AeroPress and pour-over brewers can use the same beans and water, yet they produce very different cups.
That difference comes down to two things: the brew style (AeroPress is primarily immersion with gentle pressure, while pour-over is gravity-driven percolation) and the filter, which controls how many oils and fine particles make it into the cup.
In this comparison, I'm putting the AeroPress up against two pour-over classics: the Chemex and the Hario V60.
Quick Answer: Should you go with an AeroPress or with pour-over coffee?
Choose an AeroPress if you want fast brewing, portability, and a bold, full-bodied cup.
Choose a pour-over method (such as Chemex or Hario V60) if you prefer a cleaner, nuanced flavor and want to brew for multiple people. The AeroPress brews one cup quickly, while pour-over offers more control and larger batch sizes.
I'll cover the taste, the filters, the brew speed, the price, and the amount of coffee each one can make in a single batch.
Grab a cup of coffee, and let's start with what the AeroPress actually brews!
What kind of coffee does the AeroPress make?
To start, I will tell you a bit about what an AeroPress can do.
The AeroPress is a one-of-a-kind coffee brewer. It brews by steeping the coffee (immersion) and then using gentle pressure to push the brewed coffee through a filter.
When brewing coffee with the AeroPress, you can make anything from a strong, espresso-style concentrate to a full cup of coffee (by adding more water).
When you’re brewing coffee with the AeroPress for the first time, I recommend starting with espresso-style coffee.
This will give you a nice indication of what you can do with this amazing coffee brewer.
If you feel like a bigger cup of coffee is what you need, you can add more water before pressing down on your AeroPress.
Alternatively, you can make an Americano-style coffee by adding hot water to your espresso-style concentrate after brewing.
There are many ways to make coffee with this fun brewer. If you're interested in AeroPress brewing guides:
I suggest clicking here for the regular method and here for the inverted method.
Which pour-over brewers are there?
To begin, let me tell you a bit about the two pour-over brewers available.
When discussing pour-over coffee, most people typically refer to the Chemex and the Hario V60. These two coffee brewers are both considered to be pour-over brewers.
Let’s talk about the Chemex
The Chemex is a really nice coffee brewer. When you first see a Chemex, you almost wouldn't expect it to be a coffee brewer; it looks that good on a countertop.
There are many sizes and types of Chemex out there.
The most widely known kind is the one that I have as well. This Chemex features a wooden collar and a leather string attached to the hourglass-like coffee brewer.
Later, I will tell you a bit more about the different sizes, the filter used, and the price of the Chemex.
The second pour-over coffee brewer: The V60
Let’s take a look at the Hario V60. The V60 is another pour-over coffee brewer, known for its distinctive design.
The coffee brewer has ridges throughout its V-shape cone, which is what makes it so unique.
The biggest difference is that the Chemex is a brewer and a carafe in one, while the V60 drips directly into whatever mug or server you place underneath.
Below, I will discuss the taste differences between the coffee brewers. If you are interested in the Hario V60 brewing guide, you can click here.
Is pour-over coffee stronger?
To answer these questions, let me first explain what I found out while making a comparison between all three coffees:
- The AeroPress has a punchy, full-bodied taste and has a fuller mouthfeel.
- The Chemex has fruity notes and a clean palate, finishing with a small, punchy bitterness.
- While the V60 tastes fresh and balanced, its thinner paper filter allows a bit more oil and fine texture to pass through than a Chemex filter, giving it a slightly fuller body.
So, is pour-over coffee stronger?
Pour-over coffee can taste a bit lighter-bodied than AeroPress coffee, especially compared side by side.
The filters used in a pour-over brewer remove a significant amount of oil and coffee solids from the cup.
While this isn't a problem at all, AeroPress coffee often tastes a bit “stronger” and bolder, thanks to its fuller mouthfeel.
While tasting the three coffees side by side, there wasn’t much difference in taste.
Let’s compare the Chemex and V60. The difference between the two is really nothing to write home about.
The most noticeable difference between the Chemex and V60 is the filter used.
The Chemex has the thickest filter, which traps more oils and fine particles. The result is a cleaner, lighter-bodied cup compared to the V60.
The V60 has a thin filter that allows some oil to pass through. The oily layer was barely visible, but it was still there.
Which coffee brewer makes the fastest coffee?
For this article, I prepared all three coffees with a timer nearby.
Using a timer, I was able to see which of the three had the fastest brewing time (keep in mind brew time varies with grind size, recipe, and pouring).
Here are my findings:
- AeroPress. 10-second pre-wet/bloom, total brew time 1 minute 20 seconds.
- Chemex. 30 seconds bloom, total brew time 2 minutes 45 seconds.
- V60. 30 seconds bloom, total brew time 2 minutes 40 seconds.
For every brew, I used 18 grams of coffee and roughly 250 grams of water. This is about one cup’s worth of coffee.
When comparing these brewing times, you can tell that the pour-over brewers are nearly identical in brewing time.
The AeroPress, however, was about 1 minute and 30 seconds faster than the two pour-over brewers.
If you are looking to make a good cup of coffee in the least amount of time, I would suggest using the AeroPress. The AeroPress wins hands down in terms of brewing time.
Although an AeroPress can brew a quick cup of coffee, which might be great for weekdays, you might want to consider one of the pour-over brewers for weekends.
Using the Chemex and V60 is a lot more fun, and you will be able to experiment with these brewers a bit more.
What is the difference in filters?
To compare the filters of the three coffee brewers, I made a nice photo for you below:
If you look at the coffee filters in the photo, you can see that the difference is quite significant.
The biggest difference is the thickness of the filters. Also, the size and form of the filters are different:
- The AeroPress features a small, circular filter and is quite thin.
- The Chemex has a pre-folded circular filter. The filter is quite thick, and the thickest side is placed at the pouring spout of the Chemex.
- Comparing the V60 to these other filters, the V60 filter is somewhere in between the two. The filter is quite thin, similar to the AeroPress kind, but has the same shape as the Chemex.
All of these coffee filters are readily available and relatively inexpensive.
If you prefer not to use paper filters when brewing your daily cup of coffee, stainless steel versions of all three are also available.
For example, if you want to buy a reusable filter for the Chemex, consider looking for one like this.
What is the difference in price between the coffee brewers?
For this price comparison, I will put the coffee brewers in a list, where you will be able to look at the prices and get an idea of what your investment will be:
- AeroPress: The regular version costs between $29.99 and $36.00. However, if you are on the lookout for a coffee brewer to travel with, you are in the right place. The travel edition will cost you between $31.95 and $36.99
- Chemex: The Chemex’s prices range from $24.99 to $44.95, depending on the size and style you prefer. The most affordable option is the 3-cup Chemex.
- V60: The V60 is the cheapest of the bunch. The plastic V60 can be found as low as $9. However, if you are looking for a glass or ceramic version, it will cost you between $22.50 and $24.95.
When you unpack the AeroPress, you will find a batch of filters included in the package. The Chemex and V60 require you to buy a batch of filters before you can start brewing.
The price of the filters ranges from $9.50 to $12 for a batch of 100 filters.
Note: The prices of the coffee brewers are subject to change; therefore, I’ve provided an estimated cost. Please verify the listed links for the correct price.
This price comparison will give you a good idea of how much your next favorite coffee brewer will cost. Your cheapest option will be the plastic V60.
However, if you are willing to spend a few more dollars, I would suggest picking up either the Chemex or AeroPress, depending on the type of coffee you want to brew.
How much coffee does the AeroPress make?
The AeroPress can make a nice cup of coffee in one brewing. The amount of coffee that the AeroPress produces depends on the amount of water you add.
Most likely, you will end up with an espresso-like cup of coffee or one full cup of Americano-style coffee while brewing with the AeroPress.
I have tried multiple AeroPress recipes, all of which start with approximately 17-20 grams of ground coffee.
Some days I might feel like a small cup of coffee, like espresso, and I will make myself an AeroPress-brewed cup of coffee with 50 grams of water.
Using 50 grams of water and 17 grams of ground coffee will yield a strong cup, which you can dilute with additional hot water to your liking.
When I want a nice, full cup of coffee to enjoy, I will add about 100 grams of water after the coffee is made for an Americano-style brew.
You can also add more water to your AeroPress before pressing down. This smaller-water approach works especially well with the inverted AeroPress method.
Using this method will ensure you achieve a nice bloom, and you can add more water afterward if needed. Much like brewing a pour-over coffee.
How many cups of coffee can a Chemex brew?
Now that you know how much coffee you can brew with the AeroPress, let’s explore the coffee brewing capacity of the Chemex.
Depending on the Chemex size you buy, you will be able to make anywhere from 3 to 10 cups of coffee in one brewing session.
These are the most common sizes you can buy:
- 3-cup version
- 6-cup version
- 8-cup version
- 10-cup version
I chose the 8-cup version of Chemex to brew a bit more coffee at once when family or friends come over.
Comparing the Chemex with the AeroPress, the Chemex has a distinct advantage in the amount of coffee it can brew at once.
What about the V60 brewing sizes?
Moving on to the V60, the V60 can brew between one and 6 cups of coffee, depending on the size.
There are 3 sizes available of the Hario V60:
- Hario V60 01
- Hario V60 02
- Hario V60 03
Starting from the top, the V60 01 can brew just one cup of coffee at a time.
The 02 is the most commonly purchased V60, as it has slightly more brewing capacity than the 01. The 02 can brew up to 4 cups at once.
And then the biggest of the bunch, the V60 03 version, will be able to brew up to 6 cups of coffee at once.
The largest size of the V60 is most commonly used in coffee bars due to its brewing capacity.
The Chemex and V60 come quite close when you are looking for the largest coffee brewer available.
So, it all comes down to what you find most important, besides the brewing size.
Final verdict
Wow, that’s quite an article!
I hope you can make a decision based on the comparison I provided.
It will be a hard choice to make if you ask me. I really like the Chemex for my daily brew, although I also use the AeroPress frequently.
Most of the time, I use the V60 to make just one cup of coffee, which is where this coffee brewer will fit in nicely.
The Chemex is ideal for a nice evening with visitors, and the AeroPress is most often used when I prefer a stronger cup of coffee.
Which of the three coffee brewers do you prefer? Let me know by leaving a comment down below.
If you have any other questions about coffee, you can also contact me directly by clicking the “Contact Me” button at the top!
Coffee recipes to try
If you want to put the coffee brewers to the test, you can check out the recipes I’ve listed below.
The recipes all require either a strong cup of pour-over coffee or an espresso base:
