The short answer
Buy the plastic V60 to start or to travel - it needs no preheating and will not break. Buy the ceramic for a permanent home dripper that holds heat once warmed. Buy the metal V60 only if you want to skip paper and accept a fuller, less clear cup.
Side by side
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Quick picks
The answer first. Tap any row to jump to the full reasoning for that pick.
1. Choose this to start
Hario V60 Plastic Dripper 02
Budget tier · The same 60-degree cone geometry in plastic.
The same 60-degree cone in plastic - no preheating, effectively unbreakable.
The plastic V60 02 has the same 60-degree cone, spiral ribs and single large hole as the ceramic, brewing 1 to 4 cups.
It does not need preheating the way ceramic does, and it is effectively unbreakable, so it travels.
It feels cheap next to ceramic or glass, and plastic will stain over time.
It has no thermal mass, though that matters less than people claim.
Specification
- Geometry
- 60-degree cone, single large hole
- Ribs
- Inner spiral ribs
- Capacity
- 1-4 cups
- Material
- Plastic
What it does well
- Same brewing geometry as the ceramic for a fraction of the outlay
- Does not need preheating the way ceramic does
- Effectively unbreakable, so it travels
Where it gives ground
- Feels cheap next to ceramic or glass
- Plastic will stain over time
- No thermal mass, though that matters less than people claim
Skip it if
Skip it if you want a dripper that looks like an object on the counter. The ceramic does.
2. Choose this for heat retention
Hario V60 Ceramic Dripper 02
Manual tier · The 60-degree cone dripper that defines modern pour-over.
Arita-yaki ceramic that holds heat far better than plastic.
The ceramic V60 02 is Arita-yaki ceramic made in Japan, with the same cone, ribs and single large hole, brewing 1 to 4 cups.
Ceramic holds heat far better than plastic once it is warm.
It needs preheating and can chip.
Like every V60, it is unforgiving: an uneven pour shows up in the cup.
Specification
- Geometry
- 60-degree cone, single large hole
- Ribs
- Inner spiral ribs
- Capacity
- 1-4 cups
- Material
- Arita-yaki ceramic, made in Japan
- Size
- W140 x D120 x H102 mm
What it does well
- The single large hole hands flow control to you rather than the dripper
- Ceramic holds heat far better than plastic
- More published recipes exist for the V60 than for any other brewer
Where it gives ground
- Unforgiving: an uneven pour shows up in the cup
- Ceramic needs preheating and can chip
- Needs a gooseneck kettle to be worth owning
Skip it if
Skip it if you travel with your dripper. Ceramic chips; plastic does not.
3. Choose this to skip paper
Hario V60 Metal Dripper 02
Mid tier · The V60 cast in double-mesh stainless steel, so the dripper is the filter.
A double-mesh stainless V60 where the dripper is the filter.
The metal V60 is double-walled stainless mesh, brewing 1 to 4 cups (300-500 ml), with a removable silicone base.
It needs no paper at all, and its thin metal warms through quickly.
The mesh passes oils and fines, so it loses the clarity a V60 is usually bought for.
The mesh clogs with oils and needs proper cleaning, not just a rinse.
Specification
- Material
- Heat-resistant stainless steel, double-walled mesh
- Dimensions
- W145 x D120 x H90 mm
- Capacity
- 1 to 4 cups, 300-500 ml
- Base
- Removable silicone
- Paper
- None needed
What it does well
- Same 60-degree cone, spiral ribs and unrestricted flow as any other V60
- No paper at all, and nothing to run out of
- Thin metal warms through quickly rather than stealing heat like cold ceramic
Where it gives ground
- Mesh passes oils and fines, so it loses the clarity a V60 is usually bought for
- The mesh clogs with oils and needs proper cleaning, not just a rinse
- Sheds heat faster than ceramic once brewing is underway
Skip it if
Skip it if clarity is why you want a V60. Paper gives you that.
The geometry is the same
All three share the 60-degree cone, spiral ribs and single large hole that hand flow control to you. The material changes the heat and the handling, not the technique - see the V60 review.