Chemex Review: Our Go-To for Beautiful (Albeit Fussy) Coffee

TL;DR of our Chemex review: The Chemex makes some of the cleanest, brightest coffee you can brew at home, and it absolutely deserves its iconic reputation. But living with a Chemex is a little fussier than coffee TikTok sometimes admits. The filters are expensive and awkward to fold, the brewer is fragile, and the process is slower than most other home brewing methods (except maybe cold brew).

Still, the coffee tastes so dang good.

The strongest argument for buying a Chemex in 2026 isn’t that it makes better coffee than other pourover systems like the Hario V60 or the Kalita Wave. It’s that it makes coffee differently. 

Most enthusiasts, us included, who own multiple brewers don’t view the Chemex as an upgrade. It’s better thought of as a different lens through which to experience the same beans.

If you love nuanced flavors, light roasts, brunch-table aesthetics, and the ritual of pourover coffee, the Chemex is still one of the great home brewers. And I secretly love that the brewer has a cameo in an early episode of Friends.

That said, if your priorities are speed, convenience, or maximum forgiveness before caffeine has hit your bloodstream, there are easier ways to make excellent coffee at home. (Read our full Chemex guide here).

What is Chemex coffee? 

There are very few pour over coffee brewers that people display before they understand how to use them, but the Chemex is one of them.

The Chemex is basically a scientific instrument cosplaying as kitchen decor. I genuinely think part of the reason the brewer has survived this long is that it’s beautiful enough to justify existing on a counter even when it’s empty. The hourglass glass carafe is sexy. Add in the wood collar and the leather tie* and you’ve basically got a piece of art.

*Sadly, David won’t let us get the wood collar version since it isn’t dishwasher safe, so we just have the all-glass one. It’s still pretty, but not quite as much. Sigh.

But unlike a lot of “design-first” kitchen products, the Chemex actually earns its reputation once you start brewing with it.

The thing to understand is that the secret to what makes the Chemex so dang tasty is the filter, not the brewer itself. The famous Chemex filters are absurdly thick compared to normal coffee filters. They remove more oils and fine sediment than basically any mainstream home brewer, and that dramatically changes the final cup. The result can be almost tea-like in my experience.

The downside is that the Chemex can also make mediocre coffee taste more mediocre. There’s less body and texture to hide behind. If your beans are stale, flat, or badly roasted, the Chemex is not going to perform a miracle.

Frankly, it’s kind of a snitch.

But it’s also basically hygge-certified.

How does Chemex coffee taste?

I wish I were better at describing flavors than “it tastes like coffee.” But the best I can say is that Chemex coffee, regardless of beans, tastes extraordinarily “clean.” 

I looked across Subreddits like r/JamesHoffman, r/PourOver, and r/Chemex itself and the general populace agree with me. Descriptors include:

Clean

• “the best way I can describe the flavor is clean”
• “super clean cup”
• “very clean, filtered cup”
• “cleanest tasting cup”
• “clean, clear flavors”
• “clean mouthfeel”
• “cleaner cup of coffee”

Clear / clarity

• “clearer taste”
• “clear cup”
• “clarity and lightness”
• “lots of flavours thanks to the clarity”
• “clean, clear flavors”

Light-bodied

• “lightness”
• “light body”
• “tea-like mouthfeel”
• “less body”
• “filters out mouthfeel”
• “lighter body and clean mouthfeel”

Bright / expressive

• “very bright”
• “more expressive brews”
• “fruity Ethiopian coffees really shine”
• “flowery and delicate beans shine”
• “juicy and satisfying”
• “vibrant end result”

How to use a Chemex coffee maker

If you’ve never brewed with a Chemex before, the actual process is pretty straightforward.

Here’s our basic Chemex recipe and workflow:

Our standard Chemex recipe

• 20g coffee
• 320g water
• Medium-coarse grind (~20 on our Baratza Encore
• 200-205°F water
• Brew time: roughly 4–5 minutes

The general process for how to make Chemex coffee looks like this:

• Heat your water
• Fold and rinse the Chemex filter
• Add ground coffee
• Bloom with a small amount of water
• Slowly pour remaining water in stages
• Let drawdown finish
• Drink while feeling slightly superior to drip coffee people

The learning curve is not actually the pouring. It’s the pacing.

Most bad Chemex brews come from pouring too aggressively, grinding too fine, clogging the filter, or getting impatient and dumping water too quickly. The Chemex rewards restraint more than heroics.

Chemex iced coffee

One surprise from my research: Chemex owners consistently praise it for flash-brewed iced coffee. The brewer’s trademark clarity translates especially well over ice, producing bright, refreshing cups that highlight fruit and acidity without becoming muddy.

I’ll report back with my recipe once I’ve given iced coffee in a Chemex a go!

How to fold a Chemex filter

This is one of those things every Chemex owner pretends was intuitive.

It was not.

The first time we tried figuring out how to fold a Chemex filter, it felt weirdly like origami under pressure. The paper is thick, the folds matter, and if you position it incorrectly the entire thing looks unstable in a way that inspires absolutely zero confidence while pouring boiling water.

Here’s the basic process for how to fold a Chemex filter:

1. Start with the square or circular Chemex filter folded into quarters
2. Open one side so that one half has three layers and the other has one
3. Place the thicker three-layer side against the pouring spout
4. Rinse thoroughly with hot water before brewing

That “three-layer side toward the spout” helps prevent the filter from collapsing and improves airflow during brewing. Also: rinse the filter fairly aggressively.

Chemex filters have a noticeable papery taste if you skip this step. And because the filters are so thick, there’s simply more paper there to accidentally taste.

The coffee really does taste different

This is the reason people stay loyal to the Chemex despite all the little annoyances.

Perhaps a comparison will make the Chemex brewer’s coffee output feel a little easier to understand.

• AeroPress: When we brew coffees in, say, the AeroPress, the fruit tends to come across with more intensity. It has immersion-style brewing (similar to the French press or the Clever Dripper); its higher extraction often pulls forward jammy, wine-like flavors while adding extra body and sweetness. A coffee’s fermenty fruit notes can feel bigger, richer, and more concentrated in the cup.
• V60: The Hario V60 often emphasizes clarity and complexity at the same time. Its faster flow rate and lower filtration compared to a Chemex can produce brighter acidity, more layered flavors, and a stronger sense of origin character. The best V60 cups can feel vivid and expressive, with fruit, sweetness, and acidity all competing for attention.
• Kalita Wave: The Kalita Wave sits somewhere between the V60 and Chemex. Its flat-bottom design encourages a more even extraction, often resulting in a rounder, sweeter cup with plenty of clarity but less sharpness. Flavors can feel more integrated and balanced.

The Chemex usually pushes in the opposite direction. Its thick paper filters remove more oils and fine particles to create sharper flavor definitions. Instead of amplifying flavor intensity, it tends to separate them.

(None of these home brewing techniques is objectively better. They’re just emphasizing different aspects of the same coffee.)

But what about when it comes to roast levels? We’re decidedly Team Light Roast, but if you mostly drink darker roasts, the Chemex isn’t always at its best. The heavy filtration can strip away some of the weight and richness that make darker coffees a preference (not my preference, but maybe yours).

With light roasts, the Chemex can be pretty remarkable. It lets subtle flavors stand on their own in a way few brewers can.

Downsides of the Chemex

The filters are expensive

This becomes more annoying over time. Chemex filters cost noticeably more than standard pour over filters, and because they’re proprietary-ish, you’re somewhat locked into the ecosystem. You can get knock offs, but I wouldn’t recommend.

The workflow is slow

Chemex brewing is relaxing when you are in the mood for relaxing.

At 6:45am with a toddler yelling from another room? Suddenly the whole ritual feels a little less cinematic.

Compared to the AeroPress, the Clever Dripper, or  automatic drip coffee from the Bonavita 8C, the Chemex asks for more attention, more patience, and more precision.

Not dramatically more. But enough that it changes how often you reach for it.

It’s fragile

Glass coffee gear always makes me slightly tense. We’ve already lost one Chemex to a kitchen accident, which honestly feels like a rite of passage at this point.

Cleanup is awkward

People describe Chemex cleanup like it’s easy because technically you just remove the filter and rinse the carafe. 

Let’s just say: There’s a reason bottle brushes become part of Chemex ownership culture.

A closer look at Chemex vs. AeroPress

These brewers almost feel philosophically opposed.

The AeroPress is compact, forgiving, practical, fast and travel-friendly. Flavor-wise, the AeroPress usually gives us more body, more sweetness, and more texture. Meanwhile, the Chemex is slow, aesthetic, fragile, and dramatically less backpack-compatible. The Chemex emphasizes clarity, separation, and brightness.

If I could only own one brewer forever, I would probably choose the AeroPress because it’s handy in more situations. But the best Chemex cups are tastier and more expressive than the best AeroPress cups (in my VERY humble opinion).

Chemex vs. pour over

This comparison gets weird because people often describe the Chemex like it’s an entirely separate category of brewer from other pour overs, but it really isn’t.

The V60, the Kalita Wave, and Chemex are all pour over systems. The biggest practical difference is that the Chemex filters are much thicker and the flow rate is slower and requires a bit more control.

Who is the Chemex right for?

After years of using a Chemex on and off, I think it appeals most to a specific type of coffee drinker. It’s a great fit for people who enjoy slower brewing rituals, regularly make coffee for two or more people, and gravitate toward lighter roasts where clarity and nuance are the goal. It also helps if you appreciate good design.

It’s the brewer I (ask David to) reach for when friends (who appreciate good coffee) are over for brunch, have time to kill on a weekend morning, or I don’t want to sacrifice presentation. It’s still one of the most beautiful ways to make coffee at home, IMHO.

That said, it’s not the most practical brewer for most other situations. If you’re rushing through a weekday morning, working with limited counter space, or looking for something travel friendly, there are easier options. I also wouldn’t recommend it if you love a darker roast, since the heavy filtration can remove some of the body and richness those coffees are known for. 

And if you’re the type of person who regularly breaks glassware (hi), the Chemex may test your patience sooner or later.

Is the Chemex worth it?

This is the heart of our Chemex review: The Chemex is absolutely worth it—but not because it’s the “best” brewer.

The Chemex earns its place because nothing else quite makes coffee like a Chemex. The coffee output still feels distinctive despite the explosion of specialty coffee brewing gadgets over the last decade (have you heard of the Binocular Dripper?)

At the same time, I think a lot of people romanticize owning a Chemex more than they actually enjoy daily Chemex brewing. It’s not a particular good fit for our stage of life, where my kids’ schedules (and demands) run the show. Most of my current coffee decisions are made while simultaneously finding shoes, negotiating with a toddler, and wondering who left a banana on the stairs. The Chemex requires a level of focus that my household does not consistently provide….

*But* when I actually have the time and attention for it? Few home brewing methods feel more satisfying to me. 

What’s interesting is that almost nobody argues the Chemex is the most advanced brewer anymore. Yet it remains one of the most beloved. That’s usually what happens when a product stops being a trend and becomes a classic. The Chemex isn’t trying to win the coffee-tech arms race. It’s still making the same clean, elegant coffee it made decades ago (literally. The Chemex coffee maker was invented in 1941 by an eccentric German chemist and inventor named Dr. Peter Schlumbohm). 

Sometimes the best argument for a coffee brewer is that people keep replacing it after they accidentally break it. 😅