The Hario V60 gives the most control, the Kalita Wave is the most forgiving, the Chemex brews the cleanest cup, and a titanium cone filter set trades some clarity for a fuller cup and no paper to buy. Any of them, used with a good grind and a steady pour, makes excellent coffee. Technique moves the cup far more than the cone does.
Where they really differ is in forgiveness, filters, fragility and what the cup tastes like. Here is how the four main choices compare, plus the Melitta cone for anyone starting out.
Which Pour Over Dripper Should You Buy?
Decide what you want the cup to taste like, then decide what you are willing to keep buying. Paper filters produce a lighter, very clear cup. A metal filter produces more body. Fragile materials make lovely coffee on a counter and a bad morning on a tile floor. The sections below walk through each option on those terms.
Hario V60
Shape: a 60 degree cone with spiral ribs on the inside wall and a single large hole at the bottom. Materials: plastic, ceramic, glass and metal versions. Filter: V60 conical paper filters.
The V60 is the reference cone in specialty coffee. With one large hole, the flow is governed almost entirely by your grind and your pour. The spiral ribs keep the paper off the wall so air can escape and the brew drains evenly.
Strengths: the most responsive cone. Small changes in pour speed or grind show up in the cup. Recipes are everywhere. Filters are easy to find.
Weaknesses: the least forgiving. An uneven pour gives an uneven cup, and a grind that is too fine can stall the drain. Ceramic and glass versions break when dropped.
Best for: brewers who want to dial in every variable.
Kalita Wave
Shape: a flat bottom with three small holes. Materials: stainless steel, glass and ceramic versions. Filter: Kalita Wave filters with a fluted, wave shaped wall.
The flat bed spreads the coffee wider than a cone, and the three small holes slow the drain. That restriction evens out your brew time even when your pour is not perfect.
Strengths: forgiving and consistent. A good choice for beginners and for busy mornings when the pour does not get your full attention.
Weaknesses: less control over flow than a V60. Wave filters are a specific shape and are sold in fewer places than cone filters.
Best for: people who want the same good cup every day without much fuss.
Chemex
Shape: an hourglass glass vessel that is both brewer and server, with a wood collar and leather tie. Filter: Chemex bonded paper filters, noticeably thicker than most pour over papers.
The thick paper holds back more oil and fine particles than thinner filters do, which gives the Chemex its reputation for the cleanest, lightest bodied cup of the group. The design is also held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Strengths: very clear, bright coffee. Multi-cup sizes for serving several people. No separate server needed.
Weaknesses: glass, so it stays on the counter. The thick filters drain slowly and are a specific product you have to keep in stock.
Best for: home brewers who want maximum clarity, and anyone who pours for guests.
Melitta
Shape: a wedge shaped cone with a small drain hole. Materials: plastic and ceramic. Filter: Melitta style wedge filters, sold in most grocery stores.
Melitta Bentz is credited with inventing the paper coffee filter in 1908. Today's Melitta cone is simple and inexpensive, and its small hole slows the flow, so it forgives a clumsy pour.
Best for: the cheapest way to find out whether you like pour over.
Titanium Cone Filter Set (Valtcan)
This one is a different kind of product, so it is worth being precise. The Valtcan Titanium Pour Over Set is not a cone that holds paper. It is a complete set: a Grade 1 commercially pure titanium cone filter with more than 10,000 laser-cut slots (a shallow solid bowl over a long perforated cone), a one-piece titanium arc stand, an 800 ml borosilicate glass carafe with measurement marks, and a travel funnel that seats the filter on most cups. It costs $199.99.
The filter does the filtering itself. There is no paper to buy, rinse or throw away.
The tradeoff, stated plainly: because the titanium slots let more of the coffee's oils through, along with some fines, the cup has more body than any of the paper brewers above and you may find a little sediment in the last sip. If you want the brightest, cleanest cup, a Chemex or a V60 with paper will give you that. The set also costs far more up front than a plastic or ceramic cone.
What you get for it: nothing to reorder and nothing to keep in stock. Grade 1 titanium does not rust, pit or corrode in coffee, has no coating to wear, and contains no nickel. Cleanup is a ten second rinse while the filter is wet. The carafe is glass, so it belongs on the counter; the filter and travel funnel are the pieces that travel.
Best for: someone who likes a fuller cup, is finished buying paper, and would rather settle the question once.
Pour Over Brewers Compared
| Feature | Hario V60 | Kalita Wave | Chemex | Valtcan set |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filter | Conical paper | Flat bottom wave paper | Thick bonded paper | Titanium cone, 10,000+ laser-cut slots |
| Cup character | Clean, bright | Clean, balanced | Cleanest, lightest body | Fuller body, some fines |
| Forgiveness | Low | High | Medium | Depends on grind; go slightly coarser |
| Ongoing purchases | Paper filters | Wave filters | Chemex filters | None |
| Breakable parts | Ceramic and glass versions | Glass and ceramic versions | Whole brewer is glass | Glass carafe only |
| What you buy | Cone | Cone | Brewer and server | Filter, stand, 800 ml carafe, travel funnel |
| Price | Low | Low to moderate | Moderate, plus filters | $199.99 |
The Honest Recommendation
You want the most control: a V60.
You want a forgiving, repeatable cup: a Kalita Wave.
You want the cleanest cup and you pour for others: a Chemex.
You are just finding out if you like pour over: a Melitta cone.
You prefer a fuller cup and you are done buying filters: the Valtcan set. You give up some clarity and pay more once; after that there is nothing to restock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Hario V60 the best pour over dripper?
It is the most controllable and the most widely used reference. Whether it is best depends on what you want: the Kalita Wave is more forgiving and the Chemex gives a cleaner cup.
Are pour over filters interchangeable?
Mostly not. The V60 uses conical filters, Melitta uses wedge shaped filters, and the Kalita Wave and Chemex each use their own. The Valtcan set uses no paper at all; its titanium cone does the filtering.
Does the dripper material change the taste?
Less than the filter does. Paper versus metal is the big difference: paper gives a cleaner, lighter cup, metal a fuller one. Among cone materials, ceramic and glass hold heat well but break, and plastic is light and cheap.
Which pour over brewer makes the cleanest cup?
The Chemex, because its thick bonded paper holds back the most oil and fine particles.
Can I travel with a pour over set?
Leave glass at home when you travel light. Plastic cones pack easily. With the Valtcan set, the titanium filter and travel funnel go in the bag and the glass carafe stays on the counter.