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Ratio Four: one-minute review
The Ratio Four is a drip-coffee machine focused on smaller batches. That means it fulfils a valuable niche in the market, meaning it’s perfect for anyone who’s only likely to want a few cups of coffee at a time.
Rather than leaving your brew stewing for hours over a heating element, it allows you to quickly whip up a small batch of coffee on demand and not waste as much as with some traditional drip machines. While it may not be optimum for offices or big families, it’s great for couples or coffee fans that are flying solo.
And its smaller capacity has an extra benefit: its footprint takes up far less space on your counter than many of the best coffee machines. Instead it cuts a sleek figure on your counter, with its clamp-shaped form and smoky-colored glass carafe looking right at home in any kitchen. The only exception for me is its water tank. While I understand that helps it keep its size down, I’m not biggest fan of the way it’s hooked up to the machine with an umbilical cord pipe – I much prefer the built-in tanks of the more premium Ratio Six and Ratio Eight.
Using the Ratio Four couldn’t be easier. Once I’d filled the water tank, all I had to do was slip a compatible filter into the filter basket, grind my beans to a medium-coarse grind and pour them in. Pressing the single button on the front first runs a bloom cycle to pre-wet and stir up the grounds – a step many traditional drip machines skip – then the Ratio Four gets to work running water through your grounds to fill the carafe with sweet Costa Rican crude.
So how did my coffee turn out? Once I found the optimum grind for the Ratio Four, it made very solid coffee – it wasn’t too bitter and there was at least a hint of some of those volatile flavors that make speciality coffees so fantastic. But I wouldn’t say it packed the rich bouquet I associate with wonderfully extracted coffee and I’ve definitely experienced pour-over and pressure extracted coffees that expressed more character out of similar beans.
That doesn’t mean the Ratio Four isn’t worth it though. Pour-over coffee requires developing the knack for it, while many of the best espresso machines require you to spend much more and spend a lot of time cleaning. When you need a couple of cups of tasty coffee in mere minutes, the Ratio Four is definitely worth your time.
Ratio Four review: price and availability
- Launched November 2024
- Retails for $279
Launched in November 2024, the Ratio Four is available now. It retails for a list price of $279 (around £205) – unfortunately, unlike its larger stablemates the Ratio Six and Ratio Eight, it’s not currently available in the UK. So those based on that side of the pond might have to content yourself with drip machines like the Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal or Ninja DualBrew Pro instead.
While the black version featured here isn’t currently available on Amazon, the white colorway is and looks just as classy. For that price, you’re getting pretty much everything you need included – such as the carafe and filter basket – but the one exception is compatible Ratio or Melitta filters so I’d absolutely recommend you grab some at the same time if you’re going to purchase the Ratio Four.
Ratio Four review: specs
|
Type |
Automatic drip machine |
|
Dimensions (W x H x D) |
10.6 x 7.5 x 11.5 inches / 26.9 x 19.1 x 29.2cm |
|
Weight |
24.18lbs / 10.97kg |
|
Water reservoir capacity |
20.3 ounces / 0.6l |
Ratio Four review: design
- Sleek, attractive styling
- Perfect for just one or two cups
- Water tank looks less elegant
For some reason, not every brand seems to have gotten the memo about coffee maker design. Some manufacturers seem to think that just because an appliance is bulky, that means it has to be squat and utilitarian. Fortunately, Ratio is way ahead of the crowd here: all of its drip coffee machines are gorgeous and the Four is no exception.
Despite measuring in at 10.6 x 7.5 x 11.5 inches / 26.9 x 19.1 x 29.2cm, this coffee maker looks pretty sleek to my eye. Both its matt black finish and bracket-shaped form meant it cut a bold silhouette in my kitchen and stood out among all the chrome and squat boxes of my other appliances.
As the smallest product in Ratio’s range, the Four’s water tank only contains 20.3oz / 0.6l, which is approximately enough for two full mugs. There aren’t a whole lot of drip machines that cater to this size, so it makes it a great choice for individuals or couples. However, that does mean that if you want to brew enough for family brunch or your coworkers’ coffee order, you’ll probably want to size up.
The water tank is the one area I’d dock this machine some style points – the discrete reservoir and hose hookup here looks a little goofy to me, like it’s connected to the device with an umbilical cord. Personally, I prefer the built in tanks of the more premium options.
By their very nature, drip coffee machines are far simpler affairs than espresso machines, so you won’t get a whole lot in terms of accessories here. But you will of course get everything you need – the packaged carafe is nicely made, with its darkened, heat-proof glass of the carafe gives it a smoky, sophisticated look. And it comes with its own filter basket, although you can swap in your Hario V60, Kalita Wave or Origami basket if you prefer.
Beyond this, you’re on your own. So to get the right coarseness of grind – pre-ground is unlikely to give you either the freshness or precision you’ll need here – you’ll want to pick up a coffee grinder. It’s also worth getting some compatible, flat-bottom filter papers: Ratio sells its own but the Ratio Four is also compatible with Melitta filters if those are more convenient for you.
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Ratio Four review: performance
- Quick to use and clean
- Easier than pour over to get consistent results
- Flavor is good but not top tier
If you’re looking at automatic drip-coffee machines, your biggest priorities are likely to be speed and convenience. And I’m happy to say that the Ratio Four offers both of these things in spades.
Larger drip-coffee machines can sometimes take between 5 and 10 minutes to brew but, thanks to the Ratio Four’s smaller batch-sizes, it often takes far less than this. While the first brew I did took around 1 minute 52 to bloom and 5 minutes 16 for the total pour, once the boiler had warmed up, this time shrank considerably. My final brew took 1 minute 29 to bloom and 4 minutes 28 for its total pour time, so pretty much bang on what I’d expect.
So how easy is it to use? All told, I felt the process was pretty straightforward. Once you’ve ground your beans, you just insert a compatible filter, fill it up and top up the tank, then you’re good to go. Press its single button and it’ll automatically bloom and brew your coffee. Compared to the more finicky process I’ve come to expect from pour over or my espresso machine, using the Ratio Four is a breeze.
And it achieves decent results… as long as you’re willing to experiment a little with dialing in the right grind. While you’ll be broadly fine with a medium-coarse grind – somewhere between sand and sea salt in texture – I found brewing a few test batches allowed me to really zero in on the right grind for the machine and filters I was using.
Case in point, for my first batch I set TechRadar’s Mazzer Philos testing grinder to 100 (on a scale of 0 – 140). While the initial bloom of the grounds seemed to go well, the resultant pour looked a little weak to my eye – something I confirmed when I tasted it. Honestly, it was insipid, tasting indistinguishable from a stewed french press. Back to the grindstone then.
This is where I went down a bit of a rabbit hole. I brewed about eight more batches, dialing the grind down 60 microns at a time, producing more flavorful brews each time. I did eventually hit a sweet spot of richness and acidity but this came at a finer grind than I expected and didn’t quite produce the flavor-forward caffeine hit I was looking for. Don’t get me wrong: it makes for a tasty cup of joe but I honestly feel like pour-over or an espresso machine would have extracted more of those mouth-watering floral flavor notes I was hoping for.
But barring a little grind calibration, I have to hand it to the Ratio Four for being incredibly easy to use. And it’s similarly easy to clean. All I had to do was bang out the used filter and grounds into the bin, wash up the filter, carafe and water tank, wipe down the shower and it was good to go again. Compared to espresso machines, with their milk-encrusted steam wands and silt-clogged portafilters, it’s much easier to get the Ratio Four looking spotless.
All in all, the Ratio Four makes good coffee while being simple to operate. It probably ekes a little bit more flavor out of your grind than a standard drip coffee and it’s cheaper and far easier to use than the best espresso machines – although it can’t reach the same heights of flavor either.
Should I buy the Ratio Four?
|
Attribute |
Notes |
Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Value |
Few coffee machines at this price are going to make a better brew. But many pour-over setups are a fair bit cheaper and more expensive espresso machines will likely give you better results. |
4/5 |
|
Design |
Stylish and sleek, although the separate water tank looks a little silly. A perfect size if you just want two cups of coffee, although this means it might be less good for families or workplaces. |
4.5/5 |
|
Performance |
Incredibly easy to use and clean afterwards. After you’ve properly calibrated your grind, it can produce tasty coffee – but if flavor is your biggest priority, you may find other setups more rewarding. |
3.5/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Ratio Four review: also consider
How I tested the Ratio Four
- Tested it over a week
- Made around 8 – 10 batches of coffee
- Have several decades of experience making coffee
I tested the Ratio Four over the course of a week. As it’s exclusive to the US and I’m testing in the UK, I used a voltage transformer to step down our 240V mains power to 120V. I exclusively used fresh roasted beans ground right before brewing to ensure as much of the delicate flavor profile was preserved as possible.
When it came to testing, I brewed around 8 – 10 batches of coffee at a range of grinds from coarse to medium, covering a much wider range of grinds than would usually be used for drip coffee. I followed the exact grounds to water ratio suggested by the manufacturer. I created multiple batches one after another, then made sure to compare the results to see how variations in the grind affected the finished results.
In terms of my experience, I’ve been drinking coffee on a daily basis for over two decades. My go-to brew methods are espresso using my Breville Bambino and cold-brew extracted at room temperature over 18 hours then filtered through a fine mesh. However, I’ve used an enormous array of coffee making devices over the years, from the Aeropress to a stove-top moka pot.
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josh.russell@futurenet.com (Josh Russell)
