Review: Hario V60 Coffee Dripper
As a coffee lover, there is nothing more satisfying than the perfect cup of coffee first thing in the morning. And if you’re anything like me, you know your favorite type of coffee. You know the roast you prefer, you know what kind of beans you like, you even know where to buy the best coffee in town. But what about brewing at home?
Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest. Manual brewing techniques may take time to fine-tune, but at their core, they are incredibly simple. In this Hario V60 Coffee Dripper review, you will see how this simple tool can step up your at-home coffee game.
Performance
requires a longer learning curve to bring out a tasting brew
Price
the price is cheaper and made in Japan
Overall Rating
our rating, based on our sound and impartial assessment
If you’re new to the concept of pour-over coffee, you may be surprised to hear that this method originated in Japan.
Japan imports more than 9.3 million pounds of coffee every year and focuses on brewed coffee.
When using the Japanese-made Hario V60 Coffee Dripper you can expect to encounter the following pros and cons.
PROS
CONS
Key Features
Founded in 1921, Hario is a well-respected brand when it comes to manual coffee. In a survey of 300 coffee enthusiasts, Hario emerged as the market leader regarding coffee drippers.
Well loved by homebrewers and professionals alike, the Hario V60 is an excellent dripper. It’s high-quality design, and key features allow users flexibility in their brewing process and a great cup of coffee. Available in a variety of materials, colors, and sizes this dripper has two key features that set it apart from other drippers.
The first feature we’ll mention in this Hario V60 review is the single large hole at the bottom. Unlike other drippers with smaller openings, the large opening grants the user more control over their rate of water flow.
A second unique feature on the Hario V60 has spiraled ribs inside the cone. These ribs allow for maximum airflow around the coffee grounds. Increased air flow around the grounds creates a better tasting cup of coffee.
Hario V60 Coffee Dripper Review
Choosing any new appliance is an extremely personal decision and selecting a coffee maker is no different. The Hario V60 Coffee Dripper is well known to produce a great cup of coffee, but not without some critical considerations.
Ease of Use
Product Design
Build Quality
Flavor
How Does It Compare?
Without a doubt, the Hario V60 is a reliable product that will produce a great cup of coffee. However, the steep learning curve may be off-putting to potential users. Below we’ll compare the V60 to a few other popular drippers.
Also make sure to check out our post on the best pour over coffee makers!
The Chemex Classic is also known for producing a clean and rich tasting cup of coffee. While the Hario V60 uses ribbed spirals to improve coffee flavor, the Chemex Classic relies on thick filters made explicitly by Chemex.
Chemex does not offer a ceramic version of their coffee maker, but you can keep your coffee warm while brewing by placing this maker directly over low heat. Chemex does not recommend setting the carafe on an electric coil burner, but they do offer a stainless-steel rack to use between the coil and the Chemex.
The Chemex Classic is more expensive than the Hario V60, but it is more than just the dripper. When you include the price of a beautiful carafe with the Hario V60, the price difference is not as significant.
A Chemex might be right for you if have plenty of time to brew your coffee and prefer to develop a rich flavor. Check out our extensive guide on brewing coffee using a Chemex to see if it sounds like a suitable fit.
Another Japanese import, the Kalita Wave is a small coffee dripper very similar to the Hario V60. Just like the V60, the Kalita Wave is designed to sit on top of your mug or carafe. Another similarity to the Hario model is the recommendation of proprietary filters.
While the specialty filters for this model can be challenging to find and expensive, this dripper produces an even flavored coffee with every use. The Kalita Wave features a flat-bottomed design with three small holes. This design combined with the specialty filters ensures a great tasting product even if your pour is inconsistent.
If you are new to manual coffee makers, the Kalita Wave is much more forgiving than the Hario V60. Additionally, all models of the Kalita Wave are dishwasher safe.
The Bee House Ceramic Coffee Dripper is a little different than the Hario V60. With a wedge design and two small holes in the bottom, this coffee dripper is very forgiving. Unlike any of the other drippers mentioned above, the Bee House dripper uses standard sized filters that are easy to find.
One similarity to the Hario V60 is the raised edges found inside the drippers wedge. While they won’t hold your filter up as well as the V60s spiral ribbing, they will help keep your air flowing nicely. Additionally, this dripper is designed to sit directly upon a mug or carafe.
The Bee House is an excellent entry-level coffee dripper that will grow with the user. You do not need an advanced pouring technique to brew a good cup of coffee, but your flavors will improve as your method improves.
