The Best Pour Over Coffee Makers (2026): V60, Kalita Wave, Chemex and Easy Picks

The best pour over coffee maker for most people is the Hario V60 02: inexpensive, flexible, and it makes bright, clean coffee once you get the hang of pouring. If you want consistent cups with less technique, choose the flat-bottom Kalita Wave 185. To brew for several people, the Chemex is the classic. And if you'd rather not learn to pour at all, the OXO Brew Single Serve Pour-Over does it for you.

How we chose: We have not tested these drippers hands-on. Our picks come from manufacturer specifications, how each design affects flow and extraction (cone vs. flat bottom, hole size, filter type), and long-running patterns in owner reviews and home-barista communities. Check current prices before you buy.

Quick picks

What actually matters in a pour over dripper

All pour over brewers do the same thing: hot water runs through coffee in a paper filter. What changes the cup is how fast the water drains, and that comes down to a few design choices:

• Cone vs. flat bottom. Cones (V60, Chemex) let water run fast through a deep coffee bed, so your pouring speed controls the brew. That means more control, but less forgiveness. Flat-bottom drippers (Kalita Wave) make a shallow, even bed that's easier to get right every time.
• Hole size. One large hole (V60) drains fast; small holes (Kalita, Melitta) slow the water down and do some of the work for you.
• Filters. Thicker papers, like Chemex's, hold back more oils and fines for a cleaner, lighter cup. Also check what filters cost and where you can buy them: #2 cone filters are in every supermarket, while V60, Wave and Chemex papers usually come from coffee shops or online.
• Material. Plastic barely steals heat and is nearly unbreakable; ceramic and glass look nicer but should be preheated with hot water.

The best pour over coffee makers

Best overall pour over dripper

1. Hario V60 02

The cone that defined modern pour over: a 60° cone with one large hole and spiral ribs. Water flows fast, so your pouring controls the brew, which makes it the most flexible dripper here once you've practiced a little. The 02 size makes one to four cups.

Shape

60° cone, single large hole

Size

02 (about 1–4 cups)

Materials

Plastic, ceramic, glass or metal

Filters

Hario V60 02 cone papers

What stands out

• Bright, clean, flavorful cups
• Huge range of recipes and guides
• Inexpensive, especially the plastic version

Trade-offs

• Less forgiving: pouring technique matters
• Needs V60-specific filters

Check price on Amazon

Most forgiving, most consistent

2. Kalita Wave 185

A flat-bottom dripper with three small holes and wavy filters. The flat bed and slower drain make it more forgiving of uneven pouring than a cone, so it's a good pick for consistent results without perfect technique.

Shape

Flat bottom, three small holes

Size

185 (about 1–4 cups)

Materials

Stainless steel, glass or ceramic

Filters

Kalita Wave 185 papers

What stands out

• Very consistent, even extraction
• Forgiving for beginners

Trade-offs

• Wave filters are pricier and less common in stores
• Slightly less control than a V60

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Best for brewing for two or more

3. Chemex Classic (6-cup)

The hourglass glass brewer with a wood collar, and a design classic. Its thick bonded paper filters hold back oils and fine particles, giving a very clean, light-bodied cup, and the 6-cup size brews enough for several people at once.

Material

Borosilicate glass, wood collar

Sizes

3, 6, 8 and 10 cup

Filters

Chemex bonded paper filters

What stands out

• Brewer and serving carafe in one
• Very clean cup
• Great for larger batches

Trade-offs

• Chemex-specific filters
• Harder to clean inside the narrow neck
• Slower to drain, needs a coarser grind

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Easiest for beginners

4. OXO Brew Single Serve Pour-Over

A cone with an auto-drip water tank on top: you fill the tank to the marked amount (up to 12 oz) and it spreads the water over the grounds for you. No gooseneck kettle or pouring technique needed. The lid doubles as a drip tray.

Capacity

Up to 12 oz per brew

Filters

#2 cone filters

Cleaning

Tank and cone are dishwasher safe

What stands out

• No technique or special kettle required
• Uses common #2 cone filters
• Inexpensive

Trade-offs

• Single mug only
• Less control over the brew than a manual cone

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Best budget pick

5. Melitta Porcelain Pour-Over Cone

The old-school wedge cone with a small drain hole. It's cheap, sturdy and uses #2 cone filters you can buy in any supermarket. The small hole slows the flow, so it's forgiving, though you get less control than with a V60.

Material

Porcelain

Filters

#2 or #4 cone filters

Size

Single cup

What stands out

• Very low cost
• Filters available everywhere
• Simple and durable

Trade-offs

• Slow drain limits fine-tuning
• Porcelain should be preheated

Check price on Amazon

What else you need for great pour over

• A burr grinder. Pour over needs an even, medium-fine grind. Pre-ground coffee is usually ground for drip machines, which can work, but freshly ground beans taste noticeably better. See our manual coffee grinder guide for inexpensive options.
• A kitchen scale. Weighing coffee and water is the easiest way to get the same good cup every day.
• A gooseneck kettle (for cone drippers). The thin spout lets you pour slowly and exactly where you want. It's optional with flat-bottom drippers and unnecessary with the OXO.

A simple pour over recipe (one mug)

1. Use about 15 g of coffee to 250 g of water (roughly 1:16). The coffee ratio calculator scales it to any size.
2. Grind medium-fine, about like table salt.
3. Rinse the paper filter with hot water (and discard that water) to remove paper taste and preheat the dripper.
4. Bloom: pour about twice the coffee's weight in water (30 g), just off the boil, and wait 30–45 seconds.
5. Pour the rest in slow circles, keeping the water level steady, until you reach 250 g.
6. Aim for about 3 minutes total. Too fast and sour? Grind finer. Too slow and bitter? Grind coarser.

Pour over or a drip machine?

A pour over gives you more control and, with good beans, a more vivid cup, for very little money. But it takes a few minutes of attention each time. If you want hands-off coffee for a household, a good drip machine brews in a similar way automatically: see our best drip coffee makers. Prefer a heavier, richer cup? Look at the best French presses.