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OREA BREWER Z1® → the ZERO bypass brewer with ZERO compromises. Fast, versatile, and pleasing on the eye - a required evolution. Extract the very best in every cup.
Brewing coffee is simple: hot water meets ground coffee, with filtration optional. But we can do so much better than that. As product folks, it's our job to bring you the best tasting experience with the least effort - no matter where you are. Better devices can instantly amplify your experience, which can only be good for the whole coffee value chain. With the Z1, we have condensed everything we have learned over the years into one simple and fun device that uses some of the best components in the industry to bring you something you will enjoy more every single day. This is something worth tasting.
We pioneered the "low bypass" brewing method, which was introduced in the OREA V2 (4 years ago) and noticed that lowering bypass can positively impact the cup qualities. More sweetness, a cleaner acidity profile, and more consistency guaranteed in the cup. We wanted to take this forward and make a zero bypass brewer that can brew the way we like - fast, simple, juicy, sweet, and balanced with a whole lot of clarity. The result is the world's first fast zero bypass brewer, designed to brew like all of our other brewers but with the lovely depth and consistency from the zero bypass method.
The perfect brewer has to be perfectly optimised. The diameter of the bottom, the height of the chamber, the fastening mechanisms, the ability for air to flow, and future compatibility with accessories. It's designed to flow quickly and consistently by ensuring a proper bed depth and very low agitation due to the short chamber. Airflow is ensured by our signature base and ample space around the Melodrip so the device can't airlock. The material is chosen to be see-through and thermally resistant, with a superior thickness to make sure energy stays inside. The fastening is secure and allows for compatibility with other devices, like the Hario Switch. We have really put everything we have learned to work here - to bring our most optimised device.
The perfect brewer has to be simple and easy to use. The paper is easy to put in and you don't need to pre-wet or do any fancy pre-brew rituals. Grind, dose, and pour into the Melodrip - from there on it's up to you how much more you want to do. You don't even need a gooseneck kettle and due to the lack of bypass, it's harder to get a brew that tastes bad. Once you're done, it's very easy to clean - just unscrew, knock the puck out and rinse under the sink - simple. Use our simple 2 pour recipes, or more complex ones too - it's up to you how you want to enjoy this little brilliant device.
BYPASS is not a monster, but it is not great either. Four years ago we became popular for inventing a low bypass brewing method in the OREA V2 which carried on to V3 and V4. Our research showed that by lessening bypass, we should get more full, vibrant, delicious brews. BYPASS happens when water seeks the path of least resistance and rather than going through the coffee bed, it escapes through the gaps and spaces left between the paper and brewer in traditional brewers. This low extraction liquid brings bitterness, astringency, dryness and emptiness in the final brew.
Imagine baking an apple pie, but 10% of your apples are not ripe and 60% are over-ripe. The overall pie may still taste okay, or sometimes interesting, but overall will taste a bit off. BYPASS does the same, by introducing a big portion of bad quality extraction into the mix. Besides that - to reach the same extraction levels, it means that we have to over-extract the rest of the composition to reach an enjoyable extraction level and over-compensate for the bypass in the brew. Brewing without bypass reduces this imbalance significantly, amplifying the positive aspects of the coffee, producing a cup with less astringency, less dryness, cleaner acidity, and higher clarity of flavour.
Traditionally, zero bypass brewers are known for being slow. We are not the patient types - looking at a brewer for 6-8 minutes is just not our thing. We pioneered the era of the fast flat bottom brewer, making the old guys look truly vintage in the process. It's our turn to do that here too - adding a sprinkle of supersonic on a sleepy extraction method. Fast, clean, juicy brews are possible without bypass - thanks to the Z1. Welcome to the revolution!
We were humbled to be awarded two prestigious design awards for the Z1 Brewer before we even launched it. The US-based Design Masterprize Award awarding us the coveted Best of the Best award and the EU-based European Product Design Award awarding the Z1 as the best product design in the Coffee and Tea products category. Here's to many more!
To make the best brewer, we teamed up with the best paper filter company: SIBARIST. We tested all of the available papers on the market (and even filters not made from paper) to find the best-fit for the Z1. The SIBARIST FAST paper filter shone the brightest, giving us everything we wanted. A fast brew with unparalleled brightness, clarity, and sweetness. We worked hard to find the right ways to make this filter accessible, matching our per-filter price of our traditional paper filters (Wave, Type G) when you buy a bigger pack of filters.
LOWER WASTE
Using the Z1 reduces your paper waste by 7X compared to traditional brewers, due to the massive reduction in paper size. This paper size is also smaller compared to other devices in this category. Additionally, in a zero bypass environment, it's easier to brew at wide ratios, using less coffee to reach tasty cups, which can further reduce your daily impact.
MADE IN THE E.U.
SIBARIST are a small, independent company, just like us. Unlike us though, they're based in sunny Catalonia, near the city of Barcelona. Everything around this paper is sourced from the local region and is manufactured and packed in their factory in Catalonia. We were really impressed by Kim and Lambert's (the founders) dedication to source and support the local community. This de-facto means it cannot be the cheapest filter in the world. But it is the BEST - and that is what our customers deserve as default.
To make the best brewer, we teamed up with the original (and best) drip assist: MELODRIP. The brainchild of Ray Murakawa, the Melordrip stole our hearts many years ago for its simple design, efficiency, and reactive nature. We really thought there is no need to re-invent the wheel here. Ray's design is perfect, at the perfect size, and the company is independently run by a passionate person. We're super happy to build around this tool!
THE FIRST
The MELODRIP was conceived back in 2015, when Ray became obsessed with finding a way to control heat, hydration, and agitation separately. At the time, any method of applying heat and hydration also unintentionally caused agitation, making it impossible to isolate their individual effects. Controlling agitation to this degree opened up a new discussion about flavour clarity, the effect of particle suspension on filter paper, and the importance of undisturbed percolation in brewing. Without Ray's work, this category of device may never have come to be.
THE BEST
The MELODRIP is the original and best drip assist. We have tested them all - clones and weird interpretations alike. Time and time again, we return to the MELODRIP because it just has a special something. The hexchamber design produces the right amount of pressure so the diffused droplets reduce agitation, but flow fast enough to transfer proper amount of heat. The design also ensures that water is diffused precisely beneath the pour point which is not found in other diffusion accessories that have come after.
ESSENTIAL
The drip assist is an essential component to a zero bypass brewer. Since the paper has such a small surface area, we need to mellow out the pour. When a strong stream of water hits the coffee, fines migrate and begin to plug the paper filter. The MELODRIP'S hexchamber design produces the right amount of pressure so the diffused droplets reduce agitation, but flow fast enough to transfer proper amount of heat. This turns a steady water stream into perfect droplets quickly, without losing essential energy.
REACTIVE
The MELODRIP'S design also ensures that water is diffused precisely beneath the pour point. This is not found in other diffusion accessories that have come after. This is precisely why we love it. Other drip assists want to do the brewing for you - you dump water and watch them do their thing. We wanted to retain the essence and feeling of brewing - as you pour faster, this drips faster, as you pour in one area, it diffuses the pour just in that area. This retains the brewer's control - this device is truly a brewer's device.
The following table lists some of the most asked details about this brewer. Please note some of the capacity and design details before purchasing.
| ORIGIN |
BREWER: Made in Taiwan MELODRIP: Made in Taiwan FILTERS: Made in Spain |
| CAPACITY | Best for 12-18G of coffee (200-300ML liquid) but can work as low as 8G or as high as 20G |
| SERVINGS | Single serving (1 person) |
| SIZE | COMPACT Size. Measuring 7.2CM tall x 12cm at widest point of base, 7.5CM external bottom diameter |
| WEIGHT | The brewer weighs 120G, including the Melodrip or 110G excluding it |
| MATERIALS | Made of a transparent, durable, BPA-free TRITAN plastic with a thick 5MM+ insulating wall |
| FILTER | Z1 Filter - SIBARIST FAST |
| IN THE BOX | Base (X1), Funnel (X1), Melodrip Adapter (X1), Melodrip (X1), Bag (1X), Guides (2X) |
| TIME | Average tested brewing time of 2:41 for washed coffees and 2:28 for more processed coffees |
| CARAFE COMPATIBILITY | MINIMUM mouth diameter: 7.7CM |
Exceptional and convenient to travel with, it was my companion on my last trip.
Orea Z1 Brewer - Zero Bypass Brewer
€59.13
