‘Goes where few coffee machines have gone before’: Ratio Four review

The Ratio Four is one of the best coffee makers I’ve ever tested. Actually, no — for me personally, it’s the best. I’m one of those people who loves pour-over, but find it quite laborious to make more than one a day. The Ratio Four isn’t a drip machine in the same way a Moccamaster is a drip machine — it’s an automated pour-over.

With an automatic bloom and hands-free brewing, the Ratio Four makes coffee like a V60, Kalita Wave, or Chemex, without any of the hard work. I can press ‘Start’, go back to my desk and work for five minutes, and after checking a few emails, my coffee is finished. It’s the perfect solution to my everlasting I-want-coffee-and-I-want-it-now dilemma.

If you’re reading this and nodding along, then you’ll definitely want to keep reading this Ratio Four review.

Ratio Four review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Serious coffee lovers who want to optimize their coffee routine without sacrificing flavor
• What does it do well? Somehow manages to balance convenience with taste
• What are its weaknesses? Literally nothing
• What should you use it for? Morning coffee, afternoon coffee, evening coffee…

Ratio Four review: Specs

Ratio Four review: Price & availability

The Ratio Four is available for $279 on Amazon U.S.. The black version seems to be out of stock at the moment, but the white version is equally as gorgeous as the black (pictured).

Despite Ratio describing the Four as “affordable”, I’d say this $279 is the standard pricing for a high-quality drip machine. I’ve tested the $329 Breville Luxe Brewer and the $279 Technivorm Moccamaster, both of which are high-quality machines certified by the Specialty Coffee Association. The Ratio Four doesn’t seem to be technically “certified” by the SCA, but Ratio asserts that it meets the SCA’s standards.

Unfortunately for me, a British coffee lover, the Ratio Four is only available in the States. I tested a U.S. 120V model on U.K. 240V mains using a step-down converter, so be warned if you’re in the U.K. — this particular machine has to stay in your dreams. I’d recommend the aforementioned Sage Luxe Brewer or Technivorm Moccamaster.

Ratio Four review: Design

The Ratio Four is utterly gorgeous. Just look at it. This would look at home in a trendy kitchen, a minimalist cafe, a creative office, and everywhere in between.

The construction is flawless, with smooth, high-quality plastic exterior. It’s not the flimsy, shiny plastic you’d see on cheap Amazon products like the Black + Decker 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker ($33), or even Ninja’s 12-Cup Drip Brewer ($69). This is a matte plastic design, one that oozes professionalism and quality.

The buttons are also delightful. Instead of tacky push-in controls or annoying beeping tones, the Ratio Four uses a touch button and simple, minimalist lights to show you when your coffee is ready. Sure, some people might miss the beeping tone, but personally? I say do away with it.

The provided filter basket uses flat-bottomed filters — you can use Melitta or Ratio’s own brand filters. However, the Ratio Four is also designed to work with Hario V60 or Kalita Wave drippers. I used my Hario V60, and it slotted into the basket well, but I couldn’t fit the carafe. I’d recommend just putting a mug underneath if you choose to do this, but personally, I’d just stick to the provided basket.

Ratio Four review: Performance

As you might expect from its appearance, the Ratio Four is a minimalist, straightforward brewer. Forget programming pre-infusion or brew time — you just press the single button and go.

A full-capacity, 20-ounce serving took 6 minutes and 48 seconds to brew. A one-cup serving took just 3 minutes and 25 seconds to brew.

This minimalist operation means it cannot “keep warm”. As the Ratio Four isn’t a traditional drip machine — more like an automatic pour over machine — this isn’t a major problem. You wouldn’t reheat a V60, so why would you reheat this? Some users might want to check out the Breville Luxe Brewer or Technivorm Moccamaster for their “keep warm” settings.

In terms of flavor, boy oh boy does the Ratio Four excel. This brewer creates the delicate, complex, nuanced flavor of pour-over with the ease and speed of a drip brewer. It brews between 195°-203°F, which is ideal for coffeemaking.

Want pour-over five times a day but can’t be bothered to make V60 every time? Ratio Four. Been using Keurig or Nespresso but want coffee that actually tastes good (shade very much intended)? Ratio Four. Got a coffee snob in your life who sneers at everything you drink? Ratio Four.

I used artisan, medium-ground, natural-washed El Salvadoran beans with notes of chocolate and hazelnut. The nutty aroma came through immediately, with the soft caress of warm chocolate to round it out.

My colleagues — who are the control tests at this point, as they drink every coffee I make — loved the Ratio Four. My colleague Harry said, “It has a refined taste with no bitterness, and a very smooth mouthfeel.”

This is a drip brewer for serious coffee lovers. The Ratio Four goes where few drip machines have gone before — sophisticated enough to excite even the most fastidious coffee shop hipster. If you’re familiar with coffee bean varieties and the phrases “pre-infusion” and “optimal flow rate” don’t scare you off, this is the machine for you.

Ratio Four review: Storage & maintenance

As the Ratio Four has a small footprint, it would fit into any kitchen, no matter how small. As long as you’ve got one countertop free, you’ll be able to slot the Ratio Four in somewhere. I love the removable water tank — this should be a feature on all compact coffee makers.

Storage aside, you’ll need flat-bottomed filters if you use the default basket. Ratio’s own filters are $10 for 100, which is $3 cheaper than Kalita Wave’s flat-bottomed filters, $13 for 100. I used Melitta filters, which cost £3 for 80.

In terms of cleaning, the Ratio Four is pleasantly easy to clean. All you have to do is clean the (removable) water tank, descale every so often based on your area’s water hardness, and of course, clean the filter basket and glass carafe every time.

Ratio offers a five-year warranty on the four, which is fantastic. This is the same as Technivorm’s warranty on the Moccamaster, and better than Breville’s one/two-year warranty.

Ratio Four review: How does it compare?

Although not technically SCA-accredited, the Ratio Four can go head-to-head with those that are. I much prefer the flavor of the coffee on the Ratio Four to the Breville Luxe and Moccamaster, likely because I enjoy the softer pour-over notes rather than strong drip coffee.

So if, like me, you prefer pour-over but often find yourself short on time, then I’d recommend going for the Ratio Four over a more traditional brewer.

The most affordable SCA-licensed drip brewer is the Braun MultiServe Coffee Maker, which is $269, so just $10 cheaper than the Ratio Four. It’s worth noting that the Braun option doesn’t look anywhere near as sleek as the Ratio, but it does brew almost double the volume in one go and can make cold brew.

As I said earlier, though, the Ratio Four isn’t like other drip brewers. It’s not your bang-average diner-inspired coffee-as-black-as-my-soul machine. It’s a pour-over, but automatic. This is for true coffee aficionados.

Ratio Four review: Verdict

If you want coffee that tastes like pour-over but is as easy as drip, then look no further than the Ratio Four. This is the automatic coffee maker for true coffee snobs (like me).

I really can’t fault this machine — it’s beautiful, it’s fast, it’s easy to use, and it brews a mean cup of Joe. It’s completely hands-off, but with none of the undesirable coffee flavors you might expect from commercial drip machines. No bitterness. No oily surfaces. No burned notes. Just pure, high-quality, classy coffee.

So if you’re one of my self-professed coffee snobs, then you won’t be disappointed by the Ratio Four. I know I wasn’t.