Best Pour Over Coffee Maker UK 2026
For a clean, bright, aromatic cup, the Hario V60 is the best pour over coffee maker for most people — cheap, brilliant and backed by a huge community. But the right dripper depends on how much technique you want. Here's what to buy.
Quick Picks
The best pour over coffee makers, reviewed
The world standard pour over dripper, and the one to buy first. The cone shape, spiral ribs and large single hole give you real control over how the water flows, so you can dial in a clean, bright, aromatic cup. Ceramic holds heat well; the plastic and glass versions cost less if you prefer. Pair it with V60 papers.
Pros
- The definitive pour over, huge community
- Clean, bright, expressive cup
- Cheap papers, widely available
Cons
- Needs a gooseneck kettle for best results
- Rewards a bit of technique
A beautiful glass carafe that doubles as a brewer, using thick bonded filters that remove more oils and fines than any other method. The result is exceptionally clean, smooth and tea-like — and it makes several cups at once, which the V60 does not do as easily. The design icon of the coffee world.
Pros
- Gorgeous, brews and serves in one
- Ultra-clean, smooth cup
- Makes multiple cups
Cons
- Thick filters cost more
- Fragile glass
- Slower to brew
A flat-bottomed dripper with three small holes and a wavy filter, engineered to be more forgiving than a V60. The flat bed and restricted flow even out your pour, so it is much easier to get a consistent cup without perfect technique. The pick if the V60 feels finicky.
Pros
- Very forgiving and consistent
- Great for beginners
- Even extraction
Cons
- Proprietary wave filters
- Slightly less flavour clarity than a V60
A hybrid that combines immersion and pour over: you steep the coffee like a cafetière, then set it on your mug and a valve releases the brew through a paper filter. It gives you the clean cup of pour over with almost none of the technique. The most beginner-proof pick here.
Pros
- Foolproof, no pouring skill needed
- Clean cup, full control of steep time
- Uses cheap flat-bottom papers
Cons
- Bulkier to store
- Less of the classic pour over ritual
Proof you do not need to spend much to brew good pour over. Melitta more or less invented the paper filter, and its simple wedge-shaped cone sits on a mug or jug and makes a reliable, easy cup with cheap, universally available papers. The smart, no-fuss entry point.
Pros
- Costs next to nothing
- Cheap papers everywhere
- Simple and reliable
Cons
- Less flow control than a V60
- Plastic build feels basic
How to choose a pour over coffee maker
Pour over is the cleanest, most aromatic way to brew — but drippers vary a lot in how much skill they demand. Sort these out before you buy.
How much technique?
A V60 rewards a careful, steady pour. If that sounds like effort, a Clever Dripper or Kalita Wave gets you a clean cup with far less fuss.
One cup or several?
Drippers like the V60 and Kalita brew one or two cups onto a mug. A Chemex brews and serves several cups in one elegant carafe.
Do you have a gooseneck kettle?
A gooseneck gives the slow, precise stream pour over loves. Without one, lean towards the more forgiving Clever or Melitta.
Grind and filters
Pour over needs a medium grind and fresh papers. A decent burr grinder matters more here than the dripper itself — see our grinder guide.
Getting the grind right is half the battle — see our best manual coffee grinder UK guide. Prefer something stronger and more hands-off? Compare it with a moka pot.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best pour over coffee maker for beginners?
The Clever Dripper or the Kalita Wave. Both are far more forgiving than a V60: the Clever steeps like a cafetière before draining, and the Kalita's flat bed and small holes even out an imperfect pour. Either gives a clean cup without much technique.
Do I need a gooseneck kettle for pour over?
Not essential, but it helps a lot. A gooseneck kettle gives you a slow, precise, controllable stream, which matters most on a V60. With a Clever Dripper or Melitta cone you can get away with an ordinary kettle.
What grind size is best for pour over?
A medium grind, roughly the texture of table salt or slightly coarser, for most drippers. If the brew runs through too fast and tastes weak, go finer; if it clogs and tastes bitter, go coarser. A good burr grinder makes a big difference.
Is pour over better than a moka pot?
It is not better, just different. Pour over makes a clean, bright, lighter-bodied cup that highlights the bean's subtle flavours. A moka pot makes a strong, concentrated, espresso-style cup. Many people own both for different moods.
What is the difference between a V60 and a Chemex?
The V60 is a small cone dripper that brews one or two cups with a bright, expressive result. The Chemex is a larger glass carafe with much thicker filters, giving a cleaner, smoother, tea-like cup and brewing several cups at once.
The bottom line
The Hario V60 is the best pour over coffee maker for most people — inexpensive, expressive and endlessly supported. Choose the Chemex for the smoothest cup and a bit of theatre, the Kalita Wave or Clever Dripper for a more forgiving brew, or the Melitta cone to start for the price of a coffee. Whichever you pick, a good grinder and fresh beans matter most.