In this article, we’re reviewing the Hario carafe. It’s a great way to make cold brew in your home and ensure everyone is well-caffeinated even on the hottest days of the year!
Cold brew coffee is something that really took the industry by storm over the past few years. It’s hard to say precisely why this is the case on an individual level, but I think I can answer why on a larger, industry level – it’s an affordable way to make reliably delicious coffee!
Cold brew utilizes the physics of dissolving to ensure that the coffee which brews over the course of many hours will be sweet, rich, and smooth. On the other hand, rapidly brewed and chilled iced coffee can be harsh and a little acidic, from time to time.
What does the Hario Carafe do well?
First of all, Hario is a known entity in the cookware world, especially in coffeeware. For example, you’ve probably seen their V60 Ceramic Pour Over Dripper at your favorite cafe. The Hario Carafe is no different. Two of its attributes spring to mind straight away – the materials, and the ease of use.
The materials of the Hario carafe are designed to last for a long, long time. The glass itself is proper borosilicate glass – it’s thick, sturdy, and exceptionally temperature resistant. A while ago, people complained about Pyrex dishes suddenly becoming more fragile – this is because they stopped using borosilicate glass.
The fact that old Pyrex typically sells and resells for a lot of money goes to show the utility this material has – there are people still cooking today in dishes and pots that they’ve had for decades! Borosilicate glass is exceptionally handy and exceptionally hardwearing.
The metal filter, too, is built to last. It always frustrated me to use a brewing tool or implement that’s not designed to last for a long time or breaks easily.
This filter is exceptionally unlikely to do that – sturdy metal and glass will stay in great shape for years to come.
Secondly, we love that the Hario Carafe is totally dishwasher-safe! I absolutely loathe washing dishes by hand – long before we had a dishwasher, it was something that I hated to do, and would go to great lengths to avoid. It’s hard enough to remove coffee grounds. Why try to do it by hand?
Seeing any product that’s not dishwasher safe makes me totally regret having it in my kitchen. I typically avoid buying it. With that said it’s really reassuring that this brewer is dishwasher-safe!
It might be wise to give the filter itself a scrub in the sink every now and then to dislodge any kind of coffee buildup, but that’s no great hardship when it’s washed after every cup with very little effort.
What does the Hario Carafe do poorly?
These might be nit-picky gripes, but the carafe doesn’t pour well. I understand it’s difficult to mold a spout out of borosilicate glass. I still wish the spout on the carafe was a little more fine.
The pouring process itself is quite turbulent, meaning that your coffee will lose flavor during the pouring process. Granted, it won’t lose much flavor, but it can still be a small annoyance nagging at your mind.
Secondly, the fact that you have to hold the lid on the container as you pour is frustrating. I’m quite a forgetful person, meaning that it’s very likely indeed for me to drop or discard something when I’m in a hurry.
If I were pouring my morning coffee while not really paying attention to anything, there’s a fighting chance I’ll end up not placing my hand on top of the carafe, leading to grounds and coffee being spilled everywhere – not a terribly ideal way to start the day. On the other hand, it’s nice that the lid and filter can be removed easily to facilitate storage and prevent over-extraction.
Finally, the ergonomics of the brewer itself are a little lacking. This might sound odd, but it’s true! The minimalist design makes it very hard to properly grip onto, especially considering that it’s all glass! On top of that, it’s likely you’ll be keeping this container in the fridge. If that’s the case, condensation beading on the outside of the container is liable to make it even harder to grip. This, combined with the naturally sloped outer edge of the container and the lack of any silicon or a similarly gripping material, makes dropping it much more likely than you might think.
Of course, in the grand scheme of things, it’s quite unlikely that you’ll drop this carafe. However, my aforementioned forgetfulness and clumsiness make me quite aware of things like this – I’d simply be concerned that I was going to drop this brewer!
What’s the verdict?
In the grand scheme of things, I think the pros outweigh the cons. While this is a good brewer and a pretty one at that, it’s not without its flaws.
I worry that those flaws are more pet-peeves than actually hindrances. In fact, the customer reviews of this product are pretty strong. That said, it is undeniably a pretty and functional piece of equipment.
I’ve no doubt that using it would make your coffee brewing process quite a lot easier and more enjoyable.
So, to sum all that up, the Hario carafe is quite an interesting case for a review! The main reason for this is that it’s definitely good at what it does because what it does isn’t very hard. Therefore, the remaining question is this: how good can a product be and, beyond that, how good is it worth a product being?