The thing about manual brewing is that it’s a traditional coffee-making technique. Traditional and timeless, which explains why so many cafes all around the world are still using manual coffee brewers. Even coffee lovers across the globe have started to brew their favorite coffees this way.
The explosion of delicious, manually-brewed coffee over the past decade or so has only given rise to all kinds of different brewers. This includes both classic and modern designs. Speaking of classic and modern, the best pour over coffee makers are one of the easiest to brew with.
They come in various types of sizes, shapes, filter materials, usage instructions, etc. So if you’re an immersion-style coffee enthusiast, then you might want to check out these top reviews of the year.
Table of Contents
- Best Pour Over Coffee Makers – Reviews & Recommendations For 2022
- Our Top Choice – Kalita Wave 185 Dripper
- Budget-Friendly Choice – Primula Brew Buddy Portable Pour Over
- Our Runner-Up Choice – Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker
- Best Ceramic Pour Over – Hario V60 Ceramic Pour Over Coffee Dripper
- Best Automatic Pour Over – OXO Brew 9 Cup Coffee Maker
- Best Glass Pour Over – Bodum Pour Over Coffee Maker
- Other Pour Over Coffee Makers We Reviewed
- Pour Over Coffee Makers – Who Should Buy Them and Why?
- The Most Important Features of a Good Pour Over
- Prerequisites for Making Pour Over Coffee the Right Way
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Best Pour Over Coffee Makers – Reviews & Recommendations For 2022
Our Top Choice – Kalita Wave 185 Dripper
Be one of the few lucky ones who’ve discovered Kalita’s Wave Series only to make their at-home coffee experiences out of this world. The Wave 185 Dripper here has a flat-bottomed coffee bed equipped with patented filter and 3-hole design.
These 3 features work together for enabling even extraction to make the task of manual brewing easy and accessible. The dripper comes in 3 different materials; ceramic, glass, and stainless steel. I’m reviewing the stainless steel version.
At Koobies, our team of coffee experts has tried all kinds of manual brewing methods. But no technique has come close to pour over’s ability to prepare great-tasting coffee as easily and consistently.
If you ask me, it’s the most forgiving manual brewing process. The Kalita dripper comes through each and every time; even if your grind size is not right, coffee is not fresh, extraction timing is off, or even when your technique is wrong.
Those always preparing coffee in a rush are more likely to find this pour over coffee maker a blessing in disguise. You can neglect concentrating on minute details without having to worry about compromising the taste and flavor of your favorite coffee.
Kalita Wave Key Features
- Compact, space-saving pour over with flat-bottom coffee bed.
- Available in stainless steel, ceramic, and glass
- 3-hole design for even extraction
Budget-Friendly Choice – Primula Brew Buddy Portable Pour Over
If you’ve been given the golden opportunity to customize your favorite coffee at home, then why wouldn’t you, as a genuine caffeine lover, want to seize the day? That said, Brew Buddy is the most convenient and easiest to use at-home brewing device.
All you have to do is pour and brew; that’s all it takes to prepare a cup of great-tasting coffee, no matter the strength. Just keep in mind to pour very slowly if you want your coffee to be darker, and quicker for a lighter brew.
Only 30 seconds are required for the brew to come through. Speaking of saving time, the pour over’s got an economical, reusable fine mesh filter as well. This means no waste caused by using paper filters.
Needless to say, an innovative pour over like this is also the easiest to use. It makes sure you have access to full-bodied, most flavorful drip coffee wherever you go. That said, it’s a portable coffee maker, thus ideal for frequent travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, and the like.
But the best part is how quickly the coffee flavors get extracted. And how you get to brew your coffee to your desired strength.
Primula Brew Buddy Key Features
- Portable pour over with a wide rim
- Reusable extra-fine mesh filter
- Dishwasher-friendly
Our Runner-Up Choice – Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker
You may not be the first to hear about Chemex, but you’re certainly not the last either. This pour over coffee maker manages to rank among the first 5 in almost every such article. After all, Chemex knows how to deliver the purest coffee flavor experience.
Non-porous borosilicate glass is used for construction. Now, what are the benefits of glass when it comes to pour over coffee makers? Especially when borosilicate glass is involved, the material doesn’t absorb any of your coffee aroma and flavor.
On top of that, glass doesn’t even impart any chemicals or unwanted flavors. Chemex covers the coffee, so you can refrigerate it without worrying about the loss of flavor. It’s a very easy and simple to use pour over with an elegant, timeless design.
Without a doubt, this coffee maker delivers rich, flavorful coffee to allow your personal approach and taste to shine through.
Chemex Pour-Over Key Features
- Non-porous, highest quality borosilicate glass design
- Brews hot and iced coffee
- Patented bonded filters; no bitterness, no sediments
Best Ceramic Pour Over – Hario V60 Ceramic Pour Over Coffee Dripper
As far as manual coffee brewing is concerned, the material that is the most popular is ceramic. Just like glass, it doesn’t add any unwanted flavors into your coffee. Even so, ceramic enjoys the upper hand over glass because of its exceptional insulation.
This ceramic pour over is thicker than glass, which means your fresh, hot brew remains that way for a long time. And unlike glass, ceramic is not prone to shattering. So that’s better insulation, hot coffee, and an accident-free experience.
Even during the brewing process, the durable ceramic body maintains heat for keeping the temperature consistent. The cone shape of the coffee maker helps in accentuating the fruity and floral notes of different coffees.
Then there are the spiral ribs for activating the maximum expansion of coffee. You get to control water flow through the large single hole. Once again, pour slower for a darker brew and faster for a lighter one.
And here’s the most enticing news for genuine coffee lovers. The ceramic pour over brews 1-3 cups in one go. The more coffee you have at your disposal, the better your at-home coffee experience, right?
Hario V60 Ceramic Pour Over Key Features
- Heat-resistant, thick, durable ceramic body
- Brews 1-3 cups of coffee at a time
- Simple to use, easy to wash, and convenient to store
Best Automatic Pour Over – OXO Brew 9 Cup Coffee Maker
When using the best automatic pour over coffee maker like OXO Brew, you never have to concern yourself with the brewing time and water temperature. You get flavorful, rich coffee each time simply by pushing a button.
The exclusive BetterBrew technology is all about precision when it comes to optimizing brewing time automatically. This particularly innovative feature also keeps the temperature within range, which is between 198 degrees and 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
Moreover, the double-walled stainless steel thermal carafe does a wonderful job of keeping your fresh brew piping hot. Then comes the internal mixing tube to bridge the gap between your last sip and the first one. Coffee tastes delicious throughout is what this means.
And how can I leave out the phenomenal pause and pour function! So you don’t have to wait for the automatic coffee maker to finish brewing 9 cups. You can get yours right away!
Speaking of which, your cup of coffee is bound to taste full-flavored. Thanks to the remarkable rainmaker shower head that disperses water evenly over your favorite coffee grounds. This enables uniform saturation, which activates complete flavor extraction.
Expect nothing short of gold-standard, rich coffee every single time.
OXO Brew 9 Cup Key Features
- Double-wall stainless steel thermal carafe
- Brewing cycle is microprocessor-controlled
- Pause and pour, freshness indicator, and automatic timer
Best Glass Pour Over – Bodum Pour Over Coffee Maker
Pour over coffee makers are becoming more and more diverse and modern but the timeless appeal of this traditional brewing technique remains the same. One very good example of this is Bodum.
The borosilicate glass coffee maker features a stainless steel fine mesh filter. You don’t have to use paper filters for this, which is good news since they’re not such an ideal option in terms of taste and waste.
Temperature-resistant borosilicate glass for the carafe is an excellent choice. And so is the removable band for a stronger, burn-free grip. One more thing about the stainless steel permanent filter, it’s dishwasher-safe. More good news, isn’t it?
The Bodum pour over delivers rich-tasting, aromatic coffee that is full of all your favorite coffee oils. And it only takes 3 to 4 minutes for your delicious brew to reach your lips.
Bodum Pour Over Key Features
- Tasteless, tough, temperature-resistant borosilicate glass
- Permanent, dishwasher-friendly fine mesh filter
- Removable cuff/band for grip and burn-free, easy pouring
Other Pour Over Coffee Makers We Reviewed
Melitta Single-Cup Pour Over Coffee Brewer
It’s the perfect coffee making solution in the sense that it’s the easiest and most convenient. The pour over cone fits almost every size of a coffee cup. And there’s no doubt you can prepare even strong coffee using this convenient brewer.
It works faster in comparison to the French Press, which means your brew stays hotter. And using a paper filter suggests less acidity and no grounds. You can even travel with it, this pour over is that compact and space-saving.
Key Features
- Quick and easy clean-up
- High-quality, long-lasting cone fits all cups
- Made of BPA-free plastic
Clever Coffee Dripper
Every coffee experience needs to be exquisite. And even more so if you’re a genuine caffeine lover. That said, the Clever Coffee Dripper combines French Press functionality and drip brewer convenience.
Structured using BPA-free plastic, this pour over is highly durable. Its shut-off valve makes it a point to hold your favorite coffee during the brewing part. So no grounds get through to the cup.
Plus, the dripper is incredibly versatile. Meaning you can use just about any cup or grind size without having to bother yourself with how your brew is going to taste.
Key Features
- Made of BPA-free, durable plastic
- Combines French Press and drip brewing
- Large capacity (18 ounces)
Beehouse Coffee Dripper
You can compare this to any standard plastic pour over and you’ll see how it emerges as the superior choice when it comes to maintaining a high temperature.
The Beehouse Coffee Dripper is a ceramic pour over device that serves 1 to 2 people. Ceramic means no harmful chemicals of plastic are a part of the deal. Another form of assurance is that every Beehouse product has a genuine lead-free label.
It may be a low-tech way of preparing coffee. But when your brew tastes absolutely terrific and smooth, it doesn’t really matter.
Key Features
- Very thick, durable ceramic coffee dripper
- Extremely easy to clean
- Suitable for small kitchens
Able Kone The Original Reusable Coffee Filter
You’ll never run out of the Kone once you buy the Kone, unlike paper filters that you’re always running out of at home. Isn’t that correct? This Original Reusable Coffee Filter fits Hario V60 dripper and Chemex coffee makers. Along with #4 cone compatible automatic coffee makers.
It’s created to be forgiving and to deliver even extraction. The gradated pattern, hole size, filter shape, and metal thickness are all carefully crafted. It’s made of tough, durable stainless steel by the way.
Even the support ring, which is food-safe, maintains the filter’s integrity to prevent warping over time.
Key Features
- Blunt tip creates a slit-free tight seal
- Made of highly durable photo-etched stainless steel
- Easy handling, thanks to the support ring
Bartelli Paperless Pour Over Coffee Dripper
What’s so special about this pour over is that it features a stainless steel mesh filter with ultra-fine weaves. With such a design, flavorful coffee passes through while coffee grounds don’t.
So your favorite coffee’s natural oils and flavors are free to enter the cup and not get trapped as in the case of using a paper filter. It’s reusable of course and very easy to clean. All you have to do is throw the dripper into your dishwasher or rinse it using warm water.
Key Features
- Designed to fit most mugs, carafes, cups, etc.
- Dishwasher-friendly
- Laser-cut stainless steel double filter
Adara Coffee Pour Over Coffee Dripper
If your coffee’s distinctive notes and bright and sweet flavors matter to you, then so should this pour over by Adara Coffee. The extra-wide base fits oversized mugs even, which means no need to brew a limited capacity.
The durable and thick ceramic body is not like flimsy plastic. Furthermore, the base contains 3 holes to enable proper flow for optimal extraction. Therefore, this dripper allows you to experiment with your favorite coffee to produce the coffee strength of your choice.
Key Features
- Large base fits oversized mugs
- Made of durable, thick ceramic
- Perfectly sized, spaced-out brew holes
Mecraft Ceramic Pour Over Coffee Dripper
Manual brewing is all about choosing your ideal temperature and time, correct? So to prevent heat loss and allow water to flow through, you require a pour over with a special design. Much like this high-quality, sturdy ceramic coffee dripper.
The 60-degree cone shape lets hot water flow to the center, thus extending the time of contact between your coffee and water. You can brew 1 to 2 cups using this pour over.
On top of that, there are spiral ribs on the sidewalls that allow air to escape. The result of this is the maximum expansion of your favorite coffee grounds.
Key Features
- Special design ceramic cone for better brewing
- Spiral rib side walls to maximize coffee ground expansion
- Professional manual brewer fits most cups and thermoses
Simply Charmed Pour Over Coffee Dripper
Manual brewing needs a good pour over, and most importantly, a pour over with holes that keep your coffee from passing through too fast. In that case, why not go for this coffee dripper by Simply Charmed!
It’s a ceramic pour over with a unique hole system that restricts the flow of hot water to maximize the delicious, rich flavors of coffee. It’s a great option for camping, hiking, or when craving for your favorite coffee in your hotel room.
Just the idea of pouring hot water over plastic and then drinking the residue is what makes such ceramic models worth every coffee lovers’ attention.
Key Features
- Made of durable ceramic
- The 3-hole system activates optimal brewing time
- Side handle and wide base
Pour Over Coffee Makers – Who Should Buy Them and Why?
Firstly, let me tell you that a pour over follows the same procedure as any drip coffee maker. You pour hot water over your favorite coffee grounds for extracting your brew into the cup below.
The only difference is that drip machines automate the brewing process. On the other hand, pour over requires manual brewing, which means you get to customize your coffee.
You can customize simply by controlling the brewing time and temperature. And that is exactly why pour over is such a popular brewing technique.
You get to control how water extracts the delicious flavors of the coffee from the coffee grounds with speed, consistency, and pressure of your choice. This means enjoying the most flavorful brew.
So a pour over is for very particular or picky caffeine lovers. It’s also for those who use pre-ground coffee. You can even grind your own coffee beans right before brewing.
The Most Important Features of a Good Pour Over
If you want to buy the best, then you’ve got to take certain factors into account…
Materials
Generally speaking, there are 4 different types of materials used.
- Ceramic: This is the most popular as chemically inert ceramic doesn’t add any unwanted flavors and taste to your coffee. Even in terms of insulation, ceramic is highly heat-resistant to keep your beverage hot.
- Glass: Glass is much like ceramic when it comes to not adding unwanted flavors to your drink. But glass is highly prone to cracking or breaking. Borosilicate glass may be tough and durable, but it is still glass at the end of the day.
- Stainless Steel: Now stainless steel does not shatter like glass but that doesn’t make it a superior choice if you ask me. Because this metal doesn’t have the ability to hold heat all that well. Not like ceramic at least. Also, when insulation is weak, coffee grounds lose temperature quickly. The outcome of this is poor coffee extraction.
- Plastic: In my opinion, after ceramic, plastic is the next best option. In fact, plastic is as durable as ceramic but lighter in weight. Just make sure you’re choosing a coffee maker made of BPA-free plastic. Either way, you’re running the risk of harmful chemicals getting into your system as a result of hot water coming in contact with the material.
Size/Capacity
It’s only logical to choose a single-serve pour over if you’re preparing coffee just for yourself. Even so, most solo coffee drinkers like to have more coffee at their disposal. In that case, why not go for pour over coffee makers that serve 1-3 cups at a time?
Then there are automatic pour over coffee machines that give you 9 cups of coffee in a single brewing cycle.
Material of the Pour Over Filter
Some pour overs come with permanent/reusable filters. More often than not, these are stainless steel fine mesh filters that reduce the waste caused by paper filters.
Another drawback of using paper filters is that they tend to absorb some of the coffee oils and flavors, unlike the permanent ones.
As for the task of cleaning permanent filters, there are no hassles you’re looking at. Because most of them are dishwasher-friendly. And those that are not or if you don’t have a dishwasher, then all you have to do is rinse the filter with warm water.
There’s no denying that reusable mesh filters produce more flavorful, aromatic, and better-tasting coffee.
Prerequisites for Making Pour Over Coffee the Right Way
Here are the most helpful tips you might need for the manual process of pour over brewing.
1. Add pre-ground coffee or grind your beans right before brewing
To be honest, you don’t require a whole lot for preparing pour over coffee. But you absolutely need pre-ground coffee. And if you have the best pour over coffee beans, then a high-quality grinder is a must. To be more specific, a burr coffee grinder.
2. Choose the right grind size
If there’s any one most important characteristic that determines the quality of your coffee, then it’s the grind size. With a good burr grinder, you don’t have to worry about experimenting with a grind size that works the best for you.
Just always remember that finer grinds reduce the contact time your brew demands. Therefore, if you’re using coarser grind, then make sure the contact time is longer.
You should also know that grind size depends on how much coffee you wish to prepare as well. Meaning for single-serve pour overs, finer coffee grounds are the most suitable. And for larger servings, you might require coarser grind size.
Likewise, if the coffee is sour, weak-tasting, or thin, then go for a finer grind. On the other hand, if your brew is brothy, harsh, or bitter, choosing coarser ground coffee might be a better decision.
3. Use a proper coffee to water ratio
This is the basis of every manual brewing recipe. The rule of thumb is using 60 grams of pre-ground coffee for every liter of water. That’s around 1 gram of coffee for every 16.7 grams of water.
Brewing ratios between 1:15 and 1:17 are considered to be standard. Otherwise, drastic effects in terms of taste and flavor are unavoidable.
4. Keep the water temperature within the range
The range I’m talking about here is between 195 degrees and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s the most suitable for extracting all the rich, delicious flavors, oils, and aromas of your favorite coffee.
If the temperature is below range, then expect weak-tasting, under-extracted coffee. And if it’s above, over-extraction, bitterness, or a burnt flavor is in the cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What coffee is the best for pour over?
The most straightforward answer is single-origin coffee. What pour over brewing does is highlights all the intricate flavors that are often present in single-origin coffee. And here’s how that happens.
The method’s extraction part lets water draw out the rich, delicious, aromatic coffee oils very naturally. And these oils and flavors get caught in the coffee maker’s filter, thus preparing a cleaner, smoother-tasting brew.
Pour Over vs. French Press vs. Drip vs. AeroPress vs. Chemex – What is Best?
The benefits of pour over include being able to control the time and temperature required for brewing. Therefore, you get full-flavored coffee with no sediments and bitterness. The only setback is the period of trial and error if you’re a noob.
As for French Press, the method requires immersing coffee grounds completely and then filtering your coffee with the help of the mesh sieve and plunger. Hence, you can control the brewing time and temperature here too.
But with a French Press, the capacity is larger in comparison to single-serve pour overs or those that prepare only 1-3 cups at once.
Drip machines and pour over coffee makers are pretty much the same. Except that the former automates the brewing process while the latter requires you to do it manually. Meaning pour over coffee can make a brew that’s more tailored to fit your personal tastes and preferences.
Moving on to AeroPress, this particular brewing technique is just like the French Press but inverted. And it prepares only one cup of freshly brewed coffee, unlike French Press.
And lastly, it’s pour over vs. Chemex. The latter is a larger version of the former but made using glass. Chemex is also equipped with thicker filters, which suggests a longer brewing time. So coffee tastes more complex and cleaner.
In the end, it’s all up to you to decide whether you prefer pour over coffee or any other type of brewing method.
Is pour over coffee better tasting?
This is a matter of personal preference. But there’s no denying that pour over coffee makers that use permanent stainless steel mesh filters produce a more natural flavor than paper filtered coffee. That’s because paper filters are more inclined toward absorbing coffee oil.
Is pour over coffee bad for you?
It’s a question of whether you’re using a paper or metal filter. Paper filters trap most of the coffee oils, including cafestol. About cafestol, high doses of this particular lipid compound elevate cholesterol in the body.
This is why choosing pour over with paper filters is regarded as a healthier choice. It may not be environment-friendly though. And with coffee oils, even the delectable flavors get trapped. That’s the downside of using paper filters.
As with stainless steel mesh filters, these oils, even though rich, delicious, and fragrant, don’t get caught. Meaning they’re a part of your brew. In fact, they’re the very reason your brew tastes so good. But it comes at a cost, doesn’t it?
Conclusion
By far, pour over is the easiest way to prepare your morning coffee. The brewing method only requires a cone-shaped funnel, paper filter, pre-ground or freshly ground coffee, and a mug.
You simply pour hot water over the grounds. And then 3-4 minutes later, your hot, delicious brew is ready to be devoured. Obviously, this is easier said than done in the sense that you should be using a fine grind size instead of coarse and a permanent metal filter instead of paper.
Speaking of which, I have reviewed most pour over coffee makers equipped with such permanent or reusable filters to reduce the waste caused by paper filters. Now all you have to do is make sure you’re sticking to the right grind size.
And one last thing, remember to pour slowly for a stronger brew.