What is the difference between a Chemex and a conical coffee dripper?

Accessories:

• Bonavita variable temperature kettle with gooseneck spout
• Hario drip scale
• Baratza Forte BG coffee grinder
• Hario coffee jug
• Inker cappuccino cups

Recipe used: 

• 30g of ground coffee and 500ml of water (4 cups)
• Medium-fine ground coffee
• Water heated at 88°C
• 4 minutes of preparation, including 30 seconds of pre-infusion

Chemex

The Chemex coffee maker is perhaps the most popular slow coffee brewing method. A Chemex is essentially a dripper and a coffee pot all in one. Its design and its shape make the Chemex a unique, desirable object. For the coffee extraction part, it uses its own kind of paper filter, much thicker than usual filters. It means that the Chemex filters out a lot more than other drip methods. The result is an exceptionally smooth, delicate coffee, not a million miles from a tea-style infusion. The body may be light, but it packs a serious aromatic punch!

Hario V60: the conical dripper with spiral grooves

Thanks to its conical shape and spiral grooves, the Hario V60 coffee dripper produces a clean cup of coffee with pleasing aromatic complexity. Compared to the Chemex, the result is a coffee with more body. Please note: I noticed a real taste difference between the plastic and porcelain versions of the V60. Porcelain retains heat better than plastic. It allows the water to flow better during the infusion process. The coffee I made using the plastic dripper had an ever-so-slightly burnt quality and a bitter aftertaste. With the porcelain dripper, the coffee was lighter, with a nice long finish. To get a better result from the plastic dripper, you just need to play around with the grind size (try a little coarser) and lower the water temperature.

Kinto SCS-04-BR: the conical dripper with straight grooves

Compared to its cousin the V60 coffee dripper, this Kinto dripper has a bigger hole and straight grooves. The water flows faster, resulting in a lighter, rounder coffee with better defined aromatic qualities. In other words, a coffee halfway between a Chemex and a V60.

Bairro Alto AltoAir: the wall-free dripper

Because of its striking futuristic look, the AltoAir dripper really stands out from the crowd. The idea behind the design was to remove any material that might affect the coffee extraction. The filter is surrounded by mostly air: the water then flows more easily, more smoothly and a little faster. The result is a coffee slightly more aromatic and more delicate than the V60. Just like the Kinto, you don’t need to worry about getting a bitter aftertaste. The AltoAir therefore sits somewhere between the Kinto and the V60.

Tiamo K02: the flat-bottomed coffee dripper

The Tiamo K02 is a fresh take on the familiar Kalita design: a flat-bottomed cone dripper with three holes, using flat-bottom filters (in the shape of cupcake holders). Its design means that the ground coffee spreads out more during the brewing process, making preparation easier. You don’t need to be a qualified barista to make this coffee! As a result, it’s a great option for anyone looking to try out slow coffee for the first time. The taste is well-rounded and balanced, with a heavier body than the V60.

Melitta: the classic coffee dripper

Another simple way to get to grips with slow coffee, the Melitta drip coffee maker is similar in both design and concept to the very first coffee maker invented by Melitta Benz. As such, this dripper has a wide, flat-bottom base and two holes. The result is a perfectly round and balanced coffee, using a method requiring very little technical skills.

Mr Clever: the clever coffee dripper

The Clever Dripper takes the dripper concept to the next level by allowing you to play around with your infusion time, producing a coffee that’s closer in style to coffee from a French press: very round, well balanced and generally with a stronger body.