In brief
Pour-over is coffee made by pouring hot water over grounds in a filter by hand. The water soaks through the coffee bed and drips into a cup or carafe below. The Hario V60, Kalita Wave and Chemex are the best-known brewers.
Counter Culture defines it as any handmade method where you pour water over coffee and it passes through before falling into a server. It is drip coffee, with you in place of the machine.
Because the water flows through the grounds, grind size controls how fast it drains. That puts your grinder at the center of the method.
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How does pour-over work?
Water passes through a bed of grounds held in a paper-lined cone or basket. Wikipedia describes the chamber as conical, trapezoid or cylindrical.
Most recipes start with a small bloom pour. Counter Culture suggests about double the coffee's weight in water, such as 60 g for 30 g of coffee. It wets the bed and releases trapped gas. The rest is poured in stages or a slow spiral.
Coffee ad Astra explains why the method behaves as it does. A percolation brew extracts with clean water, so extraction stays fast, unlike an immersion brew where the water grows concentrated.
What is the difference between a V60 and a Kalita Wave?
The main difference is the shape of the bottom. The V60 is a 60-degree cone with spiral ribs and one large hole. Equator Coffees says the hole and ribs give the brewer more control over water flow and airflow.
The Kalita Wave has a flat bottom. Verve describes it pairing that flat bed with a patented wave filter for "an even and smooth coffee extraction."
The V60 was released commercially in October 2005, according to Equator. Equator adds that Michael Phillips won the 2010 World Brewers Cup in London with one.
What grind size is best for pour-over?
A medium grind, then adjust by brew time. Counter Culture says most pour-overs fall in the 3 to 4 minute range, and suggests adjusting the grind coarser or finer as needed.
Its guide uses time as feedback. If the brew finishes in two minutes, grind finer to slow it down. If it takes five, go coarser to speed it up.
This is why pour-over drinkers care so much about grinders. Small changes in grind change flow rate, which changes the whole brew. Use our pour-over grind settings to find a starting point.
What ratio and temperature should you use?
Counter Culture suggests 1:14 to 1:20 coffee to water by weight, starting around 1:17 for cone and flat-bottom brewers. For 30 g of coffee, 1:17 means about 510 g of water.
For water, it gives an ideal range of 195 to 205°F (about 90 to 96°C). It suggests going cooler for dark roasts or very bright coffees.
Our pour-over ratio guide explains the tradeoffs.
Do you need to rinse the paper filter?
Only if it tastes like paper. Counter Culture suggests a quick test: pour hot water through a dry filter and taste what comes out.
If it tastes papery, rinse the filter before you add coffee. If it tastes clean, you can skip the step. Either way, the paper is a big part of why pour-over tastes lighter than a press.
Which grinder should you buy for pour-over?
One that holds a consistent medium setting and adjusts in small steps. You will change grind often while dialing in a new bag, so a readable dial helps.
Electric brew grinders like the Fellow Ode Gen 2 and hand grinders like the Comandante C40 are examples of each. To compare two directly, see Fellow Ode Gen 2 vs Fellow Opus. For a step-by-step recipe, read how to brew pour-over coffee.
Sources
- Counter Culture Coffee: Guide to pour-over coffee
- Wikipedia: Drip coffee
- Equator Coffees: History of the V60
- Verve Coffee Roasters: Kalita Wave Dripper #185
- Wikipedia: Coffee filter
- Coffee ad Astra: Why do percolation and immersion coffee taste so different?
By Jeff Gluck · Checked Oct 21, 2026