Our favorite tool for making coffee

The Kalita Wave has been a Wirecutter pick since 2016. [Water being poured from a kettle into the Kalita Wave Dripper.]( Sarah Kobos YOUR GUIDE Ben Keough As the former owner of a third-wave coffee shop, I’ve tried just about every kind of coffee maker you can buy, and the [Kalita Wave]( is my preferred vessel for making pour-over coffee. It may not be as beautiful as a [Chemex]( or as funky as the [Hario]( (another personal favorite), but it’s sturdier than the former and less labor-intensive than the latter. And since it’s not a delicate glass carafe, it’s much more portable and much easier to clean than either of them. For me, the Wave is a happy medium. Compared with the conceptually similar Hario V60, the Wave has a flat (rather than conical) bottom, wavy (rather than straight-sided) paper filters, and three small holes (rather than a single large one) at its base. In my experience, these differences mean the Wave brews slower than the V60 and produces a richer, fuller cup. Your mileage may vary, of course, and like all pour-over coffee makers, this one does require some experimentation, tweaking, and attention to get a result you really love. When you buy through our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Learn more]( › I brew with the Wave every day, generally using single-origin light roasts and often switching between regular hot pour-overs and [Japanese]( iced coffee](. The Wave works equally well for both methods. Although its small volume necessitates a long, constant, spiral pour, I personally find this ritual to be a welcome, meditative way to ease into mornings at work. I have the [white Hanami porcelain Wave]( but it also comes in [glass]( and [stainless steel]( versions, to suit your personal preferences. Regardless of which material you get, the design is simple and elegant (some might call it utilitarian). And, unlike the Chemex and Woodneck, the Wave allows you to brew coffee into any kind of vessel you want. For instance, you can do your pour-over directly into an insulated travel mug, so you don’t have to transfer it and lose heat in the process—something I’ve done often when leaving for road trips early in the morning. “The reward for your time, labor, and attention is much-better-tasting coffee.” People who are accustomed to using a drip coffee maker might look at the Wave and think, “That seems like a lot of effort for coffee.” And it’s true, making a cup with the Wave takes me several steps, across about 10 minutes. I start by turning on the kettle and waiting for it to come up to temp. While it’s heating, I rinse the filter, measure and grind the coffee, add it to the filter, and level it. Once the water hits the ideal temp, I bloom the grounds and complete the pour, which takes around three minutes with several infusions and a lot of attention to my digital scale. The process is certainly not as easy as adding a few scoops and hitting a button. But the reward for your time, labor, and attention is much-better-tasting coffee. This is because coffee from a pour-over maker is infinitely more adjustable to your preferences. If you like brighter, more acidic coffee, you can adjust your temperature, grind, and pour to bring out those berry and lemon-like flavors from an African light roast. If you prefer mellower, darker-roast coffee—say, a dark or medium-dark Sumatra—you can bump the temperature down and use a coarser grind to smooth out its rough edges. With most drip coffee makers, you can only hit “Brew” and pray. How it compares After brewing more than 150 cups of coffee, we found the Kalita Wave produced the most consistent, flavorful, and balanced coffee. - The Kalita Wave has been a Wirecutter pick since 2016. - The Wave’s flat bottom allows coffee grounds to be saturated and brewed over a larger surface area, so coffee has a more-balanced taste and fuller body. Out of all the drippers we tested, this one was the best at extracting complex, rich flavors from our coffee. - This dripper is very easy to use. We found that it made great coffee, even when we eyeballed the amount of water per pour. So beginners can get enjoyable results, too. Read more in our review of the [best gear for making pour-over coffee](. When to buy We’ve seen occasional sales on the Kalista Wave in the fall, as well as on Prime Day and Black Friday. The numbers $27 Average street price $16 Best price we’ve ever seen Make it last There’s really not much to maintaining the Kalita Wave. If you don’t drop it on the floor or countertop, it should last you a long time. And all three versions are dishwasher-safe, though I’d still recommend hand-washing (especially the glass and ceramic versions) for the longest possible lifespan. To get the most out of your Wave, you’re going to need a gooseneck kettle—preferably [one]( control]( a [0.1-gram-]( for weighing coffee and water. You also need to use Kalita’s own filters, which aren’t readily available in most brick-and-mortar stores. Amazon [carries]( [them](. [View email in browser]( You are receiving this email because you signed up for Wirecutter’s Newsletter. Getting too many emails from us? To stop receiving these, [unsubscribe here](. 
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