# Relative Merits of Chemex vs. Kalita



## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

So I want to expand brewing arsenal. I've a v60 decanter from which I can't even get two mugs. Ideally I'd like something in the 6-8 cup range. Something so that she and I can have some lazy brewed deliciousness on a Sunday.

I know that Chemex do a big 6-8 brewer. Or perhaps if I got something that would get me about 20oz and then I did two brews.

I'm looking for opinions from people who have tried or use both Chemex and Kalita and can give me more than the marketing bumpf.


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## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

I have a Sowden at work. Not suitable for home as SWMBO expects a clean cup. I'm looking for which is easiest to get the sweetness out of the coffee.


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## tambu (Sep 7, 2015)

How many mls would you like to brew, as I thought the v60 decanter goes up to 600 or 700ml, which should be two mugs? The kalita 185 doesn't really suit much more than 40g of coffee in my experience (say, 650ml at ~1:16). The chemex is definitely bigger but again I find brewing more than 40g in the 6-8 sub optimal, so for capacity I'm not sure what your best bet is. For flavour, the chemex filters are very clean. The wave filters I find are less clear than v60, and they drive me absolutely mad (all those wavey ridges just get bent everywhere, although the 155 is the worst for that). Chemex is a bit fussier technique wise as you can stall it, whereas the wave isn't too bad. I own all three (v60, chemex and kalita) in various sizes, and the kalita rarely gets used.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Either of them will work, the V60 will too if you get a bigger decanter, or a 03 cone (brew into the Sowden as long & as it's not a 01 cone). 6 cups might be 800g output?

I have probably had the sweetest pourover cups from V60 & Kalita, but I'm not saying equal sweetness is not possible from a Chemex, or that V60/Kalita cups are always sweeter. Not sure how a Kalita Wave fares with 1l brew water brews, 2x~500g brews won't be an issue.

Sowden won't produce a cup as crystal clear as V60 or Kalita Wave, but it should still only be hazy at worst, a tiny bit of dust in the bottom of the cup that is normally imperceptible?


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## Nimble Motionists (Oct 22, 2012)

I find the Kalita much easier to get a good brew with than the Chemex but the best cups I've had from the Chemex knock the Kalita out of the park. Sounds like for your requirements (lazy Sunday) the Kalita might be better?

I've never made an undrinkable Kalita as it's much less fussy re:grind but I've had some dire results from the Chemex...


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## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

I think I shall try scaling up my v60 recipe and see how that works. Have bought a Kalita version of similar design and capacity. I think I will work on my technique before I attempt a Chemex.


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## Step21 (Oct 2, 2014)

If you get it right with any pourover technique and the right bean you'll get good sweetness. I don't think sweetness favours any particular vessel/filter IME

You should be able to stick a chemex filter in the hario decanter (might have to cut it down slightly) - this would give you a good idea of how the chemex filter differs from the V60. I use Kalita wave filters in the Brazen and would say that they impart less filter taste than the others. At this moment in time chemex is probably my least favourite but i don't think it's harder to get right than any of the others.


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