Last Updated on September 29, 2021 by John Moretti
This article contains basic information on some of the best Japanese coffee makers by type. It also includes a section on why it’s important to invest in a good coffee maker and some recommendations guaranteed to make your perfect cup of coffee. These Japanese Coffee makers include:
- Hario Glass Technica Syphon Coffee Maker
- Yama Tabletop Siphon
- Hario Sommelier Syphon Coffee Maker
- Hario Woodneck Drip Pot
- Hario v60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper
- Kalita Wave Pour-over Drip Coffee Maker
- Yama Glass Cold Brew Maker
- Nispira Iced Coffee Cold Brew Dripper
- Osaka Glass Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Choosing the right type of coffee maker for your home or business can be a daunting task, especially when you can’t differentiate between the different brewing methods. It’s very important to buy a coffee maker that suits your specific work style to make the morning transitions easier and keep your energy up throughout the day.
There are some recommendations from coffee pros and baristas on the best type of Japanese coffee makers suitable for different lifestyles. A steaming cup of hot coffee is ideal for beating all forms of Monday blues, and with the right coffee maker, you can beat the morning rush and start your work schedule on time.
9 Best Japanese Coffee Makers by type
Coffee has been an ordinary beverage in Japan since the early 1900s, and the long history is one of the reasons why the Japanese have mastered brewing this drink to perfection. Despite the many types of coffee makers and coffee brewing methods in Japan, pour-over, cold brew, and siphon coffee makers are the most common. Japanese prefer slow brewing methods of coffee as they produce a richer flavor guaranteed by these coffee makers rather than espresso machines.
Whether you use a cold brew maker, a siphon, or a pour-over, your coffee will be exquisite and smooth with complex notes in flavor and an even fruitier aftertaste. Japan is popular for making quality and durable coffee makers to make the coffee-making experience less stressful, and the Japanese have a fascinating coffee culture. Japanese coffee makers produced impressive coffee in flavor and taste and brewed with utmost precision and care.
Siphon Coffee Makers
The Japanese Syphon Coffee Maker offers a very contained and clean way for coffee brewing. It is suitable for coffee lovers who want absolute control during the brewing process to regulate the pressure during the process. If you prefer a scientific approach to coffee brewing, this coffee maker is ideal for you as it looks more like a piece of fancy lab equipment than a regular coffee maker. This coffee maker’s upper and lower chambers remain closed during the brewing process to contain the flavor and retain the subtleness of the beans.
You need a coffee maker that does justice to your coffee beans and looks good on your kitchen countertop. Today, the most popular siphon coffee makers are produced by Japanese brands Yama and Hario, and they are ideal for any coffee enthusiast. It is also called a vacuum pot, and in as much as it isn’t the easiest equipment to use, the brewer produces a fantastic coffee brew with a crisp and smooth taste.
Hario Glass Technica Syphon Coffee Maker
Siphon coffee makers are not very popular with most coffee brewers, but the Hario Glass Technica Coffee Makers is an exception that wins over a lot of coffee fanatics. The brewer boasts of excellent quality, and it produces up to five cups of exquisite and delicious coffee. This model produces a smooth, clean cup of coffee with an amazingly rich flavor. The brewer has a cotton cloth that allows for easy and smooth extraction of coffee without trapping the rich coffee oils.
The device has steel, brass, and borosilicate glass parts that don’t retain an odor after extraction, so your coffee tastes clean and smooth. This coffee maker is not an ideal choice for everyone, but it’s a worthy consideration if you simply want a remarkably good coffee cup. Siphon coffee makers are ideal if you want to make a fine drop of coffee using fancy gadgets and not just every time you need a cup of coffee. Siphon coffee makers are designed to provide utmost stability to water temperature; they are simply fascinating and with a lot of charm.
Pros
- It has an aluminum windbreak and brass fasteners.
- The filter, stand, and burner cover is made of stainless steel
- It has heat resistant glass bowls
Cons
- It has a 5-cup holding capacity, thus not ideal for big crowds
Yama Tabletop Siphon
The Yama Glass Tabletop Coffee siphon is one of the best Japanese coffee makers to brew up to 5 cups of coffee. This device has a butane burner with a ceramic base and is a sight to behold on the kitchen countertop. The device is made from hand-blown borosilicate glass, which isn’t porous; hence it allows retention of essential oils and coffee flavors neatly inside the bowl. The brewer has a ceramic construction, and it is designed for fast coffee brewing. It comes with reusable filters and an extra scoop to put in the coffee when brewing, but you need to factor in a budget for buying new parts if needed.
This Japanese Syphon coffee maker is very contained, and it has a unique design that allows it to brew clean, smooth coffee even at the comfort of your home. This model comes in two different siphon sizes, for three cups and five cups, and it is a great addition to your morning coffee-making ritual. The coffee maker requires a little time to get used to, but it makes the best coffee when handled carefully.
The Yama Tabletop Siphon coffee maker allows you to fine-tune all aspects of the coffee’s taste and flavor using medium roast beans. Siphon coffee makers give you utmost control of the brewing process, so you can easily regulate the air expanding in the chambers as needed. With this coffee maker, you can alter the grind, timing, quantity, and water temperature depending on the desired results.
Pros
- It makes amazing coffee
- The filters can be reused
- It brews coffee quickly
- It has a non-porous borosilicate glass
Cons
- The bowls are fragile and break easily
- The rubber seals between chambers loosen with time
- The machine can be broken during delivery
Hario Sommelier Syphon Coffee Maker
This device is made from the best of Hario’s award-winning borosilicate glass for heat resistance, and it has a holding capacity of 600ml. It gets its design cues from wine decanters to make a perfect and beautifully crafted classic brewing device. The coffee maker is easy to use and clean, and it is made and distributed in Japan. This coffee maker is made for the most passionate coffee enthusiasts and comes in one size only, including a stainless steel filter and a gas burner.
The Hario Sommelier offers a very magnificent way to brew coffee considering the specific timing, skill, and accuracy of the coffee connoisseurs. This device brings out the best of coffee and wine, as it is a mix between a wine decanter and a siphon coffee maker for a crisp and bright cup of coffee. The device is popular among baristas and professional coffee pros for brewing clean and delicious coffee with accurate laboratory standards. Like other siphon models, the metal and disposable paper filters are reusable and compatible with other models.
Siphon coffee makers give your coffee a specific bright and smooth finish, allowing you to experience all the complex flavors from a single origin. The Hario Sommelier Syphon coffee maker has a marvelous design, and each sommelier is hand-blown. This accentuates the coffee’s aroma to guarantee a high-quality finish and decant the perfect coffee cup for a more refined brewing and drinking experience. It has delicate glass contours designed to leave fines and sediment behind for a clean and delicious cup of coffee.
The Hario Sommelier siphon is easy to maintain as the glass parts are dishwasher safe, and the paper filters are reusable. It has a wide upper bowl to allow easy access for agitation and grounds and a removable carafe bowl for convenience. In addition, this coffee maker has a very comfortable silicone grip that keeps your hand from getting burnt and an optional butane burner to help control the heat better.
Pros
- It has a stainless steel filter
- The paper filters are reusable
- It’s easy to use and clean
- It brews pure coffee
- It has a high-quality finish
- Wide mouth-parts for easy cleanup
Cons
- It is a little costly
Best Japanese Pour-over Coffee Makers
There are two types of pour-over coffee makers; drip and immersion coffee makers. Drip coffee makers brew clear coffee with a rounded flavor that retains its original bean’s subtleties, while immersion makers combine the water and the grounds in a single slurry. Coffee made using these brewers has low acidity. It is notably smooth and sweet and with minimal sediment. It also retains the oils and body from the coffee beans for both hot and cold drip brews.
Pour-over coffee makers have a very stylish aesthetic. They are popular in Japan for the elements of a slow, mindful experience of pouring over your coffee with a kettle, a drip section, and a mug. The kettle is meant to regulate the water flow, and it is made of stainless steel with some aspects of glass or ceramics. The drip section of these brewers has a funnel where the coffee filter and grounds are placed before pouring out the coffee to the mug.
Pour-over coffee makers require patience as you can only make a single cup of coffee at a time, but the coffee made has a very rich and deep flavor and a complex body with minimal residue. These coffee makers are best for brewing dark roasts with nutty and floral flavors, and it allows you to choose how much coffee you want to make, and at what temperature. The following are some of the best Japanese pour-over coffee makers for coffee enthusiasts.
Hario Woodneck Drip Pot
This coffee maker makes it to the top best due to its style, quality, and simplicity, which gives it a super classy look. The Hario Woodneck Drip Pot brews incredibly delicious and smooth coffee, and its affordability makes it a household choice for many coffee lovers, both baristas and beginners. The coffee maker has a cotton filter used for slow extraction of coffee for an impeccable and aromatic flavor. The filter acts as a solution for pour-over brewing, and it does not hold back previous coffee oils, so it can be used more than once.
With this coffee maker, my coffee gets a rich flavor, and it retains the unique, healthy nutrients without me putting in much effort during the process. The Hario Woodneck Drip Pot is suitable for small groups of coffee lovers and solo drinkers who need to step up their coffee game. The coffee made is more aromatic and has a more nuanced flavor, and with a lighter body.
Pros
- It has a reusable cotton filter
- Its spout is convenient to prevent spilling and to pour
- It has a heat proof glass carafe
- It has a wooden filter handle and neck for insulation
Cons
- It is costly
Hario v60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper
This Japanese cone-shaped coffee dripper comes in a variety of colors to match your kitchen décor. It has a large holding capacity and spiral ribbed walls, which allow air circulation to keep the grounds away from the wall for a balanced and more rounded coffee flavor. The coffee maker is affordable, and you can choose to buy the filters and glass coffee server separately. Alternatively, you can buy a glass, metal, or plastic dripper as all three are durable and have great heat retention to allow the temperature to remain constant during brewing.
This coffee maker accentuates the flavor of the coffee further because there is only a paper filter involved which makes cleaning very easy. Like other pour-over drippers, the speed used to brew the coffee affects the flavor and alters the taste, so it’s worth being patient for a deeper flavor. When using the Hario, use the right coffee grounds to avoid coarse coffee with a thin and weak taste.
Pros
- This model comes in three sizes for more holding capacity
- It makes great coffee with a deep flavor
- It allows a lot of control by fluctuating coffee grind and the pour rate
- It is light and portable
- It comes with optional matching equipment like measures and kettles.
Cons
- It costs more than competing copies
- Brewing takes a lot of time
- It is not ideal for making a lot of coffee
Kalita Wave Pour-over Drip Coffee Maker
This coffee maker is also Japanese and has gained popularity in recent years for both baristas and coffee pros. It is in the shape of a cone with a flat bottom and small holes for drainage and regulation of water flow. The Kalita Wave is a development of the v60 with additional features like the built-in flow regulation for a less demanding process and a more consistent brew.
This coffee maker is quite affordable, and many gourmet coffee shops adapt it to make drip coffee. This premier Wave series from Kalita has a patented wave filter and a three-hole design that ensures even extraction, making coffee brewing an interesting part of your day. It is available in stainless steel, ceramic, and glass styles, and its durability is unmatched. The Kalita Wave makes super coffee, and it is a daily brewer of choice with easy use and cleanup.
Pros
- It is easy to use and clean.
- It allows for direct brewing into a cup and mounting on a brew stand
Cons
- It is more or less similar to the v60
- Filters are not included with the package
- The bolts holding the dripper together corrode after sometime
Best Japanese Cold Brew Makers
Cold brewing is another method used by the Japanese to make coffee which results in a delicious cold brew with a unique taste profile and a persistent aftertaste. If you love iced tea, cold brew makers are the ideal choice for you. Cold-brew coffee makes use of the slow drip method to make coffee where the grounds are immersed and left in cold water overnight to steep.
The slow drip method produces bold, less acidic, and fruity flavored coffee, and it is ideal for any type of flavor profile and roast. The cold water use removes the stale notes and the bitter aftertaste, so the final product is smooth and delightful. When coffee is made using cold water instead of hot water, it doesn’t release oils, which means the coffee doesn’t taste bitter and is cold and smooth like you wanted.
Yama Glass Cold Brew Maker
The Yama Cold Brew Maker is ideal for all coffee lovers looking for a brewer for cold drinks. This coffee maker allows for a much faster extraction process, which is convenient for busy schedules and early morning brewing. Yama Glass Cold Brew Maker allows users to bring coffee brewing to the next level with a unique and special construction that allows ice to extract smooth coffee at cold temperatures. This device has a valve adjusted to regulate the drip speed, which ultimately modifies the brew boldness.
The brewer is large enough, and the carafe can hold up to 8 cups of coffee. You can easily adjust the brewing portion depending on how much coffee you brew in a day. The Yama is a stylish coffee maker made with high-quality materials and borosilicate glass parts to brew excellent and delicious coffee. It promises a profoundly flavorsome, floral, fruity, and acidic-free drink within a few hours and is ideal for premium coffee shops worldwide. It has a handmade wooden stand with a classy, mid-century design giving the brewer an old-fashioned and overall quint feel.
Pros
- It has a wooden tower construction
- It does not absorb odors
- It allows an even flow due to the spiral chamber
- Its valve can be adjusted to control the drip frequency
Cons
- Its retail price is a bit high due to the borosilicate glass
- There are design flaws that cause water pressure at the top to change as water drips through
Nispira Iced Coffee Cold Brew Dripper
Nispira Cold Brew Dripper is similar in design to the Yama in several ways. It, however, has fewer straight lines and a stainless steel stand, making it an attractive and charming addition to your countertop. This coffee maker is considered best for brewing size varieties of cold brews, ideal for people who drink a lot of coffee and families looking for a larger cold brew maker.
The Nispira comes in two brewing sizes, allowing you to brew more coffee instantly, and it can produce up to 8 cups of coffee. It has wooden elements which give it a classy and vintage look and a steel frame that ensures more stability and improved durability. The Diaspora is an affordable coffee maker, so you don’t have to strain financially to buy your dream cold brew maker. It has a valve that can be adjusted to regulate the drip frequency for your preferred coffee strength. The stainless steel filter in the middle enhances the flavor of the coffee and prevents any loss from the grounds.
Pros
- It is well made and durable
- The glass is heat resistant
- It has a valve to regulate the dripping
- It makes incredibly good coffee
- It can brew a lot of coffee at once
Cons
- The wooden structure isn’t very sturdy
- The glass breaks easily
- It might not be great value for money
Osaka Glass Cold Brew Coffee Maker
This coffee maker makes it easy to make a cold brew for those days when you just want ice coffee. There is more to making a cold brew than just adding ice to regular coffee, and this coffee maker ensures you don’t end up with a watered-down cup of iced coffee. The process of making straining, saving, and brewing cold brew coffee can be very messy and tedious, which is why this coffee maker is popular.
The Osaka Glass Cold Brew coffee maker comes with a stainless steel filter that’s removable and which holds the coffee grounds you want to use. The coffee maker comes with a dual-function airtight lid design which allows the brew to remain fresh for up to a week, and the design is appealing as it is functional. The coffee maker is ideal for residential use, and it has a very attractive, easy-pour design to prevent spillages. The carafe is made with borosilicate glass which is resistant to heat; thus, there is protection from thermal shock damage. The borosilicate glass also prevents absorption of any scent, residue, and chemicals, resulting in clear, fresh-tasting, and delicious coffee.
The Osaka Glass Cold brew coffee maker is versatile, so you can easily brew hot or cold coffee or tea, as long as you allow either to steep well. The filter is designed to let in the natural flavors and essential oils during extraction while retaining the coffee grounds for a smooth cup of coffee with no bitterness or acidity. If you are looking for a quality Japanese cold brewer, this is a suitable choice that allows you to make your coffee like a pro, and the result is a delicious, concentrated, and perfect drink.
Pros
- It is affordable
- It keeps cold brews fresh for up to a week
- It is easy to use and clean
Cons
- The process is tedious
Every coffee drinker needs to understand the differences in coffee brewing methods and the different coffee makers available in the market today. Brewing a perfect cup of coffee has to do with having the right coffee maker, coffee beans, and using the right method for your preferred taste. The Japanese are attentive to detail. Hence their coffee makers are meticulously crafted to make the brewing process easy for typical baristas and coffee lovers. Japanese coffee makers are unique, aesthetic, appealing, and very interesting choices to keep the coffee culture alive in your home
Why Should I Invest In A Good Coffee Maker?
I used to think the perfect cup of coffee is influenced by only the type of coffee beans used, but the coffee maker plays an important role. Careful brewing of coffee beans and the right coffee maker are guaranteed to give you that perfect, delicious drink. If you are a coffee fanatic, you can easily down coffee at whichever time of the day, so better invest in one of the best Japanese coffee makers.
People consider the quantity of coffee a coffee maker can brew and it’s aesthetic largely when settling for a Japanese coffee maker. The coffee maker sits on the countertop at most times, so choose something attractive to complement the aesthetic of your kitchen. Other coffee pros look for unique features like advanced scheduling and customizing the brew strength, among others.
The Japanese are popular for their attention to detail, which is evidenced in their coffee makers. These coffee makers will ensure you don’t ever go back to taking instant coffee because you will easily brew fresh coffee to satisfy your coffee cravings. Japanese coffee makers produce aromatic, delicious, and lip-smacking coffee, which gives a whole new experience and meaning to coffee drinking.
Brewing coffee at home is one of the best ways to enjoy coffee, and there is tremendous joy and satisfaction after you make the first perfect cup of coffee. The best Japanese coffee maker will enhance your experience and make your coffee brewing and drinking ritual joyous.
