 at a time.
I'm not going to buy one but I think it's pretty cool. The nesting maximizes capacity, I love a carrying case, and having a travel kettle is pretty neat (though just learned about collapsible silicone kettles here in the comments). I have a small immersion heater (a little scary - so when I bring it, I would still need to travel with a large mug that I would feel confident using with it so I'd still have the bulk of the mug. Also they are not allowed on cruise ships as a fire hazard). If I'm travelling, I'm willing to have pre-ground coffee. Definitely in US hotels, they typically don't have a kettle, especially at a budget to mid level, the coffee options might be horrible. In Canada, you night have a better chance of having a kettles in a hotel room (and Asia too) or you might be able to ask at the front desk for one but it would still be cool to know that you have your own. Use it to make freeze dried meals too. But I just read an article that said some people use the hotel kettle to boil their underwear or urinate in them, which makes having your own travel kettle sound better and better.
After watching James for the last couple of weeks, I decided I should weigh my coffee beans even though I’ve been happy with how my pour over coffee is tasting. Surprise! I’ve been using just about the James Hoffman recommended ratio all along (a little heavier but I like coffee on the strong side).
Another problem with the flexible metal filter like this is that there are only so many times you can bend it anyway before it'll break regardless, so it kind of has a built in obsolescence
Great video, as always, don't think there are many travel products that can beat the Aeropress or a V60 funnel and filters. The pour from that kettle looks nice though. I recently bought a cheap titanium gooseneck kettle from AliExpress, very lightweight and pours as well as the Hario. One thing you might consider on products like this James, is to drop it on the scales and let us know the total weight.
@Mike Strawson my pour over set up was identical until recently. I had been using the Hario Slim grinder for years, then I got hold of a new grinder called the Crushgrind Columbia, it's practically the same price and weight, but the grind is way better, it's twice as quick and there is so much more adjustment on it. I did a video on it recently, check it out if you get a chance ;)
@@neaalitygandhi for sure. It's had to be put on hold while my two boys are being home schooled, but as soon as they're out of my hair, i'll be back to it :)
I travel every week for 3-4 days as an airline pilot. While this looks like a neat setup, I think my setup is more space efficient and works better. It includes an original aero press, Java Jug 2.0, and an immersion heater. I dose and pre-grind each days coffee into small airtight containers. I've been using this setup for about a year and it works great.
James, you’re right that many (most) hotels and Airbnbs have kettles… but not in the States! In the US they are almost non-existent, and given the American plug on yours, I’m guessing this is mainly being marketed in America. When I travel to visit family in the US I have often been frustrated by the lack of electric kettles in places I’ve stayed.. That is of tremendous value for a coffee lover that travels a lot in the kettle-desert that is North America.
In Canada, most of the hotel doesn’t supply kettles to make hot water. As a pilot myself, this thing is compact enough for my coffee taste, pre grind coffee and make instant noodles!!
I really like mine so far. The absence of a grinder doesn't really bother me. The porlex mini takes up so little space in luggage that it's NBD to toss it on top of the Pakt kit. Because the cone is small, the canister of coffee actually goes further than I thought. The price is not trivial, but it is incredibly well designed with mostly great materials--that's what you're paying for.
Take a metal single wall cup, fill with water, place near fire on a few embers until water boils, remove from fire, add two tea spoons of ground coffee, let it sit until ground coffee sinks to bottom of cup and drink. Works every time. You get such a jolt of caffeine you can sometimes skip the next days coffee and not miss it.
Having a compact Aergrind by Knock and a Flair espresso is already great for when I travel. But if I were to pair those with a compact, accurate-pouring kettle like this with the addition of the pour over setup would be even better. No more lugging my EKG kettle around when visiting family out of state or quick weekend trips. I love local cafes, but when we head in for the night with that new bag of coffee just purchased from said local cafe, it's great to have the ability brew as soon as we wake up. Relax with great local coffee in the morning without needing to leave right away. Awesome stuff!
Funny story, I was actually in the midst of designing a kit like this on my own over a year ago. I searched the internet and found no results for an effective compact travel kettle (which would be the main selling point given the awkward shape of gooseneck kettles) I stopped about 9 months ago when this kickstarter add appeared on my instagram and I realized that someone had essentially beaten me to the punch. I couldn’t even feel upset, though! I was just happy to know that a product like this was going to exist! I do agree it’s missing a grinder and a scale though. I’d prefer to store my beans in an entirely separate space rather than INSIDE the device that holds and boils water.
This traveling coffee brewer would be ideal for long haul truckers. They often sleep in their trucks and it'd be fantastic to have a cuppa first thing after waking up instead of needing to expose themselves at a diner or convenience store. Time is literally money for transporters. And pilots! Or sailors! Imagine the luxury of having your own favorite tasting coffee while on the road!
My wife would benefit from this greatly. At her work she has limited space for heating food and doesn’t have access to kitchen amenities. She brings a Hydroflask of water and drinks tea or buys coffee. This would actually be great for her situation as I grind her first cup of coffee at home. A little more wouldn’t hurt. However, 2 kilos is a lot and workbag is already a brick! The kettle alone has me on the fence.
Seriously, in the UK every mainstream hotel chain room has a kettle with instant coffee, milk, cream, tea bags, sugar and sweetner in every room. Some even have pod machines, with a selection of pods. Perhaps American hoteliers are more interested in pushing room service? Who knows?
Australia is the same.... every hotel room has an electric jug.....including the dodgy hotels. We even have boiling water good to go at the public BBQ areas down at the beach.
Here in the States we like to take our big cars in to the dealerships for a wash and use their pod machine while waiting. And that my friend is a free car wash and cafe outing.
I think I would probably use the metal cone as a paper filter holder anyway, so it would still function fine in my estimation. I really like the kettle. Thanks, James.
Didn't realise that folding silicone kettles were a 'thing' - but do now 🤔 This does look nice - but have a folding V60 'cone' and a mesh filter for it in the post (note to self - don't 'James' it) - just needed the kettle. My travel pour over grinder - the V60 set up and a silicone kettle I've just looked at should weigh under a Kilo including 250g of beans though - and my travel cup won't leak☕
I got a pair of these kits on kickstarter, and use both frequently. Both metal filters broke before I ever used them :( I just use paper filters I tuck in the case. I travel with a rolly bag, and stay in hotels, so weight wasn't an issue. Re-packing also wasn't an issue, as the kettle is cool by the time I'm done packing, then just tuck it in the side of my luggage before checkout. I did buy a little porlex grinder I tuck in the cup as opposed to the uselesss canister (arm in the pocket of the case, avoiding main parts of the kettle), and buy a bag of coffee when I get to where I'm going. I drink ALOT of coffee on work trips, this saves me tracking down a local coffee joint before I'm dressed in the morning, or in the middle of work in the hotel. I still do go out and visit local joints, just on my time. I agree it was frustrating-I saw ALOT of people mentioning they'd like a grinder during the campaign, and Pakt didn't really listen, just stated their market research showed more people preffered the canister. So, sort of a bummer. All in all, I've got one in my office, and one that I travel with. Love them.
I have one. I haven't actually traveled since I got it - Covid. - ordered it on the Kickstarter long ago. I did order filters for it: Hario 01. That might be why you had trouble with it as you used an 02 sized filter and filled it to the very top and maybe a little over. With the 01 I don't think it will stall. I'm glad to hear the metal filter works well. Frankly I haven't even tried it, because I typically don't care for metal filters. I will be careful with it. I agree, I will be taking a bag of coffee and a grinder as well, but i like that the pack fits well in a suitcase and doesn't take much space.
I'm currently on the seashore for a month and I have a full bag of V60, hario grinder, filters, 4-5 packs of coffee and a boiling pot. I'd love to be having this thing here. It would have made my life a lot easier. The price is also reasonable for me.
I'm just back from 10 day road trip through the national parks of Utah, my brew kit was an aeropress and hand grinder + a bag of Cat and Cloud coffee. Biggest problem in the US is the lack of kettles in hotel/motel rooms - particularly the type which are near national parks. They do have microwaves but my SS cup is obviously no good heating water in the microwave - so often had to use the crappy Starbucks type cups to heat water. I personally would be interested in a small kettle without the other stuff.
Although the kit is billed as a travel kit, it 's intended use is for those times you do not have coffee gear in your hotel/B&B room. The idea is great.......for short stays. I am not disappointed.
A guy I knew in university used to have a small bag/box that he kept a kit of coffee-making supplies in that he took back and forth from home to university. The kit included a kettle, mug, pour-over piece that fits on a mug, filters, and coffee. This was his response to how terrible the coffee was on campus. I would imagine the reviewed contraption/kit would certainly have met his needs, except the price tag.
You totally got me with the 2 kilos of shoes line. I actually do, but they're Red Wing engineer boots (weigh about 2.3kg) that I wear as a serviceable option for the fact that my daily driver is a motorcycle.
Honestly, I can very much see this as a product that a camper would love. But then comes the issue of the cable. If it were battery powered, while most likely making it a bit more bulky, it would be a much more niche, but desirable little kit. I do agree with the fact that a grinder being missing is not as nice, but as James said, maybe having the container be a grinder itself would make it nice and have the coffee beans in a separate container. Maybe they could set up an add-on in order to give you the option to choose a vessel for pre-ground and then a grinder for making it on the spot.
@jameshoffman I would love videos (or a podcast!) with interviews/conversations about coffee/taste/design/hair products. I’ve loved all your travel videos, but always wanted more of the conversation you had and less of the other stuff. Or just more of both.
Speaking of things that are great for making coffee whilst travelling...when are we going to see an Ultimate Aeropress Technique video? :D (unless it's already out, and I've shamefully missed it)
in a q&a a while back, possibly it was on instagram, he said that he has been working on one for a while to make it as good as it can be. i think i remember he said he was trying to figure out the best ways to make easily replicatable brews and exactly what factors can mess with that, as well as getting into a stronger understanding and explication for the science behind this
I have to travel to hospitals out of town and stay at a home for family members of patients. The convenience of having a cup of coffee in my room while getting ready is the reason I bought the pakt coffee kit. If I were staying for months than yes I would want a grinder, but this is two to five days a month so honestly I can live with pre-ground coffee for that period of time.
Looks a nice product, but some strange priorities for the price point. I can usually get hot water or a kettle when I travel without taking one with me. Having trouble seeing why I would go for this instead of my usual (and possibly more compact) aeropress, aergrind and keepcup travel combo.
I live in a shared apartment and don’t really have kitchen space for a good kettle so I was looking at getting something for my room, a large electric kettle and pour over and everything would be quite cumbersome. I’m thinking this might be something to look into for my use case. Appreciate the video as always!
I mean I think it's clear that this is geared towards people who are traveling for short stints who want to be able to pack something into a small carryon. It's not to say, however, that this is, or should be, the end of the line for Pakt. I love the idea of such a great portable boiler, and v2 should allow you to brew at specific temps. It should also have a scale attached, as that really isn't hard to include. I would even argue that the boiler should be shorter to allow for a stacking but not nesting situation to allow for a larger portion of the parcel to hold coffee beans. That would leave the inside more available to hold a grinder, albeit a small one. Perhaps one that grinds directly into a kalita style brewing cup? Last but not least, I would love to see, even at the expense of a larger parcel, a battery included somehow. I can't help but think it would work so well for people camping, but that would be the unbelievable cherry on top. All of this would also balloon the price to.....500 bucks probably.
I like the look and idea of the kettle. Travel kettles are great because their either isn’t one available, or sometimes I would rather not use the one that is supplied. Dual voltage is great. Now if I could merge the kettle with an aeropress and a grinder and fit in a kit, that would be great.
