Hario's stainless steel water kettle, the V60 Buono, has been spotted popping up in coffee houses and the kitchens of baristas for some time now. A detailed search on the web will reveal, for the moment at least, that the Buono seems to be widely accepted as the most useful pouring kettle available. What makes this kettle so popular amongst pour-over enthusiasts? Several reasons stand out.
First, the thin pouring spout enables greater pouring precision as well as a slower, more consistent and controlled rate of pour, both of which are very helpful in achieving a precise, prolonged extraction.
Second, the stainless steel construction and large 1 liter capacity contribute toward keeping up the brew temperature for the duration of the entire brew cycle.
Third, the ergonomics involved in the design of the kettle help to make using it much easier. This may not seem like much, but if you're brewing large batches of coffee and pouring for three or more minutes per batch, doing several batches of coffee will quickly become a chore if your kettle doesn't cooperate with you.
Combine all of these facets with the fact that the Buono is manufactured by Hario, a very popular name in the coffee-brewing community, and the kettle's popularity is easily understood. For best results, combine the Buono with a
V60 Dripper or
Chemex to get a truly exceptional cup of coffee.
aha *a dim bulb lightens*
Interesting, that makes a lot more sense. Just for clarity, I was not suggesting that the brewing in coffee shops/convenience stores/McDonald's/homes go strictly to presses (which would require the need to hire a "babysitter") but merely that more machines use metal filters (such as my Delonghi at home) as opposed to paper filters. Of course, this point is now somewhat moot since you demonstrated that a paper filter has it's own pros (as well as cons).
Thanks for enlightening me. Just curious to know if the "rumor" I'd heard was true... not surprisingly, it was not. There should be some sort of coffee police that arrests people (or at the very least, roughs them up a bit) for spreading falsely malicious and/or ignorant rumors about coffee. It would make understanding the complicated world of coffee so much easier...
"Is this a logical
"Is this a logical assumption?" In a word, no.
Allow me to explain.
The press method does allow oils to go through and add to the flavor experience found in a cup of coffee. It also allows for what would be known as "fines": the tiny particles of ground coffee that pass through the much larger holes in a metal filter. While these fines add perceived body and mouth-feel to a cup of coffee, they also can detract from the perceived clarity and "brightness" that a particular coffee offers. Paper -- as well as cloth -- filters take away these fines, thereby giving a cleaner, sometimes less muted cup of coffee. Furthermore, some coffee aficionados would say that a paper and cloth filter that takes away a portion of those oils are actually doing some good by doing so, as that process may aid in allowing other delicate but still highly-desirable characteristics to shine through. Both a press and a paper/cloth filter method can brew a wonderful cup of coffee, but both methods still have some sort of inherent weakness. There is also a great deal to consider when it comes to the size consistency of your coffee grounds.
As for the argument that an all-metal filter practice would be cheaper, I would say that that depends on who is doing your brewing. Many paper filters are used in settings where massive amounts of coffee are required in a very short period of time; presses and such would require a lot of dish washing and babysitting, whereas a paper filter offers a very quick cleanup. What costs more, a handful of paper filters, or paying an extra staff member to babysit the presses during peak hours?
For the record, there are shops that use paper filters for small-batch filtered brewing, but they tend do to so for taste and freshness purposes, and not necessarily convenience. The methods they use include the Chemex and the Hario V60.