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I have Kalita Wave 185 and so far I have no problem I don't need to drill holes for my Kalita 👍

As I just recently added a kalita for pour over in addition to my v60, I found this video as well as the one with the kalita recipe helpful to optimize the described issues. However, as the Flair dispersion screen is hardly to get within Europe and puck screens don’t go below 48.5mm max, I coincidentally came across a perfect alternative I wanted to share with the community. The Bialetti 1-2 cups stainless steel filter plate only costs around €4 and fits perfectly into the kalita. On top it’s very easy to get

The stainless steel Kalita is my only pour over device. I never really understood why it took so long to drain: I thought I was doing everything right. Thanks for pointing out these issues. I gave up on it and use an aeropress, but now I might try this mod or give another version a try. Also, thanks to one of your other videos, I have a new K Max grinder. Great content!

You have confirmed what I have long suspected. I did a comparison of my ceramic and metal Kalita, found the same results and preceded with the hack straight away. Thank you!

I'm clumsy myself and would have been very tempted to buy the stainless steel version. But I'm glad you've hammered home the problems. I started my pour over journey with the ceramic V60 and have stuck with it. I've dropped and broken a couple of them. So last time I bought 2 at once. When, not if, I break these I'll check out the Wave. Might even go with the plastic version!

Thanks for this. I didn't know that the drain times between the Kalita models were so different! Also, I've been curious of Törnqvist's mod, thanks for sharing what the mod actually is. Will try it on my 185.

You delivered on that promise to fix the stainless Kalita!

Blue Bottle dripper is still my go to, no mods necessary

I used a pre-drill metal punch(slightly larger than the hole) and push the holes out just like the glass dripper. It is now flowing just like the glass dripper.

After drilling the 3 holes a bit larger it flows so much better remember to grind or file the rough edges to make smooth the holes opposite of drilling

I recommend using a titanium stepped drill bit. I widened my Hario Buono's center steam vent hole to fit a thermometer inside, and the bit made the job super easy and flawless, like it came that way from the factory.

Kalita wave is the best tools of manual brewing coffee☕

I have what I think is a simple solution to the stalling issue.........try double filter...it seems to give the bottom of the filter a little more support above the holes.

Thanks for your insights and information it's greatly appreciated. 👍😎 My reasoning for considering the stainless steel version, I haven't purchased anything yet, is if it gets dropped on the floor by mistake you're not left with something that ends up in a trash or worst cutting someone. I'm one of those guys that drilling is no big deal, but I don't understand why the manufacturer has such a different flow rate with these it seems pretty obvious and doesn't correct it if needed? I'm just now starting to consider and research pour overs. Again thank you.

They should come like that in the box!

I would love to find an original version of the SS Kalita. I wonder if they ever pop up on eBay.

I have a gut feeling that a standard hole widening reamer, hand held would work too.

Place thin sheet metal on a hardwood (sacrificial) block to drill a cleaner hole. Yes sharper bit helps, but also need high sppd and don't push hard. Acone shaped grinder or appropriately shaped file can clean up the backside if needed,

This is really helpful, I have been having tons of issues with my draw downs! Would you do the hole resizing and the dispersion plate or just one or the other?

This video saved my coffee. New to pour over drippers, I thought the Kalita was perfect for me, but the different problems with it have been giving me over extracted brews. That, and I was learning to use my new Encore grinder. I'll be drilling my stainless Kalita and also my copper Kalita. Did you use a 4 mm drill bit? Maybe I'll try a 3 mm.

Brilliant idea! I have not ordered one yet, but wondered if those minuscule holes might not benefit from a quiz zap of the drill. 'Cause after all, you ARE using a paper filter too. But, question: Do you think that drilling can possibly compromise the safety of the stainless steel (the non-toxicity of which is the main reason I like this product, versus plastic, aluminum, plutonium, etc)?

Yes please change the dripper

Does that dispersion screen fit the Wave 155 stainless as well?

What are the dimensions of the flair dispersion screen?

I definitely vote for Kalita resuming production of their original stainless model. It's actually a little hard to believe that Kaslita has let this stand! Such a huge difference, and such a bad one! I've been using a December Dripper, with its holes that can be opened enough to give a flow rate that's decent. I don't see the December Dripper online anymore. Has it stopped being made? I like to close the holes for the bloom, then open them before starting the rest of the pouring..

very useful tip for kalita!

I have used the glass one for a few years and it has less definition than the V 60 but is still not bad.

If the issue is the filter sticking to the bottom of the wave and preventing water from dripping out at a faster rate, could this problem similarly be solved by say, breaking some wooden chopsticks and placing them into the bottom of the kalita wave so that doesn't happen?

My kalita wave dripper is 12 years old. Never stalls. Maybe they changed?

How about a new mod? Try inserting raised ridges near the holes. Maybe use tooth picks or pieces of skewer sticks or stir sticks . . .

Why not grind coarser or when you still run into the same issue?

It’s could the same if i would use the screen drainer of the moka? Tnxx

I am a beginner who recently got a SS Kalita 185 to start my pour-over journey. I noticed the clogging issue almost immediately. My question is: can you get good pour-over out of the SS Kalita 185 with the dispersion screen fix, or should I just buy a ceramic model, or a V60?

I have the "welded ribs" version, and it's not significantly better. It's also very prone to clogging. As said before; Blue Bottle Flat Bottom dripper FTW!

Dang, I would have probably tried to drive out those spacing ribs on the ground to gain a few Millimeters in height...(and likely failed at that😂). Also I think it’s worth the effort to try to file those holes clean as that should reduce possible surfaces for gunk to gather.

Hej Asser, To confirm... did you use a 4mm drill bit? If not, what size did you use? Takker :)

Will it be even better if you make it 6-holed?

The mod you do can increase the maximum flow rate of the dripper, but it can't fix the consistent problem of this dripper. The consistency of a dripper is related to the effective area of filter. The larger the effective area is, the less the possibility of clogging is. When paper filter sticks to the dripper, there is no room for water passing through. That's why we need ribs in drippers to create some passages of water. A good rib design example is blue bottle dripper. Even there is only one small hole at the bottom of blue bottle dripper, it's really hard to clog this dripper. Because there are so many ribs to support the filter, that means there are larger effective filter area and can tolerate more fines without clogging. So the problem of steel kalita is not just shallow ribs, but also short ribs. Compared to ceramics kalita, the steel one gets shorter ribs, the outer part of filter is more easy to stick to the bottom of the dripper. The effective filter area of steel kalita is less than ceramics one, that means less consistency of brewing and higher clogging possibility. imo, the ribs pattern providing full-range filter support like blue bottle dripper is better.

Curious. Never had any of these problems. Works great. Flow rate fine. This system is known to be slower when compared to other pour over systems. Clogging is most likely caused by too fine of a grind. If all these things are an issue I would suggest using a different product.

The simplest solution for faster flow rate is to buy a v60, if you really love wave filter, buy april dripper or use 155 filter on 02 v60.

I'm going to make a dispersion filter from stainless wire mesh. The goal is to keep the paper filter from clogging the Kalita drain holes AND it should hold it's flat shape. It looks like #10 or # 20 mesh should work. What mesh do you recommend. Buying an espresso dispersion filter is rediculously expensive.

The link you have to the dispersion screen goes to the entire espresso machine part (Second Shot Plus - Flow Control Portafilter) and is $73.00. Any idea where to get just the dispersion screen?

Question: does the dispersion screen sits perfectly level ? or can it also sit unenvely due to the ridges.

What Grinder are you using? Kalita dont like many fines do to his nature of the smal holes. I dont have a problem with my 155 and i dont get the problem with the paper creating a seal ? never happend to me ones.

have you tried April Brewer ? I think it's a perfect version of Kalita wave. I havn't tried it myself, Its quite expensive for dripper and not easy to find.

If you have an Aeropress funnel, just put a Kalita filter inside

I have had better success maintaining flowrate by using a cloth filter.

Does that dispersion screen fit the Wave 155 stainless as well?