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Probing is technically stirring, but so is going ham with a spoon, so the main reason why we ship glass stir sticks with melodrip is because it allows you to probe the slurry with minimal agitation. Kettle pours, regardless of flow is a competent method of dispersing particles by way of turbulence.
A slow gentle stick probe on the other hand is not, but it’s an effective way of intuitively inspecting the internal structure of the slurry by way of “feeling” the crevices and dry clumps that can be stubborn and often times resistant to swirling, light pouring, and haphazard stirring with a spoon. This is mainly the case with fine grinds or grind profiles with fine particles which tend to be slower to saturate when clumping.
Probing the slurry is about minimizing the likelihood of uneven saturation of the slurry. Rather than ‘thinking’ a heavy pour and swirl, is enough to saturate the slurry, I feel it’s better to inspect the slurry after the first pour, even if only for the first time brewing with a specific grind profile or coffee so you can be confident that the amount of water and turbulence used to bloom is sufficient. It’s also a good way of inspecting or troubleshoot any inconsistencies from brew to brew.
