Origami Coffee Dripper Review

I have been using the Origami (M) Coffee dripper for a little over 2 weeks now. Prior to the Origami, I was using the Hario V60 02 and the Kalita Wave 185. Since getting and trying out the Origami Dripper it has become my daily driver coffee maker.

Aesthetics

I think it is important to point out how beautiful it is to look at. If I didn’t know anything about coffee and I saw the Origami dripper I would not think of it as an “appliance”. It looks more like a piece of art. It would not look out of place sitting on a fancy end table next to a crystal horse (I don’t know how fancy people decorate their homes). There is no surprise to see it all over Instagram due to its excellent aesthetics. To some, this is a big plus, for others they couldn’t care less. Personally speaking, I love it. It being so pleasant to look at and work with makes me want to use it more. It gets me excited to make coffee.

The big question though is, does it sacrifice function for looks? I can say with confidence that it does not. If anything it has more options than a lot of its competitors because of its design. Due to the rippled cone shape, the Origami Dripper will accept any conical champed filters like the Hario V60 and it will accept Kalita Wave filters as well. Let’s break down and do direct comparisons to these drippers.

Origami vs V60

I have been using the Hario V60 02 as my daily pour-over coffee maker for about 2 years now. It is an amazing product at an excellent value. The V60 is an easy recommendation to anyone on a budget looking to get into the world of pour-over coffee, but maybe I can persuade some of you to consider the Origami.

From my testing of the Origami, I cannot say I taste or notice any discernible difference between it and my V60 when it comes to the coffee they produce. The one noticeable difference is the Origami finishes brewing faster than the V60. I suspect this is due to the ridges and the slightly larger opening at the bottom. All in all, I am basically saying the Origami dripper in my experience ends up being a fancier V60 with faster brew times.

Does that make it better? I would have to say yes. Being able to use all the V60 techniques the same way I learned them and getting used to them without missing a beat is a big plus. The faster brew times are also a plus. The flavours in the end being almost indistinguishable makes the faster brew just a convenient timing bonus.

If you already own and enjoy using a V60 should you now rush order an Origami? No, if you are happy with it and aesthetics mean little to nothing to you then there is not much reason to rush over to the Origami. But if you are feeling up for a flashy upgrade then I say why not? Also if you don’t have a V60 and you are willing to splurge a bit the Origami is a great option for you as well. To my Instagram ballers who are all about the Ascetics, don’t forget to choose overnight shipping.

Origami Vs Kalita Wave

The comparison here is much more varied than it was with the V60. The Kalita Wave papers do fit and work well with the Origami but due to the drastically different design of Kalita Wave itself, you won’t find the result in the cup being similar. The flat bottom of the Wave with its 3 hole design restricts water flow much more than most cone-shaped brewers. When I first used the Kalita Wave the thing I noticed is how it caused a sort of immersion effect to its restriction of the water flow. Allowing your water and coffee to sit together for a bit longer before drawing through.

I also found how the Kalita Wave was a very consistent and easy-to-use brewer. You don’t have to worry as much about technique and can even default to just pouring consistently into the middle of your grounds. Due to its water retention and flat bottom, your grounds will get equally saturated regardless of technique. The Kalita Wave is a great brewer for people newer to pour-over brewing or for people who don’t want to mess about and just want a good consistent cup of coffee.

Now how does this all work with the Origami? Due to the conical design of the Origami, the flat bottom Kalita Wave paper sits away from the bottom of the dripper. The Origami also having a single larger hole rather than 3 small holes changes the favours in the cup. The change isn’t drastic. For me, it's one of those things you need to compare side by side to really tell but even drinking separately it is obvious that there is a difference. From what I can tell the Origami with Wave papers produced a full body with slightly more sweetness. I can’t say clarity was as high as using the Kalita Wave itself and the Origami did require more control and consistency when it came to your brewing technique vs the Kalita Wave.

Overall this isn’t an obvious one-to-one for me like it was with the V60. Both these brewers can use the same papers but the results are noticeably different. If you were hoping to get a V60 and a Kalita Wave in one with the Origami this isn’t it. But you do still get two brewers in one with the Origami. The Kalita Wave filters give you a drastically different result from a cone-shaped filter. The Kalita Wave filter paper can also be experimented with in ways you can’t with other brewers including the Kalita Wave itself. Use things like your finger or a chopstick to change the shape of the filter bottom. This from my tests does give the cup noticeable changes.

Final Verdict

The Origami Coffee Dripper is equal parts beauty and function without sacrificing either. It was something I bought on a whim simply to try out and it has become the center of my coffee setup and my most used coffee brewer. I have gotten some of my best cups of coffee out of it and it is a joy to use and look at. It does cost more than most of the other popular brewers on the market. You can get a V60 02 and a Kalita Wave 185 with papers for each and save a few dollars vs the Origami. If money is tight or if you are still working on your technique then the Origami won’t instantly brew better coffee for you. That being said if it fits into your budget you are just starting your coffee journey or a seasoned pro I don’t think you can go wrong with the Origami.

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