Chemex vs V60: Which Pour-Over Is Right for You?
Both are pour-over icons. One makes the cleanest cup in coffee and doubles as a centerpiece; the other is faster, cheaper, and more versatile. Here is how to choose.
Iris Marchand
June 6, 2026
6 min
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If you have decided pour-over is your method, the next fork is almost always Chemex versus V60. They are both pour-over icons, both make a clean, bright cup, and both are beloved for good reason. But they are not the same, and the differences are easy to understand once you know what to look at. Here is the comparison, and a clear pick at the end.
The filter is the whole story
The Chemex uses a thick, bonded paper filter — much heavier than a standard one — which removes more oils and fine particles than almost any other method. The result is the cleanest, most crystalline cup in all of coffee: bright, delicate, and exceptionally clear. The V60 uses a thinner filter and a cone shape with spiral ribs, which lets a little more body through and brews faster. The V60 cup is bright too, but with marginally more weight and texture.
Speed, capacity, and versatility
The V60 is faster, brews single cups beautifully, and gives you more control to dial the cup up or down — it is the more versatile daily driver. The Chemex brews and serves in one elegant vessel and shines when you are making coffee for two or more, but it is slower and less forgiving of a sloppy pour. The V60 is a weekday tool; the Chemex is a weekend ceremony.
If you want the cleanest cup and an object you'll display
Choose the Chemex if you prize an immaculately clean cup, often brew for two, and like the idea of a brewer that looks like sculpture on the counter. It is as much a piece of design as a coffee maker.
Our picks, compared
Chemex 6-Cup Pour-Over Carafe
Slow weekend mornings and brewing for two.
Hario V60 Ceramic Pour-Over Dripper
Anyone starting a deliberate pour-over ritual.
Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Gooseneck Kettle
Anyone serious about pour-over consistency.
If you want versatile, fast, and cheap
Choose the V60 if you mostly brew one or two cups, want more control and speed, and would rather spend twenty-five dollars than forty-five. It is the more practical everyday choice and what most of the specialty world reaches for first.
Both want the same kettle
Whichever cone you pick, a gooseneck kettle with temperature control is what makes pour-over repeatable on either brewer. It is the shared accessory that matters most.
If you cannot decide: get the V60 first. It is cheaper, faster, more versatile, and the better teacher. Add a Chemex later for the weekends and for company. Most serious home brewers end up owning both anyway — and at these prices, that is an entirely reasonable place to land.
- What is the difference between a Chemex and a V60?
- The biggest difference is the filter. The Chemex uses a thick bonded filter that removes more oils for an exceptionally clean, bright cup, and brews and serves in one vessel. The V60 uses a thinner filter and a ribbed cone that lets a bit more body through, brews faster, and is more versatile and cheaper.
- Does Chemex coffee taste better than V60?
- It tastes cleaner, not strictly better. The Chemex's thick filter produces the most crystalline, delicate cup in coffee, while the V60 gives a similarly bright cup with slightly more body and texture. Which you prefer is personal — both are excellent.
- Which should I buy, Chemex or V60?
- Start with the V60 if you mostly brew one or two cups and want versatility, speed, and a lower price. Choose the Chemex if you value the cleanest possible cup, often brew for two, and like a brewer that doubles as a design piece. Many people eventually own both.
Iris Marchand
Iris is a former hospitality writer who quit her job to apprentice at a roastery in Lisbon. She has been writing about specialty coffee since 2018.