“Perfect and precise brew. Nice to look at. The wait and $ was worth it. Lots of gurgling noise and aroma production for the senses. Needs a thermal carafe.”
“Ratio Eight Review
It was a great Christmas Eve 2014 for me. Mark Hellweg, the mastermind behind the new Ratio Eight Coffee Machine delivered me the very first machine off the production line for me to test. A bit of luck came my way because I wasn't scheduled to be first but I just happened to be close enough. The few people before me had left town for the holiday'.but I was staying home'Ha Ha
The box came wrapped with a large sleeve with print representing the basic blueprint of the design'really cool looking. I pulled off the sleeve and instantly noticed that even the structure and design of the box was high quality. I knew then that no expense had been spared.
The first thing that caught my eye was the natural Oregon Black Walnut rails. As I lifted it out I couldn't help but be impressed by the weight' a very solid machine. The combination of style and strength are unmatched by any coffee maker I've ever seen. You definitely don't want to drop this baby on your toe!
I cleared out the best space in my kitchen so that it can be seen'yes it is that impressive looking. After plugging in the unit, I filled up the Chemex style carafe to brew my first pot. The clear glass reservoir has fill line indicators so you know the correct amount of water but the carafe does not. You'll need to dump the excess water after filling the reservoir to match amount you wish to brew'no big deal.
As promised the machine was very easy to use. After putting my fresh ground coffee in the filter and placing the carafe, it was just one soft push to start the process. The water begins to heat up and you can see bubbles circulating though one of the two glass tubes located in the reservoir. After the bloom cycle begins, I notice the shower head; it looks like it has over 20 points of distribution over the grounds. It saturated the grounds completely, perfect!
After the brew cycle completed I was ready to taste. Full discloser'I have been a coffee cupper in the industry for more than 30 years and I'm very opinionated'LOL. I was not disappointed, the liquor was thick and the temperature is perfect. I brewed one my favorite, Kenyan Estate coffees and everything came through, just as if I was brewing my usual slow pour method.
Now that I've had a couple of month before reviewing the brewer, I have only one problem. There is no warmer plate so the coffee goes cold. You don't want to forget and come back 15 -20 minutes after the brew cycle, it will not be hot enough. I'm personally not a fan of warmer plates that eventually burn the coffee but I don't like cold coffee either. I could pour the coffee in to a thermal carafe assuming I don't forget before the brew cycle end's but that's not going to happen with me, I will space that out. I'd miss the elegance of the glass server but I need it to brew into a thermal carafe. I've heard this will be an option'now the best best brewer ever!
Brian Dibble”
“We just received our Ratio for our office. We immediately put it to use and have fallen in love with it. We obviously loved the concept enough to buy one, but until you receive your unit and try the product, you never know.
Here are my thoughts in short snippets:
1. This is the best, easiest to make coffee I have had, period.
2. I generally love french press coffee because of the full body, but like most people, I don't love the residue found in a cup of french press. This coffee has an amazing depth of taste and body, but does not have any of the residue found in a french press. It's an amazing flavor profile.
3. This machine is a piece of art, it looks amazing sitting on the counter (a technivorm by comparison just looks shabby now) .
If you are looking for a depth of flavor you haven't had in any other automated brewing method, look no further. I have tried essentially every machine made and none of them touch the ease of use, flavor profile, and beauty of the Ratio 8.”
“Honestly I was on the fence about spending this much for a coffee maker. But I have no regrets or buyers remorse whatsoever. I look forward to using this maching everymorning and it really is a pleasure to use. The carafe alone is so balanced and pours effortlessly. And of course the overall design of the Ratio is absolutely stunning, its a common conversation topic in our kitchen, The bottom line is that I enjoy this coffee maker so much that I bought one for a family member as a gift and I can't wait to hear what they think of it!”
