Guide · Pour-over
How to use a Hario V60: a simple pour-over method that works
Hario UK's own V60 method in plain English: 15g of coffee to 250g of water, the bloom, two or three slow pours and a 2½ to 3-minute brew, plus fixes for sour or bitter cups.
If you want to know how to use a V60, Hario UK’s own recipe is a good place to start: 15g of medium-ground coffee, 250g of water just off the boil, a short bloom, then two or three slow pours. The whole brew should take two and a half to three minutes. A V60 rewards a steady hand, and most problems come down to grind size or pouring. We haven’t tested this in person. This guide is based on Hario UK’s brewing guides, with prices from Hario UK checked 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.
What makes a V60 different
The V60 is a cone-shaped dripper, angled at 60 degrees, with one large hole in the bottom and spiral ribs running up the inside. Hario UK explains that the ribs hold the paper away from the walls so air can escape as the coffee drains. The large hole means the dripper doesn’t control the flow much, so how fast you pour, and how fine you grind, makes a real difference to the cup.
It comes in three sizes. Hario UK says the 01 makes one to two cups, the 02 one to four, and the 03 up to six. The filter papers are sized to match and aren’t interchangeable.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants coffee at the push of a button. A filter coffee machine does the pouring for you.
The kit list
- A V60 dripper. Hario UK recommends the plastic one as the place to start, because it heats up straight away. The plastic size 02 was £9.00 at Hario UK, checked 3 Oct 2026. The ceramic size 02 was £30.00 at Hario UK on the same date; Hario says ceramic holds heat well but needs warming first. See V60 drippers at Hario UK.
- V60 filter papers in the matching size. A 100-pack of white size 02 papers was £8.00 at Hario UK, checked 3 Oct 2026.
- A mug or server that the dripper sits on securely.
- A kettle. A gooseneck makes slow, controlled pouring easier. Hario’s V60 Drip Kettle AIR was £22.00 at Hario UK, checked 3 Oct 2026.
- Scales. Hario UK says that of everything on the list, scales will change your coffee the most.
- Ground coffee or a grinder.
If you’d rather buy it in one go, the Simply Hario V60 Glass Brewing Kit, with dripper, server and papers, was £42.00 at Hario UK, checked 3 Oct 2026.
The ratio, grind and water temperature
- Ratio: 15g of coffee to 250g of water. Hario UK puts the range at 1:15 to 1:17, and this sits in the middle.
- Grind: medium, roughly the texture of granulated sugar.
- Water: 92–94°C, according to Hario UK’s step-by-step guide, which it describes as roughly 30 seconds off the boil. Its simpler intermediate guide gives 92–96°C and suggests letting a boiled kettle cool for a few minutes.
To make two cups, Hario UK says to double the coffee and water and brew into a server rather than a mug.
How to use a V60: step by step
These steps follow Hario UK’s V60 guide, in our own words.
- Fold and fit the paper. Fold it along the seam and sit it in the dripper.
- Rinse it. Pour hot water through the paper until it’s soaked, then tip that water away. Hario UK says this removes the papery taste and warms everything up.
- Add the coffee. Put in 15g of ground coffee and give the dripper a gentle shake so the bed is flat.
- Zero the scales with everything on them.
- Bloom. Pour 45g of water, starting in the centre and spiralling outwards, and stop short of the paper. Wait 30 to 45 seconds while the bloom rises.
- First main pour. Pour slowly in small circles up to 150g, then pause and let the bed settle.
- Second pour. Continue up to 250g. Hario UK says not to pour directly onto the paper, because that water runs down the side and bypasses the coffee.
- Let it drain. Aim for a total time of between 2:30 and 3:00.
Lift off the dripper and serve. Hario suggests used grounds can go in the food waste or on the compost.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who doesn’t want to watch the kettle. You’ll be standing over it for three minutes.
Fixing fast or slow drawdown, and sour or bitter cups
Hario UK’s troubleshooting comes down to three patterns:
- Thin, sour or watery. The water ran through too quickly, so the coffee is under-extracted. Grind finer first. If that doesn’t fix it, slow your pour or raise the water temperature by a degree or two.
- Harsh, bitter or drying. The coffee is over-extracted. Grind coarser, or pour a little faster. Hario UK says that if the brew is going past three and a half minutes, the grind is almost certainly too fine.
- It runs through fast whatever you do. Check two things: is water running down the paper at the edges, and was the coffee bed flat before you started? Hario UK calls the problem channelling, where water carves one quick route through the grounds and misses the rest.
Change one thing at a time, so you know what made the difference.
Other V60 options
If pouring isn’t for you, Hario UK points to the V60 Switch, which lets the coffee steep in the cone before you release it with a valve. It also sells a Drip-Assist that sits on top and spreads the water for you. Those are extras, though. The standard dripper and the method above are all you need.
Where to go next
Our guide to the best pour-over coffee makers compares the V60 with other drippers. For the kit around it, see the best gooseneck kettles, coffee grinders for pour-over and using coffee scales.
FAQ
What’s the best ratio for a V60? Hario UK suggests 1:15 to 1:17. Its own recipe uses 15g of coffee to 250g of water.
Do you need to rinse V60 filter papers? Yes. Hario UK says rinsing removes the papery taste and warms the dripper and cup.
How long should a V60 take? About two and a half to three minutes, including a 30 to 45-second bloom.
Can you use other filter papers in a V60? Only cone papers made for a 60-degree dripper in the right size, according to Hario UK. Flat-bottomed papers won’t sit properly.