There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
For example, in the Kalita I use 25g of coffee to 375g of water and that is just the right amount to fill my 10oz mug. The grind size I would shoot for with the Kalita results in a total brew time of between 3:00-4:00 with a 45 second bloom time using 50g of water. After the bloom, I start in the middle and pour in a circular pattern until the brewer is nearly full then wait until the level drops enough to add more water. I usually will have between 4-5 pours doing this.
I am typically brewing for two with the V60, so I use 40g of beans to 640-650g of water with a total brew time between 3:00-4:00, 45 second bloom using 60-80g of water. Pouring method I use is pretty much the same as I do with the Kalita.
Adjust your total brew time by adjusting the grind size and honestly, don't worry so much about the number of the brew time, but see how it tastes to you. I had a V60 brew that ran for just under 6:00 that I expected to be horrible and it was fantastic. As with all brewing methods, it's all about experimenting and adjusting to your preferred tastes. Also, for a nice change of pace, give the Chemex a go if you haven't already!
The V60 offers better coffee but the amount of work you have to put into getting there is not suuuuuuuper worth it unless you're really pursuing coffee as a hobby. In which case, Matt Perger's (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPDfn--vxK8) and George Howell's (http://www.georgehowellcoffee.com/brew-guide/hario-v60-02/) methods are really good. Perger's takes a hell of a lot of practice (you will make some garbage coffee) but offers AMAZING results. Howell's is a quality method/recipe that's a lot closer to how a Kalita works but I've never made any memorable coffee with it.
The Chemex is just as easy but also better tasting and can make for more than one person. I suppose there are larger models of the Kalita that you could use but I've been told those aren't as reliable. The Chemex scales up and down much more smoothly, even if you don't wanna buy a different sized device.
The Aeropress is equally simple, and doesn't need a pour spout kettle to saturate the grounds well. It's also more durable, and more versatile. The amount of Aeropress recipe variation is truly staggering. It's also just a consistent and easy as the Kalita, even with recipe variation. The main drawback to the Aeropress is size and number of parts. You need a separate bag to carry it around.
This being said - I haven't messed with my v60 in almost 2 years, my Chemex broke in a move, and I've used my Aeropress so much the rubber seal is starting to deteriorate. So yeah, Kalitas are kinda nice all rounders.