Is a Chemex Just a Pour Over? (Solved & Explained!)

The Chemex brewing system is a type of pour over coffee maker, but it is not the same as all the others. It uses a cone-shaped funnel that holds the filter and coffee grounds, allowing water to be poured over the top for your coffee to drip out at the bottom, but its design and filtering system is unique and set it apart.

If you are thinking about which coffee maker is going to be the best choice for you, it is worth exploring the things that make the Chemex such a popular choice amongst coffee enthusiasts. If you are already a fan of pour over coffee, the Chemex might be just the thing to take your home brewing to the next level.

This article will go into detail about the Chemex coffee maker, how it works and what makes it stand out from traditional pour over devices, as well as exploring the other options that you have for making pour over coffee at home.

What is a Chemex Coffee Maker?

The Chemex was designed in 1941 and combines a funnel and flask to allow delicious coffee to be easily brewed in batches at home. It actually uses the characteristic shapes of both a laboratory glass funnel and an Erlenmeyer flask to create a scientific design that is elegant as well as effective, with a wooden belt for heat protection.

Is Chemex a Pour Over or Drip?

The method of brewing that the Chemex uses is known as “pour over”, “infusion”, “gravity brew” or “drip”, depending on who you talk to. All of these terms refer to a brewing method where water runs through the coffee bed, passing through a filter to be collected in a vessel underneath and many different devices use this method.

How Does the Chemex Work?

The funnel of the Chemex sits on top of the flask and is designed for filter paper to be placed inside it. Coffee grounds are put in the filter and near-boiling water is used to wet the grounds before more water can be poured over the top, extracting the coffee flavour as it passes through to the flask below.

What’s So Special About the Chemex?

Besides it’s iconic design and ease of use, there are a few key things that separate the Chemex from other pour over devices. It uses unique filters that are designed to remove bitterness and increase the brightness of the flavour and it uses a coarser grind consistency than most pour over devices are capable of, for better extraction.

What is Special About Chemex Filters?

Chemex filters are much thicker than the paper filters that most pour over coffee makers use and they almost have a fabric-like texture. The material is double-bonded and this, combined with its thickness, removes more of the oil while the coffee is being brewed, which results in less bitterness and more clarity in the flavour.

Which Chemex Filters Should I Use?

There are quite a few options when it comes to Chemex filters, mainly that they come in white or brown (natural) and square or round. While the shape is purely aesthetic, the colour shows whether they have been bleached or not, with the brown (unbleached) filters being more likely to give a papery taste if they are not rinsed.

Why Does Chemex Use Coarser Grounds?

Most pour over coffee makers use a medium-fine grind consistency, but a medium-coarse consistency – similar to coarse sand – is best for the Chemex. This allows the Chemex to maintain a steady flow of water through the thicker filter and gives just the right amount of time for your brew to extract a balanced cup of coffee.

How Do You Make the Best Cup of Chemex Coffee?

First, you want to bloom the grounds by soaking them in around 80g of freshly-boiled water, quickly stirring them to saturate. After 30 seconds, fill the funnel to the brim, letting it pass through for 2-3 minutes and then fill it up one more time before finally giving the flask a quick swirl so it is ready to serve.

How Long Does it Take to Make a Chemex Coffee?

Because you want to allow your grounds to bloom, pour over the water and give it time to drip through, the Chemex takes 4-5 minutes to make your coffee. It’s not the quickest brewing method on the market, but it is also far from the slowest and you can adjust the time with different grind sizes and pour rates.

Is the Chemex Easy to Clean?

One slight downside to the elegant design of the Chemex is that it can be a little tricky to clean. Daily you can rinse it with unscented dish soap and warm water, and even put it in the dishwasher without the handle, but deposits can build up so you may need a special cleaning solution and brush as well.

How Much Coffee Can a Chemex Make?

Another benefit to the Chemex coffee maker is that the standard size can make around 3 or 4 cups, or around 750g, of coffee at a time, and much larger sizes are also available. Many other pour over devices are designed for a smaller decanter and can’t create as much coffee in a single steep.

How is the Chemex Different from the Hario V60?

The Hario V60 is also a popular choice for pour over coffee makers and is named after its 60-degree cone shape. It is generally used to make one cup at a time, uses thinner filters for less brightness in the flavour, and it is more portable and less likely to be damaged if you opt for a strong material.

How is the Kalita Wave Different from the Chemex?

Like the Hario V60, the Kalita Wave is a Japanese design that can be placed on top of a cup or decanter for easy pour over coffee. It has a flat bottom and wavy edges to its funnel, uses thinner filters and only comes in two sizes – brewing between 1 and 4 cups of coffee at a time.