Thanks for the great review ! When you showed the idea or a level included on the dripper I said "omg" loudly because, yes, I would love that. I love to see these ideas for recipes ! Here are a few comments that came to my mind watching the video: - Totally agreed about needing to pour in circles with a gooseneck. I haven't found I needed to pour in circles with a non gooseneck kettle, making things even easier. - The waves on the shower screen help reduce water retention. - You can also steam preheat the dripper by placing it on the kettle when you boil your water (without a kettle lid). - Your second recipe is very close to something I called "paper clip" because I was hacking existing dripper with a paper clip valve. You can use N steeps, divided in equal steep times and water volumes, to maximize extraction with the least amount of total water and therefore reach very high TDS. The higher N and the longer the individual steep times, the higher TDS you can achieve. For example, with N=2 and ~5 min steeps I used to achieve 3% TDS. - You can use blooms as short as 15 seconds and still get a good bed saturation. Chris Feran seems to be a fan of those. - The valve will become less stiff with time. - Another detail. I usually start the bloom pour with the valve open. Maybe starting with the valve closes will reduce fines migration a bit, and maybe it will reduce the efficiency of prewet a bit. I'm not sure the difference is significant. Thanks again for this great resource !
I had the pleasant experience of reading this lengthy comment without having looked at the name attached to it and thought, "gee, this person has really gone deep with this after only having it for a short time and they really know what they're talking about." The valve comment maybe should have given it away but I was reading quickly. Then I looked up and saw "@jonathangagne2135" 😎 Ok, that explains it. Nice to have some designer commentary right up front. I'm looking forward to getting one once international sales open up again. I had one in a shopping basket but left it to purchase the next day and in that time things switched to USA sales only. 🤦
This is brilliant and answered my question too, which is what about using a standard kettle. Makes the price way more competitive when you consider not needing a gooseneck. Great review, thanks.
Thank you for this video. It made me pull a trigger on Pulsar and I'm glad I did. One of the ways I use it with light roasts is to just dump grounds in, then fill it with water off the boil, steep for a few minutes (no agitation, so grounds are on top and gravity helps with extraction). Then stir or swirl to knock grounds down to the bottom, open valve so water percolates through grounds and add any remaining water that didn't fit before. The result is strong and full of all the flavors the beans hold. It's overwhelming even but sometimes I just need that kind of brew. Oh, and if I do other recipes, regardless of the kettle (gooseneck or typical) I always just pour in the middle of the shower screen (there's no hole there). Seems to work great and the bed is flat every time.
Awesome review and instructional video in this very enjoyable watch. Not only is the content presented in a casual and direct manner, but your tongue in cheek humor is a really nice touch to this very well scripted and presented video. Well done!
Been brewing with this for the past week using Jonathan Gagne's recipe and this is the only thing that's convinced me about zero bypass/low bypass. I've played around with low bypass before and wasn't ever particularly impressed but the first few brews from the Pulsar were just so intensely sweet and full bodied. You can definitely taste the difference with the higher efficient extractions with no bypass water. The faffing about/workflow are overshadowed by how good the brews turn out. It's kind of nuts how good of a brewer it is. The only thing I'm not looking forward to is having to buy more filters online eventually. Not a fan of anything proprietary but maybe a big enough hole puncher/cutout could save me the time/effort lol
The handle loosens up after a few days of use. I love the pulsar. No skill required or gooseneck kettle. It’s really democratizing excellent coffee at home without needing a bunch of gear. I’m using an oxo kitchen scale, bartaza encore and a cuisenart kettle that I already had around the house.
about a month ago I finally got the pulsar, and by far I'm loving it. The last year my taste preferences were like complete intolerance to heavy mouthfeel, so I've been brewing (filter) coffee usually with 17-19% extractions, and Pulsar kinda changed it: with basic Gagne's recipe it lowers the body even with higher extractions, and it's pretty cool in my opinion
It's an interesting brewer, to say the least. It seems to add a lot more complications in the brew, which I don't particularly like. The design also leaves a lot left to be desired. I enjoy a quick and fast recipe with minimal cleanup and fussing, which is why the V60 works so well for my needs. When I'm done brewing the V60, i just throw out the filter and wipe the brew. Done.
Got one last week and have been tinkering with it nonstop. I had a kind of boring Colombian catuai from La Cabra that the Pulsar really helped bring to life. Being able to easily push the extraction very high is a great tool to have available.
Another great review by you guys! Thanks! To me, the Pulsar seems like the brewer that was missing in the market. Very well thought out. Can't wait to try it!
Long time listener first time caller. I’m about to order one based not only on you in-depth review but also based on your stone cold amazing sarcasm that makes your videos so enjoyable.
Thank you for the video on the Pulsar! I have been super interested in Jonathan’s work ever since James Hoffmann mentioned an Astrophysicist who built a grind size analyzer in Python. I also bought the Physics of Filter coffee on pre order. I am very excited for this brewer. My spouse’s occasionally antagonism towards my coffee obsession and the $65 price tag probably mean I won’t be able to get it right away, but I do think I will buy the Pulsar at some point
Having great results using your immersion method. I maximize extraction by preheating the unit with boiling water until the plastic is super hot. Then the brewing water loses less heat when introduced Great videos. Great humor.
I was about to give up on light roast having been unable to get a great cup using various percolation and immersion variations on cone drippers. I made my first cup on the Pulsar this morning using the Gagne recipe and got a full bodied, sweet and balanced cup that made my realize I love light roasts! Pulsar NL FTW! Thanks for the great video
Thank you so much for this! So many great tips and variables to play with in here 🙌🏻 Makes me wish for Pulsar dice - I'm already getting stuck on my favorite recipes lol
Awesome vid as always! Friendly reminder, I think that the quick note at 3:36 about paper filter should be later in the video. At least, it doesn't seem quite right there ;)
Possibly. I figured it made sense here as I was talking about the quality, but could work in the performance section too. Thanks for watching and commenting.
First time watching your channel. My Pulsar has just arrived and I was looking for some more info. Great video and the content was exactly the sort of thing I was after. I'll be back.
9:25 That hit hard. It brought back all my partner's glaring as kids treat her like a climbing frame while I'm carefully needling coffee in another room.... EDIT: Then again, there's a reason I'm watching this 12 days after drop even though I downloaded it when I got the notification.
Really enjoyed your video! My valve has been leaking out of the side a little at 10 - 11o'clock position, and now I'll try 12-3o'clock position. Great tip with rotating the shower screen! One could maybe try to put a filter paper on top of the shower screen to disperse the stream before it flows through the holes. Pleeease make a follow up version only with the nerdiest of nerdy tips for your fellow ultra geeks 😅
Hi the way it seals and with the flow geometry it just seems to be slightly more precise and also seals better 12-3 oclock, but if you prefer to use in the other direction feel free!
@@razorx999 Throw in a tripod with a levelling base and a small platform attached to a quick release plate and a completely level base is available on the side of a mountain. If you're already taking a tripod to take photos then you're barely adding any kit at all. 😉
I'm really looking forward to this brewer, just waiting for my local suppliers to start carrying it. Thanks for the great video (as always) and giving me a jumping off point once I get my hands on it.
I love immersion brewed coffee and after my Aeropress started crazing I put some thought into replacing it with another one. However, why should I continue consuming plastic? I purchased a 500ml glass beaker for an immersion vessel and then use a simple Melitta cone filter holder to filter the water coffee mix after a two minute steep. It works perfect and was cheaper than any fancy immersion brewing system and an easier cleanup than a French press.
Thank you for this review. I thank you. My wallet does not. I just ended up ordering one- from Canada no less (as it seems everyone is sold out in the US). Looking forward to playing with this guy soon. It will be the first new coffee brewer I’ve purchased in the last 2 years! But this is different, and I like the various different approaches. Also- love that wry joke about being a father and having loads of extra time to faff about. I feel you!
This is an awesome video, thank you! Realise it's approximate relative to the microns advised etc. but would you mind sharing which number on the 078 (turbo burrs) you use for recipes 1, 2 and 3 please? 🙏🏻
I got mine last week, and have been using it instead of the V60 since I got it, but have had issues with the flow being a bit slow. I will try some of the methods outlined in your video. I have been enjoy the coffee it produces, even though I don't think I have it dialed in yet. I only do one cup a day, anyway, this video definitely helps. Thanks!
@@yoloswagprobro8227it was available on Scott Rao's website (he got exclusivity for the first 30days I think) but he sold out. Should be on the Next level website and other places soonish.
Great video, and I'm officially a fan and subscribe to your channel! I got the Pulsar recently and have enjoyed using it. What I'm wondering is how do you personally decide which recipe you want to use based on the bean? What goes into that decision for you?
I'm interested to see how this works its way into the community. I'be been eyeballing a pourover brewer for making larger batches when we have guests. Aeropress and Flair Pro 2 are great for single servings but making enough for 4-6 people gets tiring. I'd also be interested to hear what you think about the Pulsar for travel. I've considered using the aeropress but there's a lot of stuff to pack and this looks a fair bit simpler. Also if I'm making killer coffee on travel I'm going to be very popular and need to be making more than one cup per day.
The flair is for espresso, so really not in the same category. There is a lot of out there, but for great coffee, for multiple people you can't beat a french press. Mueller makes a great stainless steel one. Even Hoffman says, there hardly a better way to brew than immersion.
Yeah I watched James' video on making coffee for guests. I suppose I could stand to give french press a try again, but I left it for aeropress like 15 years ago because I hated how overextracted all my brews ended up. I know a lot more now about coffee, so I imagine I'd be able to get better results anyway, but I still hate dealing with cleanup with the french press.
@@danjennings5068 Another key difference between Aeropress and French press is fines and oils. A French press has both. If you are looking for larger batches with a pour-over, consider large batch pour-over brewers like Chemex, Etkin, or Big Joe. For travel, the Aeropress Go or regular Aeropress are hard to beat.
Would bubbles under the filter cause channeling and uneven extraction or does it create stalling? Also thanks for the great video - I'm making some of my best cups with this pulsar after watching this a few times. I love how precise you are and all of the detail!
I LOVE my new Pulsar, it has already become my daily driver paired with an Option-O P100 at the grind setting of 10 (aka 0) which emulates 750 microns (7.5 microns per tick). I find that the dripper’s base retains coffee oils, to correct this I have been spraying Ka-Kleen Multi Purpose Espresso Machine Cleaner which seems to solve the problem. La-Kleen is really strong, so I dilute it with 5:1 water. Have you tried Ka-Kleen?
I’ll stick with my v60 switch 03 using my lily drip set for different flow rates. I refuse to use plastic and with the lily drips it basically turns the v60 into a flat bottom with each one having a different flow rate.
This is really cool thanks. I'll be looking out for it and consider purchasing it. Could I ask if you have taken a look at Outin Nano espresso maker? I've been waiting to find a trustworty review on on it with details and specifics. Especially the tech inside cause I still cant wrap my head around the design and how it is able to achieve the things it claims regarding battery life as well as pressure values.
I can't wait for it to get restocked. One question though about the random jet of water, have you tried pouring specifically aiming for the slightly smaller center hole? Perhaps it's designed that way to eliminate pouring pattern from being one of the extraction variable by allowing even novice to simply aim at the center.
It's actually super simple. Whether it's a gooseneck or regular kettle just keep it moving, that's all. What you saw in the video is super slow motion to demonstrate what's going on.
I have a V60 and can't decide whether to dip my toes into flat bottoms with the Orea V4 (and other styles with that interchangeable bottom) or this immersion brewing style with Pulsar AHHH!
With a 4 minute brew, what is the general finished coffee temp, starting with 206 f water? Would a double walled carafe have been better. Also what is the total volume possible?
$65 seems cheap when compared to the current releases by Aeropress! One thing you didn't discuss was cost of filters (and availability of alternatives) For me, a flat bottom brewer with a tap and it's own shower screen? Yes please!
Filters are around 10$/100. Not a huge difference to Hario V60 filters in price. I've read that they are really good, maybe because Jonathan is obsessed with high quality filter paper.
Hi Aramse, I'm currently using the tricolate attached to the bottom of the hario switch(lance hendriks video) and was wondering if it would be worth trying out the pulsar? Or would it be the same
Hi Aramse! I love mine, got first release was waiting since May for it to be released…. I brew 800 microns, about a 3.6-4 on the ZP6 supposedly, but have to stir the bed thoroughly in the bloom to enable any draw down at all, otherwise water cannot pass through.. I’ve seen no-one talk about this? Am I grinding too fine? Thing is the cups have been extraordinary so it’s not a problem, I’m just surprised no-one else has reported this so far..
I do 3,5 on ZP6 (calibrated to burr touch) and it's draining rather too fast. Are you using gagne's trick to put water in the base and float the filter on top?
I was very interested in this brewer since I heard about it months ago. However I recently got myself the brand new Cafec Deep 27 dripper and have been brewing my best cups to date with amazing consistency and simplicity. The Pulsar still intrigues me but the workflow seems rather bothersome compared to a basic cone dripper. Maybe I'll bite the bullet at some point but right now I'm on such a honeymoon phase with the Cafec that I can't imagine replacing it. For anyone with the Pulsar: how does the taste profile compare to a v60 for example? Can the brews be as acidic as a v60 or do they have more of an immersion quality to them regardless of the recipe?
I am a sucker for acidity and had the same concerns. Happy to report that I got some of the most delicious battery acid out of this thing! You just have to play around with very short bloom or even doing a 5x percolation bloom (similar to 4:6 acid forward variation) and under 2:30 tbt. And possibly reducing water temp for the second part of the brew (inspired by Tetsu's god/devil recipe).
@@VivaLaKnox Hey, thanks for the reply! That certainly sounds promising. May I ask what doses you're using? I typically brew only 10-12g and am wondering if this is too little for the Pulsar.
@@Kahva123 I've been doing mostly 20g. I heard from someone that you can also do 15g. I guess 10g might be a little to small, but if you do mainly immersion, it'll work nonetheless.
@@VivaLaKnox I think Gagne has at some point said it's optimized for 15-25g. I'll keep an eye on other reviews and the general reception. Thanks for your input!
This is both a large flat bottom and no-bypass so the profile isn't going to be like the v60. That said there are ways to elevate acidity and we've shared a couple of techniques here.
Unfortunately can't figure this one out for bright, acidic fun coffees. I have tried modifying the first recipe, I have also tried making it french no press style, but can't get noticeably close to the cupping profile of the same coffee. I can't say that the results I'm getting are overly unpleasant, if anything they're usually slightly sweeter and more balanced than cupping, however that's just not what I'm aiming for with bright coffees. Would be thankful for any suggestions. Maybe the crux of the issue is that I usually make 2 cups at once in the pulsar (however all the ratios are being followed), idk.
Try recipe 2 and a much shorter bloom (30 secs). Throttle the output flow to hit desired brew times if your cups are under extracted. We shared the recipe over on Instagram I believe.
Awesome video, I picked up a few things even as someone who's been nerding out about my pulsar since it came out (and before to some extent). Can you say something about why the 12 and 3 o'clock positions are better than 6 and 9? I've been using 3 and 6 since I got the pulsar as that was most natural. Also what do you think people should be looking at in terms of total brew time when using a shorter bloom with Jonathan's recipe like 15 or 30 seconds? Wonder if I should grind finer or keep the same grind and end up 30-45s short on the brew time?
The V cut out that forms the variable aperture for the valve just seems to have a better seal when the cutout is facing the ground (i.e. 12:00). My guess is that the tip of the V extends a smidge beyond the radius of the cylinder. Does that make any sense? haha. Hard to explain this on text.
@@aramse I can confirm, since I am using 12 and 3 o'clock instead of 6 and 9o'clock (or 9 and 12), I dont have any leakage coming out of the valve opening on the side anymore (it was just a tiny droplet anyways, but now nothing). Thanks for that tip!!
Nice video. I notice that there is a noticeable shadow on your background. An led strip on the floor or a soft source near your right side might help. Don't take my word though. I am just thinking out loud.
After seeing the final design looking so rough, you have to admire Alan Adler’s thoughtful design for the original Aeropress. The fact that you have to precariously balance this device on those crude looking “legs” while you tweak that equally unfinished looking valve is a total dealbreaker. Gagne needs to hire a design firm. But that will push the retail price into three figures.
I've had the Pulsar for about 10 days, following Gagne's recipe to a T, and I feel like the only person struggling to get a good cup out of it. Under-extracted and generally lacking flavor, even when I grind fine enough to hit 3:45-4:00 brew times. Good beans, Ode V2 grinder, 3rd wave water @ 98C, 1:17 ratio ... I even went as far as to check and adjust my burr alignment. I'm absolutely stumped.
Man, I wish this were made out of glass or metal. I understand why it's not, but I can still want it, lol. I live close to the 3M headquarters, and our water has been very polluted by plastic byproduct chemicals. So no matter how much a company says there's no leaching from their plastics, I always look at them a little side-eyed. I'm not uppity about it, I'd just rather avoid them where I can.
My only concern with the NextLevel Pulsar is that it’s made out of plastic. Plastics contain and leach hazardous chemicals, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that threaten human health. Conservative estimates point to more than a thousand manufactured chemicals in use today that are EDCs. One hundred and forty four chemicals or chemical groups known to be hazardous to human health are actively used in plastics for functions varying from antimicrobial activity to colorants, flame retardants, solvents, UV-stabilizers, and plasticizers.
It was available on Scott Rao's website but sold out recently. Several worldwide resellers will have more in stock soon. I suspect it will sell out quickly every time it lands somewhere until they ramp up production which should be soon too.
From what I've read, BPA-free is just a marketing gimmick. Many of the plastics that are labeled BPA-free are actually far more toxic than plastic with BPA. Consumers rarely if ever know what chemicals are in BPA-free plastic. And very little research has been done on them.
Thanks for the great review ! When you showed the idea or a level included on the dripper I said "omg" loudly because, yes, I would love that. I love to see these ideas for recipes !
Here are a few comments that came to my mind watching the video:
- Totally agreed about needing to pour in circles with a gooseneck. I haven't found I needed to pour in circles with a non gooseneck kettle, making things even easier.
- The waves on the shower screen help reduce water retention.
- You can also steam preheat the dripper by placing it on the kettle when you boil your water (without a kettle lid).
- Your second recipe is very close to something I called "paper clip" because I was hacking existing dripper with a paper clip valve. You can use N steeps, divided in equal steep times and water volumes, to maximize extraction with the least amount of total water and therefore reach very high TDS. The higher N and the longer the individual steep times, the higher TDS you can achieve. For example, with N=2 and ~5 min steeps I used to achieve 3% TDS.
- You can use blooms as short as 15 seconds and still get a good bed saturation. Chris Feran seems to be a fan of those.
- The valve will become less stiff with time.
- Another detail. I usually start the bloom pour with the valve open. Maybe starting with the valve closes will reduce fines migration a bit, and maybe it will reduce the efficiency of prewet a bit. I'm not sure the difference is significant.
Thanks again for this great resource !
I had the pleasant experience of reading this lengthy comment without having looked at the name attached to it and thought, "gee, this person has really gone deep with this after only having it for a short time and they really know what they're talking about." The valve comment maybe should have given it away but I was reading quickly. Then I looked up and saw "@jonathangagne2135" 😎 Ok, that explains it. Nice to have some designer commentary right up front. I'm looking forward to getting one once international sales open up again. I had one in a shopping basket but left it to purchase the next day and in that time things switched to USA sales only. 🤦
Lol. Let's get NextLevel to make a spirit level accessory. Thanks for all the tips. Pinned this comment cuz these are super helpful!
This is brilliant and answered my question too, which is what about using a standard kettle.
Makes the price way more competitive when you consider not needing a gooseneck.
Great review, thanks.
@@cichlisuite2I did the same thing! I was like who does this guy think he is........oh the man himself....😂😂
I’m sure it makes great coffee but that thing is one ugly hunk of plastic!
Thanks for including the clean up process. It's an important part of the workflow to me.
Thank you for this video. It made me pull a trigger on Pulsar and I'm glad I did.
One of the ways I use it with light roasts is to just dump grounds in, then fill it with water off the boil, steep for a few minutes (no agitation, so grounds are on top and gravity helps with extraction). Then stir or swirl to knock grounds down to the bottom, open valve so water percolates through grounds and add any remaining water that didn't fit before. The result is strong and full of all the flavors the beans hold. It's overwhelming even but sometimes I just need that kind of brew.
Oh, and if I do other recipes, regardless of the kettle (gooseneck or typical) I always just pour in the middle of the shower screen (there's no hole there). Seems to work great and the bed is flat every time.
Awesome review and instructional video in this very enjoyable watch. Not only is the content presented in a casual and direct manner, but your tongue in cheek humor is a really nice touch to this very well scripted and presented video. Well done!
There are indeed very few things as perfect as James Hoffman's hair
24 hours after this video's release, I've watched it four times. I like the review and live your script.
Been brewing with this for the past week using Jonathan Gagne's recipe and this is the only thing that's convinced me about zero bypass/low bypass. I've played around with low bypass before and wasn't ever particularly impressed but the first few brews from the Pulsar were just so intensely sweet and full bodied. You can definitely taste the difference with the higher efficient extractions with no bypass water. The faffing about/workflow are overshadowed by how good the brews turn out. It's kind of nuts how good of a brewer it is. The only thing I'm not looking forward to is having to buy more filters online eventually. Not a fan of anything proprietary but maybe a big enough hole puncher/cutout could save me the time/effort lol
I've just gotten the dripper and reused the filter twice. Honestly think these filters can be reused at least 4 times!
The handle loosens up after a few days of use. I love the pulsar. No skill required or gooseneck kettle. It’s really democratizing excellent coffee at home without needing a bunch of gear. I’m using an oxo kitchen scale, bartaza encore and a cuisenart kettle that I already had around the house.
This is really great stuff man. I’m so impressed by how far you’ve come since your early videos. Keep it up, I enjoy watching every time!!!
about a month ago I finally got the pulsar, and by far I'm loving it. The last year my taste preferences were like complete intolerance to heavy mouthfeel, so I've been brewing (filter) coffee usually with 17-19% extractions, and Pulsar kinda changed it: with basic Gagne's recipe it lowers the body even with higher extractions, and it's pretty cool in my opinion
It's an interesting brewer, to say the least.
It seems to add a lot more complications in the brew, which I don't particularly like. The design also leaves a lot left to be desired.
I enjoy a quick and fast recipe with minimal cleanup and fussing, which is why the V60 works so well for my needs. When I'm done brewing the V60, i just throw out the filter and wipe the brew. Done.
Got one last week and have been tinkering with it nonstop. I had a kind of boring Colombian catuai from La Cabra that the Pulsar really helped bring to life. Being able to easily push the extraction very high is a great tool to have available.
Another great review by you guys! Thanks!
To me, the Pulsar seems like the brewer that was missing in the market. Very well thought out. Can't wait to try it!
Long time listener first time caller. I’m about to order one based not only on you in-depth review but also based on your stone cold amazing sarcasm that makes your videos so enjoyable.
Thank you for the video on the Pulsar!
I have been super interested in Jonathan’s work ever since James Hoffmann mentioned an Astrophysicist who built a grind size analyzer in Python. I also bought the Physics of Filter coffee on pre order. I am very excited for this brewer. My spouse’s occasionally antagonism towards my coffee obsession and the $65 price tag probably mean I won’t be able to get it right away, but I do think I will buy the Pulsar at some point
Having great results using your immersion method. I maximize extraction by preheating the unit with boiling water until the plastic is super hot. Then the brewing water loses less heat when introduced
Great videos. Great humor.
I was about to give up on light roast having been unable to get a great cup using various percolation and immersion variations on cone drippers. I made my first cup on the Pulsar this morning using the Gagne recipe and got a full bodied, sweet and balanced cup that made my realize I love light roasts! Pulsar NL FTW! Thanks for the great video
Exactly why I got one
Thank you so much for this! So many great tips and variables to play with in here 🙌🏻
Makes me wish for Pulsar dice - I'm already getting stuck on my favorite recipes lol
you got me with the "I'll let it steep a bit", subscribed
Awesome vid as always! Friendly reminder, I think that the quick note at 3:36 about paper filter should be later in the video. At least, it doesn't seem quite right there ;)
Possibly. I figured it made sense here as I was talking about the quality, but could work in the performance section too. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Great video as always Aramse! Great work. Enjoyed the interview with Hoon also.
Been waiting for you to review this. Thanks!
I've reused the filters up to three times :). I wouldn't recommend any more than that.
Just discovered Pulsar and your channel. Absolutely love it mate !
First time watching your channel. My Pulsar has just arrived and I was looking for some more info. Great video and the content was exactly the sort of thing I was after. I'll be back.
9:25 That hit hard. It brought back all my partner's glaring as kids treat her like a climbing frame while I'm carefully needling coffee in another room....
EDIT: Then again, there's a reason I'm watching this 12 days after drop even though I downloaded it when I got the notification.
Really enjoyed your video! My valve has been leaking out of the side a little at 10 - 11o'clock position, and now I'll try 12-3o'clock position. Great tip with rotating the shower screen! One could maybe try to put a filter paper on top of the shower screen to disperse the stream before it flows through the holes. Pleeease make a follow up version only with the nerdiest of nerdy tips for your fellow ultra geeks 😅
Hi the way it seals and with the flow geometry it just seems to be slightly more precise and also seals better 12-3 oclock, but if you prefer to use in the other direction feel free!
I think I want to replace my Aeropress with one of these as my camping brewer. This seems like fun and like it could be forgiving just like the AP
The instability makes me pause.
The Aeropress nearly fits on cups, and still can feel unstable on a camping table...
@@razorx999 Throw in a tripod with a levelling base and a small platform attached to a quick release plate and a completely level base is available on the side of a mountain. If you're already taking a tripod to take photos then you're barely adding any kit at all. 😉
I'm really looking forward to this brewer, just waiting for my local suppliers to start carrying it. Thanks for the great video (as always) and giving me a jumping off point once I get my hands on it.
9:31 perfect comic timing, perfect cut 👏👏
I love immersion brewed coffee and after my Aeropress started crazing I put some thought into replacing it with another one. However, why should I continue consuming plastic? I purchased a 500ml glass beaker for an immersion vessel and then use a simple Melitta cone filter holder to filter the water coffee mix after a two minute steep. It works perfect and was cheaper than any fancy immersion brewing system and an easier cleanup than a French press.
Thank you for this review. I thank you. My wallet does not. I just ended up ordering one- from Canada no less (as it seems everyone is sold out in the US). Looking forward to playing with this guy soon. It will be the first new coffee brewer I’ve purchased in the last 2 years! But this is different, and I like the various different approaches.
Also- love that wry joke about being a father and having loads of extra time to faff about. I feel you!
I'm very interested in a portable brewer like this that I can bring to work. Seems like a great match!
That is one reason I bought the Pulsar. Simplicity in brewing in an office where I don't have access to a pour over kettle.
This is an awesome video, thank you! Realise it's approximate relative to the microns advised etc. but would you mind sharing which number on the 078 (turbo burrs) you use for recipes 1, 2 and 3 please? 🙏🏻
I would love this as well!
Great video as always. I got my Pulsar last week. Enjoying it a bunch.
I got mine last week, and have been using it instead of the V60 since I got it, but have had issues with the flow being a bit slow. I will try some of the methods outlined in your video. I have been enjoy the coffee it produces, even though I don't think I have it dialed in yet. I only do one cup a day, anyway, this video definitely helps. Thanks!
Where do you buy it 😭
@@yoloswagprobro8227it was available on Scott Rao's website (he got exclusivity for the first 30days I think) but he sold out. Should be on the Next level website and other places soonish.
How well do your recipes scale up? I'm curious what were you biggest brews with the Pulsar. Any adjustments?
just stopped the videos to say i like your channel very much great presntion and writing 👌.subed
Really like how this channel is developing. Keep up the great work!
Loved the video and humor!
Great video, and I'm officially a fan and subscribe to your channel! I got the Pulsar recently and have enjoyed using it. What I'm wondering is how do you personally decide which recipe you want to use based on the bean? What goes into that decision for you?
I'm interested to see how this works its way into the community. I'be been eyeballing a pourover brewer for making larger batches when we have guests. Aeropress and Flair Pro 2 are great for single servings but making enough for 4-6 people gets tiring.
I'd also be interested to hear what you think about the Pulsar for travel. I've considered using the aeropress but there's a lot of stuff to pack and this looks a fair bit simpler. Also if I'm making killer coffee on travel I'm going to be very popular and need to be making more than one cup per day.
The flair is for espresso, so really not in the same category. There is a lot of out there, but for great coffee, for multiple people you can't beat a french press. Mueller makes a great stainless steel one. Even Hoffman says, there hardly a better way to brew than immersion.
Yeah I watched James' video on making coffee for guests. I suppose I could stand to give french press a try again, but I left it for aeropress like 15 years ago because I hated how overextracted all my brews ended up. I know a lot more now about coffee, so I imagine I'd be able to get better results anyway, but I still hate dealing with cleanup with the french press.
@@danjennings5068 Another key difference between Aeropress and French press is fines and oils. A French press has both. If you are looking for larger batches with a pour-over, consider large batch pour-over brewers like Chemex, Etkin, or Big Joe.
For travel, the Aeropress Go or regular Aeropress are hard to beat.
This is really cool! Thanks for the great review and demo!
Pulsar ==> astrophysicist. I get it. I'm still trying to master Dr Gagne's aeropress recipe. Now this. Btw his book is intensely comprehensive.
Excellent vid as always.
Would bubbles under the filter cause channeling and uneven extraction or does it create stalling? Also thanks for the great video - I'm making some of my best cups with this pulsar after watching this a few times. I love how precise you are and all of the detail!
I LOVE my new Pulsar, it has already become my daily driver paired with an Option-O P100 at the grind setting of 10 (aka 0) which emulates 750 microns (7.5 microns per tick). I find that the dripper’s base retains coffee oils, to correct this I have been spraying Ka-Kleen Multi Purpose Espresso Machine Cleaner which seems to solve the problem. La-Kleen is really strong, so I dilute it with 5:1 water. Have you tried Ka-Kleen?
I'am curious about the ruler you used to show the grind setting, it looks cute!
Very cool brewer. I'm afraid I have to add that to my collection at some point *sighs* 😅
Had to pause at 10:30 to ascertain what that metal ruler thing was.
The Brewler is new to me.
Thank you for such great content. Do you have any recipe on bigger batch brew? E.g. 500ml? Thanks!
I’ll stick with my v60 switch 03 using my lily drip set for different flow rates. I refuse to use plastic and with the lily drips it basically turns the v60 into a flat bottom with each one having a different flow rate.
Looks interesting. It looks to me a sort of all in 1 brewer.
Pourover ✅
French Press style ✅
Cold brew container ✅
Any way to get this in India? 😅
I think they ship internationally. I’m not aware of any local stockist at the moment.
This is really cool thanks. I'll be looking out for it and consider purchasing it. Could I ask if you have taken a look at Outin Nano espresso maker? I've been waiting to find a trustworty review on on it with details and specifics. Especially the tech inside cause I still cant wrap my head around the design and how it is able to achieve the things it claims regarding battery life as well as pressure values.
From someone who only uses 13-14 grams of coffee, would this work for me? All the recipes I see are for 18+ grams...
Great vid! I tried to do a SOFI-style brew on it, but removing the oils via the paper filter takes away the fun of the SOFI cup's texture.
I can't wait for it to get restocked. One question though about the random jet of water, have you tried pouring specifically aiming for the slightly smaller center hole? Perhaps it's designed that way to eliminate pouring pattern from being one of the extraction variable by allowing even novice to simply aim at the center.
It's actually super simple. Whether it's a gooseneck or regular kettle just keep it moving, that's all. What you saw in the video is super slow motion to demonstrate what's going on.
So... This is basically the percolative immersion concept by Lance Hendrick in a complete brewer? Seems like a good product and concept.
I have a V60 and can't decide whether to dip my toes into flat bottoms with the Orea V4 (and other styles with that interchangeable bottom) or this immersion brewing style with Pulsar AHHH!
With a 4 minute brew, what is the general finished coffee temp, starting with 206 f water? Would a double walled carafe have been better. Also what is the total volume possible?
9:50 nah please continue, we're happy to listen to you for hours
does shower screen already have scratches? 6:40
Have you ever tried blue bottle dripper? Do you have any thoughts on it?
If nothing else, it was the "James Hoffmans' hair" comment that got my like
WOW the idea of a spirit level is so simple and genius. I audibly gasped when you mentioned it
$65 seems cheap when compared to the current releases by Aeropress! One thing you didn't discuss was cost of filters (and availability of alternatives) For me, a flat bottom brewer with a tap and it's own shower screen? Yes please!
Filters are around 10$/100. Not a huge difference to Hario V60 filters in price. I've read that they are really good, maybe because Jonathan is obsessed with high quality filter paper.
@@VivaLaKnox Scott Rao swears by them, and uses them for his Filter3 basket
Hi Aramse,
I'm currently using the tricolate attached to the bottom of the hario switch(lance hendriks video) and was wondering if it would be worth trying out the pulsar? Or would it be the same
Excellent video! I love their lvl 10, and i am even more excited about this especially since i have a newborn and way too much time on my hands! 😂😂😂
What’s the range of grind size you used on the Timemore Sculptor 078?
6-8 on recipe 1&2 and around 4 or recipe 3.
Great video, I love my Pulsar! Since I see 078 in the video I wanna ask how do you typically grind with Sculptor for those recipes?
Recipe 1 & 2 are between 6 and 7. Recipe 3 is around 4 clicks.
Hi Aramse! I love mine, got first release was waiting since May for it to be released…. I brew 800 microns, about a 3.6-4 on the ZP6 supposedly, but have to stir the bed thoroughly in the bloom to enable any draw down at all, otherwise water cannot pass through.. I’ve seen no-one talk about this? Am I grinding too fine? Thing is the cups have been extraordinary so it’s not a problem, I’m just surprised no-one else has reported this so far..
I do 3,5 on ZP6 (calibrated to burr touch) and it's draining rather too fast. Are you using gagne's trick to put water in the base and float the filter on top?
@@VivaLaKnox yes exactly the same for me, it draws down fine but I have to stir the bed well with a spoon, maybe it’s my dose? I’m using 30g
@Aramse How to get rid of an unpleasant coffee smell from a silicone part?
in my case baking soda + hot water + plastic brush did the trick
Amazing review!
Beautiful... ... ...
I was very interested in this brewer since I heard about it months ago.
However I recently got myself the brand new Cafec Deep 27 dripper and have been brewing my best cups to date with amazing consistency and simplicity.
The Pulsar still intrigues me but the workflow seems rather bothersome compared to a basic cone dripper. Maybe I'll bite the bullet at some point but right now I'm on such a honeymoon phase with the Cafec that I can't imagine replacing it.
For anyone with the Pulsar: how does the taste profile compare to a v60 for example? Can the brews be as acidic as a v60 or do they have more of an immersion quality to them regardless of the recipe?
I am a sucker for acidity and had the same concerns. Happy to report that I got some of the most delicious battery acid out of this thing! You just have to play around with very short bloom or even doing a 5x percolation bloom (similar to 4:6 acid forward variation) and under 2:30 tbt. And possibly reducing water temp for the second part of the brew (inspired by Tetsu's god/devil recipe).
@@VivaLaKnox Hey, thanks for the reply! That certainly sounds promising. May I ask what doses you're using? I typically brew only 10-12g and am wondering if this is too little for the Pulsar.
@@Kahva123 I've been doing mostly 20g. I heard from someone that you can also do 15g. I guess 10g might be a little to small, but if you do mainly immersion, it'll work nonetheless.
@@VivaLaKnox I think Gagne has at some point said it's optimized for 15-25g. I'll keep an eye on other reviews and the general reception. Thanks for your input!
This is both a large flat bottom and no-bypass so the profile isn't going to be like the v60. That said there are ways to elevate acidity and we've shared a couple of techniques here.
Unfortunately can't figure this one out for bright, acidic fun coffees. I have tried modifying the first recipe, I have also tried making it french no press style, but can't get noticeably close to the cupping profile of the same coffee. I can't say that the results I'm getting are overly unpleasant, if anything they're usually slightly sweeter and more balanced than cupping, however that's just not what I'm aiming for with bright coffees. Would be thankful for any suggestions. Maybe the crux of the issue is that I usually make 2 cups at once in the pulsar (however all the ratios are being followed), idk.
Try recipe 2 and a much shorter bloom (30 secs). Throttle the output flow to hit desired brew times if your cups are under extracted. We shared the recipe over on Instagram I believe.
Agreed, few things are as perfect as James Hoffman's hair, but this review come close💈
Are Aeropress filters suitable?
Awesome video, I picked up a few things even as someone who's been nerding out about my pulsar since it came out (and before to some extent). Can you say something about why the 12 and 3 o'clock positions are better than 6 and 9? I've been using 3 and 6 since I got the pulsar as that was most natural. Also what do you think people should be looking at in terms of total brew time when using a shorter bloom with Jonathan's recipe like 15 or 30 seconds? Wonder if I should grind finer or keep the same grind and end up 30-45s short on the brew time?
The V cut out that forms the variable aperture for the valve just seems to have a better seal when the cutout is facing the ground (i.e. 12:00). My guess is that the tip of the V extends a smidge beyond the radius of the cylinder. Does that make any sense? haha. Hard to explain this on text.
@@aramse I can confirm, since I am using 12 and 3 o'clock instead of 6 and 9o'clock (or 9 and 12), I dont have any leakage coming out of the valve opening on the side anymore (it was just a tiny droplet anyways, but now nothing). Thanks for that tip!!
Nice video. I notice that there is a noticeable shadow on your background. An led strip on the floor or a soft source near your right side might help.
Don't take my word though. I am just thinking out loud.
Haha yeah it’s a small room so lighting it well has definitely been tricky. Also just haven’t had the time. It’s definitely on the to do list. :)
Bon travail. I was waiting for it
I wish we would have more non plastic options. Hot water in contact with plastics makes me uneasy.
I keep seeing the pulsar but I have no idea where u even buy it, I literally can’t find it anywhere
After seeing the final design looking so rough, you have to admire Alan Adler’s thoughtful design for the original Aeropress. The fact that you have to precariously balance this device on those crude looking “legs” while you tweak that equally unfinished looking valve is a total dealbreaker. Gagne needs to hire a design firm. But that will push the retail price into three figures.
While I'd love a better design, it honestly doesn't feel as precarious as I thought it might be.
I've had the Pulsar for about 10 days, following Gagne's recipe to a T, and I feel like the only person struggling to get a good cup out of it. Under-extracted and generally lacking flavor, even when I grind fine enough to hit 3:45-4:00 brew times. Good beans, Ode V2 grinder, 3rd wave water @ 98C, 1:17 ratio ... I even went as far as to check and adjust my burr alignment. I'm absolutely stumped.
Man, I wish this were made out of glass or metal. I understand why it's not, but I can still want it, lol. I live close to the 3M headquarters, and our water has been very polluted by plastic byproduct chemicals. So no matter how much a company says there's no leaching from their plastics, I always look at them a little side-eyed. I'm not uppity about it, I'd just rather avoid them where I can.
His hair is amazing isn't it.
Few things are as perfect as James Hoffmans hair 😂 true true 🤣
is that the meticulus espresso brewer i see behind 👀👀👀
Great review!
So attach a level.
Aeropress is the top of the chain of brewers
Thid is very cool, I may even buy one.
My only concern with the NextLevel Pulsar is that it’s made out of plastic. Plastics contain and leach hazardous chemicals, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that threaten human health. Conservative estimates point to more than a thousand manufactured chemicals in use today that are EDCs. One hundred and forty four chemicals or chemical groups known to be hazardous to human health are actively used in plastics for functions varying from antimicrobial activity to colorants, flame retardants, solvents, UV-stabilizers, and plasticizers.
What that refractometer you‘re using?
Looks like a Difluid R2.
Yup at 11:38, you can see the refractometer has the "READY" with a blue D. That's the Difluid R2.
We want it, we need it.
" my chop stick " - Tales coffee
Water temp??
Just off boil as I’m using a light roast
Is this available in the market
It was available on Scott Rao's website but sold out recently. Several worldwide resellers will have more in stock soon. I suspect it will sell out quickly every time it lands somewhere until they ramp up production which should be soon too.
Can we even get this India?
They ship to India.
Next level ships to india
nice video
From what I've read, BPA-free is just a marketing gimmick. Many of the plastics that are labeled BPA-free are actually far more toxic than plastic with BPA. Consumers rarely if ever know what chemicals are in BPA-free plastic. And very little research has been done on them.