In the world of coffee makers, there are two sides: on one side, the espresso machine, with its proprietary pods and steam wands; on the other, the manual coffee machine, with its straight forward approach to making coffee. Recently, the latter has been sharply rising in popularity—loved by those who want to enjoy their morning espresso as purely as possible, these devices can deliver an espresso shot, or more, in mere minutes.
Chemex
The Chemex, with its iconic glass design has long been a staple among manual coffeemakers. It’s also perhaps the only coffee machine on this list to be displayed in the Museum of Modern Art. Its timelessness owes as much to its minimal design as its operation: using the pour-over method, you simply pour hot water over coffee grounds nestled in a thick paper filter. And while some users of the Chemex say that it can take some time to perfect the ratio to your tastes, once you have the hang of it, using the Chemex will become second nature.
Aeropress
Fast becoming a favorite of many a home brewer, the Aeropress is an oddity—it was created by the same gentleman who invented the upgraded frisbee, the Aerobie Flying Ring. And what it lacks in coffee pedigree, it also lacks in design, looking like the ugly duckling in amongst a sea of glass pots and ceramic drippers, but the Aeropress succeeds where it’s most important—making a clean and smooth cup of coffee.
Operating like a distant cousin of the traditional French press, the Aeropress makes a clean cup by employing the use of a paper filter which filters out sediment that can be found when using a wire strainer. And given the flexibility you have with ratios of coffee to water, you can make a cup as strong as your heart’s, and circulatory system’s, desires.
Vacuum pot
If you prefer your morning coffee routine to resemble a lab experiment, the Vacuum Pot is for you. While it requires a more involved process to make your coffee when compared to the other manual options on offer, proponents of the vacuum method cite a cleaner cup of coffee than a French press, with no aftertaste to the cup at all. Plus, you’ll look like you really know your stuff when friends visit.
Hario V60 Pour Over
The Hario V60 is the other primary pour over option available besides the Chemex, and works on the same principle. How the V60 differs is through its paper filters, which are thinner than any other filters used in pour over methods, which results in less taste coming from the filter, and a quicker brew time. Also of note is that the V60 was used by Melbourne barista Matt Perger to win the World Brewers Cup Championships in Vienna in 2012.
Kalenderian, Mike. "Try These Pour-over Coffee Brewing Methods" https://svbscription.com/blog/try-these-pour-over-coffee-brewing-methods n.p 2014. 30/05/2016