Best Pour Over Coffee Makers – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

There are hundreds of pour over coffee makers available now and choosing which one is the best for you and your family can be a hard task.

With so much information available and the sheer volume of options, it can be easy to just give up and buy the first one you see.

This can lead to disappointment when you realise it really wasn’t the best machine for you.

Not to worry.

We’ve spent months researching pour over coffee makers so that you don’t have to.

Below you will find reviews of our picks for the best nine pour over coffee makers to buy in 2020 plus a buyer’s guide to help you make the right choice for you.

Best Pour Over Coffee Makers 2020 - Top 8 Reviews

Before we delve right into the reviews, let’s first take a look at the table below. You will see a quick reference guide highlighting some of the main considerations people make when choosing a new pour over coffee machine.

This will help you narrow down your search before diving into the reviews!

Below you will find more in depth reviews of each of the models listed in the table so you can have a fuller understanding of each machine.

By using the comparison table, you will already have an idea of the range of machines that have caught your attention and this section aims to narrow that short list down even further.

This easy to use coffee dripper sits on top of your cup and drips your coffee in as it brews. You have full control of the time it takes to brew your coffee, the flow of the water and the temperature of the water, which means you can get your coffee exactly the way you like it.

It comes in a choice of ceramic, glass, plastic and metal and a full range of colours so you’re guaranteed to find a design that suits your tastes and décor.

Priced under $20, it’s also good value for money.

What's the bottom line?

The Hario V60 is ideal for users who have brewed their own coffee before and know how to get their perfect taste using grind, flow and temperature or are willing to learn.

The Kalita Wave features a unique design that involves a combination of a flat bottomed bed for your coffee and a wave design down the filter. It also has a three hole dripping system. Combined together, these three components work together to provide the perfect brewing conditions.

You don’t have to really know what you’re doing to get a good cup of coffee from this dripper. Simply grind your coffee and pop it in and the well designed dripper does the rest!

This model is available in stainless steel, glass and ceramic variations so you will be able to choose your preferred medium. Coming in at just over $20, it’s not the cheapest model but it does give out a great tasting cup of coffee every time and it’s so easy to use that even the most beginner barista will have no trouble with it.

What's the bottom line?

The Kalita Wave is perfect for beginners and experts alike. You don’t need to have any experience with making coffee to get a great tasting cup every time with this design.

The Bodum Pour Over coffee maker is a multi serve dripper that serves up 34oz per pot (the average cup is around 50z). This is great as once you set it away, you don’t have to keep thinking about grinding more coffee each time you want a cup.

It’s really easy to use. Simply add your coffee, pour a little water in a circular motion to ensure all of the grounds get soaked and then add the rest of the water. Within just four minutes, your coffee will be brewed and ready to drink.

The built in filter ensures that no essential oils are removed from your coffee grounds giving you the full, intense flavour of your coffee.

Retailing at under $20, this coffee dripper is already a bargain, and when you add in the fact that you don’t need to buy papers, you can see why it’s a winner!

What's the bottom line?

The Bodum Pour Over is great for anyone who wants to make a batch of coffee without having to spend a fortune on a larger pour over dripper.

What's the bottom line?

The Bartelli Paperless is ideal for anyone who doesn’t mind spending the extra to get a good quality product that lasts. It doesn’t make the coffee taste any better than other paperless drippers but it does last well.

Really what the brand themselves say about the Melitta coffee brewer says it all. This no frills pour over coffee maker isn’t much to look at, but really, who cares? It makes great tasting coffee and it’s quick and easy to use. It’s also dishwasher safe.

You do need to buy papers for this one, but when it retails for less than $6, it’s going to take a while before buying the filters even comes close to the initial layout for a permanent filter machine.

What's the bottom line?

The Melitta coffee brewer is ideal for anyone who puts good value above aesthetics. This pour over brewer might not look much, but it makes great coffee and that’s surely the most important consideration. It’s the perfect product for anyone on a budget. It’ll feel like you’ve treated yourself without any of the guilt!

The ceramic used to make the Tanors coffee dripper absorbs the heat allowing for an even brewing process but the handle remains cool ensuring you can touch the dripper and remove it when you’re ready to.

The dripper is made at a unique angle which promotes an even flow of water ensuring you get an even, full brew. The large extraction hole allows you to control the speed of brew which gives you full control over the taste and strength of your coffee.

Although in theory it’s easy enough to use, it is aimed more at people who have used these types of machines before and have a good idea of how the grind of your coffee affects the brewing process and the taste.

The fast extraction will ensure you get the full taste of your coffee, but that same extraction also will show any flaws in the coffee, so you should only really buy this machine if you are willing to pay extra to get a high premium coffee bean.

What's the bottom line?

The Tanors coffee dripper is a great bargain buy for anyone who understands the brewing process and uses a premium roast coffee bean. If you are not confident in how to brew a good cup of coffee, this one might not be the best choice for you.

Its hour glass shaped flask is made entirely of glass, a chemically inert material that does not absorb odours or chemical residues. The Chemex Glass Coffee Maker has no moving parts and will work forever unless it is dropped or in some other way demolished. 

Of course you can’t think coffee without thinking of Chemex. We tested several of their models and we chose this one to feature as it really is the best Chemex coffee maker available.

It’s not cheap, retailing at around the $50 mark, but for a pretty much indestructible product (unless of course you drop it) it’s a bargain really.

The glass jug features a wooden collar to prevent you from getting burned while pouring your coffee. The wooden collar easily attaches and comes off for cleaning purposes using a leather tie strap.

What's the bottom line?

This machine is ideal for anyone who sees their coffee machine as an investment. If your budget allows for this machine, you won’t go wrong at all.

The Primula Coffee Brew Buddy is nifty little filter that will sit in most cups or mugs. So easy to use, you simply add your coffee, and pour your water through it. It can be used to make any strength of coffee simply by adding the amount of beans you desire.

Once you hit your desired strengths, simply lift the filter out of the cup.

Designed with travel in mind, the Primula Coffee Brew Buddy is small and compact and perfectly easy to carry around when travelling. It barely takes up any room and its really lightweight. And of course, you don’t need filter papers so it’s one less thing to carry around or source at your destination.

The dripper makes good enough coffee to use as your primary coffee dripper, but for the cheap price (it retails at under $20) it is also cheap enough to use simply when you are travelling.

What's the bottom line?

The Primula Coffee Brew Buddy is ideal for anyone who travels a lot and wants the home comforts of a good cup of coffee made easy without having to lug a larger machine around everywhere.

Top Tips for Getting the Best Cup of Coffee Every Time

To really get the most out of your pour over brewer and get great tasting coffee each time, there are some things you should definitely consider, whichever model you choose:

The pre-packaged grounds don’t have the depth of flavour and aroma that freshly ground coffee does.

Grind your coffee immediately before use

It only takes a couple of minutes for the beans to start to lose their flavour. Pre-grinding can be tempting to save time later, but your taste buds will thank you for those extra couple of minutes! Check out these coffee grinders that are the best for pour over coffee. 

Use the best quality coffee you can afford

As a rule of thumb, the more premium a roast is (usually darker and oilier) the coarser the grind should be, but don’t be afraid to experiment a bit and find your flavor.

Use the machines as directed

Don’t be tempted to buy cheap filter papers for example. They might work, but chances are you’ll end up with grounds in your cup and the coffee won’t taste as good as it should

• If you use paper filters, use the ones the manual tells you to use
• If you use a reusable filter, don’t be tempted to brew more than once without at least rinsing the filter in between

Who Are Pour Over Coffee Makers the Ideal Choice for?

Pour over coffee makers are the ideal choice for anyone who loves the authentic smell and taste of freshly ground coffee in their home.

The taste of the coffee beats a pod machine, and they are much easier to use than a barista style drip coffee machine.

Every coffee loving home should have one!

We hope that you have found our guide useful and you now have a much clearer idea of the pour over coffee maker that you want to purchase next.

Happy brewing!