Yeti Pour-Over Review

My husband and I are coffee fanatics. At times, we even plan our vacations around the best coffee shops. We don’t necessarily travel for the best coffee (we’re not that far gone), but we do seek it out wherever we are. But we also love camping and road tripping, where coffee options are sparse. To make sure we’re properly caffeinated, we almost always travel with a manual coffee grinder, some coffee beans, a gooseneck kettle, a small coffee scale, and a pour-over device.

We already own several travel drippers, but I was intrigued when I saw Yeti’s new Rambler Pour Over. Made of stainless steel, the Yeti is durable enough to serve as your primary pour-over device, too. To see how well it worked, I put it to the test. 

The Tests

• Heat Retention Test: I added 16 grams of medium ground coffee to the Yeti pour-over and placed a temperature probe in the grounds. I brewed a cup of coffee using a 1:15 ratio (16 grams of coffee to 240 grams of water) and 205°F water. I noted the temperature of the water as it traveled through the filter.
• Taste Test 1: I tasted the coffee and noted its flavors. I then brewed a second cup of coffee with a Hario V60 dripper, using the same beans and coffee-to-water ratio. I recorded tasting comparisons.
• Taste Test 2: I brewed several more cups of coffee with the Yeti and Hario V60 pour-overs using different beans with distinctive tasting notes, but the same 1:15 ratio.
• Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Test: After each brewing, I measured the TDS of each coffee using the DiFluid R2 Extract refractometer. TDS is a measure of extraction.
• Usability and Cleaning Test: After each cup of coffee, I hand-washed the Yeti pour-over to see how easy it was to clean. I also used a variety of mugs with it, including a Yeti 10-ounce stackable mug, a Yeti 10-ounce tumbler, and various ceramic mugs to see how the pour-over fit them.

What I Learned

The Yeti Pour-Over Brewed Good Coffee

Compared to the V60, the Yeti is shorter, features interior ridges, and has a larger drip hole. This resulted in the Yeti brewing about 15 seconds faster than the V60. The Yeti’s coffee was slightly weaker, too, but it was clean and crisp, with all the right tasting notes coming through. With the Yeti, I’d suggest grinding your beans a little finer to produce a stronger cup, should you find that’s needed.

The Yeti Pour-Over Was Easy to Use

The Yeti is a solid, single-piece device—no assembly is needed. All you need to do is pop a paper filter into it. 

This pour-over is designed to fit over the Yeti Rambler stackable mug, but it also easily works with the narrower 10-ounce tumbler. Even if you don’t own any Yeti drinkware, the Yeti is versatile. The pour-over’s four-inch base was wide enough to fit almost all of my ceramic mugs and my favorite travel mugs.

The Stainless Steel Construction Was Tough and Durable

Unlike many cone-shaped pour-overs, the Yeti is made of durable stainless steel with an insulated double-walled construction. Because of this, it retained heat well, with water staying 183°F throughout brewing. 

Part of me wishes the pour-over dripper were ceramic-lined like Yeti’s French Press, which would make cleanup easier and prevent any potential metallic flavor notes. But a stainless steel dripper is virtually indestructible—it’s safe to quickly toss into your bag for a trip, and it won’t break if knocked off the kitchen counter. 

The Verdict

The Yeti Rambler Pour Over is a capable coffee maker that can fit on almost any cup or travel mug. It’s solid and durable, and it delivers a great cup of coffee. 

The Pros

Thanks to its metal construction, the Yeti’s bound to last a long time. It requires no assembly, and if you already know how to make pour-over coffee, it’s intuitive to use. The insulated, double-walled stainless steel construction retains heat well throughout brewing. It’s also dishwasher-safe and has a wide base that fits over most mugs.

The Cons

It brews slightly weak coffee, though this can be adjusted by using a finer grind. It’s bulkier and less convenient than drippers that collapse or disassemble to lay flat. If you’re planning to travel with it, it weighs more than similar options.

Key Specs 

• Dimensions: 4.25 x 4.25 x 3.5 inches
• Materials: 18/8 stainless steel
• Insulation: Yes, double-walled
• Filter type: V60 cone-style filter (not included)
• Weight: 10 ounces
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes
• Warranty: 5 years

Why We’re the Experts 

• Irvin Lin is a former barista and coffee-obsessed drinker who owns over 25 brewers.
• He wrote the cookbook Marbled, Swirled, and Layered, which was picked by The New York Times as one of the best baking cookbooks of 2016.
• He runs a blog called Eat the Love, where he’s developed, photographed, and written recipes since 2010. Eat the Love was nominated twice for best food blog by the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) in 2016 and 2022.
• He’s tested and reviewed hundreds of kitchen items, including stand mixers and saucepans.