Ratio Six Series 2 Review

Recently updated with a completely redesigned carafe and an improved heat guard, I love the Ratio Six Series 2's modern styling and high-quality die-cast aluminum materials. And, the panel of taste testers enjoyed their time sampling the coffee made by the Series 2.

Performance Comparison

Taste

Most have a fairly set morning routine. Coffee drinkers, in particular, have a focal point the routine revolves around that can make or break the start of their day, which is their first taste of coffee.

The Ratio Six Series 2 makes mouthwatering coffee. Our team of taste testers brewed coffee in the Series 2, as well as with a classic pour-over for comparison. The Series 2 made an incredibly well-balanced cup of joe — every one of our testers agreed. The flavor and mouthfeel were just right.

Also, the Series 2 extracted some of the deeper and subtler flavors that lesser brewers would miss. Our panel recorded notes of chocolate, caramel, fruit, and nuts. Those flavors lingered on the tongue for a while. It was smooth, too. One taster said that the coffee the Series 2 brewed was “significantly less acidic than the pour-over we compared it to.” This is the type of brew you'll look forward to every morning.

Brew Quality

To achieve a great coffee taste, the multitude of factors that affect brew quality must align. We checked temperatures and times to make sure that not only did the Ratio Six Series 2 fall within optimal brewing parameters but that it did so consistently across multiple pots.

The best temperature spectrum for brewing coffee is 195 to 205°F as determined by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) (the Ratio Six Series 2 is an SCA Certified Home Brewer). In our tests, the average brew temperature was 192.5°F, which is just a tad under that ideal range. We found that it took 3 minutes for the water temperature to reach the ideal range, which was about midway through the brew. But then the temperature kept on climbing and actually exceeded the ideal range at the end of the brew cycle, topping off at 206.7°F. That means about half of the brew cycle was in the ideal range, which is when coffee flavor extraction is at its peak.

As for temperature consistency, the Series 2 was pretty good but not perfectly on point. When measuring the final brew temperature across five batches, we recorded a standard deviation of 3.46°F. Not a huge difference, but noteworthy. The carafe and hot plate kept the coffee pretty darn hot at 177°F, which is a great temperature for pouring into a mug.

Also, the spray head soaked the grounds in the flat-bottom filter basket evenly. This means the coffee grounds were all used, which helps ensure optimal flavor extraction as well as a good balance of flavors, mouthfeel, and acidity.

Brew Time

To measure brew time, we started a timer the moment we hit the “brew” button and stopped when the brew basket was mostly drained. We essentially stopped the timer when the average person would consider the coffee ready to drink. We chose not to stop the timer when the “ready” light turned on because our testers noticed that there was still a lot of water in the brew basket when that light was triggered, which meant there was more dripping still to go.

The Ratio Six Series 2 turned out to be fast. Without any extra programming modes for differently sized batches or stronger coffee or what have you, what you see is what you get — a standard brew. Even with pre-infusion being an automatic, non-adjustable part of the process, the Series 2 brewed its pots at 6 minutes flat on average, while other brewers sometimes took 8 minutes.

We actually timed five separate 6-cup brews, but there was almost no variance to speak of. This unit brews consistently at its set 6-minute pace. And since this does not have auto-brew functionality, speed and consistency are even more important because you'll have to start it up every morning.

Ease of Use

The Series 2 is the latest version of the Ratio Six as of this writing. The most recent update is wholly focused on improving its user-friendliness. The carafe was reimagined, removing the press-and-pour lever, making the pour spout more pronounced for a smoother pour, and enlarging the opening so that it is easier to clean. Also, the water tank fill lines were updated to match the actual water in the tank rather than the expected output. And finally, the heat guard was reshaped so that moving the carafe and filter basket in and out of place is easier.

Those improvements are noticeable and welcome, but the Series 2 still has a few kinks that need to be ironed out. While on its face it is a simple one-button drip brewer, there are some added steps in the process because of the stacking carafe, filter basket, and heat guard design. It's not an overly complicated process, but some might not want to deal with the extra steps.

Also, while the removal of the press-to-pour button on the carafe is an improvement, and the elongated pour spout is a nice touch, the carafe is still not the greatest. I found that the spout splashes if the coffee if poured too quickly, and there is a ridge inside the carafe where the lid twists in, which makes it difficult to pour out that last cup of coffee.

But I do like that the water tank has a funnel, which makes pouring water into it a cinch. And the grounds reside in a separate compartment, so there's no risk of accidental splashing. Also, the fact that it has measurement markings on both sides of the water tank is helpful.

As far as cleaning, the mostly metal exterior is super easy to wipe down. White and black colorway options are available. We tested the white model, which didn't show any fingerprints, but coffee splashes left obvious stains that you'd want to wipe away quickly. The carafe has a wide opening, making for easy handwashing, which is good because none of the parts are dishwasher-safe. You'll also want to descale it once every month or so. The process only takes about 27 minutes, but you'll need to change the water four times, so you can't really walk away from it.

Should You Buy the Ratio Six Series 2?

The Ratio Six Series 2 brews delectable coffee and looks fantastic on any countertop. It's a solid choice for the coffee enthusiast who appreciates top-tier coffee flavor and also enjoys being a part of the process of making it. Since it lacks auto-brew functionality and requires a little more interactivity than other drip brewers, this may not be the right choice for coffee drinkers who would prefer to set it, forget it, and let the machine do all the work.

What Other Drip Coffee Brewers Should You Consider?

If great-tasting coffee is what you're after, the Technivorm Moccamaster brews an even better pot of java than the Ratio Six Series 2, with taste testers noting a smoother finish and an overall more flavorful brew, which is likely due to the slightly higher temperature that the Technivorm brews at. Plus, the Technivorm allows you to control the pre-infusion and brew length with a drip stop switch, giving you full control over the flavor of the brew. But if convenience and coffee customizability are where your interests truly lie, then the Breville Precision Brewer takes the cake with its incredible suite of programmable features, like auto brew, and the total control it gives you over settings like brew temperature and drip flow rate. And it still makes great-tasting coffee.