V60 vs Chemex vs Kalita Wave: Which Is Best?

Pour over coffee produces a cleaner, brighter cup than French press or drip machines because hot water passes through the grounds once and exits through a paper filter that removes oils and sediment. The brewer you choose determines how much control you have over that process and what the finished cup tastes like.

The Hario V60, Chemex, and Kalita Wave are the three most widely used pour over brewers. Here is how they compare on flavor, skill level, volume, and price. For a broader look at how pour over fits against other manual methods, see our manual coffee brewer comparison guide.

Quick Comparison

Hario V60

Best for: Technique lovers who want maximum clarity and brightness.
Skill level: High.
Cup character: Bright, clean, complex, vibrant acidity.

The Hario V60 is the most technique-dependent pour over brewer and the most popular in specialty coffee shops worldwide. The conical shape with a single large hole at the base gives you full control over the extraction. Pour fast and the water drains quickly for a lighter extraction. Pour slow in careful spirals and you extend contact time for a more developed, complex cup.

This responsiveness to technique is the V60's strength and its weakness. An experienced brewer produces a cup that reveals more origin character than almost any other method. A beginner pouring inconsistently produces an uneven extraction. A gooseneck kettle is essential. For guidance on grind size for pour over, see our coffee grinder dial-in guide.

Chemex

Best for: Brewing for two or more people, ultra-clean delicate cups.
Skill level: Medium.
Cup character: Ultra-clean, delicate, very light body, refined clarity.

The Chemex combines the pour over cone and serving carafe into one elegant hourglass glass vessel. The specially designed Chemex bonded filter is significantly thicker than standard pour over filters. This thickness slows the flow rate and removes more oils from the cup, producing one of the cleanest, most delicate coffee experiences available in any brewing format.

The thick filter compensates for less precise pouring by controlling the flow rate regardless of technique. The main tradeoff is body. The Chemex removes so much oil that some drinkers find the cup too delicate. Pair it with lighter or medium roasts that have interesting origin character worth showcasing through a clean cup. Browse Blackout Coffee premium roasts for freshly roasted medium and dark roasts suited to all three brewers.

Kalita Wave

Best for: Beginners, consistency-focused drinkers, everyday brewing.
Skill level: Low to medium.
Cup character: Balanced, rounded, medium body, consistent.

The Kalita Wave has a flat bottom with three small holes instead of a conical shape with one large hole. Water pools briefly across the entire flat grounds bed before draining, saturating all the grounds evenly. Pouring inconsistencies matter less because the flat bed distributes water regardless of where you pour. The wave-shaped filter sits away from the brewer walls, preventing suction and ensuring consistent airflow.

The cup sits between the V60 and Chemex in character: more body than the Chemex, more balance and less brightness than the V60. For drinkers who want great pour over coffee without making it a skill project, the Kalita Wave is the right brewer. Stock up on fresh beans with a five-pound bulk bag so you always have whole beans ready for your morning pour over. For a fast bold cup when setup time is short, our instant coffee is always ready. And our coffee pods are on hand for single-serve machines.

Which Pour Over Should You Buy?

Buy the Hario V60 if: You want to develop pour technique, prefer bright and complex cups, drink one to two cups at a time, and own or plan to buy a gooseneck kettle.

Buy the Chemex if: You brew for two or more people, prefer ultra-clean and delicate cups, and want a brewer that doubles as a serving vessel.

Buy the Kalita Wave if: You are new to pour over, want consistent results without developing precise technique, and prefer a balanced rounded cup.

The Specialty Coffee Association recommends water between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal pour over extraction.

All three produce excellent coffee from quality beans. For a full guide to why manual brewing is worth the effort, see our post on why manual coffee brewing is worth learning.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pour Over Coffee Makers

What is the difference between the Hario V60 and Chemex?

The Hario V60 is a conical dripper with a single large hole that gives the brewer precise control over extraction speed through pour technique. The cup is bright, complex, and technique-dependent. The Chemex combines the pour over cone and carafe in one glass vessel and uses a thick bonded filter that removes more oil and sediment than standard filters. The Chemex cup is ultra-clean and delicate with very light body. The V60 requires a gooseneck kettle and precise technique. The Chemex is more forgiving and brews larger volumes (6 or 8 cups).

Is the Kalita Wave easier to use than the Hario V60?

Yes. The Kalita Wave is significantly more forgiving than the Hario V60. The flat bottom with three small holes creates a more even extraction regardless of pour technique. Water distributes evenly across the flat grounds bed before draining, so inconsistent pouring matters less. The V60's conical shape with a single large hole makes the extraction very responsive to pour speed and pattern. Beginners get consistent, excellent results from the Kalita Wave after a few practice brews. The V60 rewards dedicated practice over weeks.

Do I need a gooseneck kettle for pour over coffee?

For the Hario V60, yes. A gooseneck kettle is essential for the controlled spiral pours that the V60 requires. Without precise pour control, the V60's advantage disappears. For the Chemex and Kalita Wave, a gooseneck kettle is recommended but not critical. Both brewers are more forgiving of pour inconsistency. A standard kettle produces a good cup in both. A gooseneck produces a better, more consistent cup in all three brewers.

Which pour over produces the strongest coffee?

None of the three produce stronger coffee in terms of caffeine content — strength in pour over is determined by your coffee-to-water ratio, not the brewer. At the same ratio, the Hario V60 produces the most intense, vibrant cup because its design extracts more of the origin character. The Chemex produces the lightest, most delicate cup because the thick filter removes more oils and compounds. The Kalita Wave produces a balanced, medium-intensity cup. Adjust your coffee dose (more coffee, same water) to increase strength in any of the three.

Which pour over coffee maker is best for beginners?

The Kalita Wave is the best pour over for beginners. Its flat bottom design with three small holes produces an even extraction regardless of pour technique, making it the most forgiving of the three. A beginner gets a consistently excellent cup after two or three practice brews without needing to master spiral pouring technique. The Chemex is the second most forgiving choice. The Hario V60 requires the most developed technique and is better suited to drinkers who want to treat pour over as a skill to develop over time.

Start With the Right Coffee

Pour over reveals origin character more clearly than any other brewing format. Browse Blackout Coffee premium roasts for freshly roasted dark and medium roasts shipped within 1 to 2 business days of the roast date.

Roasted fresh in Florida and shipped within 1 to 2 business days. Keep your supply stocked with the Blackout Coffee Club.

Learn more about how Blackout sources and roasts on the About Blackout Coffee page.