Fellow Stagg [XF] Pour-Over Coffee Maker Set – Stainless Steel Dripper, 20 oz Double Wall Glass Carafe & 30 Paper Filters, Built-in Ratio Aid, No Plastic Brewing, Matte Black

Why I chose this coffee brewer? I've been trying to get away from my AeroPress which made pretty good coffee but is made of plastic. Plastic (even if it's non-BPA) leaches into the boiling hot water that is needed to make good coffee and it makes me feel unhealthy (though more research may be needed to support my "feeling"). I looked at various options but most of them either had some plastic contact (often with boiling hot water) or had other issues. Moka Express, for example, required heavy pre-cleaning to remove white residue that builds up either due to Aluminum construction or mold during storage. French press is great but it requires patience if you want to drink silt-free coffee. And, I like coffee that has been paper-filtered to remove the oils. So, I just about settled for pour over coffee and was about to buy a Chemex glass carafe until I discovered the Fellow Stagg pour-over brewer. I liked that Fellow Stagg XF claimed to be less tedious than a traditional, conical pour-over design. And, the Fellow Stagg dripper was metal instead of plastic. Brewing experience & cleanup I was pleasantly surprised that the construction quality was top notch. Everything from the ratio aid to the glass jug fits nicely with each other. The cleanup was fast too. The coffee filter stores all the wet, used coffee grinds so you can simply pick it up and throw it in the trash. The coffee filter paper is strong enough to support the wet coffee grinds without breaking and it usually doesn't drip when you're moving it from the dripper to the trash bin. The jug can handle hot coffee nicely. The outside of the jug does get warm but I was able to hold it without oven mitts and pour the brewed coffee into a cup. The glass jug cleans up nicely too even after you let it sit for a while. The metal components just need a rinse if you don't let them sit. The storage is nice and compact because the ratio aid and funnel attach into the dripper and you can put plastic wrapped paper filters into the dripper. Pro tip: buy a gooseneck, fast-boiling kettle that has a temperature gauge. Once you use it, you'll love the precision and it'll make for better coffee every time. Coffee quality The coffee I made was very good and nearly perfect. I like hot drip coffee and this made the best one I've made for myself beating my AeroPress. Some issues 1. The glass jug is deceptively huge! While the measurement says 20oz, the jug can actually hold much more than that. 20oz is near the middle of the jug. The measurements differ wildly for different coffee brewers. In comparison to some other coffee brewers (such as MokaExpress or French press), when Fellow says 20oz, it means way more than 20oz. In hindsight, I should've bought the smaller (10oz version) because I was looking to brew only one cup of coffee at a time. 2. The brewed coffee does not stay hot for long. Even though the glass jug comes with a Silicone gasket, it doesn't keep the coffee hot for more than 5 mins. I recommend brewing just enough so you don't have any left in the glass jug to get cold. 3. The outer surface of the dripper and ratio aid has an annoying texture. This is obviously a minor nitpicking point. The pictures and videos online appear to show a smooth shiny surface which would be pleasant to hold but not so. The outer surface is rough and weird as if someone designed it to be unpleasant, texturally speaking. 4. I expect that the double-wall glass jug, by the nature of it's construction, is going weak on the inside. This means exposing the insides to quick temperature differences or dropping a heavy ice cube would probably break it quick. This is something to be careful about. Overall, I think this is a decent investment in coffee if you like good drip/pour-over coffee that is not a hassle to make or clean up after. And, the best part is the lack of plastic touching boiling water.

I have a fancy super automatic espresso/coffee maker but after being gifted a fellow gooseneck kettle, I decided to give pour over Coffee another try. This pour over system makes delicious coffee. I like that there is no plastic in the coffee making process. I grind my beans fresh to a medium fine setting. I find the dots easy to see. Even decaf coffee taste delicious, and I feel like I’m getting the full aroma extracted from the beans. What initially seemed like a frivolous, it’s extra extraneous purchase has become my daily ritual. I only make coffee for myself though so the carafe is a perfect size for me in the XL size. I am pretty picky about my coffee - for instance I don’t like Starbucks, and will actually refuse to stay at a hotel if I know their coffee is bad. When I travel internationally, I actually bring my own coffee with a pourover. With this, I will actually take the steel pour over top plus a few filters for my international trips.

I have been doing my daily coffee with pour overs for 6+ years. Chemex , V60, meditation etc.... they all have their own taste and "quality". I saw this kit from Fellow (I use their kettle , and love it), so I had to try it. It is intriguing. While being visualize pleasing with the "cool factor" . More importantly, it is a new pour over method with a unique cup. I am using the xf, so it is a 2 cup pour. The shape, hole configuration and size, and filter create a pour over that is also and immersion brewer. Let me explain, the coffee fills the brewer high up. You do the bloom phase. Then we begin to turn a corner. After the bloom, we begin to pour water from the kettle in concentric circles, filling the cup, and continuing to pour as the level drops. Due to the deep and steep walls of the brewer, the coffee sits in the water for several minutes until it is done. Thus bringing elements of an immersion brewer to the cup. The coffee is sweet, smooth and delicious! Consistently! Admittedly, there is a learning curve, but once you get it, you'll enjoy the ride. Plus it's fun. Lastly, if you don't yet have a scale ( get one at some point) you can successfully use this brewer for a great cup of coffee. Included in the kit is a cup that marks with 1 dot and 2 dots ,where you fill the coffee to, this gives you your dose. And the carafe dies the same for your water pour. So you can effectively brew coffee without a scale... I recommend giving it a try, especially if you haven't any equipment yet. Enjoy!

Let's start with the bright side. I'll detail my one gripe about the product down below. I've been doing pour-over at home for 5 years now. I know real coffee experts, and would never call myself one. But I do pay attention and I'm always interested in evolving my game. I've had a Fellow electric kettle for years, and been using their vacuum-sealed Atmos canisters for both beans and tea. They're quite expensive — a bit too much so, even — but they're first-class products. I've also had a Bodum burr grinder for the same time period. (FOLKS: if you want to up your coffee game, GET A BURR GRINDER before you pony up for expensive beans and other equipment.!!! Changes EVERYTHING.) I'd had my eye on this Stagg pour-over kit for some time. Been using Hario for a long time (glass dripper and carafe). I was never UNhappy with them. My only question: a tendency to some stomach acidity after my morning cup. I'd experimented broadly with beans and grind, and nothing seemed to help. I was put off, honestly, by the Fellow price tags: both $99 for the set, then filters which are easily 2x the price of Hario's. Could it possibly be worth that much investment, when I already own really good equipment? I finally decided to take the chance when Amazon had the set on sale, and (as much as I truly do not like abusing Amazon's generous return policy) figured I could always send it back in a pinch. So? Worth it? In a nutshell: YES. Using the same beans and grind, my coffee was immediately smoother, richer, and more resonant — that wonderful echoing aftertaste in your mouth and throat which the serious Chinese tea world knows as hui gan — and.... most importantly.... ZERO STOMACH ACIDITY. Nothing short of revolutionary for me. I'm so glad I followed my hunch. Now. The small downside is this: the glass carafe is obviously quite smooth. I started noticing that, as I picked it up to carry into the living room and pour, my grip was tenuous. My hand would start slipping upwards, especially if it was at all damp (kinda inevitable when brewing coffee). I could see the disaster in the making: one day I'd get distracted by something, and CRASH.... I got lucky: I happened to have a large 1" wide rubber strip which just fit over the lip at the top. So now I have something more secure to grip. Problem solved. But I'd say it's something to watch out for. Overall, again: the set is AWESOME, and I couldn't be happier with my daily coffee.

Full disclosure: I was expecting something more innovative than a pourover... ie something that I could dump a bunch of water in and get a quick, but pourover quality cup. Alas, I was swozzled by the slick design, deluded myself, and missed it is *just* a pourover. That said, all disappointment aside, it does make a really good couple cups of coffee. The funny receiver cup and seal business is functional. The custom filter requirement is a minor drag. The measuring lid and the funnel haven proven useful. These bits I would not buy alone. The whole system does work well, clean up is marginally better, looks nice on the counter, and... I wouldn't recommend spending the money for any of those angles. But...the flask. The real winner here is the flask. The vacuum sealed double wall pyrex keeps the coffee hot for a good long time. Even when life doesn't let me pore over my pourover, I still get a satisfying smoldering cup. It's attractive, effective, and I love it. And the lid helps too. The flask size is good for aeropress or a hario v60. I have even used a titanium v60 filter directly to good effect. It is good kit, highly recommend.

Fellow did a nice job putting this pour over set together. I love the pour over canister — it's small and compact. The minimalist design is on point. It's small, making it perfect for traveling, camping, backpacking. Yet, it's still elegant and robust enough for daily use in the kitchen. The dosing ring and drip cup help keep everything tidy. The carafe is a lovely piece of glass. The double-walled glass keeps the coffee hot while keeping the container safe to touch. And it's so light in the hands, like picking up air. Like the pour over canister, the design is very minimal and svelt. With that design, however, comes a degree of fragility: you have to be careful handling it and storing it. The glass very slick and there are no shapes built into it for a good grip. I feel like careless movement or a bump on my elbow could easily cause me to drop it. So, careful handling is required, but worth it. Overall, solid pour over combination. I think it brews a rich, sweet cup of coffee and handles darker roasts well. Ideal for a single person to use, but could brew for a couple. And it's compact and easy to store. Highly recommended.

I can't drink a lot of caffeine - 2 rounded scoops of a dark roast are my limit. Since I hate weak coffee I use my 2 scoops and 6 oz. of water plus half and half to make one really good cup of French roast every morning, no matter where I am in the world. For decades I switched between Melitta and a French Press. For long business trips with carry on luggage only, I bring a collapsible silicone Melitta or mini filters with a holding stick. For travel by car I take an Aladdin thermos french press. A couple of years ago a granddaughter introduced me to Aeropress, which I often use at home with a milk frother to create something that reminds me of a Paris cafe. Then I discovered the Stagg XF - I cannot overstate the difference it has made to my coffee experience. First, the taste of the French roast coats my entire mouth and is the closest I've ever come to coffee tasting how it smells. I'm guessing it's the flat bottom and multiple holes that more effectively extracts all the flavors of the coffee. Second, I use the same amount of grounds but twice the amount of water to produce this wonderful taste - I could not believe it. 12 oz of better tasting coffee using the same amount of grounds. The Stagg XF has literally doubled my coffee pleasure. Finally, I don't like reheating coffee - the most I'll do is put the microwave on 70% power and heat for about 10 seconds, so the double walled glass carafe is helpful in keeping it warm as I pour out small cups at a time.

The filter is a great design and does a better job of doing coffee than anything else I have tried (including other pour overs, aeropress, French press, keurig and automatic drip). The carafe is nice looking and seems solidly made and easy to clean. 1) there is no handle and it is hard to pick up for anyone with arthritis 2) it doesn’t insulate well so the walls of the carafe are hot when you pick it up , and the lack of a handle is a problem here also 3) the filters are expensive 4) spout is just ok - doesn’t drip terribly but again, for this price it should be better Way overpriced for what it is