AeroPress vs Hario V60

The AeroPress. Because the grounds steep in the water before you press, the cup does not depend on pouring technique, and it scores 90 for ease of use here against the V60's 70. The V60 is not hard to start with, but the flow rate of your pour changes the result, so expect a few weeks of adjusting grind and pour before it is consistently better than the AeroPress.

Different coffee, and the V60 has the higher ceiling. A well-poured V60 gives the cleaner, brighter, more aromatic cup, which is why it scores 90 for cup quality here against 86. The AeroPress makes a rounder, fuller cup that AeroPress describes as smooth and low in bitterness, and it gets there more reliably. If you buy light roasts for their fruit and floral notes, the V60 shows them off; if you want a dependable good cup every morning, the AeroPress.

Practically, yes. The V60 cone has one large hole and no flow restriction, so the brew is controlled by how slowly and evenly you pour, and a regular kettle spout makes that hard to do. The AeroPress needs no special kettle at all, which matters when you add up the real cost of each setup: the V60 is the cheaper brewer, but a gooseneck and a scale usually come with it.

Not true machine espresso, but it makes a strong, concentrated espresso-style coffee. AeroPress says the Original makes up to three shots of it, and owners use it as the base for lattes and Americanos. The V60 cannot do this at all; it only makes filter coffee.

AeroPress rates the Original at 10 oz, which it describes as one to two cups. Hario rates the V60 size 02 at one to four cups, and it takes size 02 paper filters. If you regularly brew for two, the V60 02 handles it in one go; the AeroPress means brewing twice, or making a concentrate and topping it up with hot water.

Both are quick. With the AeroPress you push the used puck of grounds straight into the bin and rinse the plunger, and AeroPress says the parts are top-rack dishwasher safe. With the V60 you lift out the paper filter with the grounds inside and rinse the cone. Neither has anything to descale.

The AeroPress. AeroPress describes it as shatterproof, and says the chamber, plunger, filter cap and filters weigh about 6.5 oz. It also works with water from any kettle or pot. The plastic V60 is light too, but it still needs a slow, steady pour to brew well, which is hard without a gooseneck.