“I recently received my Ratio Eight and Thermal Carafe in Dark Cobalt with borosilicate tank. I had an initial blip in setup operation getting power, but after reseating the plug into the Ratio Eight the third time, the unit has powered correctly ever since. I was aware the dripper would be shipped when resupply stock came in. My shipment was missing the catcher and microfiber towel. After reporting this, Rebecca in Sales/Customer Service promptly responded, and we agreed to have these items sent with the forthcoming dripper. I also wish to compliment Rebecca and Ratio for further contacting me and giving me the option of getting dripper and catcher in soon to be Black option in January, and I am taking that option for my Cobalt unit.
I agree with all that the unit is very attractive and sturdy. I elected to go with the more expensive borosilicate tank and with the Thermal package, this makes for a substantially more expensive package. I have purchased a number of brewers, espresso makers, and roaster (Hottop) over the years. My experience with these has convinced me that enduring high quality and performance products do come at an increased purchase cost.
I had read the reviews ahead or purchasing and noted the concerns of users on the glass carafe staying hot enough, and so elected to pursue the Thermal Carafe package. I have a Chemex and have experienced the heat losing issue with it. I do recommend preheating this carafe, and I do so using the hot water option on my Espresso machine. I then use the hot water in the carafe to preheat my cup ahead.
To date, I have not brewed from a full tank. I have found the half mark on the tank takes nearly 22 oz water. I use a Baratza Preciso grinder paired with a Baratza Esatto digital read out scale grind by weight accessory. For the half tank of water, I have the Preciso at setting 20, Micro Adjustment D, but still adjusting to taste and varying depending on the roast and the beans. I have set the Esatto at 35 grams for the half tank. While awaiting the dripper, I am using a Hario V-60 glass dripper with an Able Kone filter. These have been my pour over tools along with a Chemex at home. I also take the Hario and Able Kone with me camping for use with Portaspresso hand grinder.
My preference in the past has been the Able Kone for the Chemex as well as for the Hario V-60 over Chemex paper filters. I find the Ratio Eight gives me much more consistent results than I was achieving with my Chemex and Hario. I also find it much more convenient and faster during a busy morning as I try to get out of the house. The results are very smooth while still showing the individual flavor notes from the particular coffee bean and roast. As I continue to use and slightly adjust grind, gram setting, and roast for the Ratio Eight, I believe I will get even more distinct flavor profiles from this unit.
While I am giving Very Good, 5 Star rating, for my review, there are two areas I wish were augmented. First is the warranty. The initial warranty was for 10-years, and is now 5-years. For such a premium priced unit, I believe the 10-year option should still be in place, and as a consumer, makes me question why it was reduced. Second, I believe the Ratio Kone filter should be included with the packages, or at least the comprehensive Thermal package. Mark acquired Able Kone business, so the Ratio Kone filter, is really part of Mark's coffee businesses. Again, for such a premium priced unit, I believe it should have been included.”
Thank you so much for the detailed review! We are really glad to hear that you're enjoying the quality of the Eight and Thermal Carafe. A few quick notes:
1. The water tank lines are designed to have roughly 10% more than the amount of coffee to brew, so 44oz for full line and 22oz for half line. Then you yield 40oz and 20oz of coffee after some of the water is absorbed into the ground coffee (the precise amount will vary depending on coffee density, freshness of coffee, etc).
2. Great to hear that you're getting good coffee at the half batch level! Just want to make sure everyone reading this review is aware that the Ratio Kone is specifically designed for brewing up to the 40oz level and will drain faster than the original Kone which you might already own. The original Kone has a black band at the top, and the Ratio Kone has a grey band.
3. We did have a 10 year warranty on the first batch of units specifically because we know that many brand new products can have some issues unforeseen in the development process, despite best of intentions and rigorous QC work. We did not remove any quality out of the Eight when we switched from a 10 year to a 5 year warranty. Rather, based on feedback from retailers carrying the Ratio Eight, and in discussion with our global distribution partners, we decided to proceed with a 5 year warranty. The expected life of the Eight is still the same as the original units, and we specifically design our units to be repairable over the long haul rather than disposable.
4. Not a bad idea to include the Ratio Kone with the thermal carafe package... Will consider this!
Thank you again for this thoughtful review, and please reach out with anything we can do to enhance your ownership of the Ratio Eight.
-Mark
