When it comes to coffee brewing, drip brewing is one of the best ways to get the most flavor from your morning cup of coffee.
Coffee connoisseurs worldwide prefer this method because of their control over the taste and ease of use. One of the most popular drip brewers on the market today is the Hario V60.
The Hario V60 coffee dripper is a uniquely shaped brewer that offers more flavor than other drippers. It comes in various sizes and durable materials. It is also very affordable and easy to clean.
In this article, I will go into more detail about the pros I mentioned above and tell you about a few cons that you should consider before purchasing a Hario V60 for yourself.
You can have a quick look below for the pros and cons before getting into an in-depth look:
- Flavor (unique design)
- Variety of sizes and materials
- Affordable
- Durable
- Easy to clean
- Need extra equipment
- Learning curve
- Not ideal for larger groups
After reading this article, you will have the information you need to decide if this brewer is the right one for you.
Pros of a Hario V60
The Hario V60 is a popular drip brewer, and for a good reason. There are a lot of pros to using this brewer. Some of these pros include:
- More flavor because of the unique design and filter
- Variety of sizes and materials to fit your needs
- Affordable to fit every budget
- Durable for prolonged lasting use
- Easy to clean and maintain
Pro 1. More flavor because of the unique design and filter
Arguably, one of the biggest pros of using the Hario V60 is the flavorful coffee it produces. The reason for this is the specialty filter that the Hario V60 uses.
The Hario V60 is uniquely shaped and uses very thin filters. These thinner filters allow the coffee beans’ oil and flavors to pass through the filter and into your cup easily.
The thicker filters that other brewers use can block some of this oil, and therefore, can also block some of the flavor.
Pro 2. Variety of sizes and materials to fit your needs
The Hario V60 comes in three different sizes to suit your brewing needs. It also comes in five different material options to fit any lifestyle. Because of this variety, you are sure to find the perfect dripper for your family and aesthetic.
Sizes
The Hario V60 comes in the following three sizes:
- Hario V60 01: The 01 is the smallest of the three sizes. This dripper is perfect for making one or two cups of coffee and is best for dripping directly into the cup. This size is perfect for a single coffee drinker household.
- Hario V60 02: The next size up is the 02. This is the most popular size and can hold up to four cups of coffee. This is perfect if there are two coffee drinkers at home.
- Hario V60 03: The 03 is the largest V60 available and holds up to six cups of coffee. This size is ideal for a family of coffee lovers.
Materials
In addition to the different sizes, the Hario V60 also comes in various material options that you can conveniently purchase on Amazon. Here are the available material options:
- Hario V60 Plastic Coffee Dripper
- Hario V60 Copper Dripper
- Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper
- Hario V60 Glass Coffee Dripper
Pro 3. Affordable to fit every budget
Another great pro of the Hario V60 coffee dripper is that it is affordable. While some drippers have a base cost of $50 ‑ $60, Hario V60s are available on Amazon for considerably less money.
The price of the Hario V60 dripper will depend on the size and material that you buy. Prices for the V60 range from less than $10 to more than $60.
If you want a budget-friendly V60 option, look at the smaller drippers. Typically, the smaller dripper sizes, 01 and 02, cost less than the larger 03.
Additionally, if saving money on a dripper is a priority, you’ll want to go for a cheaper material. You can purchase some of the plastic V60s for less than $10, and the glass drippers come in at less than $20.
However, if money isn’t as big of a concern, the ceramic and metal drippers are roughly $30, and the copper mug is $50 – $60.
Though these may seem expensive compared to the glass and plastic options, these prices are very affordable compared to other drippers on the market.
With all the variety the Hario V60 offers, you are sure to find a dripper that fits your budget.
Pro 4. Durable for prolonged lasting use
The V60 drippers are sturdy and durable when handled with proper care.
The plastic version of this dripper consists of hard plastic that won’t break easily. The plastic dripper is a perfect option if you are busy and need a reliable dripper for your morning coffee.
Though ceramic and glass are more likely to break than plastic, these drippers will last a long time if handled with care and properly stored.
Lastly, the copper and metal drippers could dent if dropped or mishandled, but they are a great option that will hold up to the wear of everyday use.
By taking care of your V60, any of these material options will be a great addition to your home.
Pro 5. Easy to clean and maintain
A dirty coffee brewer is one of the easiest ways to affect the taste of your coffee negatively.
The oil from the coffee beans can easily cake around the grooves of a brewer, especially a dripper such as the Hario V60:
To ensure that you are getting the freshest coffee every time, you will want to keep your dripper clean.
After use cleaning
The simplest way to keep your Hario V60 dripper clean is to run it under hot water after every use.
Doing this will help remove any oil and leftover residue before it has the chance to build on your dripper.
Taking a few seconds after every brew to give your dripper a quick rinse will go a long way in keeping your morning coffee at the maximum flavor.
Routine cleaning
Even if you are cleaning after every use, you will still need to give your dripper a deeper clean routinely. I recommend you thoroughly wash your V60 at least once a week, especially if you regularly use it.
There are a few different ways to clean your dripper:
- Soap and water: Mild dishwashing soap and warm water is an easy way to clean your dripper. You can easily clean the V60 with other dishes you are washing in the sink.
- Vinegar: A vinegar bath is a great way to get off any stubborn coffee stains from your brewer. Soaking the V60 in vinegar and rinsing it with warm water will ensure it is ready to use the next day.
- Baking soda: Using baking soda for incredibly stubborn stains is a great way to get to hard-to-reach places towards the bottom of the brewer and will keep your dripper looking brand new.
- Dishwasher: The most straightforward technique of them all is to throw your V60 into the dishwasher. All V60 models are dishwasher safe, even the plastic one, so you shouldn’t have any issues using this method if you are low on time.
If you want to learn more about any of these techniques, you can read the step-by-step processes here.
Cons of a Hario V60
Though there are many pros to the Hario V60, all products come with a few cons. There aren’t many with this brewer, but there are a few that are worth mentioning:
- Need extra equipment
- Steep learning curve for brewing the perfect cup
- Not ideal for larger groups
Con 1. Need extra equipment
You cannot use the Hario V60 dripper entirely on its own. Before you can use it to brew your morning coffee, you will need to get a few other items.
The first thing that you are going to need is a pack of specialty filters. You will also need a coffee grinder and a decanter if you plan to brew more than one cup at a time.
Specialty filters
As I mentioned earlier, the thing that makes the Hario V60 special is the specialty filters. These filters are shaped like no other dripper, and they are incredibly thin.
Have a look at a comparison between a Chemex filter and a Hario V60 filter:
These specialty filters allow for a more flavorful coffee and are the signature of the Hario V60.
You will want to make sure that you get a filter like this Hario V60 Paper Coffee Filters (available on Amazon.com) that matches the size of your dripper. You can get these for less than $10.
Coffee grinder
Because the grind of the coffee is so essential to the flavor, you will need to have a coffee grinder.
Coffee grinders allow you to take whole coffee beans and grind them to the exact size you want your coffee to be. Any grinder will work, but some will allow for greater grind precision than others.
Decanter
If you plan to make more than one cup of coffee, you will also want to buy a decanter. The Hario V60 is a free-flowing dripper which means there is no bottom to catch the coffee.
If you are making a cup for yourself in the morning, you can easily set the dripper on top of your cup and brew the perfect amount for one.
However, if you are making more than one cup, it is best to use a decanter to catch the brewed coffee before serving.
Con 2. Steep learning curve for brewing the perfect cup
Because of the unique shape of this dripper and the specific filter used, there is a bit of a learning curve to find your perfect cup of coffee.
The Hario V60 is a free flow dripper. If you look at the shape of this dripper, you’ll notice that there is a big hole on the very bottom. There is no restriction in the dripper slowing down the water flow rate through your coffee beans.
Grind size
Because of this free-flowing method, you’ll want to be careful about the grind size of your coffee beans. The size of your grounds will be the main thing slowing down the water flow.
The finer your grind, the longer it will take for the water to flow through the grinder.
This lack of water restriction can be a good thing because it allows you to fine-tune your brew and have ultimate control over the taste of your coffee.
However, this dripper is not very forgiving. If you aren’t used to adjusting grind sizes or are new to coffee drippers, you may have a more challenging time getting the cup of coffee you want.
Pour flow
In addition to grind size, pour flow is very important with this dripper. Because of the free-flowing nature of the dripper, you will want to control your pour rate and not pour too fast or too slow.
This is another detail that can get you the exact flavor that you want, but the skill of pouring at the perfect rate can be a hard one to master.
Con 3. Not ideal for larger groups
The last con of the Hario V60 is its small size. Compared to other brewers, the V60 isn’t able to serve as many people at one time.
This dripper can only serve up to six cups of coffee at a time, so if you have a larger family or are having friends over for coffee, it may not be the ideal choice.
The Hario V60 dripper is a great brewer option with a lot of pros. However, there are a few cons to consider if you are thinking about buying one for yourself.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a coffee dripper to enhance the flavor of your morning coffee, the Hario V60 is the best option.
The variety of the V60 will ensure that you find one to fit your family and budget that will last for years to come.
However, if you are at the beginning of your coffee journey, you should expect a bit of a learning curve before achieving your perfect cup.
I hope you found these pros and cons helpful. Happy brewing!
