There are many ways to brew the perfect cup of coffee at home. After getting the chance to speak with a few experienced coffee experts, I learned that pour-over coffee brewing is an often-favored option among baristas.
Jordan G.L. Hardin, director of food and beverage at Alfred Coffee, previously explained that pour-over brewing essentially works the same as any other type of brewing method: hot water is combined with ground coffee to extract brewed coffee. The difference lies in technique and in the tools you use.
Hardin and Drew Frohn, a wholesale manager and coffee educator for Coava Coffee Roasters, both told me in a recent interview that they use and suggest the simple and fool-proof brewers from the Wave series by Kalita, an established coffee brand that claims to have pioneered the Japanese coffee movement.
“The Kalita Wave 185 brewer is a classic, flat-bottomed brewer that is forgiving and beginner-friendly and favored by top-level cafes worldwide,” Frohn said.
Available in a variety of materials and bundle options, the Kalita Wave brewers are said to offer a unique brewing process. They feature a three-hole bottom design that stops an accumulation of water from gathering at the base, thus preventing bitter-tasting coffee. This is a departure from many pour-over brewers that have a triangular or cone-bottom design. The Kalita Wave uses tailor-made, single-use paper filters that limit contact between the brewer so water can flow evenly and at just the right rate.
Frohn pointed out that Kalita also offers handy brew kits perfect for pour-over newbies that include a brewer, filters, a serving carafe and even a notebook for logging your recipes.
You can also just purchase the main coffee-dripper component that’s compatible with most drinking vessels to brew the perfect single-serve cup of coffee right into your mug —the ideal choice for anyone with limited space or who can’t stand the look of a bulky automatic coffee maker on their kitchen counter.
Hardin reminds us that when it comes to the “pour-over” part of manual brewing, the devil is in the details.
“It’s really about pouring technique, ” he said. “How long you ‘bloom’ the coffee (aka release the gases), what pouring pattern you’re using, how quickly you pour and how much water, etc. You can find hundreds of videos to help with this.”
Hardin and Frohn also recommend the Fellow Stagg EKG electric gooseneck kettle for boiling and pouring your hot water because according to Frohn, “it offers excellent temperature control, amongst other features, and looks great on your counter to boot.”
Take a gander at a few of the Kalita Wave brewers currently available in the list ahead to begin honing those barista-level pour-over skills as soon and as easily as possible.
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You can also purchase the coffee dripper component on its own. It's compatible with most drinking vessels to allow you to brew up to four cups of coffee directly in your mug of choice.