Tag: timemore

Categories
brewing coffee competition news

Overview of pour over coffee brewers

Filter coffee!!! 💖 ☕ 🫘 I love my espresso but flavor-wise it can’t compete with a good pour over coffee made with love.

Having been a volunteer at the Dutch SCA Coffee Championships and its preliminaries, I love being backstage and observing the gear displayed, competitors practicing and their workflow with the chosen brew method/device. It changes every year! Some opt for complete reworks compared to last year. Others have optimized their previous workflows and swapped certain gear in or out.

Brief background: during the Brewers Cup preliminaries, everyone receives the same unknown, freshly roasted beans (250 gr) and has 45 minutes to determine with their best recipe. Then, you brew 3 cups for the judges who judge your coffee anonymously! They do not see the barista, they only taste their coffees.

You receive points for consistency and flavors, since the judges have benchmarked the same beans themselves that morning or the previous day.

I became overwhelmed with the new filter brewers appearing on the market in the last 2-3 years. It’s awesome to see some competitors swearing by them as soon as they’ve tried it and bring them to the competition. But I don’t have the time to try them all out and I don’t want to spend money on acquiring (even) more coffee gear that I may only use occasionally.

So how do they compare? What is the opinion of the general public about all of these pour over brew methods? How many different ones are there anyway?

Recently, I made a list with my co-volunteers of the gear that we all knew about and asked Gemini to research them, check Reddit for opinions and feedback and give an overview of each brew method/device and how it differs from others. It should also try to categorize them into types of brew methods, if possible.

Here is my initial (seed) list, in no particular order:

  • Gina Coffee Maker
  • Orea coffee brewer
  • Hario V60
  • Hario V60 neo
  • Hario Switch
  • Aeropress (Premium, XL)
  • UFO dripper
  • Pulsar
  • Z brewer
  • Kalita wave
  • Clever dripper
  • Aramse Sofi brewer
  • Aeropress prisma

Here is what Gemini came up with. Use it as-is. I didn’t verify many of these devices. I only know the Aeropress and V60 very well. I rely on (review) videos just like the rest and I take them with a grain of salt. But I like the general overview and categories of pour over coffee makers.

Here we go!

A Guide to Pour-Over Brewing Methods

The Manual Coffee Renaissance

So, you’ve dipped your toes into specialty coffee, maybe even upgraded your automatic brewer. But now? Now you’re hearing whispers of “total control,” “clarity,” and “unlocked flavors.” Welcome to the beautiful, sometimes obsessive, world of manual pour-over brewing!

This isn’t just about making coffee; it’s about becoming an active participant in the creation of your cup. When you go manual, you’re the master of four critical variables:

  • Contact (Brew) Time,
  • Temperature,
  • Turbulence (Agitation), and
  • Grind size.

But the brewer you choose, that physical vessel, is your instrument, and its design dictates how you play.

Your water quality, its chemical composition and your choice of paper or metal filters also play a major role in the resulting coffee. We’ve ignored these variables at this stage.

We’ll explore the most talked-about manual brewers of 2025/2026, from the iconic classics to the cutting-edge “no-bypass” disruptors and the new wave of “flatbed” champions. We’ll break down their physics, highlight their unique quirks, and even point you to the top pros’ reviews so you can see them in action.

Let’s brew this!

The “Control Freak” Dictionary: Why Brewer Design Matters

Before we get into the specific brewers, let’s understand the core design elements that dictate your coffee’s fate. This is the language of control.

  • Cone Angle (The Slope): This refers to how steep the walls of the brewer are.
    • A steeper 60° cone (like a V60) creates a deep coffee bed, meaning water has a long path through the grounds. This can lead to higher extraction but requires precise pouring to avoid “stalling.”
    • A shallower 80° cone (like the UFO Dripper) or a very wide flat bottom makes the bed shallower and more uniform, often promoting sweetness and evenness.
  • The Bottom Hole(s): This is where the magic (or frustration) of flow control happens.
    • A single large hole (V60, Orea) puts all the flow control directly in your hands; your grind size and pour speed are paramount.
    • Multiple small holes (Kalita Wave) or a restricted screen (Pulsar) create a “speed limit” for the water, offering more consistency regardless of your pour technique.
  • Shutoff Valves: These turn a pour-over into a “hybrid” brewer.
    • By closing a valve, you allow the coffee to steep (full immersion) before filtering. This ensures incredibly even extraction and is a cheat code for consistency.
  • Bypass vs. No-Bypass: This is a big one for enthusiasts!
    • In most brewers, some water flows around the coffee bed (between the paper and the brewer wall) without fully extracting flavor. This is called bypass.
    • No-bypass brewers (Pulsar, Z1, Tricolate) force 100% of the water through 100% of the grounds, aiming for maximum extraction efficiency and intensity.

1. The Conical Classics: The “Skill” Brewers

These iconic brewers rely on a steep cone and a single large hole, demanding the most from your pouring technique. They are designed for clarity and brightness.

Hario V60 (Classic, Neo, and Suiren)

The undisputed king of manual pour-over. Its 60-degree angle and internal “ribs” allow for high airflow, making it incredibly responsive to grind size and pouring. While the V60 Neo is a high-performance glass-and-silicone version of the classic, the V60 Suiren is Hario’s modular, petal-based evolution, designed to maximize airflow and minimize stalling by removing the solid wall entirely.

UFO Dripper

A fascinating newcomer with a very steep 80° angle. It creates a uniquely shallow coffee bed compared to other cones, which impacts extraction.

  • What makes it unique: Designed for high sweetness and clarity, often used by competitors. It requires specific filters or a precise origami fold.
  • The Pro View: The Real Sprometheus – UFO Dripper: A Giant Leap?. He analyzes the 80° angle and how the deeper bed affects extraction compared to a standard V60.

2. Flat-Bottom Moderns: The “Sweetness & Body” Brewers

By creating a flat bed of coffee, these brewers aim for more even water distribution, generally leading to a sweeter, heavier-bodied cup.

Kalita Wave

The “old reliable” of the flat-bottom world. It’s famous for its three small holes and distinctive “wave” filters.

  • What makes it unique: Those three holes act as a bottleneck, regulating the flow and making the brew more forgiving and consistent.
  • The Pro View: James Hoffmann – The Best Pour-Over Dripper?. A classic review focusing on the stainless steel vs. glass models.

Orea Coffee Brewer (V3 & V4)

Currently the most lusted-after flat-bottom brewer on enthusiast forums. Made of high-grade, thermally stable plastic, it features a massive, wide-open bottom. The V4 is modular, allowing you to swap “bottoms” to change the flow style.

3. New Wave Flat-Bed Brewers: The “Balanced Clarity” Machines

This sub-category takes the “flat bed” concept even further, focusing on perfectly even water contact across a very shallow, wide bed. They aim for balance, juiciness, and often a brighter, cleaner cup than traditional flat-bottoms.

April Coffee Brewer

Designed by World Brewers Cup champion Patrik Rolf, this brewer emphasizes a super-wide, very shallow bed and is optimized for lighter roasts and a high-volume pour.

  • What makes it unique: It aims for extreme evenness and clarity. Often used with a coarser grind than other methods.
  • The Pro View: James Hoffmann – The April Coffee Brewer Review. Hoffmann discusses its unique design and how it promotes a distinct flavor profile.

Timemore B75

Often touted as an “Orea-killer” due to its affordability and similar ultra-fast flow. It’s a transparent, ribbed flat-bottom dripper.

Tricolate & NextLevel LVL-10

These are the most “extreme” flat-bed brewers, featuring perfectly vertical walls and often a shower screen.

  • What makes it unique: They achieve virtually zero bypass due to their cylindrical design and often allow for much higher brew ratios (e.g., 1:20) for surprisingly strong, clean coffee. You often just dump the water in, no fancy gooseneck needed!
  • The Pro View: The Real Sprometheus – Tricolate Brewer Review. He examines whether this “no-pour” method lives up to its scientific claims.

4. No-Bypass Specialists: The “Physics” Brewers

These are for the scientists and the detail-oriented. They aim for 100% extraction efficiency by forcing all water through the coffee bed.

NextLevel Pulsar

Developed with coffee physicist Jonathan Gagné, the Pulsar looks like a lab experiment. It features a unique valve at the bottom.

  • What makes it unique: The valve allows you to control the flow rate precisely, effectively combining immersion and percolation in a highly controlled manner. It’s built for maximum extraction.
  • The Pro View: Lance Hedrick – Pulsar: The Future of Pour Over?. Hedrick worked closely with the designer and offers a masterclass on its capabilities.

Orea Z1 (The “Z Brewer”)

A specialized zero-bypass brewer designed for smaller doses. It often includes a built-in showerhead for gentle, even water dispersion.

  • What makes it unique: Creates an incredibly intense, concentrated cup. It requires specific Sibarist Z1 paper filters.
  • The Pro View: Matteo D’Ottavio – Orea Z1 Review. A deep dive into what “zero bypass” actually means for your morning cup.

5. Hybrid & Immersion: The “Consistency” Kings

Can’t decide between a French Press and a Pour-over? These give you both, offering a consistent brew with less fuss.

Hario Switch & Clever Dripper

These brewers allow you to steep the coffee (immersion) and then release it to filter through. The Switch is a glass V60 with a valve; the Clever is a plastic, wedge-filter version.

Goat Story Gina

A “smart” hybrid brewer with a built-in scale and a precision valve that’s also gorgeous to look at and showcase your skills.

  • What makes it unique: App-connected brewing for tracking, and the ability to switch between pour-over, immersion, and even cold drip.
  • The Pro View: The Real Sprometheus – Gina Smart Brewer Review. He tests its smart features and versatility.

6. The AeroPress Universe: The Versatile King

Not strictly a pour-over, but its incredible versatility and control make it a staple in any manual brewer’s arsenal.

  • AeroPress (Classic, Premium, XL): The Premium is a new glass/stainless model; XL offers double capacity.
  • AeroPress Prisma (Fellow Prismo/Flow Control Cap): These are attachments that add a pressure-actuated valve, allowing you to brew concentrated “espresso-style” shots.
  • What makes it unique: Unmatched versatility for brew styles, grinds, and portability. The Prisma/Flow Control Cap transforms it into a pseudo-espresso maker.
  • The Pro View:

7. Specialized & Heritage: Aramse Sofi Brewer

A beautifully modernized take on the traditional South Indian Filter.

  • What makes it unique: It uses a fine-holed stainless steel disc (no paper!) to create a rich, thick “decoction.” Perfect for intense, milk-based coffees.
  • The Pro View: Aramse – The Sofi Brewer: Reimagined. The creator’s channel provides the best context on its heritage and modern application.

Paper: The Unsung Hero

Don’t neglect your paper filters! They dramatically impact flow rate, clarity, and even taste.

  • Hario Tabbed: The standard, good all-rounder. Available in one cup (01) or two cup (02) sizes. Do note that the “official” paper is from Japan and other manufacturers have licences to produce V60 paper outside of Japan. However, these are slightly different filters. See James Hoffman’s V60 filter paper test.
  • Sibarist FAST: The “Ferrari” of paper. Allows ultra-fast flow, demanding a finer grind but unlocking immense flavor.
  • Cafec Abaca Plus: A favorite for its consistent flow and lack of “papery” taste.

Your Next Step: Choosing Your Brewing Philosophy

So, which path will you take on your manual brewing journey?

  • For the budding barista keen on technique:
    Start with a Hario V60. It will teach you patience and precision.
  • For foolproof consistency and convenience:
    The Hario Switch is your best friend.
  • For bright, juicy clarity and light roasts:
    Explore the Orea V4 or the April Coffee Brewer.
  • For ultimate extraction and scientific experimentation:
    The NextLevel Pulsar or Orea Z1 are calling your name.
  • For a do-it-all, robust, and portable option:
    The AeroPress ecosystem is unmatched.
  • For heavy-bodied, unique textures or milk-based drinks:
    The Aramse Sofi offers a fantastic experience.

Manual brewing is a journey of discovery. Each brewer offers a unique perspective on coffee, inviting you to experiment and refine. Don’t be afraid to dive in!

If you have specific experience with any of these brew methods or filters, and you are very passionate about its performance, then please get in touch with me and enlighten me! I’m always happy to learn something new.

Categories
brewing coffee news

Best coffee maker for at home

Filter coffee!!! 💖 ☕ 🫘

The best coffee’s require no pressure.

That’s true. Sure, most of us love a warm, steamy, dark espresso or two in the morning to (help) get us started. But for flavor, espresso is not the best. Filter coffee allows flavors and odors to be enjoyed much better than espresso ever can. You can grap a cheap coffee maker almost anywhere, but if you’re spending $25 per bag of fresh beans, you are not doing yourself a favor!

Let’s go over the coffee gear that lets you jump the gap between a normal “morning caffeine delivery system” and a “specialty coffee experience.” We’re looking at SCA-certified brewers. Machines that actually hit and maintain stable temperatures needed to extract those floral, nutty or fruity notes, and the grinders that make it all possible.

You just want to make better coffee.

The Brewers

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) doesn’t hand out certifications for fun. To get that seal of “Certified Coffee Maker”, a machine has to maintain a brew temperature of 92-96°C and complete the brew cycle in a specific timeframe. Most cheaper machines fail this, resulting in coffee that is either sour (under-extracted) or bitter (burned, over-extracted). Most importantly, your artisan specialty coffee beans are more or less wasted…

1. Moccamaster KBG Select

The Industry Icon

Handmade in the Netherlands since 1968 and built like a tank, the Moccamaster is the “buy it for life” option. It’s simple, it’s colorful, and it’s remarkably consistent. The “Select” switch in the filter holder allows you to toggle the flow rate for a half-carafe or a full pot, ensuring you don’t lose quality when you’re only brewing for two. You pay for quality, consistency and durability.

Deep Dive: James Hoffmann’s Moccamaster KBGV Select Review

Moccamaster KGB

Moccamaster KGB Select

2. Fellow Aiden

Fellow Aiden

The Tech Darling

The Fellow Aiden is for the person who wants pour-over quality with the push of a button. It features a dual shower head and interchangeable filter baskets (cone and flat-bottom), allowing it to adapt to whatever style of coffee beans you’re picking that morning. It features an external water tank, so you can weigh your water during preperations.

It even has an app, because of course it does.

Deep Dive: James Hoffmann’s Fellow Aiden Review

3. Ratio Four

The Aesthetic Champion

If you want your coffee maker to look like a piece of art, the Ratio Four is it. It uses high-end materials like hand-blown glass and wood accents, mimicking the manual pour-over process (including a bloom phase) with zero effort on your part.

If you need your partner’s (design) approval, this is almost a “sure thing”! It’s a “small batch” specialist, perfect for 1-4 cups, but they do make bigger models too.

Deep Dive: Chase Reeves’ Ratio Four Review

Ratio Four

4. Xbloom Studio

Xbloom Studio

The Automation King

The Xbloom Studio isn’t just a coffee maker; it’s a robot barista. It automates the “pour” pattern, moving the water stream across the grounds just like a professional barista would.

It’s for the ultimate coffee geek who wants to experiment with recipes (and share them) but doesn’t want to stand over a kettle at 7:00 AM. It also comes with a built-in grinder that just may be enough in the beginning!

Deep Dive: Lance Hedrick’s Xbloom Studio Insights

5. Wilfa Performance

Red Dot Winner

Designed in Norway with input from World Barista Champion Tim Wendelboe, the Wilfa Performance features a unique removable water tank. No more pouring water from the carafe (which can contain old coffee oils, don’t do that!) back into the machine. It also has a manual flow control to dial in your extraction.

There is a more compact version available and an advanced model with more controls will be introduced soon.

Deep Dive: James Hoffmann on Wilfa Gear

Wilfa Performance
Compact & Classic

6. OXO 8-Cup

OXO 8-Cup

The Compact Choice

The OXO 8-Cup is great for those with limited counter space. It’s SCA-certified, fast, and features a “podless” single-serve mode that uses a special basket to ensure small brews don’t turn out weak.

Great for families of coffee drinkers, small offices or campus dorms. Their thermos keeps your coffee warm until after lunch!

Deep Dive: Roasty Coffee’s OXO 8-Cup Review

7. Sage Precision Brewer

In the US, this is the Breville Precision Brewer. In the EU, it’s called Sage.

The Customizer

This machine gives you control over almost everything:

  • bloom time,
  • water temperature (to the degree), and
  • flow rate.

It’s the closest you can get to a “manual” experience in an automatic machine. While the xbloom has a built-in grinder and is best for single cups, this will suit bigger batches. Comes with flat-bottom and cone filter baskets to suit different beans, roast styles and flavor preferences.

Deep Dive: CoffeeBlogKev’s Sage Precision Review

Sage Precision Brewer

8. Bonavita Enthusiast

Bonavita Enthousiast

The Budget All-Star

The Bonavita Enthusiast is the latest evolution of the legendary Bonavita line. It’s simple, it’s effective, and an affordable way to get into SCA-certified brewing.

It has a dedicated “Bloom” button that pre-wets the grounds, essential for letting those CO2 gasses escape. Can’t go wrong here, it will improve your daily brews.

Deep Dive: ECS Coffee’s Bonavita Enthusiast Review

The Grinders

You can have a € 1,000 brewer, but if you’re using a € 20 blade grinder from the hardware store, your coffee will taste like sadness more often than not. You need a burr grinder for a more consistent particle size. Even the burr’s design matters more than you might think!

1. The Gold Standard: Fellow Ode Gen 2

The Ode Gen 2 is designed specifically for filter coffee (not espresso). Its 64mm flat burrs produce a remarkably clean, sweet cup. It’s easy to use and fast. It’s beautiful and features an ionizer to reduce that annoying static mess. Though a spray of water across the beans beforehand will almost remove it entirely and keep your grinder more clean!

Deep Dive: James Hoffmann’s Ode Gen 2 Review

2. The Versatile Starter: Fellow Opus

The Opus is the Ode’s younger, more versatile sibling. It can grind for everything from coarse French Press to fine Espresso. It’s a great choice if you’re just starting out and want one machine to do it all.

Deep Dive: Lance Hedrick’s Opus Review

3. The Value King: DF54

The DF54 has taken the coffee world by storm recently. It offers premium 54mm flat burrs at a fraction of the price of competitors. It’s a “single-dose” grinder, meaning you only put in the beans you’re about to brew, keeping everything fresh.

Deep Dive: Lance Hedrick’s DF54 Review

4. The Powerhouse: DF64 Gen 2

Stepping up to the DF64 Gen 2 gets you larger 64mm burrs and a more robust build. It’s the “enthusiast’s choice” because you can easily swap the burrs later (to something like SSP burrs) to further customize your flavor profile.

Deep Dive: Lance Hedrick’s DF64 Gen 2 Review

5. The Endgame: Timemore Sculptor 078

The Sculptor 078 is widely considered the current king of filter grinders. Its “Turbo burrs” and variable RPM (you can slow down or speed up the motor) produce a cup clarity that few other grinders can match.

Deep Dive: James Hoffmann’s Sculptor Review

6. The Reliable Italian: Eureka Mignon Filtro

Eureka has been making grinders in Italy for nearly 100 years. The Filtro is their dedicated filter coffee model. It’s built like a tank, is remarkably consistent, and has that classic Italian industrial vibe.

Deep Dive: The Coffee Chronicler’s Eureka Filtro Review

The Secret Weapon — The Kruve Brewler

How do you know if your grind is “medium-coarse”? Is your “medium” the same as my “medium”? The industry relies on subjective experience and sharp eyes. Especially in the beginning, when you are starting out on this “better coffee journey”, it may be hard to judge reliably and repeatedly what’s a “medium” grind and what’s “medium-coarse“?

Enter the Kruve Brewler. It’s a simple ruler-style tool that allows you to measure your coffee grounds in microns (µm).

  • The Free Version: Kruve offers a printable PDF of the Brewler. It’s not as accurate as the metal one, but it’s a great starting point for calibrating your eyes. Build up some experience and compare your friends’ grinders or pre-ground coffee from the supermarket to what you grind yourself. Perhaps you already have a great affordable coffee from a local store, but you’d like to get whole beans and enjoy fresh ground coffee instead.
  • The Metal Tool: For about the price of two bags of specialty coffee, you can get the stainless steel version. It has actual holes for different micron sizes. You just slide your grounds through until you find the match. It takes the guesswork out of “dialing in.”

Deep Dive: Kruve Sifter & Tooling Review

How Much Should You Spend?

Prices fluctuate, and you’ll find different deals depending on where you live in the EU or the US, but here is a rough guide to the investment levels:

  • The Entry-Level Setup:
    ~€300–€400 total.

    Think Bonavita Enthusiast + Eureka Filtro.
  • The Enthusiast Setup:
    ~€600–€800 total.

    Think Moccamaster + Fellow Ode Gen 2.
  • The “Endgame” Setup:
    €1,000+.

    Think Fellow Aiden or Xbloom + Timemore Sculptor 078.

Remember, the goal isn’t to have the most expensive gear.

It’s to have the gear that makes you look forward to your morning coffee. No pressure.