Hario Switch 02 vs V60 02: Is the Immersion Switch Worth It?

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Short answer: Get the Hario V60 02 ($13-14 at Hario USA) if you enjoy controlling a pour-over and want the cheapest way into the V60 system. Get the Hario Switch 02 (SSD-200-B, $45) if you want a cup that comes out the same every day with one pour and a timer. The Switch can steep the grounds like an immersion brewer, then drain like a V60. It uses the same V60 02 filters, but one immersion brew makes only about 200 mL (6.8 oz).

How we compare: every spec in this article comes from official manufacturer specifications and product pages (starting with Hario USA’s V60 SWITCH Glass Dripper page and Hario USA’s V60 Plastic Coffee Dripper 02 page), all listed under Sources below. We don’t run hands-on tests, and if a spec isn’t published, we say so. Last updated: October 2026.

Check price: Hario Switch 02 (SSD-200-B)

Check price: Hario V60 02 Plastic Dripper

I live in Japan, where Hario makes both of these drippers. The Switch is built around a V60-size glass cone, so the real question isn’t “which cone,” but whether the valve underneath is worth about $31-32 more to you.

I haven’t tested these side by side. Everything below comes from the manufacturers’ official product pages and manual, linked at the end. If a spec isn’t published, I say so instead of guessing.

Quick Comparison Table

Spec	Hario Switch 02 (glass)	Hario V60 02 (plastic)
Model number	SSD-200-B	VD-02T / VD-02W / VD-02R
Brewing methods	Immersion, pour-over, or a mix of both	Pour-over only
Capacity (Hario)	About 200 mL finished coffee	1-4 cups
Official recipe (Hario manual)	20 g coffee, about 240 mL water, steep about 2 min	Not applicable
Size (W x D x H)	118 x 115 x 133 mm	137 x 116 x 102 mm
Mouth diameter (Hario Japan)	115 mm	116 mm
Weight with retail box (Hario Japan)	About 500 g	About 200 g
Materials	Borosilicate glass bowl, silicone base, PCT resin switch, stainless steel ball	Clear: AS resin (white and red are polypropylene in Japan)
Filters	V60 02 (40 tabbed white filters included)	V60 02 (none listed as included)
Dishwasher safe (Hario Japan)	Yes	Yes
Made in	Japan	Japan
Hario USA price	$45	$13 white or red, $14 clear
Hario Japan price	¥3,850	¥660 (clear)

Figures are from Hario USA and Hario Japan product pages and the Switch instruction manual, checked October 2026. US prices are Hario USA’s own store prices, not Amazon prices. Hario publishes only boxed weights, so we don’t list bare dripper weights. Hario Japan’s dishwasher marks are for the clear V60 02 (VDR-02-T) and the glass Switch.

Key differences at a glance

How it brews: The V60 02 is a pour-over cone with one large hole. The Switch adds a ball valve, so you can hold all the water in the cone to steep, then release it with one press.
Batch size: Hario rates the V60 02 for 1-4 cups. The Switch 02 is rated for about 200 mL of finished coffee per immersion brew.
Price: $45 for the glass Switch 02 versus $13-14 for the plastic V60 02 at Hario USA. The Switch includes 40 filters, which Hario USA sells for $6.50.
Size: The Switch is taller (133 mm vs 102 mm) but narrower (118 mm vs 137 mm wide), and Hario Japan lists it at about 500 g boxed versus about 200 g.
What stays the same: Both use V60 02 paper filters, both are made in Japan, and Hario Japan lists both as dishwasher safe.

The 4 Differences That Matter

1. Steeping versus pouring

Hario says the V60’s cone, spiral ridges and lack of flow restriction let you pour quickly for a delicate body or slowly for a heavier flavor. In other words, your pouring sets the taste. Hario Japan describes the Switch differently: the grounds steep in hot water first, then you press the switch to drip, so anyone can get an even extraction. Hario’s manual recipe is one pour, about 2 minutes of steeping, and one press. With the switch left open, the Switch drains like a regular V60, so you keep the pour-over option too.

2. How much coffee per brew

This is the most overlooked difference. Hario lists the Switch 02’s finished capacity at about 200 mL, or about 6.8 oz. The manual recipe uses about 240 mL (8.1 oz) of water for 20 g of coffee, because the grounds absorb some of it. That is one small cup, not a 12 oz (355 mL) mug. The V60 02 is rated for 1-4 cups, because with a pour-over you can keep adding water. If you want a full 12 oz mug from one immersion brew, look at the larger Switch 03 (SSD-360-B, $50 at Hario USA), which Hario Japan rates at about 360 mL (12.2 oz) and which takes V60 03 filters.

3. Price and running cost

The glass Switch 02 is $45 at Hario USA, and the plastic V60 02 is $13 in white or red and $14 in clear, a difference of $31-32. Running costs are the same because both take V60 02 filters. At Hario USA, a 40-pack is $6.50 (about 16¢ per brew) and a 100-pack is $10.25 (about 10¢ per brew). The Switch includes 40 tabbed white filters, so your first 40 brews are covered.

4. Size, glass and cleaning

The Switch measures 118 x 115 x 133 mm, compared with 137 x 116 x 102 mm for the V60 02, and Hario Japan lists it at about 500 g boxed versus about 200 g. The bowl is heatproof borosilicate glass, so it needs more care than plastic. Hario’s manual says all parts come apart for washing. It also warns that hot water flows straight through if the stainless steel ball is missing, so don’t lose it in the sink. The switch itself is PCT resin rated to 100°C (212°F), and Hario USA notes that the plastic trigger touches the brewed coffee.

What’s the same

Both use V60 02 paper filters, both have a mouth of about 115-116 mm (per Hario Japan), and both are made in Japan. Hario Japan lists both as dishwasher safe and hot-water safe.

Cheaper ways to get a Switch

If $45 is more than you want to spend, Hario USA has two other options:

V60 MUGEN x SWITCH Dripper 02 (MUSD-02-B), $34.50. This uses Hario’s MUGEN one-pour cone in AS resin instead of glass, on the same style of silicone base. Hario USA lists 200 mL finished capacity, V60 02 filter compatibility, and dishwasher- and hot-water-safe construction, and says it is made in Japan. Paper filters are not included.
SWITCH & MATCH Dripper Base, $27.50. This base turns a compatible dripper into a Switch. Hario USA lists the V60 glass drippers with a removable base, the MUGEN dripper, and SWITCH & MATCH ceramic drippers as compatible. It does not fit the standard plastic V60 02 in this comparison, ceramic V60s with a built-in base, or the metal V60. The base is made in Taiwan.

Buying a V60 Glass Dripper 02 with the new oval base ($26.50 at Hario USA) plus the separate base ($27.50) costs $54, which is more than the $45 glass Switch. So the base makes sense mainly if you already own a compatible glass or MUGEN dripper.

Three ways to brew with the Switch

Immersion (Hario’s recipe): Switch up (closed), add 20 g of medium-ground coffee, fill with about 240 mL of hot water, steep about 2 minutes, then press. Hario says stirring gives a stronger brew.
Pour-over: Press the switch down (open) before you start, and it drains like a normal V60.
Hybrid: Close the valve for the bloom only, then open it and finish as a pour-over. Coffee Literacy, a Japanese barista’s blog, describes this as something a standard V60 can’t do, and suggests it for light roasts that are hard to wet evenly.

Either way, Hario says to set the dripper on a server or drip stand before pouring hot water, and not to press the switch hard while it sits on a server, since that could tip it over. Hario USA also sells a glass Switch with a 300 mL server (SSD-5012-B) for $60. If you’re choosing a separate server, see Hario V60 Coffee Server 02 vs Range Server 02.

Who Should Buy Which?

Choose the Hario Switch 02 if you:

Want the same cup every morning without practicing your pour
Usually drink one small cup of about 200 mL (6.8 oz)
Want both immersion and pour-over from one dripper

Choose the Hario V60 02 if you:

Enjoy adjusting taste with pouring speed and technique
Brew a full 12-16 oz mug or two cups at a time
Want the lowest price, a lighter dripper, or something that won’t break

Not sure the V60 02 is the right size? See Hario V60 01 vs 02 Plastic Dripper. If you want a more forgiving pour-over without a valve, see Kalita 102 vs Hario V60 02.

The View from Japan

Hario Japan sells the glass Switch as the 浸漬式ドリッパースイッチ (“immersion dripper Switch”). It describes it as a dripper that lets anyone get an even extraction, because you press the switch to drip after the grounds have steeped. Hario notes that the Switch won a 2019 Good Design Award. In Japan, the SSD-200-B lists at ¥3,850 and the larger SSD-360-B at ¥4,400. Hario Japan says the glass bowl is HARIO Glass, its heatproof glass made from natural materials at its own factory in Japan. The clear plastic V60 02 (VDR-02-T) lists at ¥660, so in Japan, too, the Switch costs several times as much as the basic cone.

Hario’s official Japanese web shop also answers a common sizing question. The 200 mL and 360 mL Switch models differ only in the size of the V60 cone. The base and switch mechanism are the same on both. The shop also notes that the 200 matches the V60 02 size and the 360 matches the 03.

Japanese reviewers mostly describe the Switch as simple and repeatable, with a rounder, more cohesive cup in immersion mode and a cleaner cup when used as a regular V60. The Drip Life blog (shinocoffee.com) found immersion brewing brought out more of each bean’s character. Its complaints were that immersion makes only about 1-2 cups while pour-over mode handles 2-4, and that steeped coffee can finish a little lukewarm. It suggested covering the dripper, using hotter water, or preheating. Poru’s Coffee, which has used the 200 for a year, found the switch a bit stiff at first and warned to be careful with the glass at the sink. For people who don’t want to time each step, it suggested a plain V60 02 is better value. Macoblog rated the Switch 4 out of 5, but found the bumpy underside of the silicone base hard to wash and needed citric acid to remove water spots. Coffee no Are, which used one at the office, said the base won’t sit on cups with a narrow mouth, and that you need somewhere to set the dripper after brewing because it keeps dripping. (Third-party reviews, not our own testing.)

Hario Switch vs V60 02: Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Hario Switch just a V60?

Partly. Hario USA calls it a modified V60 dripper: a V60-style glass cone (115 mm mouth, per Hario Japan) set in a silicone base with a stainless steel ball valve. With the switch pressed down (open), it drains like a regular V60. With the switch up (closed), water stays in the cone so the grounds steep.

Does the Hario Switch use regular V60 filters?

Yes. The Switch 02 uses standard V60 02 paper filters, and the Switch 03 uses V60 03 filters. Each glass Switch comes with 40 tabbed white filters. At Hario USA, extra V60 02 filters cost $6.50 for 40 or $10.25 for 100.

How much coffee does the Hario Switch 02 make?

Hario lists a finished capacity of about 200 mL (about 6.8 oz). The official recipe uses 20 g of medium-ground coffee and about 240 mL of hot water, because the grounds hold back some of the water. If you want about 12 oz from one immersion brew, the Switch 03 is rated for about 360 mL.

Can I turn my V60 into a Switch?

Only some V60s. Hario USA sells the SWITCH & MATCH Dripper Base ($27.50) for V60 glass drippers with a removable base, the MUGEN dripper, and SWITCH & MATCH ceramic drippers. Hario USA says it does not work with standard plastic or ceramic V60s that have a built-in base, or with the metal V60.

Is the Hario Switch dishwasher safe?

Yes. Hario Japan marks the glass Switch as dishwasher safe, and the instruction manual says all parts come apart for cleaning. Hario also warns against abrasive sponges and cleansers on the glass. The optional aluminum trigger Hario USA sells as a spare part is hand-wash only.

What is the official Hario Switch recipe?

Hario’s manual says to put a V60 02 filter in the dripper with the switch up (closed), add 20 g of medium-ground coffee, fill with about 240 mL of hot water, steep for about 2 minutes, then press the switch to drain. It adds that stirring gives a stronger cup, and that you can adjust grind and steep time to taste.

Check current listings

Prices and colors change often, so check the current listing before buying. Both drippers take V60 02 filters, so you can also search for Hario V60 02 paper filters (100-pack).