When you select your pour over coffee maker, you’ll need to make two choices:

1. Glass vs ceramic vs plastic vs metal construction
2. Paper or stainless steel filter

Let’s briefly evaluate the pros and cons of each.

Glass vs Ceramic vs Plastic vs Metal Coffee Makers

Pour over models primarily come in 4 different materials: glass, ceramic, plastic and metal. There are pros and cons to each type of material. Here’s the rundown:

• Glass: There are 3 major benefits to glass coffee makers. First, glass is chemically inert and won’t impart any flavor on your coffee. Second, it insulates extremely well and keeps your blooming grounds at the proper temperature. Third, you can see what’s happening, which is both helpful and aesthetically pleasing.
• Ceramic: The same benefits as glass above except ceramic isn’t transparent. White ceramic also stains more easily than glass and typically is thicker and heavier.
• Plastic: Plastic coffee makers are most similar to ceramic, except plastic is much lighter and more easily transportable. The major downside of plastic is it’s generally not advisable to mix hot water and plastic for fear of leaching chemicals into your coffee.
• Metal: The durability and thin, lightweight design are great, but metal coffee makers often impart a metallic flavor (surprise!) and don’t insulate well at all. This can cause your blooming coffee grounds to drop in temperature, affecting your extraction.

Paper vs Stainless Steel Filter

Paper Filters: They’re definitely cheaper. Some brands, like Chemex, recommend using their own more expensive paper filters, but generally you can get by using a standard #4 conical filter.

• Pros to Paper: Lower cost and produce a slower, more deliberate brew with better extraction
• Cons to Paper: Single-use and can absorb those wonderful coffee oils

Stainless Steel Filters: Can cost upwards of $60 (though you should be able to find one on sale for around $25) but they last a long time. However, to get a positive return on that initial investment, you’d need to make 200-400 brews with paper filters (at $6 per 40 filters). You’ll also have to be careful about ensuring the stainless steel filter you buy is compatible with the coffee maker you own.

• Pros to Stainless Steel: Zero extraction of those flavorful oils!
• Cons to Stainless Steel: Higher initial cost, require cleaning after every use and tend to let fine sediment into your coffee