Tea Towel

To prevent water from spilling down the front of the kettle spout, I often use a towel to catch the hot water.

This technique also provides a buffer between your hand and the hot pot while you to handle the kettle. Holding on to the body of the kettle helps control the flow of water from the spout more easily than by merely grasping the handle.

I find this observation a great opportunity for design. Maybe some sort of tea cozy/water catcher could be created.