BEE HOUSE COFFEE DRIPPER: IS THIS POUR-OVER BREWER FOR YOU?

Enter the Beehouse Coffee Dripper, a dripper that won’t judge you on your pour technique (terrible pun intended).

Photo: Home Brews Coffee

Pour over brewing is so meticulous that mastering it can sometimes feel downright depressing. I’ve been testing out a Bee House dripper recently, and I think it’s the perfect entry point to pour over brewing. In this review, I’ll discuss everything I learned while brewing with this coffee maker so you can decide if it’s the one to get you in the pour over game.

The Full Bee House Coffee Dripper Review

Most pour over coffee makers are known for being simple devices that are complicated to use. The Bee House, on the other hand, is straightforward across the board. It features a flat bottom with steep walls in a wedge-like shape that helps control water flow, taking the pressure off your pouring technique.

This unique design allows for a lot of predictability and consistency – and makes the Bee House a good-looking addition to any kitchen.

How We Rated It

• Aesthetic Appeal
• Ease Of Use
• Coffee Flavor
• Portability
• Value for Money

4.4

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Design And Aesthetics

Despite its name, this ceramic coffee brewer looks nothing like a beehive. Its form is similar to most manual drippers, though to my eye, the Bee House appears more modern and a little organic. 

This flat handle looks like someone pinched a small portion of the lip and stretched it out in a graceful arch. Encircling the base is a large ring that lets you easily set the Bee House on a coffee mug or carafe.

My favorite aspect of the design is that the base of this coffee maker has two windows on either side so that you can watch it drip through and avoid an overflow. 

Material Matters

The Beehouse dripper is a ceramic coffee maker, which ensures excellent heat retention during brewing – provided you preheat it before adding ground coffee (1). This is a crucial step.

There are two sizes available. The large is compatible with #2 and #4 filters and can brew up to about 5 cups. The small size uses #1 filters and is best for one or two servings. It’s available in various colors, from simple white to vibrant primary hues.

Not Made For Rough Travel

As beautiful as that ceramic is, it’s neither as light nor as durable as a pour over made from plastic or sheet metal. So if you are in the habit of bringing your coffee maker everywhere, resign yourself to carrying the extra weight. And be sure to pack it carefully, as the ceramic can chip or crack.

On the plus side, its one-piece construction and manual operation means you can use it almost anywhere, as long as you can boil water and you don’t forget your coffee filters.

The Most Forgiving Pour Over Brewer

Other manual drippers will mercilessly punish you for every mistake, but the Bee House, like a benevolent ceramic angel, was made to guide you down the path to delicious coffee (2).

How, you ask?

Its flat bottom has two small holes to restrict water flow, which helps to even out the extraction regardless of how you pour. Got shaky hands in the morning? No problem! And the Bee House’s steep-walled shape keeps water from creating pockets in your bed of grounds that will throw off the flavor. 

This design makes the Bee House predictable and dependable because you only need to worry about grind size and water temperature – two easily controllable variables. With a little practice, you can reliably assume how each brew will turn out (3). Personally, I prefer medium grind with this dripper.

The trade-off is that the Bee House doesn’t give you the same flexibility and fine control over water flow as other pour overs, especially the Hario V60 and Chemex. So it may not be the best choice for someone who wants total over every aspect of the brew.

Cleaning

Good news for all you lazy cleaners out there! The Bee House Dripper is dishwasher-safe. I usually just rinse mine with hot water to clean it, but I’ll run it through the dishwasher on the top rack every week or so. I’ve yet to encounter a chip or crack.

What Does Coffee From The Beehouse Taste Like?

I’ve spent the past few weeks getting to know the coffee made by the Beehouse coffee dripper. I’ve brewed countless light, medium, and dark roasts and sampled blends and single-origins. I feel like I have a well-rounded picture of its coffee style.

The specific flavor profile depends, of course, on your choice of beans. But in general, the coffee I brewed with the Bee House reminded me of a cross between the Kalita Wave and the Hario V60. 

I noticed beans with brightly acidic notes like ripe berries or citrus were particularly vibrant, making this my go-to choice for light or medium roast single-origins from East Africa.

Value For Money

The Bee House Ceramic is priced slightly higher than some single-cup pour over brewers, like the Melitta Ready Set Joe or the plastic Hario V60. But at around $20, I’d still place it firmly in the affordable category. And the beautiful ceramic construction is well worth the extra few bucks. 

The Bee House coffee dripper takes standard Melitta coffee filters (#1 for the small, #2 or 4 for the large), available inexpensively pretty much anywhere.

If you’re still unsure whether this is a suitable dripper for you, take a look at our table below to see how the Bee House stands against its competitors.

Brand	Zero	Kalita	Hario	Chemex	Origami	HandyBrew	Hario	Goat Story	Hario	Hario
Model	Bee House Dripper	Wave	V60	Chemex	Origami Dripper	Clever Dripper	Woodneck	Gina	W60	Switch
Coffee Style	Pour over	Pour over	Pour over	Pour over	Pour over	Pour over, immersion	Drip pot	Pour over, immersion, slow drip cold brew	Pour over	Pour over, immersion
Shape	Wedge	Flat-bottom	Conical	Conical	Conical	Conical	Conical	Conical + carafe	Conical	Conical
Flow control	Two small holes	Three small holes	One large hole	One large hole	One large hole	Small hole with valve	One large hole	Small hole with valve	One large hole	Small hole with valve
Available sizes	Small (1-2 cups), large (1-5 cups)	155 (1-2 cups), 185 (1-4 cups)	01 (1-2 cups), 02 (1-4 cups), 03 (1-6 cups)	3 cups, 6 cups, 8 cups, 10 cups	Small (1-2 cups), medium (1-4 cups)	One size (1-4 cups)	Small (1-2 cups), large (1-4 cups)	One size (1-5 cups)	02 (1-4 cups)	02 (1-4 cups), 03 (1-6 cups)
Available materials	Ceramic	Stainless steel, ceramic, glass, Tsubame steel	Plastic, glass, ceramic, stainless steel, copper	Borosilicate glass	Ceramic, AS resin	Tritan plastic	Heat-proof glass	Ceramic	Ceramic	Heat-proof glass
Baseplate included	Yes	Yes	Yes	Includes carafe	No	Yes	Includes carafe	Includes carafe and stand	Yes	Yes
Dishwasher safe	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Filters	Standard conical filters	Flat-bottom wave filters	Conical V60 filters	Double-bonded Chemex filters	Standard conical filters	Standard conical filters	Hario handled cloth filters	Standard conical filters	Conical resin mesh	Conical V60 filters
Weight	7.2 oz	5.6 oz	14 oz	21.6 oz	6.4 oz	9 oz	14 oz	49 oz	17.6 oz	17.6 oz
Dimensions	3.5” x 4.5” x 4.5”	2.8’ x 4” x 4.4”	5.5” x 4.7” x 4.0”	8.5” x 5.3” x 5.3”	3.4” x 5.5” x 5.5”	6" x 5" x 6"	3.7" x 3.7" x 6.6"	6.0" x 6.7" x 13.8"	6.2" x 5" x 4.3"	4.6" x 4.5" x 5.2"
Current Price	$23.99	$39.99	$20.00	$49.50	$40.00	$25.00	$28.40	$190.00	$43.50	$44.50
	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE

Don’t Buy The Bee House Coffee Dripper If…

• You’re not sold on a ceramic dripper – Unfortunately, ceramic is your only option for the Bee House dripper. But many of the most popular pour over brewers come in various materials. I suggest the Kalita Wave, which is nearly as user-friendly as the Bee House and is available in stainless steel, plastic, glass, copper, and ceramic versions.
• You want something for travel – Pour over brewers are ideal for travel because they’re so compact, but glass or ceramic versions can easily break in transit. If you want to hit the road with your brewer, try the plastic or metal Hario V60. Or go for that perennial backpacker’s favorite, the Aeropress.
• You want a versatile coffee maker – If the style of coffee you crave changes with the wind, consider spending a little more for a multipurpose brewer. The innovative 3-in-1 Gina coffee maker can brew pour over, immersion, and slow-drip cold brew. And you can upgrade it with an optional smart scale to make it even easier to use!
• You’re sick of paper filter waste – If you’re trying to do away with one-time-use products like paper coffee filters, you will love the Hario Woodneck brewer, which uses a unique cloth filter. Not only does it limit waste, it gives the coffee a distinct depth of flavor. Just keep in mind that cloth filters require special upkeep.

The Verdict

If you’re not a die-hard coffee geek, pour over coffee can become a tiring exercise in patience, but not with the Beehouse Coffee Dripper. The flat bottom, steep wedge-shaped walls, and ceramic body work together to take the pressure off your shoulders. You can whip up a consistently delicious cup of coffee day after day, even if your pre-caffeine pouring technique isn’t quite perfect.

I hope my Bee House Coffee Dripper review helped answer your questions about this coffee maker. If there’s anything else you’d like to know, drop a comment below!