When it comes to pour-over coffee equipment, the market seems to release a new dripper every few months, each promising to revolutionize your morning brew. The Hario Pegasus Dripper is one such device that's been generating buzz in the specialty coffee community. But does it live up to the hype, or is it just another piece of gear that'll end up collecting dust in your cupboard?

After spending considerable time with the Hario Pegasus, testing it alongside the equipment I use daily, I've developed some strong opinions about where this dripper fits in the coffee brewing landscape. This isn't about chasing the latest trend or adding another brewer to an ever-growing collection. It's about understanding what actually makes a difference in your daily coffee routine and what's just marketing noise.

The Design Reality

The Hario Pegasus is a size 2 dripper that borrows heavily from its more famous sibling, the Hario V60. It features the same spiral groove pattern that made the V60 a staple in coffee shops and home brewing setups worldwide. On paper, this sounds promising. The grooves facilitate air flow and allow for even extraction during the brewing process. But here's where things get complicated.

The Pegasus's design incorporates two drainage holes instead of the single large opening found in the V60. In theory, this might seem like an interesting variation, but in practice, it creates an inconsistency problem that's hard to ignore. During brewing, one hole often drains faster than the other, leading to uneven extraction. For those of us who obsess over consistency in our morning cup, this is more than just a minor annoyance. It's a fundamental design flaw that undermines the entire purpose of precision brewing.

The Filter Compatibility Issue

Perhaps the most perplexing aspect of the Pegasus is its relationship with Hario's own filters. You'd expect a Hario product to work seamlessly with Hario filters, but the reality is frustrating. The filters don't sit properly in the dripper. They either stick up too high or, when pressed down, create an awkward fit that affects the brewing geometry. This isn't just an aesthetic concern. The way a filter sits in a dripper directly impacts how water flows through the coffee bed, which affects extraction and ultimately, flavor.

What makes this especially problematic is that the Pegasus limits your filter options. With a traditional V60, you can experiment with different filter types, from tabbed to non-tabbed, from various manufacturers like Cafec, which offer different flow rates and characteristics. This versatility is crucial for dialing in different coffee origins and roast profiles. The Pegasus's odd dimensions restrict this experimentation, boxing you into a narrower range of brewing possibilities.

Stability and Practical Concerns

Another issue that emerged during regular use is the Pegasus's stability on different brewing vessels. While it sits reasonably well on some carafes and servers, it wobbles or sits awkwardly on others. This inconsistency is frustrating when you're trying to execute a precise pouring technique. The last thing you need when concentrating on your brew is worrying about whether your dripper is going to shift mid-pour.

The size is also worth noting. Despite being labeled as a size 2 dripper, the Pegasus's brewing chamber feels more like a size 1 V60. This isn't necessarily a dealbreaker if you're typically brewing single servings, but it does limit your options when you want to make coffee for two or brew a larger batch. The compact size works well with automatic brewers like the Moccamaster, fitting snugly for batch brewing between 30-40 grams of coffee. But this niche use case doesn't justify adding another dripper to your collection when alternatives handle this job equally well.

The Versatility Question

The heart of the issue with the Pegasus is versatility, or rather, the lack of it. Great coffee equipment should open up possibilities, not close them off. The beauty of pour-over brewing lies in the ability to adjust variables and experiment with different approaches. You might use a faster-flowing filter for a light roast Ethiopian coffee to emphasize bright, fruity notes, then switch to a slower filter for a darker roasted Colombian to manage sweetness and body.

The Pegasus doesn't offer this flexibility. You're locked into a specific brewing approach with limited filter options and a drainage pattern that doesn't inspire confidence. Compare this to a standard V60, which has become the industry standard precisely because it's a blank canvas for coffee brewing. You can find hundreds of recipes online, each adapted for different coffees, grinders, and taste preferences. That community knowledge and shared experimentation is valuable.

What You Should Actually Buy

If you don't own a pour-over dripper yet, skip the Pegasus and go straight for a Hario V60. At roughly the same price point (typically $10-12), the V60 offers everything the Pegasus does and more. You get the same groove pattern for good extraction, better filter compatibility, more brewing flexibility, and access to a vast repository of recipes and techniques from the global coffee community.

For those who already own a V60, there's simply no compelling reason to add a Pegasus to your collection. You won't notice a significant improvement in cup quality, and you'll find yourself reaching for your V60 more often anyway because of its superior versatility.

The Bigger Picture

This assessment of the Pegasus speaks to a larger issue in the coffee equipment world: not every new release is an improvement or even a necessary addition. The specialty coffee industry sometimes falls into the trap of creating solutions for problems that don't exist, driven more by the need to release new products than by genuine innovation.

As coffee enthusiasts, our goal should be making consistently excellent coffee without accumulating gear that doesn't serve a clear purpose. Every piece of equipment in your brewing arsenal should either do something unique or do something common exceptionally well. The Pegasus, unfortunately, does neither.

Making Great Coffee Consistently

At the end of the day, brewing excellent coffee comes down to understanding fundamentals: proper coffee-to-water ratios, appropriate grind size, water temperature, and technique. Your dripper is just one variable in this equation. While having the right tools matters, having too many similar tools that don't offer distinct advantages only clutters your process and your counter space.

The Pegasus can make good coffee. That's not in question. You can dial in a recipe, use quality beans, and produce a delicious cup. But you can achieve the same result with equipment that offers more flexibility for future experimentation and learning. Why limit yourself with a brewer that boxes you into specific approaches when alternatives exist that encourage exploration?

The Verdict

The Hario Pegasus Dripper works, but working isn't enough to justify its place in most coffee setups. Between the uneven drainage from its two-hole design, the awkward filter fit, the limited versatility, and the availability of better alternatives at the same price point, there's little reason to recommend it.

This might seem like harsh criticism, but it comes from a place of wanting coffee enthusiasts to make informed decisions. Your money and counter space are valuable. Invest them in equipment that will grow with you as you develop your palate and brewing skills, not in gear that will end up in a cupboard after a few uses.

If you're looking to enter the world of pour-over coffee or upgrade your current setup, stick with proven options like the V60. Save the Pegasus for that collector who just wants to own every variation of every dripper. For the rest of us focused on consistently great coffee, there are better choices readily available.

The coffee world doesn't need more gear. It needs better understanding of how to use the excellent gear that already exists. Master the fundamentals with versatile equipment, and you'll brew better coffee than any specialized dripper could ever deliver on its own.