Simple, cheap, and effective, that's the Melitta 1-Cup Pour-Over. Across our rating metrics, this dripper scored admirably and, considering you can nab one of your own for under ten bucks, we gave it our esteemed Best Buy award.
Performance Comparison
The simple and competent Melitta cone, ready to brew some delicious coffee.
Brew Features
This is a pour-over style cone, which uses a #2 basket-shaped filter. Its biggest asset is the way the dripper hole is elevated above the base so you can see the level of coffee in the mug while brewing and eliminate surprise overflows. For group situations, if you're careful, you can use a #4 filter and load this up even more.
Taste
The Melitta 1-Cup makes a good cup of coffee. It's not the greatest we've tasted, but it's more than decent — especially if you properly weigh and measure your beans and water.
At first glance, you may not notice how this dripper is any different than the V60. The main difference between these two plastic brewers is the shape at the base and the size of the hole your water will be flowing through. The V60 is cone-shaped (at a 60° angle to be specific) and the hole at the bottom is large. The Melitta, on the other hand, is V-shaped and wide at the bottom with a tiny hole. These design choices have a lot of effect on the final flavor of your brew. The V60 delivers a noticeably better cup because water can flow through more evenly and consistently. However, if brewed with care, the Melitta can still be perfectly decent, even for coffee diehards.
The drastic difference in design between the Hario V60 and the Melitta 1-Cup Pour Over.
Ease of Use
This cone-style coffee maker is straightforward and easy to clean. There are no small parts to keep track of, just the cone, a filter, and some coffee grounds. The view-hole in the side makes brewing even easier since you can monitor the level of coffee in your mug — no more sneaky overflows with this brewer!
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If you'd like to be done with disposable paper filters, CoffeeSock offers
reusable organic cotton filter to help further your zero waste kitchen.
The view-hole in the base of the Melitta is our favorite feature - though it does allow heat to escape more quickly.
Group Cooking
The Melitta 1-Cup is best suited for one to two people (hence the name) but, as mentioned above, if you're careful, you can use a larger filter, load it up, and brew more at a time.
The Melitta with its basket-style filter. You can use a larger filter if you need to brew for more people at once, though it tends to affect the final flavor in a less-than-ideal fashion.
Portability
This brewer is relatively bulky and does not fit in a backpack as well as options like the collapsible GSI Java Drip or the mesh Primula Brew Buddy, our Top Pick for Backpacking.
Even though this dripper doesn't collapse, a carabiner can easily thread through the base where the view-hole cutout is. This will allow you to attach it to the outside of a pack, making it easy to bring wherever you decide to wander.
Packing in all the necessities, including a way to make coffee in the morning clipped to the outside of our bag. Weighing only 2.01 ounces, the Melitta cone style coffee dripper is not too heavy to add to the list, though it doesn't pack as well as the collapsible options in our review.
Weight
This is one of the lightest cone style makers in this review, weighing just 2.01 ounces — great for camping and backpacking trips.
Instant coffee packets are lighter, of course, but they make a much less appealing cup. Though we did find instant options that impressed us, like First Ascent, our Top Pick for Instant. We also love the filterless Primula for lightweight backcountry excursions. However, if you want to stick with the convenience of filters, the Melitta is your best bet.
The Melitta is a fantastic way to stay light while traveling or backpacking.
Value
This cone is a bargain, hence our Best Buy designation! While there are other brewers we enjoyed the flavor from a bit more, this one is perfectly adequate. It's also easy to use, durable, and lightweight. Just don't forget you'll need to purchase filters and, ironically, those cost more than the brewer itself. You'll get a 100 at a time in a box or, if you're willing to do a little washing, you can purchase a reusable cotton filter and be done with it.
Conclusion
The Melitta 1-Cup Pour Over works great for any camping or backpacking situations, and it's also a highly economical option — hence the Best Buy award. For right hardly any dough at all you get a multi-use, high-quality coffee maker that's great for the house or the campsite. If you don't like the idea of pouring hot water through plastic, the Cafellissimo Paperless Pour Over is a fantastic alternative, but it will cost you substantially more.
Brew with ease and style with the classic Melitta cone.
