Good advice here already. I use a plastic Hario v60 #2 most days. It's relatively easy and inexpensive. You will want a good filter, good water, and, of course good, fresh, preferably just ground, coffee. I use the untabbed Hario filters and have found that Hoffman's method gives me the best and most consistent result in the cup.

I think the Clever is a great option as well, and in my opinion the most forgiving.

baldheadracing wrote:Chemex is typically for brewing a pot of coffee. Are you after a cup or a pot?

pot for 2.

FYI, the practical limit for most of the above-mentioned methods is two small (under 8oz) cups of coffee. (Yes, there are ways around this, but that's hardly "newbie-friendly.") If that limit is okay, then Clever Coffee dripper is probably the most newbie-friendly, then Aeropress. I do not think a V60 is newbie-friendly - or any similar dripper where how you pour can give a cr*p cup, and getting consistent, repeatable results is a skill.

I'd also argue that cloth filters in any situation are not "newbie-friendly." They're a pain in the a** to maintain compared to paper or metal-mesh or metal-etched filters.

(Order of filter media from most filtering (most 'clarity') to least (most 'body'):
- thick paper, e.g., Chemex original, Aesir for Aeropress
- paper, e.g., Melitta/Filtropa/Clever, V60
- paper with bypass, e.g., Aeropress (with one filter)
- cloth, e.g., Woodneck, nel drip, syphon
- metal mesh/metal fabric, e.g., Espro press, Diguo for syphon, Kohi for aeropress
- etched metal/metal with holes, e.g., Kone, 'Gold' metal filters.
- traditional French press)

When I make coffee for two - that's two typical USA 10oz-12oz mugs, plus maybe a couple small top-ups - my choice, 98% of the time, will be a pre-heated/cycled Bonavita drip machine with #4 paper filters.

The other 2% of the time it'll be a:
- one litre Espro press (newbie friendly);
- '8-cup' Chemex with a cloth filter (not newbie friendly, but sure looks good); or
- if I want the best possible taste, a Syphon (but very not newbie-friendly).

baldheadracing wrote: I'd also argue that cloth filters in any situation are not "newbie-friendly." They're a pain in the a** to maintain compared to paper or metal-mesh or metal-etched filters.

I clean the cloth filter under warm water and put in a Tupperware filled with water in the fridge until the next session. Or freeze if I won't use it for a while. Nothing complicated.

You are right, it is nothing complicated. However, it is more work compared to a paper filter ...

BTW, you really need to be disinfecting/deep cleaning the filters occasionally. I've used cloth filters for years, and they'll acquire a taste from the coffee oils that one can't remove with water - although the fridge/freezer does prevent those oils from becoming rancid. I find that Cafiza works really well for deep cleaning.

After 10 months ( ) I'm torn between Chemex 3 cup, Kalita Wave, or Staff XF. What's the most, "idiot proof"?

I've not used it, however the Staff XF is marketed as easy to use.

It's essentially one pour, semi-imersion. More similar to Clever Dripper.

Well, I for one don't think V60 takes too much skills.
In the beginning I was watching a good few videos on how to properly make V60 coffee. But I now feel many of these video's actually make it sound much bigger or more complicated than it is.
What I would however recommend is to get a good handgrinder.
Once I changed from a porlex to the comandante c40 the difference in the cup was huge. I think you would need to spend a good bit more money to buy an electrical grinder that does as good a job for pour over than this C40. Worth every penny and more.

How V60 compares to other pour over methods I can't say. I did some research before trying V60 and that's the only pour over method I've tried as I was very happy with the results and didn't feel the need to try out others.

I myself use the glass v60 carafe mostly for when I'm brewing for 2, and a stainless steel with rubber size 2 for when I'm brewing in a silly sized mug. Use the stainless as it's utterly indestructible. The rubber bit you can take off and flip over. This way the tip of the filter doesn't sit so deep in the mug allowing to fill a mug properly.
Same quantity of water and beans with both droppers as this allows me to eyeball the quantities and be consistent nevertheless.

Hario Switch paired with Tales Coffee's "stall the fall" technique is unbelievably simple and makes a nice cup.

BSdV wrote:What I would however recommend is to get a good handgrinder.Once I changed from a porlex to the comandante c40 the difference in the cup was huge.

+1
As for the dripper Kalita Wave easy to use cause it's a slower drip with 3 small holes, pick the Glass Edition it's the fastest flow rate from all the kalita wave variant.

Better grinder for pourover and Kalita Wave Glass Edition...