The drip brewer market has become a competitive space, with more and more brands wanting to add their mark. There are already some stand-out brewers; the value-packed Bonavita, the feature-filled Breville Precision, and the tried-and-true Moccamaster. So it does beg the question; why another drip coffee maker?
And the answer is that the Ratio Six is not just another drip coffee maker. This brewer has a simple but stunning design and produces a great pot of coffee. It has earned the coveted Specialty Coffee Association tick of approval, which is held by only a handful of brewers. The Ratio Six coffee maker should be on your radar if you are on the market for an automatic drip brewer.
Ratio Six
The Ratio Six is a stunning brewer that is exceptionally well made. While it may lack the features and programmability of other brewers- it performs where it counts- in the cup. The Ratio Six can brew a mean pot of coffee and all with the touch of a single button. If you are after a premium brewer, consider the Ratio Six.
Ratio Six Review
About Ratio
Ratio was born in 2012 out of the desire to improve the humble drip coffee maker. Their goal was to create coffee makers that merged beauty, simplicity, and quality. The Ratio Eight was their flagship brewer, designed to mimic a manual pour-over. This was a stunning brewer and the epitome of luxury; however, it did come with a hefty price tag. The Ratio Six coffee maker is their latest offering, which was launched as a Kickstarter project and then released in 2020.
Specs
Design
As you would expect, the Ratio Six is a beautiful brewer. The modern design features sharp lines and smooth curves reminiscent of Fellow products. As an aside, many users pair this brewer with the Fellow Ode grinder for an insta-worthy brew bar. The Ratio Six coffee maker comes in three sleek color options; matte black, matte white, or stainless steel.
The Ratio Six has a simple design composed of three main parts; the brewer, the filter basket, and the thermal carafe. This minimalism filters down to the operation, with a single button employed to run the machine. While this makes it straightforward to use, the catch-22 is that there are next to no features. There is no auto-on or pause-brew function. There is no ability to adjust different parameters like water temperature or bloom time. The one option you do have is how many cups to brew. The water tank has a sensor, and there are markings on the side to allow you to brew anywhere from 2 to 8 cups of coffee at a time.
Despite the simplicity, Ratio has included many thoughtful elements in the design. The brewer has three lights to indicate the different brew phases: bloom, brew, or ready. The box includes a heat shield that can be used when brewing to keep the coffee piping hot. However, some users report that using the heat shield makes it difficult to slip the brew basket and carafe into place. A drip catcher is included to place the brew basket on after brewing and minimize cleanup. The only frustration users have had is with the water tank opening, which is relatively small. When filling the tank, you have to be careful that the water doesn’t spill everywhere.
Build
The premium build of the Ratio Six coffee maker is one of its stand-out features. This brewer has been built with high-quality materials to stand the test of time. Much of the brewer is composed of stainless steel giving it a hefty weight. The water tank is made with BPA-free plastic with a borosilicate glass water supply line.
In addition to this, it comes with a thermal carafe made of double-walled stainless steel to keep coffee hot for hours. All in all, the Ratio Six is a high-end brewer that is a far cry from the cheap, plastic brewers commonly associated with drip coffee makers.
How does it Brew?
The Ratio Six has passed rigorous testing to achieve the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) certification, which means that this brewer can be trusted to brew well-extracted coffee. In short, for brewers to gain the SCA certification, they must meet the following standards:
In addition to this, the Ratio Six has three key features that contribute to the delicious coffee it produces: a bloom phase, a shower head, and a flat bottomed basket.
Bloom Phase
The Bloom phase is where a small amount of water is released at the start of the brewing process to wet all the coffee grounds. During this stage, the carbon dioxide in the beans is released, causing a blossoming appearance as the grinds expand. This step is essential for well-extracted coffee, as carbon dioxide can prevent the extraction of aromatics and oils in the coffee. In addition, carbon dioxide can impart a sour taste to the brew.
Shower head
The Ratio coffee maker also comes equipped with an impressive stainless steel shower head that distributes water evenly over the grounds. This ensures all of the coffee gets wet and is evenly extracted. In comparison, some cheaper brewers run water through a single hole which means the coffee directly under it gets over-extracted, while coffee at the edge of the basket is under-extracted.
Flat Bottomed Basket
The Ratio Six has a flat bottomed basket which is better when brewing large batches of coffee. If you don’t have your grind size spot on, a flat bottomed basket tends to be more forgiving. In general, a flat bottomed filter will produce a more well-rounded brew with sweetness and acidity but less clarity. While the Ratio Six comes with a flat bottomed filter basket, it can also be used with the Ratio Eight glass carafe and a Chemex paper filter if you prefer pour-over style coffee.
Coffee Quality
The Ratio Six is one of the best filter coffee makers on the market and will brew a delicious pot of smooth coffee. As mentioned above, this essentially boils down to its ability to maintain a stable water temperature and an even flow of water over the coffee grounds during brewing. Both of these factors mean the coffee produced is well-extracted and delicious.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Cleaning the Ratio Six is very straightforward. You throw out the filter and used grounds, then rinse the filter holder, heat shield and thermal carafe, and lid with warm soapy water. The brewer comes with a microfibre cloth to wipe down the outside.
While there is no descale alert, Ratio recommends you regularly descale the machine using their Ratio Machine Wash. This keeps the water tank, supply lines, and carafe clean. They recommend doing this monthly.
Who is the Ratio Six For?
The Ratio Six coffee maker is a premium brewer that is well-built and brews delicious coffee. If you are after a no-frills brewer that looks amazing, then the Ratio Six should be on your list.
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Alternatives
If you have read this review and decided the Ratio Six Coffee Maker isn’t for you, there are a couple of other options.
Bonavita Connoisseur
The Bonavita Connoisseur is a budget automatic coffee maker capable of brewing surprisingly good coffee. It is SCA certified like the Ratio Six and maintains a consistent water temperature during brewing. It also offers a pre-infusion function and has a shower head to disperse the water over the grounds evenly. Given the affordable price tag and delicious coffee it brews, this brewer has gained a following in the specialty coffee world. You will notice that it looks and feels a lot cheaper than the Ratio Six.
Moccamaster
The Moccamaster has long been the gold standard among brewers in the specialty coffee world, and it’s easy to see why. Like the Ratio Six, it has a simple design with few features. It is all about one thing: making coffee that is well-extracted and delicious. The Moccamaster is SCA approved, has a shower head for even saturation and a bloom stage. This brewer has also earned a reputation for longevity, being hand-built from quality materials in the Netherlands. So if you are after a quality coffee maker that will last a lifetime, the Moccamaster is another good option.
Breville Precision Brewer
Finally, if you are a coffee enthusiast and want to customize brews, the Breville Precision Brewer may be more up your alley. This versatile brewer allows you to brew filter coffee, pour-over, cold brew, or iced coffee. In addition to this, it gives you the freedom to customize almost every brewing parameter from water temperature to bloom time to flow rate. The impressive list of features will be the deciding factor on whether or not this machine is suitable for you.
Final Verdict- Ratio Six Coffee Maker
The Ratio Six is a stunning drip coffee maker designed for those who appreciate simplicity and beauty. This machine doesn’t have a stack of features; instead, it is designed to brew a delicious pot of coffee with little skill or effort.
Faqs
The Ratio Six takes either flat bottomed basket filters or a #4 paper filter.
The Ratio Six takes between 5 to 7.5 minutes to brew a pot of coffee, depending on how much water you add to the tank.
Yes- the Ratio Six will turn off automatically after you remove the coffee pot. The “ready” light will blink for 20 minutes before turning off if you forget about it.
