Pour-over and drip coffee machines are really different from each other. Both have their pros and cons.
If you’re a coffee lover wondering which one is right for you, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we will discuss pour-over vs drip coffee method machines.
This aims to help you decide which coffee maker you should buy depending on your preference and skill when it comes to brewing.
We will also discuss the pros and cons of each machine so you can weigh them easily. So if you’re ready to find out, let’s get into it.
What is a pour-over machine?
The pour-over coffee maker is a cone-like brewer usually made in metal, stainless, glass, and other materials.
This coffee brewer is inexpensive, and unlike other brewing machines, it doesn’t require electricity to function.
Aside from the cone dripper, it’s also required to use a coffee filter. It’s important to separate the ground coffee from the water, so you don’t have a struggle drinking coffee that contains micro-fines.
It’s a manual brewer, meaning it requires a lot of effort from the user to make coffee, unlike those automatic machines where all you need to do is just set up everything, press the button, and the machine will do the rest.
But what’s good about this is that you can have more control over the coffee you’re brewing. You can adjust the brew depending on what outcome you want.
However, making a perfect cup requires a lot of practice. But overall, it’s an excellent device to start brewing coffee.
Pour Over coffee machine pros and cons
Pros
- Control over brewing
- Because of the filter, it delivers a clean cup of coffee
- Great-tasting coffee
- You can experiment with brewing
- Easy to clean up
Cons
- Requires a bit of practice to perfect a cup
- Takes time to finish brewing
- Aren’t compact and travel-friendly.
- A disposable paper filter can quickly run out and is not environmentally friendly.
What is a Drip coffee machine?
A drip coffee maker is an automatic drip coffee machine that does the brewing for you. It’s also known as an electric drip coffee machine because it requires the use of electricity to function.
Drip coffee makers are popular among those who want to effortlessly get a perfect cup of brewed coffee.
It was first invented in Germany back in 1954 and is widely used nowadays around the world.
This is automatic; all you have to do is put the coffee grounds and water on the tank, sit back, relax, and wait for your coffee to be ready.
Drip coffee brewing is very easy and efficient. This doesn’t require lots of effort and practice, unlike the pour-over.
However, you can’t have control over the outcome of the coffee it makes.
It will also be hard to experiment and discover a variety of coffee flavors, which is the perks of using the pour-overs.
Drip coffee machines pros and cons
Pros
- Easy to use
- Make coffee quickly
- Doesn’t require a lot of effort
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Less control over the outcome of brewed coffee
- It might be electricity consuming
Now that we know about both machines, including their advantages and disadvantages, let’s see the differences between them to help you decide which one’s right for you.
Pour over vs drip coffee machine: Comparison
Equipment
To make pour-over coffee, you need a cone dripper and a paper filter. It’s also ideal to have a gooseneck kettle for more precise brewing.
When it comes to a drip coffee maker, you have to buy the machine, and you’re ready to brew. However, this can be expensive, vs the pour-over equipment.
For both machines, it’s also ideal to have a coffee grinder if you want freshly ground coffee that will add deliciousness to the cup.
Another thing that’s ideal to have, whether you use a pour-over or drip coffee machine, is the coffee scale.
It will help you get the correct measurement needed to make a perfect cup.
Coffee Brewing
When it comes to the brewing process, as we already discussed above, these two devices are different.
The pour-over coffee maker manually brews coffee. This means it requires the presence and input of the user most of the time.
From grinding the coffee beans, setting up the equipment, heating up the water, then pouring it through the coffee grounds, they all need to be done by the users, which is, for some, really tiring and time-consuming.
The drip coffee makers, on the other hand, automatically brews coffee. It only needs a little input from the users, and it will brew the coffee independently.
This is very easy to use and convenient for most users.
Control
It’s good to have control over the taste of the coffee you’re making. Like I already said, it’s helpful, especially when trying to make your coffee recipe or discovering new flavors.
Using a pour-over coffee brewer will give you the control you want while making the coffee since you have to use it manually.
On the other hand, using a dripping coffee machine will give you less control over the cup of coffee you’re making because it’s automatic and requires little to no input.
Brewing time
Brewing time is an important consideration when you’re choosing which brewing method and machines you’ll choose.
The faster the brew time is, the faster you can make a lot of coffee, which is essential if you’re making a bulk.
Pour-over coffee brewing method usually takes about 3 – 4 minutes. It takes this long because the brewing process should be done slowly and carefully for a better cup of coffee.
However, you can make a liter of coffee all at once with this method, which is good if you’re making a lot for your friends and family.
The drip coffee machine also takes about 2.5-3 minutes to brew. This is a little faster than the pour-over.
Flavor
A pour-over coffee can actually have differing flavor depths depending on:
- The coffee-to-water ratio
- The water pouring time
- The pouring technique
When it comes to the taste of drip coffee, it’s a bold, delicious, and tasty cup of coffee. However, the taste of the coffee can also be dependent on the machine.
Value for price
Let’s now talk about the value of the price. As already mentioned in this article, pour-over coffee equipment is more affordable than the price of the drip coffee maker.
This is understandable given the fact that the pour-over coffee maker is just a small cone dripper that is used for manual brewing.
In contrast, the drip coffee maker will give you more convenience and will do the hard work for you.
Both are reasonable and valuable in terms of price. It’s entirely up to you to determine which machine is best for you.
How to make a pour-over coffee?
Let’s have a quick tutorial on how to make pour-over coffee so that you can imagine how to work with this machine.
Here’s the step-by-step procedure on how to make a pour-over coffee using the machine:
- Prepare all the materials you will need to make this. The cone dripper, the gooseneck kettle, the paper filter, and coffee grounds (medium roast and medium coarse). You may also want to use a weighing scale to get the correct measurement of coffee and water.
- First, set up the dripper and the paper filter. Pour water into the paper filter to remove any unnecessary tastes that come from it.
- Put the coffee grounds on the paper filter. Pour a little bit of hot water enough to wet all the coffee grounds in the filter. Let the coffee bloom for 45 seconds.
- Start pouring again using your gooseneck kettle in a circular motion to make sure that the coffee has a perfect consistency.
- After around 3-4 minutes of pouring and brewing it, the coffee must be ready to enjoy!
That’s it! Using a pour-over coffee machine is easy, but making a perfect cup requires a little bit of practice.
How to make a coffee drip?
Making a drip coffee is very easy and convenient! Here’s how to make it using a drip coffee machine:
- Fill the water reservoir. It doesn’t have to be hot water. Just use a normal water temperature for this. The water reservoir will hold the water that will be used for your coffee, so make sure everything is clean.
- Measure and grind beans. Measurement is also important even if you’re already using an automatic machine. Also, grind it in a medium-coarse grind and medium roast.
- Warm the machine up.
- Add the coffee grinds to the filter and start brewing.
- Let it drip and wait until it’s finished and ready to serve.
You can now enjoy your drip coffee!
Conclusion – Drip vs Pour Over Method
There you have it! The comparison of the two machines and coffee brewing methods.
Both machines have their own pros and cons when it comes to control, convenience, ease of use, price, and more.
Which one should you choose? Well, the decision is up to you. Both machines are good and serve their purpose well.
What matters here is what you need and what you’re looking for in a coffee machine.
If you’re someone who’s willing to spend on an automatic and very easy-to-use machine, then the drip coffee maker should be the one for you.
(You can check out our article about drip coffee makers to help you decide which machine to buy.)
However, if you’re more focused on having control over the outcome of your coffee and you like experimenting with things about coffee, then the pour-over machine should allow you to do so.
(Check out two of the best pour-over makers and see which one you should get.)
FAQs
Is pour-over coffee weaker?
Yes. Compared to regular drip coffee, which tends to be bold and robust. Pour-over coffee, on the other hand, is more flavorful and tasty.
Does pour-over coffee taste better?
Yes. Pour-over coffee, if brewed in a proper way with the right materials and good consistency, will give you more flavor that tastes better.
How much does the electric drip coffee maker cost?
A standard electric coffee maker typically costs between $50 and $200.
