39% of 33 verified December Dripperowners don't recommend it — based on real owner comments from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.
For balance: 45% recommend it. This page collects the complaints so you know what you're signing up for — read the full owner report for both sides. How we score
“I got a December Dripper that I nearly never brew with. It's just a less-useful, more complicated, Clever that's hard to handle while in use. Add in that I have to buy either grocer flat-bottom or Wave filters, it's just more work to make shine than it's worth.”— Anomander on Reddit
“$58 is a lot to ask for a "variable flow" pour-over rig that is not even necessary.”— @johng9562 on YouTube
“Lost me at teflon”— @punchyouinthejeans87 on YouTube
“It’s completely solved the frustration I used to have with the Stagg X and December Dripper. The flow rate quickens significantly.”— fritzerland on Reddit
“I got a December Dripper about a year ago and I have very mixed feelings. grinding on an EK or a Breville Smart Grinder I usually experience a very slow drip rate, even with the valve fully open (4’12” compared to 3’40” on a kalita or 3’00” on a 2 cup v60). It also had a lot of issues when I first got it with leaking out the side, especially when it was full”— aeropressguy on Reddit
“I'm still waiting on the gasket fix for my 2nd December Dripper. 1st one had the leaking problem and I tried the "hammer fix". It still leaked. They sent a new one. On the 1st try, it worked fine. On the 2nd? Coffee everywhere.”— kruzilla on Reddit
“I also have a December dripper that replaced my V60, but I simply haven't bought the right sized filters and I'm spoiled to how easy it is to use my Clever.”— tubcat on Reddit
“Looks like this might be another December Dripper for me. Where I use it for a few weeks then it's a setpiece lol.”— [deleted] on Reddit
“2 weeks ago I had coffee brewed with december dripper in Andante cafe in Helsinki and was left unimpressed.”— psk_coffee on Reddit
“I was never able to get a good cup with the December dripper. The other bad thing is that the December Dripper is badly designed and it break easily and none will help you. Mine is broken somewhere while the Kalita wave is still there making great coffee cups”— Errico258 on Reddit
“Just got my december dripper what do you think about it? Its really hard to dial with it.”— wilican on Reddit
“I have a December dripper also, which seems to clog more than the Wave brewer.”— AtomikPi on Reddit
Not complaints — practical notes from owners that didn't affect the score.
“I use a December Dripper which is basically a Kalita Wave 185 but with adjustable flow.”— jja619 on Reddit
“I'm trying their \*April brewer recipes on my December Dripper Bottomless, and while I've yet to completely dial in, I can happily use 27-28 clicks and get decent drawdown times.”— Methanius on Reddit
“My December Dripper also drips ever so slightly when it is closed. I am not sure if this is the side leak issue or not, but I never expected it to seal completely. I feel like it is within tolerances.”— SingularityParadigm on Reddit
“I can treat it like how I use my December Dripper. I close it off at the bloom. Then, open it and pulse pour normally. Shutting off the drips at the bloom makes it more efficient; I can use less water to wet all the grinds.”— thor_odinsson08 on Reddit
“I haven't yet seen a clear advantage over the wave”— dcgooch on Reddit