How to Make Good Coffee at Home: A Guide to Pour Over, French Press, and Moka Pot

Brewing coffee at home can be a fun and rewarding experience, so you can customize your cup to your taste. Among the many coffee brewing methods three stand out for their simplicity, effectiveness and great coffee: Pour Over, French Press and Moka Pot.

Here’s a guide on how to make good coffee at home with these methods.

Pour Over

Pour Over is all about clarity and brightness and it brings out the subtle flavours of the coffee beans. This method involves pouring hot water over coffee grounds in a filter, allowing gravity to pull the brewed coffee into a carafe or mug below.

What You Need:

Pour Over dripper like Cafec 1 Cup Black Flower Dripper, Cafec Deep 27 Clear Flower Dripper or Gem Series Dripper by Stefanos Domatiotis, paper filters, gooseneck kettle, freshly ground coffee beans, scale, and timer.

Steps:

1. Heat water to 200°F (93°C).
2. Place the paper filter in the dripper and rinse with hot water to remove any paper taste and preheat the dripper. Discard the rinse water.
3. Measure Coffee using a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio. For example, 20g of coffee to 300g of water.
4. Grind the coffee to medium coarse.
5. Place the coffee grounds in the filter and pour enough hot water to saturate them (about 60g). Let it bloom for 30-45 seconds.
6. Slowly pour the rest of the water in a circular motion, keeping the coffee grounds saturated. This should take about 3-4 minutes.
7. Once the water has passed through the coffee, remove the dripper and enjoy! 

Moka Pot

The Moka Pot, also known as a stovetop espresso maker, is an Italian classic for brewing strong, espresso-like coffee. This method uses steam pressure to push hot water through finely-ground coffee.

What You Need:

Moka Pot like GAT Fashion Wood Moka Pot Coffee Maker, GAT Diva Moka Pot Coffee Maker or GAT Lady Induction Moka Pot Coffee Maker, freshly ground coffee beans, kettle, scale, and grinder.

Steps:

1. Separate the Moka Pot into its three parts: the bottom chamber, the filter basket and the top chamber.
2. Heat water to just below boiling.
3. Pour the hot water into the bottom chamber up to the safety valve.
4. Fill the filter basket with finely ground coffee, and level it off without tamping.
5. Place the filter basket into the bottom chamber and screw on the top chamber.
6. Place the Moka Pot on the stove over medium heat. The coffee will start to brew as steam pressure pushes the water through the coffee grounds and into the top chamber.
7. Once you hear the hissing sound, it’s done. Remove from heat and serve.

French Press

The French Press, also known as a press pot or plunger pot, is all about full-bodied and rich coffee. It’s a simple method that captures the oils and fine particles from the coffee grounds, resulting in a bold flavour.

What You Need:

French Press like Delter Coffee Press, Stainless Espro Coffee Travel Press or Delter Coffee Press, freshly ground coffee beans, kettle, scale, timer, and stirring utensil.

Steps:

1. Heat water to 200°F (93°C).
2. Measure Coffee using a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio. For a standard 34-ounce (1-liter) French Press use about 55g of coffee to 850g of water.
3. Grind the coffee to coarse.
4. Rinse the French Press with hot water to warm it up.
5. Place the coffee grounds in the French Press.
6. Pour hot water over the coffee grounds, and saturate them evenly. Give it a quick stir to make sure all grounds are covered.
7. Place the lid on the French Press with the plunger up. Let it steep for 4 minutes.
8. Slowly press the plunger down to separate the grounds from the coffee. Pour and enjoy! 

Master these coffee brew methods at home and you’ll have rich and varied flavours from the comfort of your own kitchen. Whether you like the clean bright notes of a Pour Over, the bold full-bodied profile of a French Press or the strong espresso-like taste of a Moka Pot, each method gives you a way to enjoy the perfect cup. By learning how to make good coffee at home you can have your own daily coffee ritual.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to level up your coffee game Barista Supplies has got you covered. We offer a wide range of products including brewers, cups, grinders, accessories and more for all your home brewing needs.

Check out our our huge range of brewing gear here.