Pour Over Coffee Vs. French Press Coffee, Compared

by Matt Gibson

Two fancy coffee making methods — pour over and French press. If you are a coffee drinker who has only had experience drinking coffee made from the standard electric drip coffee machines, it’s about time you graduated to one of these hands on, easy to learn brewing system that will produce a more flavorful cup of coffee. But what’s the difference between pour over and French press? Both pour over systems and French presses are excellent devices for brewing small batches of strong, flavorful coffee that will easily put your old electric drip coffee maker to shame. But they are a little bit different as far as how you make the coffee, and how it tastes.

Pour Over Devices and French Presses are both easy to use and easy to clean. These devices can also be stowed away whenever they are not in use, so you don’t have to worry about devoting permanent kitchen counter space to your coffee maker if you decide to purchase one of these two types of devices as your new coffee maker. But which one is better, and more importantly, which one is better for you and your household?

What Is Pour Over Coffee?

Pour over coffee is a coffee brewing method that involves heating up water and pouring it over freshly ground coffee beans. A pour over system uses a cone shaped device that holds a filter, into which the coffee grounds are poured. Once your pour over device is ready, hot water can be poured over the top of the device into the cone area to soak the coffee grounds. Once the grounds are wet, the pourer should pause, allowing the water to settle a bit as the water soaks through the grounds in a circular motion. Then, more water is added by pouring it over the grounds slowly. What comes through the filter and into your cup or carafe is pour over coffee, a strong, flavorful brew that is light and smooth, producing no grit.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Pour Over Coffee

Fans of pour over brewing view the medium strength of the brew and the lack of grit as the biggest advantages of the pour over technique. Those looking for a very flavorful, but very smooth cup of coffee will get just that from a pour over coffee device. Pour over coffee is similar to the coffee that you get from normal drip brew, but probably a little stronger than drip coffee, though nowhere near as strong as what you get from a French press. Pour over coffee setups require very little to do in the form of clean-up after brewing a cup of coffee. All you need to do is throw away the filter and rinse the device and you are done. There is no dismantling or deep cleaning involved to clean-up after making your coffee. If you prefer a smoother, lighter coffee over stronger, more full-bodied brews, the pour over method is probably the most well-suited to your tastes. If you prefer darker, more full-bodied coffee, move on to the French press brewing technique, which is probably more your speed.

What Is French Press Coffee?

The French press, also called a coffee press, or cafetiere, is a device made from three components, including a glass or metal carafe, which is cylindrical, with an open-ended top, a plunger, which fits perfectly inside the carafe, and a filter, which attaches to the plunger, and is usually made from stainless steel. The French press is ironically named, as the device was not made in France at all, but in Italy in 1929. Since then, it’s popularity has spread throughout Europe and the United States, populating kitchen cabinets all over the world, anywhere that strong, dark roasted coffee is consumed.

Using a French press is a fairly simple process, even for beginners. Just put grounds into the bottom of the carafe, measured for strength, pour nearly boiling water over the top and let the duo steep into perfection, plunging down the plunger into the delicious murky abyss after about five minutes. Pushing down the plunger works to separate the coffee from the grounds, allowing you to pour out the remaining liquid into your cup for a perfectly strong, flavorful, and highly aromatic cup of joe.

Advantages and Disadvantages of French Press Coffee

French press coffee is for people who like boldness in their coffee. It makes a strong, rich, flavorful coffee that is not for everyone, but those who do enjoy it, will likely never go back to drinking drip coffee again. Using a French press, a greater percentage of the coffee ground’s oils are kept in the cup. French press users get to make their coffee fully customizable, with a hands on process that is as involved as coffee making can get.

The problem that some people have with French press coffee is the grit. Though the screen filter does help keep out most of the larger coffee grounds, some smaller grounds are bound to get through, which can give the coffee a somewhat gritty texture. Some French presses are better than others at minimizing grit, but some coffee grounds always make it through the filter’s grasp.

Though cleaning your French press is not as involved as deep cleaning a complicated coffee maker, it’s not a walk in the park either. Each piece of the device must be broken down and cleaned separately between uses. This can take a good ten minutes more than cleaning a pour over device after use.

Which Method Is Better, Pour Over or French Press?

Which device is better for brewing coffee is really a matter of personal preference. Those that like a lighter, smoother cup of coffee will no doubt prefer the pour over style of brewing, while those that like a darker, more robust cup of coffee will prefer the French press. If you don’t know which type of coffee you like the most, you’ll just have to give them both a try and find out.

When the day is done, both the pour over method and the French press produce great brew. True coffee lovers won’t mind having each device on hand for a varied brewing experience. When you want a light, smooth cup of coffee, grab your pour over device, and when you want a strong cup of coffee to get you ready for a long day, grab your French press. You won’t regret buying either device.