“I purchased the Ratio 8 and after several tries at weighing the coffee grinds and measuring the water for different carafe volumes I have enjoyed the best coffee ever. Jake and I have had several discussions and the customer service is always beyond my expectations. I am waiting to order the new thermal carafe and until then I rinse the glass carafe with hot water before brewing and it has made a difference in keeping the coffee warmer for longer periods of time. The Ratio 8 did all I expected and more.”
“Where do I begin? The team at Ratio took wonderful care of me when my Ratio broke during a cross country move. They effectively rebuilt it and even upgraded the software to the latest version. The team was also incredibly gracious and kind to me throughout the entire process of shipping and repairing the Ratio. The soft skills and customer care went a very long way in my mind. I cannot praise this company enough. Oh, and the coffee? Please. There is not a better machine on the market.”
“I love my Ratio 8,as it brews great coffee and looks both distinctive and beautiful.
After a year of use,the finish began to degrade and erode in the area where you fill the machine with water.
I emailed the company and received an immediate response,indicating that I should return it and that it would either be repaired,or,if not,replaced.
I ordered packaging materials from them to insure safe shipping,received them in a few days(with an email from them indicating that they were sent).A few days later,I got an email that they received my Ratio,and a week later I received an email that indicated that the machine was repaired,(and cleaned),and that they were sending a new carafe with a silicone bottom and a new heat lid for it.(my carafe had a cork bottom).Days later,I was brewing with my Ratio 8.A special recognition goes to Grayson Haugen,the man with whom I exchanged emails.
Ratio not only makes a distinctive machine,as it provides exemplary customer service that is attentive and responsive.”
“I'm proud to say that I was one of the early "believers" in this amazing piece of functional art. I was also one of the lucky few who received an early production unit (laser etched and numbered) and who, more importantly, paid well in advance of its release after learning about the company. I admit I was growing impatient throughout the trials and testing but have no complaints knowing that the finished product is perfect. Needless to say, it would be a major let down to have received a (albeit by some standards a very expensive coffee maker) machine that still had QC issues. I communicated with Ratio's founder who very promptly responded and kept me informed with their status of my order. He assured me not only was my machine being literally built by hand but also that each component, namely the specialized carafe, required thorough testing before it was deemed to be at the standards by which Ratio has defined itself. There is no doubt this machine deserves the praise and acclaim for which it has yet to be fully realized by coffee lovers. I have brewed well over 100 times in my Ratio and only a handful of them did I fail to watch the process. It's remarkable that "watching coffee brewing" is fascinating (more aptly, actually something I find time to do simply because it's so cool to witness as it occurs in full view in the Ratio). If you too appreciate the "production" process and are fascinated by how things work, like a Swiss watch with a transparent case, you will enjoy watching the Ratio "tick". Better yet, It's akin watching donuts being made-visit a Krispy Kreme and you'll understand-and the feeling of anticipation followed shortly by the payoff of the finished product. The Ratio's simplicity in design (paradoxically it is an extremely well engineered and sophisticated piece of machinery), quality of materials and efficiency sing like a well orchestrated choir. Aside from the aesthetics, it's a fabulous coffee maker. It's FAST. From the (very light) touch of the single button (I love this feature-again simplicity and functionality without fanfare), the water will circulate through the clear glass piping (another bonus, no plastic or potentially toxic interaction with petroleum-based substrates and carcinogens that virtually every automated coffee maker on the market is composed of) to irrigate the grinds at the perfect temperature to create the initial "bloom". This process takes place in less than 30 seconds without fail. Unfortunately, this is not the machine for people who want to program the night before and wake to oxidized, over-cooked coffee . Fortunately, this machine is built for those who choose to grind on the spot and watch the magic happen before their eyes and noses (corny, sorry couldn't resist). Well done Ratio, you restored my faith in "getting what you pay for". In this case, another extremely compelling selling point is that this machine is made right here in the good ol' USA (we Oregonites aren't the only ones who get free shipping thanks to Ratio's awesome freight policy). Lastly, the warranty only further demonstrates this coffee makers reliability-I was on my 3rd machine in 5 years before I stepped up and purchased the Ratio with a 20+ year life expectancy I do not doubt. It was well worth the wait. I'm a believer (as if there was ever a doubt in my mind :-))”
“I really want to give this a 5 out of 5 but there are two issues that require me to only give it 2. If you lift the pot off of the hot plate the plate shuts off
and the remaining coffee becomes cold. I was told by the Ratio staff that I should consider purchasing their future Thermal Glass Carafe. Apparently they recognize the issue of keeping their coffee hot on the hot plate of the maker. That being said, I love the coffee made by the Ratio. In addition this is the 2nd time I have written a review but my first one has never been posted. I think that is unethical. That's a shame.”
“I'm the proud owner of this incredible machine. I've never had more exquisite coffee in my life.
The machine is simply stunning and everyone who visits asks about it. It's a wonderful addition to the kitchen!”
“I will break this review into sections. I was very close to giving this a 5 star review, but after some additional time with it (3 months), I feel I have a better grasp of the overall experience to properly rate this as 4 stars (4.5 if possible).
Look and Materials - The machine is beautiful and looks great in a home. If you are buying this, there is no surprise you are willing to spend a little more for the look and quality of a product. The metal and wood that Ratio uses seems to be very durable and hold up. I am a little bit shocked at the spots I am noticing on the metal though. I will get to this later (experiencing etching), but I used the Ratio cleaner and that left some etch marks. Overall the look and design seems to be a 5 star. We get many compliments on the overall presence on our countertop.
Coffee - Anyone paying this price is probably looking for a good cup of coffee along with some convenience. The coffee is very good quality. I typically use the V60 as my method of choice. I really have been using the Ratio Eight since we have received, so you know the coffee is good. The one recommendation I would make it to use a paper filter over the Kone Filter offered. We got the Kone and even on my most coarse setting on my Vario-W grinder I am getting ground coming through into the carafe.
Carafe - Very nice and simple. I did get a crack in mine early on and glad these are easy to replace and not terribly expensive. I have bumped my normal Chemex hundreds of times and never had a crack. I must have gotten this one just right. I don't think this is the carafe, but my clumsiness. The issue I have with the carafe is the design of the cork bottom. There is a known moisture issue of the Ratio and because of this, the cork tends to absorb a lot of moisture, so I am constantly wiping up wherever I set it. I like the cork idea in principle, but due to the over abundance of moisture from a pot of coffee, there is some drawback.
Pros - Beautiful, great cup of coffee, high quality product
Cons - Lots of moisture; For the cost of this machine, I would expect a bit less or a design that didn't cause you to notice all the moisture. The lip next to the actual drip is constantly wet and will leave some etching. I use filtered bottled water service, so this is not a water quality issue. I am using high end water. They give you a cleaning wipe, so they must have accepted this as just part of the design. Also all the moisture gets everywhere on the base. As I mentioned the cork absorbs it up, but it leaves etching in the spot the carafe rest and continues to drip several minutes after taking away the carafe. I was also very disappointed when I used to the Ratio cleaner for the second time that a little splash from pouring it into the water tank caused etching on the metal. I have the plain silver (available from kickstarter) finish and was shocked that after only a second before wiping this would leave a mark. Again, I go back to expectations when paying for a product of this price. I have no issues with any coffee getting too cold, too fast as I like to drink and enjoy and don't mind warm coffee.
The pros outweigh the cons for sure.
In short, the product is an amazing concept and has stunning looks. It is nearly flawless...with a few design tweaks, I would move this rating to a 5 star.”
