How to choose a drip coffee machine or pour over maker

Both methods do the same job. Hot water runs through ground coffee and out through a paper filter, which gives a lighter-bodied, clearer cup than espresso. The difference is who does the pouring: you, or the machine.

Pour over dripper or drip filter machine?

A pour over dripper such as the Hario V60 is cheap, small and fully manual. You control the water, the pour and the timing, which suits one to four cups and people who enjoy the ritual. A drip filter coffee machine such as a Moccamaster heats the water and brews a full 1.25 litre jug (about 10 cups) for you, which suits households and small offices that want a batch ready in minutes.

Hario V60 kits: plastic or glass

The V60 is named after its V-shaped cone and 60° angle. Spiral ribs inside keep the paper off the wall, and one large hole at the bottom lets water flow freely, so how fast you pour changes the cup. The Hario V60 Drip Filter Brewing Kit pairs a plastic size 02 dripper (1 to 4 cups) with a 600 mL glass server, 40 filters and a scoop. The V60 Simply Glass Brewing Kit swaps in a heatproof glass dripper. Neither kit includes a kettle, and a gooseneck kettle makes a slow, even pour much easier.

Moccamaster: glass jug or thermal carafe

Moccamaster brewers are handmade in the Netherlands and use a copper element that heats brewing water to 92–96°C. The Classic and Select brew into a glass jug on a warming plate. The Select adds a half or full switch that adjusts brew speed and plate temperature to the batch size. The Thermal KBT brews into a glass-lined stainless steel carafe with no hotplate, and Moccamaster says it keeps coffee hot for up to an hour. Choose the KBT if your coffee tends to sit.

Filter papers

Use the filter shape and size made for your brewer. Choose Moccamaster #4 papers for the 1.25 litre machines, #1 papers for the Cup-One, and Bruer Spectrum cone papers for cone drippers. Rinsing a paper filter with hot water before brewing removes any papery taste and warms the brewer.

Coffee, grind and ratio

Filter coffee tastes best from freshly ground whole beans. Light and medium roasts show off their flavour well in a filter brewer. Grind for filter, coarser than espresso, and grind just before brewing on a coffee grinder. A common starting point is about 7 g of coffee per 100 mL of water. Adjust from there: go finer or use more coffee if the cup tastes thin, coarser if it tastes bitter.

Cleaning and offices

Wash the dripper, server or carafe after each use. Descale drip machines regularly with a coffee machine cleaner or descaler, especially in hard-water areas. For workplaces that need more than a jug at a time, see our office and workplace coffee machines. Businesses can apply for a business account for B2B pricing on coffee, up to 25% off RRP.

FAQs

What is the difference between pour over and drip coffee?

They are the same brewing method, done by hand or by machine. In both, hot water passes through ground coffee in a paper filter. With pour over, you pour the water yourself from a kettle, so you control the speed and timing. A drip coffee machine heats the water and drips it over the coffee automatically. Pour over suits a cup or two. A drip machine suits brewing a full jug with no effort.

Which Moccamaster should I choose?

Choose by how quickly you drink the coffee. The Classic and Select brew 1.25 litres into a glass jug that sits on a warming plate. The Select adds a half or full switch, which adjusts brew speed and plate temperature for smaller batches. The Thermal KBT brews into an insulated, glass-lined stainless steel carafe with no hotplate. That suits coffee drunk over the next hour, or carried to a meeting room.

What size Hario V60 do I need?

Hario makes the V60 in three sizes: 01 for 1 to 2 cups, 02 for 1 to 4 cups and 03 for 1 to 6 cups. The 02 is the most versatile, because it handles a single mug or enough for two or three people. Both V60 kits in this range use the 02 dripper with a 600 mL glass server. Buy V60 paper filters in the size that matches your dripper.

Do I need a special kettle for pour over coffee?

You can use any kettle, but a gooseneck kettle makes pour over much easier. Its thin spout gives a slow, steady stream that you can aim, so you wet all the grounds evenly instead of flooding one spot. With a V60 this matters more than with most drippers, because its single large hole lets water through quickly and your pouring speed directly changes the strength of the cup.

What coffee should I use in a drip coffee maker?

Use fresh whole beans ground for filter, coarser than espresso and finer than plunger. Light and medium roasts suit filter brewing because the clear, paper-filtered cup shows off their flavour. Darker espresso blends also work if you like a heavier, more bitter cup. A good starting point is about 7 g of coffee per 100 mL of water, so a full 1.25 litre Moccamaster jug takes around 85 g. Adjust to taste from there.

Which filter papers do I need for a Moccamaster?

The 1.25 litre Moccamaster brewers, including the Classic, Select and Thermal KBT, take #4 filter papers. The single-serve Cup-One takes the smaller #1 papers. Using the right size stops the paper folding over and letting water bypass the coffee. Rinse a new paper with hot water before adding the coffee. This removes any papery taste and preheats the brew basket.

Is pour over coffee stronger than espresso?

No. Espresso is much more concentrated, because a small amount of water is forced through finely ground coffee under pressure. Pour over and drip coffee use far more water per gram of coffee and no pressure. The result is a larger, lighter-bodied cup with more clarity, where you can taste the differences between beans more easily. A mug of filter coffee can still hold plenty of caffeine because the serve is bigger.