Pour-over brewers
V60, Kalita Wave, Chemex, Origami, Hario Switch, Clever Dripper and Melitta compared: cone or flat bed, which filter, how the cup tastes and how forgiving each one is.
What makes them different
Every pour-over brewer does the same basic job: hot water runs through a bed of ground coffee and a filter into a cup. What changes the taste is how fast the water gets through and how evenly it touches the grounds. Three things set that: the shape of the bed, the size and number of holes at the bottom, and the filter paper.
None of them is the best one. A faster, fussier brewer rewards practice with a brighter, more detailed cup; a slower, more forgiving one makes a good cup most mornings with less attention. All of them use the same basics: weigh the coffee and water, start near 1:16, and adjust the grind by taste. See Ratio, grind and time.
Cone, flat bed or valve
- Cones
- The V60, Chemex and Origami (with a cone filter) are cones. The coffee bed is deeper in the middle than at the edges, and water runs fast, so how you pour shapes the cup. They make the cleanest, brightest coffee.
- Flat beds
- The Kalita Wave and other flat-bottom brewers hold the coffee in an even, shallow layer over small holes. Water passes through every part of the bed at about the same rate, so the cup is sweeter and more balanced, and small mistakes in pouring matter less.
- Valves (immersion drippers)
- The Hario Switch and Clever Dripper have a valve that holds the water in until you release it. The coffee steeps like a French press, then drains through paper. These are the easiest to repeat: the steep time does the work, not your pouring.
The brewers side by side
| Brewer | Shape and filter | In the cup | Forgiving? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hario V60 | Cone, one big hole, thin paper | Clean, bright, light body | Least: pouring matters |
| Kalita Wave and flat-bottom brewers | Flat bed, three small holes, wave paper | Sweet, balanced, a bit more body | Very |
| Chemex | Large cone, thick bonded paper | The cleanest, lightest body | Fairly; best for 2 to 4 cups |
| Origami | Cone or flat, depending on the filter | Like a V60 or a Kalita | Depends on the filter |
| Hario Switch | V60 cone with a valve | Rounder and sweeter when steeped | Very |
| Clever Dripper | Cone with a valve, #4 paper | Full and sweet, like a clean French press | Most |
| Melitta | Wedge, one or a few small holes | Mellow, fuller | Very: the slow drain does the work |
Forgiving means how much a so-so pour or grind still makes a good cup.
Recipes by brewer
- Hario V60
- The classic cone for light, washed coffees. 15 g to 250 g in about three minutes. V60 recipe
- Kalita Wave
- The flat-bed brewer, and the method for the April, Orea and other flat-bottom drippers. 20 g to 320 g in pulses. Kalita Wave recipe
- Chemex
- Big batches and a very clean cup. 30 g to 500 g in about four and a half minutes. Chemex recipe
- Origami
- One dripper, two styles: a cone filter brews like a V60, a wave filter like a Kalita. Origami recipe
- Hario Switch
- A V60 that can also steep. 15 g to 250 g, steeped for two minutes, then drained. Hario Switch recipe
- Clever Dripper
- The easiest of them all: steep for two minutes, set it on a cup, done. Clever Dripper recipe
Which one to start with
If you want a good cup every morning with little fuss, start with a Clever Dripper or a Hario Switch. If you want to learn pour-over and taste the differences between coffees, a Kalita Wave is the kindest place to start, and a V60 is where most people end up. If you brew for two or more at once, a Chemex.
Any of them will show off a good coffee. Light-roasted washed coffees are where pour-over shines brightest.