KONE COFFEE FILTER REVIEW: A FRESH TAKE ON POUR OVER BREWING

The Able Kone metal filter takes your pour-over coffee to another level, delivering a robust and complex brew.

Are you tired of wasteful paper coffee filters? Or craving a pour-over brew with a heavier body and fuller mouthfeel? Either way, the Able Kone coffee filter is the answer. 

When I reviewed the Able Kone a few years ago, I had only one complaint. I’m happy to report that the new 4th edition of this metal filter not only addresses that problem but solves a few others I hadn’t even noted. It was a great buy back then, and it’s a better buy now!

In this review, I’ll describe my experience with the Kone, including why it costs more than many metal filters and why it’s worth it.

A Full Review of the Able Brewing Kone Filter

Now under the umbrella of high-end coffee machine manufacturer Ratio, Able Brewing started with a simple concept (1). The goal was to make a reusable metal filter for a Chemex that offered the clean cup the brewer is known for and the robust body and flavor of a French press brew. Let’s find out how they did.

How We Rated It

• Design
• Coffee Style
• Build Quality
• Cleaning
• Value for Money

4.6

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What Is The Able Brewing Kone?

The Able Brewing Kone filter is a reusable metal coffee filter. It’s made from a single sheet of perforated stainless steel wrapped into a cone shape and topped with a plastic rim. The design is simple but functional, and it works perfectly.

Updates to the 3rd edition were focused on user experience, and they remain in model four. They added the plastic rim for greater stability sitting in your coffee maker and swapped the original pointed tip for a safer blunt tip.

The new changes to the 4th edition are even more exciting because they impact coffee flavor. Most notably, the hole pattern and density have been revised to improve water flow and minimize channeling. 

When I tested the older and newer models side-by-side, the difference was surprisingly obvious in the cup! I had tasters blind-test both brews, and most described the coffee from the newer Kone as “richer” or “more full-flavored.”

A Design Issue Addressed!

One issue I mentioned when reviewing the Able Kone 3 was that because the perforations extended to the top of the cone, there was a risk of bypass – water flow escaping through the sides without contacting the coffee. The problem was easily solved using properly attentive brewing techniques, but I’m happy to see Able has addressed it regardless.

The perforations still extend high on the Kone, but in the new hole pattern, they are less dense at the top than the bottom, minimizing bypass even if you overfill the water. That said, I still recommend brewing any pour over with appropriate care and attention.

Size And Compatibility

The original Able Brewing Kone measures 4″ tall with a 5⅛” diameter. It is compatible with 6, 8, and 10-cup Chemex brewers, the Origami dripper, and many other conical pour-over coffee makers.

You can also use it with the Moccamaster Technivorm, Bonavita, and Ratio 8 coffee makers – premium coffee machines designed to mimic the action of a barista preparing a pour-over (2).

Following the original’s success, Able has expanded its line-up to include the Able Kone Mini, Able Disk, and Able Basket.

• The Kone Mini brews with the Hario V60 02 pour-over brewer and measures 3″ tall with a 4″ diameter. 
• The Able Disk is sized to fit in the Aeropress coffee maker. It’s available as Standard or Fine, the latter of which is more delicate, at about one-third the thickness of the Standard disk, and yields a sweeter, cleaner cup of coffee with fewer fines.
• The Able Basket is the newest release. It’s designed for use in standard 8-12 cup automatic coffee machines with flat-bottom basket filters.

Coffee Style And Flavor

The coffee brewed by the Able Kone hits a sort of middle ground between French press and pour-over. It has a heavier body and more oily mouthfeel than coffee brewed with a paper coffee filter – particularly when compared with the notoriously thick double-bonded Chemex filters. However, it still keeps the qualities many people enjoy about a percolation-style brew (3).

The laser-cut metal of the Able Kone lets less coffee sediment through than the average metal mesh filter. And because it is a drip method rather than an immersion process, the flavors are crisper and more complex than a typical French press brew.

The result is a rich and flavorful happy medium sure to appeal to plenty of specialty coffee lovers.

Kone Vs Clever Dripper

It’s worth going on a slight tangent to compare the coffee brewed by the Kone filter against another brewer that claims to pair the best of immersion and pour-over brewing styles: the Clever Dripper. 

The Clever Dripper takes an opposite strategy from the Kone filter. It keeps the steep of an immersion brew but filters the resultant coffee through a paper filter. You get the robust flavors of an immersion brew with none of the coffee oils. It produces a cleaner cup with a lighter body and less nuance than the Kone.

Even Better Longevity From Version Four

The Able Brewing Kone filter is nothing more than a laser-cut sheet of stainless steel wrapped into a cone shape, so it’s virtually indestructible. 

The Kone is much longer lasting than a typical metal mesh permanent filter. It will never rust or warp, and it would take some serious effort to crush it. Short of backing over it with your car, which I don’t recommend, it’s safe to say you’re not going to damage the Able Kone or Able Kone Mini.

The Kone is certified food-safe, including the BPA-free plastic rim. It’s designed in Oregon but produced in China, like most everything else these days.

The Fine version of the Able Disk is quite delicate. This is by design, as the delicacy allows it to produce such a subtly sweet brew, but it’s worth keeping in mind that it can easily be bent or damaged. So treat it carefully, especially if you use your Aeropress for travel or camping like I do.

Cleaning Is Easier Than You’d Expect

Many people avoid reusable coffee filters because of their extra clean-up step, but cleaning the Able Kone is nearly as easy as tossing a paper filter in the compost. Unlike a traditional mesh filter, you never end up with a bunch of ground coffee clogged in the holes.

The new edition is even better than the last in this regard. With the updated hole pattern and better seam joint, I haven’t spotted a single trapped ground in weeks of use. And the improved polished finish rinses clean even easier than the older model.

Just knock the used ground coffee into the garbage and give the filter a quick rinse with water. Once a week or so, I like to give it a more thorough wash with soapy water to ensure no coffee oils are building up in the holes. It’s also dishwasher-safe, if that’s your preference.

Incredible Quality Comes At A Price

The Able Brewing Kone is one of the more expensive coffee filters on the market – around $40 for the Original and $35 for the Mini – but that doesn’t mean it’s not good value. In my opinion, it’s well worth its price for brewing specialty coffee. 

For starters, it is a cut above a more common metal mesh filter in terms of how long it lasts and how easy it is to clean. You’ll likely never need to buy another, and the quick clean-up means you waste less time in the morning. 

Whether it is also a cut above in coffee quality comes down to personal taste. But it indeed yields a cleaner and more refined coffee cup when compared with something like a Gold Tone filter.

If you’re a regular coffee drinker, the Able Kone will pay for itself in the long run as you no longer have to buy paper filters – especially the expensive Chemex filters. Plus there’s the added environmental benefit of avoiding disposable single-use filters.

Don’t Buy the Able Brewing Kone Coffee Filter If…

• You brew with the Kalita Wave: The Able Kone is not compatible with the Kalita Wave, a pour-over dripper named for the unique wave-shaped filters it requires. There are currently no metal filters on the market designed to fit the Wave. However, if you’re looking for a semi-permanent filter option, there are cloth filters explicitly designed for the Kalita Wave.

• You prefer the cleaner cup: If you like the clean taste and light body of pour-over coffee filtered through paper, paper filters are the only way to go. If the environmental impact is of concern for you, ensure you have access to compost to dispose of them sustainably.

• You want a budget option: The old standard Gold Tone reusable mesh filters remain a great affordable option. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, though they brew a slightly less refined cup than the Able Brewing Kone. And, in my experience, they’re more of a hassle to clean.

The Verdict

The Able Kone coffee filter delivers impeccable pour over coffee with a richer flavor and fuller body than a traditional paper-filtered brew. It’s a wonderful happy medium and an easy way to refresh your coffee routine and explore new flavor profiles. 

What’s more? It’s environmentally friendly, easy to use, and will save you money in the long run. It may be a little pricier than the average, but in my opinion, it’s absolutely money well spent!

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