Picture a beautiful coffee apparatus sitting on the counter that combines the best of coffee science and design.
That coffee apparatus is the Bodum Pour Over.
The Bodum doesn’t just emit elegance, it also brews fantastic coffee. If you have been itching to try your hand at brewing pour over coffee, you won’t go wrong with this coffee maker.
Let’s quickly get into the Bodum Pour Over review.
Bodum Pour Over Coffee Maker
Key Features:
- It looks stunning. The Bodum Pour Over is one of the most elegant coffee makers we’ve seen.
- Simple pour over mechanism gives you total control over the brewing process.
- It comes with a fine mesh stainless steel permanent filter that replaces paper coffee filters. It saves the environment and saves your wallet too.
- It is small and lightweight, making it perfect for storing in small spaces.
- The cork/silicone sleeve makes handling a breeze. No more scalding your hands on hot glass carafe.
- Mouth-blown, borosilicate glass carafe is of top quality.
- Easy to clean as both carafe and stainless steel filter are dishwasher safe.
- Stainless steel filter eliminates the use of a paper filter, removing the most significant barrier that absorbs the essential oils from coffee giving you the most natural taste of the coffee
- Easy to adjust your brewing process for different grounds.
- Good size carafe allows you to brew 32oz of coffee.
- Includes a stopper to stop the sediments from going into your coffee as you pour it into a cup.
- Choose from a variety of colors and materials for the sleeve (white, black, and cork).
- Stainless steel coffee filter can leave some grounds in the coffee.
- Require time and effort to master the skill for brewing over pour coffee
Features:
Beautiful Looks
One of the most beautiful pour over coffee makers that actually looks like a piece of lab apparatus at first glance. The more you look at this pour-over coffee maker, the more the beautiful curve of the glass carafe will grow on you. The cork sleeve (silicon available too) and the leather band around the sleeve add a nice classy touch. The Bodum Pour Over just screams beauty sitting on the counter.
Quality Design
You get top-notch quality here with the Bodum Pour Over. You get a one-piece container instead of pour over coffee makers that use two pieces (a carafe and a separate container for the filter). The entire glass carafe up to the top is made of borosilicate glass. In terms of looks, glass wins plastic every single time, of course, that is until you drop it.
So, what about the quality and strength of the glass? I have not dropped it yet, but I have nicked it in the sink while washing it and banged it on the counter. There are some really fine scratches here and there, but no cracks whatsoever. It can definitely withstand some rough handling.
Sufficient Size
You’ll be able to get 3 mugs of coffee with the Bodum Pour Over in a single brew, which is enough for most coffee lovers. Notice I use “mugs” instead of “cups”? Here’s where it gets a little confusing on the measurements.
Bodum states that you can get 8 cups of coffee with this coffee maker. The truth is, Bodum uses 4oz cups, which are smaller than most coffee cups or mugs. It can hold 32oz of coffee, but if you have huge mugs like us, you can get two to three “cups” at most.
Easy To Clean
A single piece of glass makes it simple to clean. I do find it challenging to reach the inner sides of the carafe, but a good old bottle brush does the trick. Or you can even leave it in the dishwasher as it is dishwasher safe. The stainless steel filter is dishwasher safe too.
When it comes to deep cleaning to remove all the residue and gunk, you can leave it overnight with white vinegar followed by a good wash with hot water and mild soap after emptying the vinegar.
Value For Money
What makes the Bodum Pour Over better than other coffee makers is its hand-blown glass design. The double-wall glass carafe version maintains the internal temperature, enabling the coffee to stay hot when you pour a second cup.
In addition, you get a coffee scoop with clear markings, and a handy sleeve to prevent your hand from coming into contact with the hot glass. Also, the sleeve is designed to have a firm and ergonomic grip so you wouldn’t have to worry about slipping.
Flavor of Coffee
What good is a coffee maker if it is as pretty as rainbows but brews coffee that tastes bland and uninspiring. Now, let’s talk about the coffee, which is the most important feature of coffee makers. Thank God the Bodum Pour Over is a beauty with brains. It is beautiful and makes lovely coffee. The coffee is wonderfully clean. Some coffee requires time for the grounds to mix with the water to draw out its natural flavors, and the Bodum Pour Over nails it here.
The stainless steel filter is excellent for allowing ample time for the coffee to have a balanced extraction. The coffee you get is bold and strong. If you are using coffee with a heavy body, you’ll be happy with the robustness of the coffee with a satisfying succulent feel in your mouth. Also, since I did not use a paper filter, I did not experience any paper taste. I’m not sure about you, but I can taste a tint of the taste of paper in my coffee when paper filters are used for the brew.
Like most of the pour over coffee makers, the Bodum Pour Over does leave a layer of sediment in your coffee. You get 90% clean coffee and the last 10% sediment. What I do is to pour until I see the residue and discard the rest.
To enjoy this wonderful coffee, I have discovered three steps that elevate the flavor of your coffee.
- Pour a small amount of water with a circular motion wetting the coffee first.
- Wait around 30 seconds for the saturation to complete to allow an even extraction.
- Pour the rest of the water slowly in the same steady spiral motion. Tada ~ A good cup of water is just seconds away.
What Are The Alternatives?
CHEMEX Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker
The obvious one has to be the Chemex Pour Over Coffee Maker. The Chemex Pour Over is one of the first big boys in the market of pour over coffee makers.
Both the Chemex and Bodum are made with a single sheet of glass with the difference in the shape of the carafe. While I (Kelly) personally prefers the look of the Chemex, Jacob prefers the design of the Bodum with its rounder base.
The difference between these two pour over coffee makers is the filter. Unlike Bodum, which comes with a permanent stainless steel filter, the Chemex uses paper filters. Though you can use any paper filters but Chemex actually has their own coffee filters that are thicker and heavier, that allows the coffee to have a longer steep time. This result in a more packed and more robust coffee. But you’re also paying a higher price on top of the extra costs of filters.
That said, there are coffee lovers who swear by the Chemex because of the taste of its coffee. Check out the Chemex Pour Over Coffee Maker here.
Hario V60 Drip Coffee Decanter
How can we miss out on Hario when we talk about pour over coffee makers? Designed and manufactured in Japan, the Hario V60 is one of the top choices for pour over coffee.
The Hario V60 is similar to Bodum and Chemex when it comes to design. I find Bodum’s glass most durable and hardy because there is a double-wall glass version available. In terms of looks, Bodum and Chemex features a round carafe base as compared to the Hario V60.
The Hario V60 comes with a dripper (plastic basket), which allows better circulation of the water during brewing. The bad thing is, the dripper is not a filter but a basket to hold the paper coffee filter in place. This means extra costs for paper filters. Also, plastic and hot water aren’t the best buddies (BPA alert). That said, I find the dripper useful when I can place it directly over my mug for a single cup of coffee. Hurray, I don’t have to wash big coffee makers!
The best thing about Hario V60 is its flavor. The dripper plays a central role in keeping the grounds away from the walls allowing air to flow between the coffee and the filter. This results in maximum coffee expansion during brewing. Expect your coffee to be strong and robust in flavor. Check out the Hario V60 Drip Coffee Decanter here.
Pour Over Cone Coffee Dripper (with Cup Stand)
If you want to make pour over coffee directly into your cup, then the Coffee Cone Dripper by Yitelle is your answer.
It comes with an excellent coffee filter that is made of stainless steel. The micro mesh design ensures the grounds are kept inside the filter while allowing the flavored oils to flow into the cup. The good news is that paper filters are not required.
One thoughtful touch is that the cup stand is covered by silicone to prevent it from slipping. Also, you’ll find a handy silicon grip to stop your hands from coming into direct contact with the hot metal filter. If you like a simple filter that makes excellent pour over coffee, then you will love this.
Check out the Pour Over Cone Coffee Dripper here.
Verdict
There’s one advantage of being late to the market. Bodum can sit back and understand what the coffee lovers want from a pour over coffee maker before coming up with their own version of it.
Boy did Bodum do an excellent job to woo over all the pour over coffee lovers with the Bodum Pour Over. In my opinion, they raised the game with this special coffee maker.
It is beautiful, comes with a good filter, and a large functional sleeve that is easy on the eyes.
Here’s how the Bodum Pour fare in The Value Triangle review criteria consisting of the price, taste, and durability of a coffee maker:
- Pricing – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Taste – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Durability – ⭐⭐⭐
The total score is 12/15, which is a fantastic score. The double-wall glass version of the Bodum Pour Over would have scored full 5 stars for durability.
Get your Bodum Pour Over Coffee Maker here.
