Learning how to use a pour-over coffee maker will lead you toward a brighter, cleaner cup of coffee. It’s one of the simplest methods with the least extra equipment to elevate your daily coffee.
Whether you’re used to basic drip or just want to change up your routine and try something new, pour-over is a great way to make an excellent cup if you know how to do it correctly! Maybe you’re new to pour-over or have tried it in the past and are hoping for better results; our guide can help you get a great cup in no time.
What is pour-over coffee?
On its face, pour-over coffee is extremely simple. It’s a manual process (meaning no electronics needed!): You set your dripper over a mug or carafe, line it with a filter, add your grounds, and then pour hot water over the grounds. Think of it as a simplified drip machine since it works similarly. But if it’s similar to drip, why wouldn’t you do that instead?
With pour-over coffee, you have much more control than a drip machine, and it’s much easier to clean than almost any other method. The benefit of that is that the sour flavor you’re getting from a cup of coffee is often because the machine is dirty.
Because of their electric parts, drip machines are particularly tough to clean thoroughly. Leftover residue can make even the best coffee taste terrible!
Pour-over devices like the Hario V60, Kalita Wave, and Chemex are all essentially one or two pieces of glass or plastic. That means they’re dishwasher safe and super easy to clean thoroughly. There’s other gear you can get to expand your setup (which we’ll get to below), but as long as you have one of these brewers and a kettle to heat your water, that’s all you need to get started with manual brewing.
What do you need to brew pour-over coffee?
As we stated above, a brewer of some kind and a kettle are essential, but what else goes into creating the perfect pour-over setup? Let’s take a look at what you’ll need:
Pour-over brewer
The actual brewing vessel for pour-over is known as the dripper. It’s the part of your pour-over setup that sits atop your mug or carafe and holds the coffee grounds. These are all relatively similar in design (a conical top part for the grounds and a flat bottom with drainage holes), so the main thing you’ll want to pay attention to is materials. Drippers are most often made of plastic, glass, or ceramic. Some even come in stainless steel.
All of them can brew a good cup of coffee, but the pros tend to favor the plastic Hario V60s. That’s because the plastic V60 can be warmed quickly and simply with very hot tap water, and the plastic retains that heat easily. This makes it easier to control the temperature once ready to saturate the grounds.
Filters
There are two main kinds of filters: paper and reusable. In the Western world, paper filters are the most common, so let’s discuss those first. You can choose from bleached white filters or unbleached brown filters. Both do a great job, but some find that the brown filters require a little rinsing to avoid having a papery taste affect your cup.
You’ll mainly see either stainless steel filters or cloth for reusable filters. The stainless steel filters will allow more oils and sediment, producing a different taste than paper or cloth filters. The taste would be a little closer to French press, so keep that in mind.
Cloth filters are popular with pour-over enthusiasts and are common in Japan and other parts of Asia. Sometimes called a “coffee sock”, they can take a little more getting used to than any of the alternatives, but also have the potential to give you plenty of clarity while adding richness.
Gooseneck Kettle
Any regular kettle or even a pot can be used to heat your water for pour-over, but to have the best control, you’ll need a gooseneck kettle. The long, skinny neck of these kettles allows you to be incredible precise when saturating your grounds. It also means the water can’t accidentally come dumping out. The flow rate and direction are controlled.
If you’re upgrading to a gooseneck anyway, then an electric kettle with temperature control makes the most sense. Being able to set the heat to 195–205°F (the ideal brewing temperature) exactly is a major plus.
Grinder
A great grinder is a necessity for great coffee. Because of all the control pour-over allows, you should aim for the same amount of control in your grind. That means getting a burr grinder. To avoid issues like channeling and over-extraction, grind size matters. Burr grinders are an investment, but it will also give you far more freedom to play with grind size that best suits your own personal palate.
Scale
Scales are all about precision! They can seem fussy if you’re not used to using one, but they’re incredibly simple. Measuring the amount of coffee you like to use in grams to get the perfect coffee-to-water ratio is crucial to making a great cup of coffee. You can also set your pour-over setup on top of the scale and measure how much water you’re using per brew as well.
A ratio of 1:15 or 1:16 is most common, and being precise can go a long way toward improving your coffee brewing. The best part of getting a scale is that it’s one of the cheapest upgrades you can make that can significantly improve your coffee.
Fresh Coffee Beans + Water
Finally, you’ll need great-quality beans and filtered water for the best overall flavor. Smaller, local roasters are often the best option because you can get the beans quicker after they’re roasted, since there’s often little to no shipping period involved. The sooner you can get beans after roasting, the better they’ll taste and the longer they’ll last. Beans typically last anywhere from two to four weeks if stored properly in a sealed container or cellar stand.
Filtered water is best. You don't need to buy special bottled water for your coffee; filtering it from the tap or in a carafe in your fridge will do just fine. Avoid distilled water, though, which can make your coffee taste flat.
What is the best grind size for pour-over coffee?
The best grind size for your pour-over setup will be medium-fine, similar to table salt. This is why a burr grinder is essential — it’s very difficult to achieve a precise grind with a blade grinder. You can experiment with your grind size a bit based on the type of beans you’re using and the flavor profile you enjoy best, but in general, the salt-like consistency is what you’re aiming for. Learn more about grind sizes here.
Step-by-step: How to use a pour-over coffee maker
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Set up your brewer and rinse the filter
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Add about 20 grams of ground coffee for a single cup and gently shake to level.
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Bloom the coffee by adding about 40 grams of water, which should be just enough to saturate the grounds. Then wait about 30–45 seconds.
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Continue pouring the rest of the water, slowly moving the gooseneck in a spiral motion as you pour.
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Total brew time: 2.5–4 minutes, depending on grind. Avoid stirring or over-agitating the bed of grounds.
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Wait for it to finish dripping.
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Drink and enjoy!
Troubleshooting: why doesn’t my pour-over taste right?
Is your pour-over tasting off? Here are a few common issues and how to solve them:
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Bitter or harsh taste? The water might be too hot or the grind too fine. Try a lower temp or coarser grind.
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Sour or weak? The grind may be too coarse, which can cause under-extraction.
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Brew takes too long? You could be over-agitating the grounds or pouring too slowly.
Pour-over is a bit of an art, so don’t get frustrated if it takes you a few tries before you land on the ratios, timing, and grind that work best for you. That’s part of the fun!
Final thoughts: pour-over is worth mastering!
Pour-over means more control, more clarity, and often better flavor, especially with high-quality gear. Starting out by grabbing a gooseneck kettle or a scale are easy, low-cost ways to start upgrading.
Pesado knows that coffee lovers take this seriously which is why they have professional quality dosing stations as well as tons of gear for espresso lovers, too. Serious home brewers can find everything from distribution tools to the perfect morning mug.
