Best pour-over coffee maker 2024 – barista-tested results

Everybody has their opinions on what makes the best pour-over coffee maker. Some people seek out trusted brands, such as Kalita, Chemex and Hario. Others look at the specifics, such as filter type, and the number of drain holes. Whatever you need, there's one for you.

Even if you're a beginner, your pour-over coffee maker should be able to make you a rich, dynamic, and smooth cup of coffee. That's why I, a former barista, and a team of experts tested and researched the best pour-overs on the market, using the best grinders on the market, so each model had a fair chance at success.

We looked for durable build quality, unparalleled filtration, rich coffee flavors, and compatibility with a range of filters (nobody wants to have to buy a specialist line every time). The results of our tests are these six models, covering single-servings all the way up to a large carafe, which can make cold brew too.

If you can't find one you like in those, don't forget that pour-over isn't the only way to drink coffee. I've put dozens of other methods and coffee makers to the test, from the best French presses to the best single-serve machines to the best drip coffee makers and, of course, the best espresso machines.  

The quick list

Here's a quick introduction to our favorite pour-overs. We'll dive into the details further down.

• Back to the top ⤴

The best pour-over coffee makers 2024

Best pour-over overall

Image 1 of 1

The Kalita Wave is a chic, trusted pour-over coffee maker that’s been popular since the early 2000s. The design hasn’t changed much since because it works so well. With three small holes in the bottom, it brews slightly slower, but noticeably more evenly than the average pour-over.

The beautiful aesthetic alone of the Kalita Wave makes it a winner in our books. With a flat bottom, pour-over coffee drinkers agree this feature produces a rich, aromatic cup every time. 

We like the three holes, as opposed to models which just feature one, because the coffee grounds are saturated more evenly. Fans of the wave recommend pouring with a gooseneck kettle like this one at QVC, so you can follow a circular motion. This prevents over-extraction and bitterness, but make sure you don't pour too quickly. This is a single-serve cup, so it's easy to over-hydrate or overwhelm your filter. 

Filters are not included, and although Kalita manufactures their own paper products, most filters on the market work just fine. I recommend opting for stainless steel to get the most out of your coffee maker, but this means you will have to wash it by hand.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best pour-over for multiple servings

Image 1 of 1

A quick search for this Chemex pour-over will result in thousands of five star reviews. It’s by far the most popular brand for old-school brewing, and I agree it’s pretty great. If you like a large cup of coffee as opposed to smaller servings, you will enjoy the Chemex's 40oz capacity, though it also comes in three, six, and eight cup versions. It also makes by far the smoothest cup of coffee, as well as a cold brew that's not to be contested.

If you think you need more than the right cup capacity, there are plenty of different sizes on the market. It's a model for all households.

Obviously a good cup of coffee is the goal, but I can’t help but obsess over the design of this Chemex pour-over set. It’s so pretty and thoughtfully designed. If you make too much, you can keep the whole carafe in the refrigerator for a refreshing iced coffee. It's nice to hold, pour from, and simply just to look at.

It's good to know that Chemex uses non-porous Borosilicate glass, claiming that this will not retain odors or chemicals from your coffee. Lots of people also love the textures of the wooden collar and leather tie, which only enhance the premium feel of this pour-over. If you want a coffee maker these materials are the signposts you need for a pour-over which will last for years.

There are a few reasons people might steer clear of the Chemex. Firstly, it's a little time consuming, but that is the cost of most pour-over coffee makers. Similarly, the Chemex is really responsive to different filters, coffee types, and grind sizes, so you'll have to pick and pour carefully if you want a consistent cup of coffee. It's actually worth emphasising the careful pouring: the filtration is slow, so you'd have to pour an eight cup quantity in in stages, which feels a little tedious. Finally, vegans may take issue with the leather strap. 

• Back to the top ⤴

Best pour-over for advanced drinkers

Image 1 of 1

We love the Hario V60. It’s a no-frills, consistent, straightforward coffee maker that delivers consistently great coffee. Coffee expert Courtney has even taken this pour-over camping, because, even in the woods, she still loves coffee. 

Simple aspects of the Hario help you to make a big, strong cup of coffee. The cone shape makes it easy to layer your coffee grounds, whilst the thick ceramic keeps your pour-over warm, extracting the most flavor from your grounds. 

With one drip hole it's easier to customize your coffee taste: if you pour quickly, you'll have lighter flavors and if your pour slower, they'll be richer and stronger. This easily customizable brewing style will suit more advanced pour-over drinkers perfectly. However, if you're a beginner, you might find that it's a little more challenging to recreate a consistent cup of coffee.

Ceramic may not scratch easily, but it will shatter the second it hits something too forcefully. Like several other pour-over makers, the Hario V60 uses proprietary filters. Sure, it can be an inconvenience hunting down the filters, but they are worth the wait and money. 

• Back to the top ⤴

Best value pour-over

Image 1 of 1

Exceptional value for money, this $20 Bodum is a pint-sized miracle maker that one of experts has used for years without fail. It delivers a delicious coffee with very little effort. The built-in, stainless steel filter means that you'll never have to worry about running out of filters again. If you normally use paper filters, these absorb some of the coffee oils, so you'll taste the difference with a stainless steel filter: it will brew a more flavorful cup. That's not just in theory: our experts have tested the Bodum and they love it.

This is packed with well-considered features, too. There's a neat pouring spout which makes it easy to fill your mug with coffee (and no coffee grounds) as well as a heat-proof, silicone handle, which easily comes on and off the carafe. Plus, once you've finished, the whole pour over is dishwasher safe, so you don't need to worry about the washing up. 

In true Bodum style, this boasts understated, Danish design. It's simple and beautiful in a very effortless way. Even though this is cheap, even the glass feels relatively durable. There is, of course, the risk of dropping it one too many times and smashing the Bodum, but that's the case with many pour-overs on this list. 

However, there's one big caveat. Our expert Courtney says that 'there is a learning curve to the Bodum, simply because the stainless-steel filter allows water to pass through more quickly than its paper counterpart. Pouring the water very slowly and evenly across the coffee grounds is the trick, yielding a rich cup of coffee full of flavor'. 

• Back to the top ⤴

Best pour-over for style

Image 1 of 1

Thoughtfully designed, the Fellow has quite a few touches to make the brewing experience simple and enjoyable. There's a ratio aid, which will help you make the perfect brew and a double-sealed, vacuum wall which will keep your coffee hot. If you're a beginner, you'll find the Stagg XF much easier to use than the Hario V60's cone shaped brewer (which makes pouring a lot harder).

For one cup of coffee, you should use 20g of ground beans and add water to the first dot. For two cups, 40g of grounds is the perfect amount, with water added until it reaches the second dot. The double wall makes a big difference in heat retention, which makes it a winner in our books. 

Although this model comes with 30 filters, when you run out, you'll have to buy 45 more, which cost $18, plus shipping. You can't use the filters more than once, as they break down quite quickly. Because the spout is slightly thicker and rounder than others, occasionally it allows for some dripping. If you have a white kitchen, be ready to wipe up any spills.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best pour-over for single-servings

Single-serve and chic, this porcelain pour-over makes a beautiful gift for you, or for other coffee lovers. It looks like a simple coffee mug, so the white porcelain should fit seamlessly into your coffee cup collection. It's modest and inexpensive, but feels like a luxury five times the price. 

With one large drain hole, your coffee might brew faster than some other pour-overs, so don't add lots of water in one go, or your water will 'channel' and some grounds will become over-extracted and bitter. If this is your first pour-over, it's easier to brew a good cup of coffee with the Melitta when competed to other models. We only wish we could brew more than one cup at once, since it's so easy to use.

Usually selling for $15, this is exceptional value. It's one of the cheapest in our guide, but it looks, feels, and brews like it could be one of the most expensive. If you have the budget for a bit more, you can buy the Artisan Set from Amazon, which comes with a bamboo tray, filter paper holder, and airtight coffee grounds container. Our experts loved how this looked on the countertop: it's an easy way to establish a modest coffee station in your kitchen (and will help to keep all your filter paper tidy too).

• Back to the top ⤴

The pour-over coffee makers which just missed the list

If those six weren't quite what you were after, here are three of our favorites which didn't quite make the list. Our experts still love them and would recommend them to specific users, but they don't have the same all-round appeal as the Kalita or Chemex, for example.

FAQs

How many drip holes should my pour-over have?

Pour-overs can vary. Some have one drip hole and some will have three. The size and placement of these holes will affect the taste of your coffee. If there is one, large drain hole, it will brew your coffee quickly, but not very evenly. If it has three, smaller holes, your water will be more restricted at the bottom, your coffee won't funnel as much, so you'll have more even extraction, resulting in a cleaner cup. 

Should my pour-over have bypass ridges?

In short, ridges make your coffee stronger and more balanced. Having ridges on your pour-over keep the water distributed evenly across coffee grounds, so that water doesn't 'channel' and over-extract coffee. The ridges also help lift filter paper off the side of the wall, so that your coffee is extracted from the bottom and sides of the brewer.

What type of filter paper should I use for my pour over?

Every pour-over is different. Some will have filters integrated, some will require specific, proprietary filters, and some will take any filters that you have. To look after the environment, and your wallet, I'd recommend investing in a re-usable filter like this one from Walmart.

How to choose the best pour-over for you

When you're looking at pour-over coffee makers, there are a few features you'll need to consider:

Capacity
The whole pour-over process is slower than most coffee methods. That means that you won't want to be brewing coffee for eight people in a single-serve cup. Make sure that you choose an appropriate capacity for your coffee needs. Always check the capacity in oz rather than cups, because different brands measure these differently.

Drainage
The most common pour-overs have either a single or multiple drain holes. Using multiple drain holes will result in a lighter, brighter cup of coffee, but it will drain quicker and require more expertise to achieve a well-balanced cup.

Filter compatibility
You can't underestimate how frustrating having to buy one specific type of filter paper from one brand can be, not to mention expensive too. If you're cost-conscious and looking to cut down on your waste, you might want a re-usable filter, but make sure that it's as effective, because this shouldn't mean compromising.

Material
The main two pour-over materials are glass and ceramic. Glass is beautiful to watch, easy to clean, and often more stylish, but it's also very easy to break. Ceramic and porcelain pour-overs might look more at-home amongst your other coffee mug collection. Plus, they're better insulators, keeping your coffee warm and drinkable for much longer.

Price
As much as we wish price didn't need to be taken into account, it matters. You can get a good pour-over for a reasonable price (especially Melitta's range). However, if you pay a bit more, you might get a neat sleeve, some easy pouring options, and smart design features.

How we tested these pour-over coffee makers

At Homes & Gardens, we take our coffee testing seriously. We take market-leading coffee makers, as well as new and innovative designs, to our test kitchen. Here, our experts go through the whole coffee maker process, from unboxing and setting-up to cleaning and storing. Most importantly, we taste the coffee that each maker brews. If it scores highly across these categories, we'll write up a review and include it in our guide.

We haven't yet tested all of these pour-overs. They're on our list and our experts are making their way through them, so we will update this guide when we have more in-person testing. For now, in the absence of in-person tests, we thoroughly research each pour-over. From customers to experts, we go through hundreds of articles and reviews to get a clear idea of what each pour-over is like. If you want to find our more, you can visit our detailed page on how we test coffee makers.