“There is no coffee machine the Ratio Six’s equal in this price range, period! My first exposure to great coffee at home was around 2007 with a Technivorm Moccamaster, my first Baratza burr grinder, and fresh Stumptown roasted coffee beans from Portland. What I liked about the Technivorm then was the brewing cycle: temperature range 195 - 205, pace of cycle, brewbasket, etc. Then a few years ago I was exposed to the introduction of the Ratio Eight development project. On paper it sounded amazing and much better looking than the dated Technivorm coffee makers. I had to wait about a year due to Ratio being a new company, their first product design, needing capital, manufacturing challenges, etc. My long wait was well worth it. I have been using my Ratio Eight for about 3 years now, the coffee it produces is better than the Technivorm, the looks are amazing in our kitchen, and it’s built to last decades. Our guests are always impressed by the machine on our counter and the coffee that we serve.
When I read about the Ratio Six product introduction and price point, I knew that Ratio would eventually win over Technivorm owners across the globe. My adult children all love high-end specialty coffee along with beautiful product design like their dad. I had to get a Ratio Six to see if for myself.
When I first unboxed the Ratio Six, it was just as impressive of an experience as when I unboxed my Ratio Eight years ago or my latest Apple MacBook Pro 16 that I unboxed in December. When you buy a product of this high caliber, you just expect the experience to be great from the inboxing on. They nailed it.
It’s immediately obvious that the quality of materials, the visual design, the product itself is “top shelf”. The second thing I noticed is that the product design language is the same as the Ratio Eight but every ounce of fat has been trimmed off. This size will be better for many kitchens that just can’t devote the space that the Ratio Eight needs to look great.
Every bit of the technical design built into the Eight is in the Six. It still is “one touch” simple, includes the bloom cycle, same 1,400 watt boiler for the perfect temp, pour-over-level shower head design. Still superior design to the Technivorm Moccamaster but in the same price range, and much better looking.
I just made my first pot and it was everything I expected. Ratio added a nice steam ring that optionally will get rid of most of the steam and hold the heat in for a hotter pot of coffee. I personally leave the ring off so that I’m able to watch the Ratio do its magic automated pour-over including the bloom cycle.
What an amazing accomplishment for the young Ratio company and team. These young guys are making a difference in the coffee world that is bound to go international. I highly recommend the Ratio Six for anyone wanting to upgrade to pour-over quality specialty coffee made at home from a beautiful piece of machinery.
This new Ratio Six is going to my daughter who just moved out recently to her first place. This machine is perfect size for her smaller kitchen. I will stick with my Ratio Eight as long as I have the space.”
“Just received my 6 which replaces my 8. Wow! incredibly elegant and perfect in our kitchen.
Most noticeable is the heat of the coffee out of the carafe. Never before have I been able to pour coffee at the correct temperature and that includes my Technivorm that I used prior to the 8. Great taste and so happy with the 6”
“This is my first ever coffee review so here goes.....first I want to say I've been a French press girl forever so I was a little hesitant about ordering. I pre-ordered the ratio 6 originally. As November sales came, I actually decided to upgrade to the ratio 8. On Christmas, I opened my ratio 8 super excited! I did notice it was a bit big in my kitchen but I still loved it. On the second day, water was coming out of the bottom of the machine all over. I was soooo bummed because it got rave reviews. I also want to say that I thought the coffee wasn't that hot in the borosilicate glass so was disappointed about that too.
I reached out to Ratio and they offered to ship out the six to me (which was what I originally ordered). Mark got right back to me and their customer service is the best! He said the thermal carafe comes with the six and it would be hotter than the ratio 8 with borosilicate glass.
So last week I received my ratio 6......I love it! It works great and it's 3" smaller than the 8 so looks perfect in my kitchen. The coffee is hot and I love the drip plate. The only thing I would say (and I'm being picky) is that the carafe is a bit clunky and doesn't pour the best. Again this is coming from a French press person so take it with a grain of salt:)
I can't say enough about their customer service and I would definitely recommend the ratio 6 to everyone who's contemplating spending the money!!”
“I have used the Ratio 8 for almost 4 years now. When I was notified about the Ratio 6 coming out i was intrigued so I ordered it several months ago. I was having some issues with the Ratio 8 surface discoloring but did not want to send it back until I got the six because it still makes the best coffee I have ever brewed. Now that I have the 6, I am not sure of the last statement. To me the six is as good as the 8, the coffee is even hotter than the 8 and for my kitchen the design is more appealing. I cannot say anything bad about the 6, it makes as good as coffee as the the 8, looks better and the overall footplate is slightly smaller. I would highly recommend the Ratio 6 or the 8 if someone is inclined to spend a little more money or thinks that the design is a better fit in the kitchen but I cannot tell the difference of the brewed coffee. Once again both products produce great coffee”
“For nearly a decade now I've been conducting my own poor-over every morning, which, as you can imagine, takes a bit of time and focus. I finally sprung for a machine that performs the same function. The main element I was looking for was one that replicates the blooming process the same without having to carefully hover over the grounds, meticulously pouring (not too much) just the right amount to wet the beans.
I am pleased to find the final flavor of my pour-over is just as delightful with the Ratio 6 as it was when performed by hand. Plus that beauty, though!!! So sleek and sexy. I also ended up purchasing a glass carafe for my everyday single cup purposes. And I'll use the larger, metal pot for when I have guests and need to store larger amounts for longer periods of time. All in all, I love it and highly recommend purchasing this unit.”
“I've been following Ratio since it began, and was excited when they released the Ratio Six. My wife and I are diehard pour-over people, and have been using that as our morning routine for the last ten years. But kids came, and we wanted something that produced the same outcome as a pour over without the need to heat water and wait for successive pours before our much needed caffeine was ready in the morning!
This is what initially drew our attention to the Ratio. The push button pour over process is why we bought the machine. You could say, when it arrived on our doorstep, we had been waiting for a decade. And our anticipation was not disappointed. This is a fantastic product.
First, it is aesthetically beautiful. The stainless steel finish is flawless and sleek. There is heft to the removable water canister top, as well as the carafe. They feel solid, and I love that feeling. If you are like us, and like the look of stainless -- this is an artistic addition to your collection of countertop appliances. I enjoy just looking at it!
Second, the Ratio 6 is simple, but it's simplicity does not sacrifice taste. Having come to expect the taste of a pour over, I was wondering if the convenience of the Ratio Six would cost me in taste. I'm delighted that it hasn't. Even if I needed to adjust the water to grounds ratio to replicate what I like (which I didn't), I can easily do that with Ratio's setup.
Third, this machine is designed for those who like clean (which I do). The slide in tray that houses the grounds and filter is easy to remove, dump, and rinse. No drips, no grounds spilling. There seems to be no place where residue can build up or hide. I love that there is no heating element in the base like you would find in other machines. The water dispenser completely uses all the water every time, which means there's no water sitting around in the tank, leading to buildup down the line. Included is a drip tray (great idea!) which you can set either under the drip once you've removed the carafe or under the grounds basket after you're done with the brew (my preference).
Fourth, and most importantly, the Ratio Six makes a delicious cup of coffee, and the carafe keeps it hot for a while. We've been glad we made the investment, and we've already packed up the old pour over. If you're looking for an automatic coffee preparation technique that tastes like you put time and energy into it, then I recommend the Ratio.
Oh, and one more small, but significant thing. The fact that you don't have to wash anything before you brew the first time illustrated how the designers thought through every aspect of your coffee routine. The Ratio Six minimizes inconvenience while delivering simple, usable, yet elegant quality.”
“Hello:
Wanted to share some thoughts with you regarding the lovely Ratio Six. I really thought I would miss my beloved Wilfa Precision Coffee Maker which stopped working. I waited and waited for this machine while I was mourning my beloved Wilfa.
Tho and behold…..this lovely machine is worth the wait and so far very well crafted.
The slick decision and the thermal carafe are a dream.
There are not too many pieces to deal with and the little dish to hold the basket is a real treat.
You thought of everything!
Thank you!
With appreciation”
“Ratio Six: A pre-production model review
Before you read this review, I need to make a couple of things clear:
- I own a coffee equipment company that distributes the Ratio 8.
- This is based on a pre-production version of the Ratio 6.
- We test many items for our suppliers - some that never make it to market, and the reason that we do is we are brutally honest with our feedback. We won’t sell what we wouldn’t use ourselves.
- Rather than go into technical details, I’m going to stick with usability and output for this review.
The Ratio 8 is the brewer that we use in our office every day - in fact, even our warehouse demanded that we give them their own 8 to have for themselves so they didn’t have to wait for great coffee from the office. Why is it the brewer we use?
- it makes great coffee
- it’s simple to use
- it looks beautiful in the showroom (and now in the warehouse)!
- It requires no intervention from anyone to get the best coffee after loading the water and the coffee
- It’s super high quality
This is, of course, not a review of the Ratio 8 but it I wanted to share what we were benchmarking it against.
Out of the box, it’s clear that changes have been made aesthetically, and from a materials perspective, to meet a much more competitive price point and to separate it from its more expensive big brother. However, even in this early form, it looks and feels like a high quality coffee brewer save a few pre-production issues that I will come to later.
The Ratio 6 consists of the brewing unit itself, a thermal carafe with lid, a flat bottomed brew basket (a significant change from the 8), a drip tray/stand for the brew basket, and one more piece that is designed to elevate the coffee quality output even further. More on that to come.
This machine is designed to make brewing coffee simple and, for that, it gets a serious thumbs up. It’s super easy to set up and straight forward to use: put the water in the tank, the filter and coffee in the basket, press the single button on the base of the unit and wait for the coffee to brew. Brew time is on par with other brewers at ~6 min mark for a full 40oz pot of coffee. There was no learning curve for anyone in the office - even the tea only drinkers!
Thoughtful touches make a difference with the 6. For example:
- a drip tray/stand for the basket that not only stops any dripping after brewing, but proves a great place to set your filter and coffee with minimal mess and fuss. If you like pre-wetting your filter before adding coffee, I also used it to catch the pre-wet water in making that process a little more accessible, although you can also do this over the carafe if you want to preheat that as well.
- a removable power cord with a cord from the plug that goes into the machine come out of the plug at a 90 degree angle, rather than straight out allowing you to put your 6 closer to the back of your counter.
- and, finally, the extra piece that I mentioned earlier…
It’s a neat little accessory that they call the heat shield. Now you don’t have to use this but it sits on the top of the brew basket, and surrounds the shower head during the brew cycle, maintaining a high temperature, increasing extraction and providing even more delicious coffee.
So far so good then compared to the 8: a better price, good (but different) looks, a smaller footprint, great tasting coffee - arguably as good as 8 - and potentially more forgiving to varying grind and dose. making it more consistent, due to the flat bottom basket.
But there are a few things that I would like to be developed further:
- The shower head needs a little more fine tuning as it doesn’t entirely saturate the bed all of the time.
the plastic finish looks more suited to a cheaper coffee brewer but this is due to this being ‘straight out of the tool’ - basically raw plastic.
- There could occasionally be more condensation on the brew head than I would like during brewing (the heat shield has another positive effect of eliminating this).
- The carafe keeps the coffee hot but I’d like the pour to be smoother. Compared to other thermal carafes, especially when getting emptier, it’s as good, but I’d love it to be better.
- Some of the joints weren’t perfect but that’s to be expected in this version.
- You can’t change any brewing parameters: this is a positive for most users as it makes it easy to use but hardcore coffee enthusiast would love to play with the details…
After talking to Ratio I was told that all of these issues have been addressed in the final version with the exception of the carafe. One of the most important notes - the saturation - has been addressed by adding more holes to the shower head and I have been assured that the bed saturation is now amazing!
Whilst it’s as good as anything else I’ve used (apart from the 8), the thermal design of this style of carafe requires an upside down pour to get the final coffee out of the jug. Regarding changing the brew parameters, maybe we’ll be lucky with a future version!
Overall, I like the 6. A lot. I love the 8 for different reasons but it’s definitely at a premium price point.
The 6 sits squarely in Technivorm Moccamaster territory and, in all honesty, it makes better coffee easier and has a more modern design. Will it displace the 8 at the office? Only time will tell. But If I couldn’t justify a Ratio 8, this is would be next on the list.
Once I get my hands on a production version, I'll give an update and if all of the pre-production niggles have been resolved, I would expect a 5 star rating!”
