This UFO-shaped dripper might look like a gimmick at first glance, but its design is anything but superficial. It actually rethinks the fundamental logic of the classic conical dripper—and that genuinely caught my attention. I’m planning to dive deeper into its design principles and extraction benefits before deciding whether to pick one up and share my hands-on experience with you all.
At its core, the UFO dripper still follows a conical structure. However, both its opening angle and overall form differ significantly from most standard cone drippers. The most notable shift? It moves from what we typically think of as a V60 to something closer to a “V80.” Yes—an 80° cone angle. This steeper angle accelerates water flow. On top of that, instead of the usual raised internal ribs, it features recessed ribs. The combination of an 80° cone and concave ribbing works like a double boost: it concentrates water flow, reduces channeling, and ultimately leads to a more even extraction—bringing out brighter acidity and more expressive aromatics in the coffee.
Let’s break it down further.
At first glance, the dripper appears short and wide. If you look closely at the walls, you’ll notice it’s made of thick ceramic—but not with uniform thickness. The upper wall is actually about 23.7% thinner than the lower section. The rim flares outward like a flying saucer, creating a wide lip. This isn’t just aesthetic—it serves a functional purpose. During brewing, heat naturally rises. The space formed between the wide rim and the top of the filter paper allows steam to escape more efficiently, preventing it from accumulating and condensing back into the brew. This helps maintain airflow above the dripper, stabilizing extraction temperature and avoiding overheating in the upper coffee bed—which can otherwise lead to a “steamed” or overcooked taste.
Now, consider this: when the base diameter and dose remain constant, increasing the cone angle spreads the coffee bed wider and reduces its vertical height. This shortens the distance water travels through the grounds, increases the surface area for flow, and lowers resistance per unit area—resulting in a faster overall flow rate. The outcome? A cup that leans toward higher sweetness, lower bitterness, and a cleaner, more refreshing profile.
But there’s a trade-off. A shallower bed combined with faster flow can lead to under-extraction if left unchecked. That’s where the recessed ribs come into play. They prevent water from taking shortcuts along the edges and ensure it passes through the coffee bed. In other words, they act as a forced flow-guidance system, compensating for the reduced contact time caused by the shallower bed.
This type of concave rib design isn’t entirely new—it has appeared in several classic drippers—but compared to the raised spiral ribs of a traditional V60, it offers some distinct advantages. The recessed vertical grooves create a physical buffer zone between the filter paper and the dripper wall. In conventional designs, water can easily slip along the wet filter paper and bypass the coffee bed (a phenomenon known as bypass flow). Here, those grooves “catch” the water and redirect it downward. By blocking edge channels, the design forces water to pass more evenly through the center of the coffee bed, significantly reducing channeling and improving extraction consistency.
This also means the dripper is more forgiving. Even if your pouring technique isn’t perfect—or if your stream hits the edges—the flow system helps guide the water back on track.
As a result, this dripper shows clear advantages when brewing light roasts or coffees with pronounced floral and fruity notes. Think Geisha or Yirgacheffe: you can expect lifted aromatics, lively acidity, and a clean finish with minimal bitterness or woody astringency—even toward the end of the brew.
That said, there’s one important caveat: this dripper is not compatible with standard filter papers. It requires specially designed UFO filters. Interestingly, these filters aren’t made from traditional paper pulp—they’re composed of a food-safe blend of lyocell and PLA. This means you can skip pre-rinsing without worrying about papery off-flavors.
There are two types of filters: Type A and Type F. “F” stands for fast, while “A” stands for average. Compared to A, the F filter is larger. Type A is designed to produce a brighter, more balanced cup, and is generally sufficient for standard use. Type F, on the other hand, enhances body and works well for hybrid immersion-drip brewing methods.
The manufacturer also provides recommended brewing parameters:
For Type F filters (baseline):
- Grind size: 800–1100 μm (Comandante C40: 22–27 clicks)
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Ratio: 15g coffee to 250g water (1:16.67)
- For more body, increase dose to 16.6g (1:15)
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Water temperature: 92°C ±4°C
- Dark roast: ~88°C
- Very light roast: up to 96°C
Pouring structure:
- 00:00–01:00: 50g (circular pour)
- 01:00–01:30: 50g (circular)
- 01:30–02:00: 50g (circular)
- 02:00–02:30: 100g (center pour)
For Type A filters (baseline):
- Grind size: 1000–1300 μm
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Ratio:
- 13.5g : 225g (lighter, tea-like body)
- 15g : 225g (juicier mouthfeel)
- Water temperature: 92°C
Pouring structure:
- 00:00–00:30: 45g (circular)
- 00:30–01:00: 45g (circular)
- 01:00–01:30: 45g (circular)
- 01:30–02:00: 45g (center)
- 02:00–03:30: 45g (center)
- Total brew time: under 3.5 minutes
For iced pour-over (Type A):
- Grind size: 1100–1400 μm
- Ratio: 20g coffee : 200g water
- Water temperature: 92°C
Pouring structure:
- 00:00–00:30: 50g (circular)
- 00:30–01:00: 50g (circular)
- 01:00–01:30: 50g (circular)
- 01:30–03:00: 50g (center)
Brew hot, then pour directly over a glass filled with ice and enjoy.
They’ve also released a UFO Dripper V2 made from durable, heat-resistant Tritan, which is better suited for immersion-drip hybrid brewing with Type F filters. I won’t go too deep into that here.
The brand has also collaborated on various limited-edition releases, including filter papers with Spain-based SIBARIST and handmade ceramic drippers with multiple studios. One standout collaboration, in my opinion, is with MK Studio—a Copenhagen-based ceramics studio founded by Magdalena and Michal, a husband-and-wife team. Combining Michal’s background as a chef with Magdalena’s expertise in ceramics, they blend culinary sensibility with artistic craftsmanship. Their take on the UFO dripper is more expressive and artistic, with each color limited to just 60 pieces worldwide—though they’re likely sold out by now.
To wrap it up: from concept to execution, this dripper feels thoughtfully designed and logically consistent. It’s best suited for intermediate to advanced brewers who have some control over their technique. If you’re looking to highlight delicate notes like fruit acidity and florals—and push your pour-over experience to the next level—this might just become your new favorite brewing “toy.”