The characteristics of heat transfer and pressure drop of several different porous materials which can be used as inserts inside solar volumetric air receivers were experimentally investigated. Generally, porous materials were inserted into solar volumetric air receivers to increase the thermal performance. In the present work, honeycomb (diameter: 100 mm, thickness: 30 mm), laminated mesh (diameter: 100 mm, thickness: 1 mm) are considered as the inserts for the experiment. The experimental apparatus consists mainly of a cylindrical ceramic duct as a receiver and an electric heater as an energy source. This system is an intake open loop, which used as air of working fluid. The temperatures inside the ceramic tube are measured by thermocouples, which are installed at each layer of the porous materials. The pressure-drop experimental apparatus is fabricated alike the above experimental equipment. An acrylic tube is used like as the ceramic tube, which has the same specifications of the ceramic tube. The pressure drop of porous materials inserted in the acrylic tube is measured between front and rear of those by transmitter. The results show that the laminated mesh surpasses the honeycomb of heat transfer and pressure drop increase as the porous material thickness and Reynolds number.