Melitta

The original pour-over dripper, invented in 1908 by German housewife Melitta Bentz. The shape is a trapezoid with a flat bottom and a single small hole; the filter is a wedge-shaped paper that fits inside.

Why it matters — The Melitta is the foundation that V60s, Kalitas, and Chemex all evolved from. Even today, many home brewers still use the original dripper.

Good to know

• Single-hole design means flow is restricted by the filter and bed, which makes timing less critical than with V60s.
• Filters come in two sizes (1×2 and 1×4) — choose to match your dripper.