Chemex vs. Bodum Pour-Over: Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance

When choosing a pour-over coffee maker, the brewing process and the quality of the coffee are important. However, the ease of cleaning and long-term maintenance are practical considerations that affect your daily coffee routine. Both the Chemex and Bodum pour-over brewers are primarily made of borosilicate glass, but their designs and filter types create different cleaning and maintenance routines.²¹

Quick-Look Cleaning Comparison

Cleaning the Chemex

The Chemex coffee maker is known for its elegant hourglass-shaped glass carafe with a wooden collar and a leather tie. While visually appealing, these materials require specific care.²² The daily cleaning of a Chemex is straightforward: after brewing, you simply discard the used paper filter and the coffee grounds within it.¹

Steps for Daily and Deep Cleaning:

1. Discard paper filter and grounds.¹
2. Add warm water and a drop of unscented soap; swirl with a bottle brush. A simple rinse with warm water and a bit of dish soap is often sufficient for daily use.^4,15
3. For stains or deep cleaning, use:
   • Vinegar Solution: Fill the Chemex with a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water and let it soak for several hours or overnight.^7,14,15 Afterwards, scrub with a bottle brush and rinse thoroughly to remove any vinegar smell.^7,16
   • Ice and Salt: Another method involves adding ice, salt, and a few drops of dish soap to the carafe.^7,17 Swirling this mixture around creates a gentle abrasive action that scrubs the inside of the glass.²⁰
4. Rinse and air-dry upside down.

Maintenance Considerations for Chemex:

• For a more thorough clean, you can place the glass carafe in the dishwasher. It is necessary to first remove the wooden collar and leather tie to prevent damage.^6,7 Placing it securely on the top rack is recommended to avoid breakage.¹³
• The wooden collar and leather tie should not be soaked in water; they can be wiped with a damp cloth if needed. Over time, the leather may need conditioning to prevent it from becoming brittle.²²
• The hourglass shape, while iconic, can make it difficult to reach the bottom of the carafe without a long-handled brush, making day-to-day washing a little fiddly.^4,7,15 Its narrow neck can trap oils unless you deep-clean occasionally.²⁷
• You will need to continually purchase Chemex-specific bonded paper filters.^1,23 These paper filters, however, lift out oils and fines, leaving no mesh to degrease.¹
• The single piece of glass means no moving parts to lose or replace, contributing to low maintenance beyond filter replacement.¹

Cleaning the Bodum Pour-Over

The Bodum pour-over coffee maker typically features a borosilicate glass carafe, a removable and reusable stainless steel mesh filter, and a cork or silicone grip. This eliminates the need for paper filters, making it an environmentally friendly option.^2,3

Steps for Cleaning:

1. Dump grounds; rinse beaker. The primary cleaning task is rinsing the coffee grounds out of the stainless steel mesh filter immediately after each use. This can require a significant amount of water to fully clear the fine grounds.^19,24
2. The glass carafe can be washed with warm, soapy water.²
3. Both the glass carafe and the permanent stainless steel filter are generally dishwasher safe, simplifying the cleaning process. The silicone grip is typically dishwasher safe, but the cork grip should be removed before washing and cleaned with a damp cloth.^2,9,10,29
4. For deep cleaning, the stainless steel filter can become clogged with coffee oils and fine grounds over time. To deep clean the filter, you can soak it in a solution of hot water and a coffee cleaning powder, or a mixture of vinegar and baking soda/citric acid. The carafe can be deep cleaned in the same way as the Chemex, with a vinegar and water solution.^18,23
5. Dry and reassemble.

Maintenance Considerations for Bodum Pour-Over:

• Because the mesh filter allows natural oils and some fine sediment to pass through, you may notice a different mouthfeel in your coffee compared to the Chemex.^23,26
• The Bodum is generally considered easy to disassemble for cleaning.²¹ The wider mouth of the carafe also makes it easier to clean by hand compared to the Chemex.²⁹
• There are no ongoing costs for disposable filters.²³

Which is Easier?

For ease of daily cleaning and maintenance, the Bodum pour-over is generally the more convenient option. The ability to place both the carafe and the permanent filter in the dishwasher provides a convenient and thorough cleaning method with minimal effort. Rinsing the permanent filter is a quick process right after brewing. If speed and dishwasher convenience matter most, choose Bodum.^21,23

The Chemex, while not difficult to clean and producing excellent coffee, requires more hands-on effort for deep cleaning due to its shape and the need to periodically remove oily residue.^15,21 The daily process involves the simple disposal of a filter, but maintenance of the carafe's interior requires more attention over time. The wooden collar also requires separate care.²² If you prefer a brewer with no metal parts to replace and you are willing to wield a brush now and then, a Chemex stays clean with modest effort.