Which Pour Over Coffee Is Best? (Solved & Explained!)

Pour over coffee makers vary by size, material, filter, and price. Each make a different kind of brew which can be altered to suit your taste preferences. CNN states that the Kalita Wave Pour Over Coffee Dripper has been voted the best pour over coffee maker. It is made from glass, is flat bottomed, and produces an evenly saturated brew.

The following will take an in-depth look at the features of pour over coffee makers, how this affects the taste of a brew, and the pros and cons of pour over coffee.

Which Pour Over Coffee Maker Is Best?

According to sites such as CNN, the Kalita Wave Pour Over Coffee Dripper has been voted the best pour over coffee maker overall. This is a glass dripper, which can fit almost all cups and carafes, has a flat bottom with three holes so the water does not drip out too fast and gives an even saturation.

What Other Brands of Pour Over Coffee Makers Are There?

• Chemex
• OXO
• Melitta
• Bodum
• Hario

What Are the Different Kinds of Pour Over Coffee Makers?

Pour over coffee makers vary in size, materials, price, and features. We will go into more detail below of the pros and cons of these features.

Shape

• Conical: Brew milder, smoother and sweeter flavor coffee.
• Flat bottom: Brew stronger tasting coffee, heavier and more robust in flavor. Could taste more bitter.

Size

• Small: Make single-cup brews or up to two cups. They rest directly on top of your mug.
• Large: Make up to eight cups, can rest on top of a larger vessel such as a carafe. The filter could be built into the carafe.

Material

• Plastic: Is more inexpensive, lightweight, usually to make one cup. Is portable and more durable, but could add a chemical taste to coffee.
• Ceramic: Looks stylish and quality, but you cannot see the coffee inside or how clean it is. Is a heavy material.
• Metal: Usually made of stainless-steel. Durable, and keeps temperature in. But can add a metallic taste to coffee.
• Glass: Can be insulated, looks the most stylish, and you can easily see the coffee inside. Yet it is a more fragile design.

Filter

• Disposable: Disposable filters are usually made of paper. They come in large packs as a fresh filter is needed each time. If they are made of paper they can be composted, but if they have been bleached they must be thrown away and are not eco-friendly.
• Paper: Paper filters can be used with fine coffee grounds as they catch any grounds and oils, preventing acidity, bitterness and sediment from the coffee but also keeping out some of the flavor and aroma. They are easy to clean up and dispose of coffee grounds.
• Reusable: Reusable filters are most often made from metal as this will last the longest after being reused many times. They are more expensive to buy initially but as they can last for years to come are cheaper in the long run and better for the environment.
• Cloth: Cloth filters are reusable but should be washed after each use as they absorb the oils and flavors from the coffee which can infuse in the brew and affect the taste. They allow more aromas and oils through than paper but catch the grounds.
• Metal: These filters are made of stainless-steel and last for years. They have larger openings to allow direct contact with the water to saturate oils, aromas and flavors of the grounds. They require coarse grounds as fine grounds can get through these openings and cause sediment.
• Single serve: Some filters fit directly into a mug to make one or two cups.
• Carafe: Some filters fit into a carafe or stand on their own to make a few cups at a time.
• Dual filters: Some reusable filters have two layers for filtering – an interior and exterior filter. This helps to trap finer coffee grinds in the way paper filters do.

Holes

• Number: Fewer holes such as three mean that the coffee drips through more slowly.
• Size: Smaller holes also allow coffee to drip through more slowly.
• Fewer, smaller holes give more control so may be suited to beginners, whereas many, larger holes can require more skill.

Insulation

• Insulated: Has a thick, double-walled glass design. Helps maintain temperature of coffee.
• Uninsulated: Thinner, with one layer of glass.

Price

• Low range: Between $5 and $10. Are usually made of plastic and make a single brew.
• Mid-range: Between $10 and $20. Are usually made of ceramic or stainless steel and can make a single cup or several in a carafe.
• High range: Between $20 and $40. Are usually made of glass and can be insulated.

What Is Pour Over Coffee?

Pour over is similar to drip coffee and the method involves pouring hot water over coffee grounds and allowing it to drip through a filter into a vessel. Coffee grounds are placed inside a paper filter, hot water is poured over to allow the grounds to bloom and then coffee is steeped for a few minutes as it drips through.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Pour Over Coffee?

Pros:

• Coffee is smoother and less acidic as the grounds are only saturated once and the water can slowly extract the flavors.
• You have complete control over your brew and can tailor it to your taste preferences.
• You can brew more than one cup at a time.
• The filter will catch any oils or bits to prevent sediment and bitterness.

Cons:

• Takes more time and manual effort than using an automatic machine.
• The vessel can be difficult to clean on the inside and you may need a tool such as a long-handled brush.

How Do I Make Pour Over Coffee?

1. Place your filter on top of your vessel and put your coffee grounds in the filter.
2. Pour hot water evenly over the coffee grounds.
3. Leave for 30 seconds for them to bloom.
4. Keep pouring the rest of the hot water.
5. Wait for a few minutes until it has finished brewing and remove the filter.
6. Serve.