I called pour-over coffee snobs crazy until I tried a $25 dripper

My buddy in Portland kept raving about his pour-over setup for like 6 months. I thought it was just overpriced fussiness because my $20 Mr. Coffee made fine coffee. Then he made me a cup using a plastic V60 and a gooseneck kettle last Tuesday. The taste was way cleaner and brighter, no bitterness at all. Now I'm the guy with a scale and timer on my counter - has anyone else had a cheap gear epiphany that changed their mind?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_willow23d ago

My friend Paul had the same sort of awakening with a French press. He always made coffee in a Mr. Coffee with a paper filter, swore it was fine. Took a trip up to Seattle and his cousin made him coffee with a cheap Bodum press he got at a garage sale for five bucks. Called me that night going on about how thick and smooth the coffee was, like drinking melted chocolate. He threw away his drip machine the next weekend. Funny how a simple little gadget can change your whole morning routine.

rowangonzalez22d ago

That's the thing about the French press. It's not even about getting some expensive fancy gadget, it's just that the metal filter lets the natural oils through that paper filters trap. That's where the body and that smooth mouthfeel come from. If your friend Paul ever wants to take it a step further, tell him to try a coarse grind and let it steep for exactly four minutes before pressing down, not longer. It makes a world of difference in keeping the bitterness out.