What’s the Difference Between the V60 and the Chemex

The V60 and the Chemex are probably the two most popular pour-over brewing methods worldwide. Almost every cafe that offers hand-brewed filter coffee will have one — or both — of these iconic coffee brewers on their shelves. And every coffee geek will surely have one of these classic brewing methods in their cupboard for making coffee at home.

Each of these brewers has its army of fans, who will tell you that whichever method they happen to prefer is the best one. It can be overwhelming if you’re trying to choose which one you should get for yourself!

The good news is that these two brewers are more similar than different. Whichever you decide to get, both methods can make excellent coffee — you can’t go wrong!

However, there are some important differences between the V60 and the Chemex that you should know before deciding which one to go for. The most important differences between the V60 and the Chemex are

• Size: The Chemex comes in bigger sizes, which is great for brewing lots of coffee at one time. The V60 is more convenient when you just want to brew a cup or two.
• Filter papers: The Chemex uses thicker filter papers, which remove the oils and make for a clean, juicy, light-bodied brew. The V60 makes a fuller-flavored coffee.
• Grind size: Because of the large size and thick filter papers, the Chemex needs a coarser grind size than the V60.

There are also other differences in the way they work and the different versions of each brewer. In this post, we’ll explain the differences between the V60 and Chemex brewers in more detail and explore the pros and cons of each — so that you can make the right choice.

First, we’ll explain exactly what the V60 and Chemex are for readers unfamiliar with these two brewers. If you want to get straight to the blow-by-blow comparison, then use the links below to skip ahead to the section you want to read.

• What Is Pour Over Coffee?
• What Is the Chemex?
• What Is the V60?
• The Differences Between the V60 and Chemex
• V60 or Chemex: Which is Better?
• Which Should I Get? V60 or Chemex?

What Is Pour Over Coffee?

Before we can talk about the difference between the V60 and Chemex, we need to understand the similarities between these two brewers. Both are ‘pour over’ methods — you brew the coffee by manually pouring hot water over the coffee grounds.

This means that the V60 and Chemex are different from ‘drip’ coffee, which refers to coffee made by a filter coffee machine. The machine similarly makes coffee, ‘dripping’ the water over it instead of pouring it. However, many baristas prefer the flavor and experience of hand-brewed filter coffee.

Pour-over methods like the V60 and Chemex are also quite different from an Americano. The Americano is another type of plain black coffee, but it is made by adding hot water to espresso.

Pour-over coffee has been around since 1908, when a German woman called Melitta Bentz invented the first paper coffee filter. The paper filter separates all the coffee grounds and oils from the cup and makes for a clean, bright cup of coffee — at the time, it was revolutionary.

All types of pour-over brewers use a similar method for making coffee:

• Place the filter in the brewer
• Rinse the paper with hot water, and discard the rinse water
• Add freshly-ground coffee
• Pour in just enough water to wet the grounds, and leave it to rest for 30 seconds
• Pour in the rest of the hot water gradually, pouring in slow circles so that the water hits all of the coffee evenly

Brewing a pour over coffee is a slow, manual process compared to other ways of making coffee. For many coffee lovers, brewing a cup of coffee this way is an enjoyable ritual. All pour-over methods bring out the complex, delicate notes in coffee, so they are one of the best ways to experience the flavors of single-origin coffees from different countries.

What Is the Chemex?

The Chemex was designed in 1941 by a former chemist, Peter Schlumbohm. Schlumbohm was surely inspired by the glassware he used in chemistry labs when he designed the Chemex, but he also added natural materials to soften the industrial look.

The main part of the Chemex is an hourglass-shaped vessel made of glass, which serves as both the brewer and a carafe for serving coffee. At the neck, a wooden collar is held in place with a simple leather tie. Some versions of the Chemex also feature a glass handle instead of a wooden collar.

The Chemex is a beautiful object in its own right, but the design is also highly functional.

The collar protects your hands from hot coffee when pouring it. The cone of the Chemex has smooth, flat sides, except for a single narrow channel on one side. This channel acts as a spout for pouring and allows air to escape during brewing. Finally, a small dimple in the carafe subtly marks the point where the carafe is half-full.

These subtle, functional touches in the design of the Chemex have helped make it one of the best-loved and most recognizable coffee brewers on the market.

What Is the V60?

The V60 is a straightforward cone-shaped brewer made by Hario, a Japanese company. The name Hario means ‘King of Glass’, and the company began life making laboratory glassware. Since the Chemex was also inspired by laboratory glassware, it’s no surprise that Hario turned to produce coffee makers in the 1950s.

Hario released the V60 in 2005. The name refers to the 60-degree angle formed by the ‘V’ of the filter cone. The conical brewer has a large hole at the base to allow coffee to flow through easily. It has a series of spiral ribs on the cone inside, designed to prevent the filter paper from sticking to the filter walls and allowing air to escape. This lets the water flow freely through the coffee, extracting the most flavor.

Since the V60 is just a cone, you need a carafe or jug to brew the coffee into — or you can just brew directly into your mug.

The Differences Between the V60 and Chemex

While they look very different, the V60 and the Chemex function similarly. There are important differences to understand before deciding which is the right brewer for you.

Size

The Chemex comes in different sizes, from a 3-cup brewer up to a 13-cup model. The most common versions are the 6 or 8-cup brewers.

V60s come in 3 sizes, called 01, 02, and 03. The smallest is designed for 1–2 cups, while the largest size can brew up to 6 cups.

Materials

The Chemex is made from borosilicate glass, the same material used in Pyrex dishes. It doesn’t absorb odors and can withstand high temperatures.

The V60, meanwhile, comes in several different versions: plastic, ceramic, glass, and even metal. The plastic V60 is the cheapest and great for brewing coffee as it holds in the heat better. However, many baristas prefer the aesthetics of the ceramic or glass versions.

Filter Papers

The V60 and the Chemex use different kinds of filter paper, which affects the flavor of the coffee. The Chemex uses special thick, folded paper filters that trap all of the coffee oils, making for a smooth, clean, and light-bodied brew. The V60 uses smaller, thinner paper filters, which allow a slightly fuller flavor in the cup.

Grind Size

The thick filters in the Chemex slow down the flow of water, so you need to use a coarse grind to avoid over-extracting the coffee.

The V60 uses slightly thinner filter papers which allow the water to flow through more quickly. This means making a V60 is faster than making a Chemex. You can also use a finer grind size to brew the coffee, which makes for a fuller flavor.

V60 vs Chemex

V60 or Chemex: Which is Better?

Both the V60 and the Chemex are great brewers, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Which one is right for you depends on which of these features is most important to you.

Appearance

The design might not be the most important thing about a brewer, but it should not be overlooked. If you’re setting up a coffee corner in your home, then you want a brewer that looks good proudly on display, instead of the one you’d prefer to hide away in a cupboard.

The V60 is a simple, functional design with no frills. There is a nice choice of materials and colors though, which can help you coordinate with your other equipment.

The Chemex, on the other hand, is a timeless, iconic brewer that looks great in any coffee setup. The design is so beautiful that it was even honored with a place in New York City’s Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). In this case, there’s a clear winner.

Winner: Chemex

Convenience

The big advantage of the Chemex is that (depending on which version you get) you can make more coffee at a time. This can be really handy when you have a lot of guests to serve. The Chemex is also a combined brewer and server, which means one less thing to think about in your setup.

However, because the V60 is just a simple cone, it is much easier to use in many ways. You can brew straight into a mug, or brew into any jug or carafe you choose. It’s easier to remove the coffee grounds after brewing, and much easier to clean. To get inside the Chemex and give it a really good scrub, you need a special brush.

The V60 is also much smaller and more portable, and the plastic and ceramic versions are much more durable than the glass Chemex. This means you can take it with you wherever you go. The other advantage of the V60 is that it is faster. A typical brew with a V60 takes 2–4 minutes, while a Chemex brew needs 3–6 minutes.

The large size of the Chemex means it may be more convenient if you regularly make coffee for large numbers of people. For all other purposes though, the V60 is more convenient.

Winner: V60

Ease of Brewing

Some baristas claim that the V60 is difficult to get right and that the Chemex is more forgiving of mistakes in the grind size or method, which is helpful for inexperienced baristas. However, the difference is quite small, as the method involved in brewing each is very similar.

On the other hand, there are some features of the Chemex that make it less easy to handle. The filter paper has to be placed in the brewer in a specific way — with the triple-folded part of the paper over the spout. If the barista forgets to do this, the filter can sometimes collapse and block the spout, preventing water from flowing through the cone and ruining the brew.

The large, square filter papers also look attractive but can get in the way of brewing. The V60 avoids both of these issues. For this reason, once you have got the method and grind size right, we find the V60 easier to use. Overall, we consider this one a draw.

Draw

Coffee Flavor

The thick filters of the Chemex absorb all the coffee oils, which makes for a very clean, light cup. Many baristas appreciate the gentle flavors and texture of a Chemex brew.

On the other hand, the oils carry some important coffee aromas, so a V60 brew may have a fuller flavor. The V60 also allows you to grind finer and get more flavor from the coffee

The plastic version of the V60 is also best at keeping the heat in the brew, which can sometimes make for a better coffee. Glass, ceramic, or metal tend to absorb heat from the water, resulting in a cooler brewing temperature.

Which brewer is better, in this case, is a matter of taste — but since most baristas prefer the V60, it wins this round.

Winner: V60

Price

In general, the V60 is more affordable than the Chemex, and the filter papers are also cheaper. It’s also more sturdy — dropping a plastic cone on the floor will do it no damage whatsoever.

The disadvantage is that you have to buy a separate jug or carafe to serve the coffee. But even considering this, the V60 is the more budget-friendly option.

Winner: V60

Which Should I Get? V60 or Chemex?

Which of these brewers you should choose really depends on what features are most important to you. Do you like to impress guests with your beautiful display of coffee equipment, and serve them several cups of coffee? Then the Chemex is perfect for you. Do you just want to make yourself a quick cup of coffee every morning? Then the V60 might be more suitable.

Hopefully, after reading our explanation of the advantages and disadvantages of each brewer, you have a better idea of which one would be the right choice for you. The truth is that, however you make your coffee, either of these brewers would be an excellent choice.