Choosing a Pour Over Coffee Apparatus

In the wonderful world of pour over coffee there are two coffee making apparatuses that stick out and above the rest: the Chemex and the Hario v60.  But which one is better?  A good question – and not one that is easily answered.  If you know how to make coffee with one of them, then the other one will come easily – but they’re both still quite different, with unique approaches to the extraction of the bean.

The Chemex

The Chemex was actually invented by a chemist strictly for the purpose of providing the best and most thorough extraction available.  Prior to its invention pour over coffee was a term seldom used and pretty much completely misunderstood.  Without a doubt, the Chemex’s rise into coffee brewing infamy is what ended up making the new pour over coffee phenomenon what it is today.

But is it the best means of brewing coffee?  Does it offer the best extraction from the ground up coffee bean?

Actually, it doesn’t.  It is a good method of brewing coffee and has its merits (especially because of its wider surface area), however its design is still flawed.  Without getting too complex and scientific about it the Chemex just doesn’t allow for the maximized extraction when water is poured in a circular motion across the top.  No matter how perfect your pour is some coffee grounds will be much more extracted than others, leading to a poor extraction and a bitter pot of coffee.

The Hario v60

However there is another pour over apparatus, that while not quite as popular, has become significantly more prevalent in the last couple of years.  It is not uncommon when frequenting coffee shops and espresso bars to find pour over bars constructed out of wood and utilizing Hario v60s as the means of brewing.  The Hario v60 itself is not a pour over bar but just an individual ceramic drip cone used for brewing coffee.  They are incredibly inexpensive (about twenty dollars) and last a lifetime.  But, more importantly than there durability, their ability to extract a great cup of coffee is significant.

The Hario v60 has a steep enough shape to it that it allows for a very thorough extraction without accidentally over extracting the bottom level of coffee grounds (like the Chemex does).  I have been using the Hario for a very long time and have always had great luck with it – and when I show newer coffee aficionados the scope of the apparatus’ extraction ability they are always amazed.

The Hario v60 may not be the best brewing device on the planet, after all that is a pretty subjective question, but it is the most capable pour over device there is.  It is specially designed for maximizing the extraction of the coffee bean and because of its steep design and dripper it allows for a brief ‘full immersion’ brew just like a french press.  It is combining two very separate brewing methods to create an extraction that allows the flavor notes and nuances of the coffee bean to become clearly apparent on any palate, thus making it the best pour over device available.