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Find out which inexpensive coffee brewing methods work best for you.
Since I started this blog, I intended to share that great coffee is affordable and easier to prepare than most people think. Ironically, except for espresso, the brewing methods that help you make the best cup of coffee only require inexpensive gear. Each method has its advantages and its drawbacks. Let me help you decide what would work best for your needs and preferences.
So many ways to brew a cup of black coffee
It is funny to think that there are so many different ways to get the same result, namely a cup of black coffee! But is it the same thing? This article will compare several manual methods to brew a cup or a pot of black coffee. These methods will produce great results if you have a burr grinder and use freshly roasted coffee beans. Those coffee brewing methods require inexpensive gear that you can purchase for less than $50.
I am not considering the traditional coffee dripper for a simple reason. Inexpensive models only produce mediocre results. You can get better results if you use an SCA-certified dripper, but this will be beyond $100 for a Bonavita or more than $300 if you consider what I would recommend: a Technivorm Moccamaster. However, even at these high prices, the results would not be as good as what you can obtain with the manual techniques compared here below.
Let us look at the pour-over, the French press, the Italian Moka pot, and the Aeropress. The coffee you can get from each method can be quite different. Some work better for some types of beans than others. Some require more attention or skills. All are easy to master, and your preference matters at the end of the day.
#1. For ultimate control: the pour-over method
Since you manually pour hot water over ground coffee, you control all the parameters to brew a great cup of coffee: water temperature, flow rate, grind size, and water to coffee ratio. With a bit of practice, it is easy to master, and it will enable you to get the best of the most delicious and delicate coffee beans. I must admit that I sometimes enjoy the process better than the result.
I find that lighter roast and delicate coffee with complex flavors shine with the pour-over. However, I noticed that some bolder, richer, and darker beans don’t do well with this method. I suspect that the paper filter “removes” some bold sweet notes found in some of these coffees.
Additionally, most brewers are very inexpensive and don’t take space in your kitchen.
Pros for the pour-over
- Complete control of the process
- The best method for some delicate beans
- Work for all sizes, from a single cup to a pot
- Satisfying process
Cons for the pour-over
- A bit more involving than some methods,
- Requires a scale to weigh your coffee and your water for better results
- A gooseneck kettle is strongly recommended
- Require paper filters
Best coffee for the pour-over method
- Light roast coffee, the freshest the better
Necessary gear for the pour-over method
- A gooseneck kettle; Please read these two excellent articles: Fellow Kettle, Put Some Luxury in Your Morning Routine, and How to Get the Best Out of High-Quality Coffee Beans? Use the Pour-Over Method
- A scale; we are still using a regular kitchen scale, but Hario has the V60 Drip Coffee Scale and Timer Pour-Over Scale Black.
- A pour-over dripper. Many great options include the Hario V60, the Chemex, or my trusted Bodum.
Hario V60 Drip Coffee Pour Over Scale, Black. Photo from Amazon.
Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper Pour Over Cone Coffee Maker Size 02, White. Photo from Amazon.
Here is our how-to guide: How to Get the Best Out of High-Quality Coffee Beans? Use the Pour-Over Method
#2. The French press: easy and flexible
The French press may sound fancy to many, but it is effortless to use. Furthermore, if you follow our recommendations for using it, it produces a rich and tasty coffee.
Please follow our recommendations by reading our article: How to Make Your Coffee Look Sophisticated? Get a French Press!
The pour-over and the French press are my two go-to methods for enjoying high-quality coffee beans, and they both bring a little something different. The French press is my favorite method for some bolder and richer coffee beans and medium-dark roasts. Because the coffee is fully immersed and not filtered, I find that all the elements of the flavors are preserved. However, with some light roasts and some delicate beans, I sometimes find the taste coming from the French press a bit “muddy.”
If properly used, The French press rewards fresh coffee, but it is unforgiving with stale coffee, and I would not advise it if you use bags of ground coffee.
It comes in different sizes, but even my 1-liter model works quite well if I only need to make one cup.
Compared to other methods, cleaning it is a little more work, and it is easy to break it since most are made of glass.
I strongly recommend using a scale to weigh your coffee and water to control the ratio (1:15) for best results.
Pros for the French press
- Produces delicious coffee
- Easy to use
- Flexible, work well for a cup or 1l of coffee
Cons for the French press
- Requires cleaning
- Harsh with stale coffee
- Can break
Best coffee for the French press method
Almost any fresh coffee; I prefer it with medium-dark rich, full-bodied varieties.
Necessary gear for the French press method
- A French press; we own the Bodum 1928-16US4 Chambord, 1 Liter, 34 Ounce. We don’t own one, but Fellow has a very nice-looking insulated French Press named Clara.
- A scale; we are still using a regular kitchen scale, but Hario has the V60 Drip Coffee Scale and Timer Pour-Over Scale Black.
- A kettle; Please read these two excellent articles: Fellow Kettle, Put Some Luxury in Your Morning Routine, and How to Make Your Coffee Look Sophisticated? Get a French Press!
Hario V60 Drip Coffee Pour Over Scale, Black. Photo from Amazon.
Here is our how-to guide: How to Make Your Coffee Look Sophisticated? Get a French Press!
#3. The Moka pot, the bold and rich cup of Joe
The classic Moka pot screams Italy. It can produce a deliciously bold and intense cup of black coffee. Some call the Moka pot a stovetop espresso, but this is NOT espresso, even if the coffee is bolder and more concentrated than other methods. We discussed this matter in this article: It’s Time to Bring Back the Moka Pot From the Cupboard!.
The Moka pot is easy to use, but it is easy to “burn” your coffee. It works best on a low flame, letting it take its time to boil. It is essential to keep a watchful eye on it and move it off the burner when the coffee starts sputtering. If you go too fast or let it a little too long on the flame, your coffee will be bitter, and quite frankly, it will taste bad. Give it some time and remove it the second it is brewed, and it will reward you with a unique rich cup that makes you want to scream “Italia.”
On the downside, it lacks flexibility: you cannot adjust the quantity of coffee you produce, so you better choose a model that suits the exact amount of coffee you want to make with it. The flip side is that you don’t need to weigh your ingredients: fill water up to the line and fill the basket with ground coffee and you are good to go.
I initially thought it was better with darker roasts, but I tried it will all kinds of beans, and I had great surprises with some delicate light roasts. It is pretty forgiving with some older beans.
Pros for the Moka pot
- Bold rich coffee cup
- Sympathy factor
- No measuring necessary
- Easy to clean
Cons for the Moka pot
- You need to watch it during the whole process; easy to burn
- It takes some time
- Not flexible, no quantity adjustment
Best coffee for the Moka pot method
Any coffee really
Necessary gear for the Moka pot method
- A Moka pot; we own a Bialetti, Moka Express.
- A gooseneck kettle; Please read these two excellent articles: Fellow Kettle, Put Some Luxury in Your Morning Routine, and It’s Time to Bring Back the Moka Pot From the Cupboard!
Here is our how-to guide: It’s Time to Bring Back the Moka Pot From the Cupboard!
#4. The easiest for a quick cup: the Aeropress
The AeroPress is sturdy and easy to use, and you can use it in multiple ways to brew a tasty cup.
I prefer coffee brewed with the French press and the pour-over method. Yet, the Aeropress has its place since it is the easiest and the most convenient way to brew a single cup on a whim. It barely takes more time and does not require any skills. Providing that you use fresh coffee, anyone can obtain a far tastier and smoother cup of coffee than what you would get from a pod.
It can be used in many different ways, and there are hundreds of “recipes” shared by Aeropress fans online. There are even Aeropress championships.
Thanks to its compact and sturdy packaging, it is also a perfect travel companion. You can use it anywhere if you can find hot water.
Here is our how-to guide: The AeroPress – easy, affordable, delicious cup of coffee.
Pros for the Aeropress
- Easy and fast and produces a great coffee
- Flexibility, endless possibilities
- Great for travels
Cons for the Aeropress
- Use paper filters
- limited to brew one cup
- I prefer the taste of the other methods
Best coffee for the Aeropress method
Any fresh coffee
Necessary gear for the Aeropress method
- An Aeropress
- Aeropress filters
- A gooseneck kettle; Please read these two excellent articles: Fellow Kettle, Put Some Luxury in Your Morning Routine, and The AeroPress – easy, affordable, delicious cup of coffee.
Aeropress Original Coffee and Espresso Maker. Photo from Amazon.
AeroPress Replacement Filter Pack. Photo from Amazon.
The bottom line: Which coffee brewing method will you choose?
Here you go; these are four inexpensive brewing methods that can produce a great cup of coffee without breaking the bank. It is hard to recommend one technique over the other ones. The French press is probably the most versatile if you have to pick only one.
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