French Press vs Pour Over: Which Method Is Right For You?

French presses and pour overs are both approachable and affordable ways of brewing your coffee mindfully. They have no fancy machine, no buttons, no flashing lights, and no bells or whistles. They offer a morning meditation as you slowly press down a plunger or pour hot water in a spiral. No wonder they are two of the most popular brewing methods among coffee drinkers in the UK.

We’ll do a deep-dive on the differences between the French press vs pour over coffee brewing methods to see which method is right for you and your coffee needs.

French Press

The French press cafetiere or coffee press is nearly a century old and actually has Italian roots; it was patented in 1929 by Attilio Calimani and Giulio Moneta (1). It kept its popularity over time with its classic build and its timeless brews full of nutritious natural oils.

A French press includes a brew chamber, a plunger, and a filter. Classic French presses have beakers made from glass, BPA-free plastic, or stainless steel. Some offer dual-wall construction, which is better insulated to keep your coffee hot. The filter system of a cafetiere consists of a plunger with up to three mesh plates, usually stainless steel, to hold back the coffee grounds from your brew.

French press is a manual immersion brewing method. Medium coarse ground coffee is steeped in just-boiled water for a few minutes. Then you press the plunger to filter the grounds. The result is rich coffee unparalleled by any other extraction method. It’s my personal daily go-to, and I recommend using medium or dark-roasted beans as the best coffee for a French press.

Pour Over

The French press may be a staple at home, but the pour over is the face of third-wave speciality coffee shops. The pour over was invented by Amalie Auguste Melitta Bentz in response to her frustration with leftover sediment in her cups from dissatisfying-tasting percolator coffee (2).

A pour over coffee brewer set-up consists of a carafe, a filter, and a dripper. The dripper can be ceramic, glass, metal, or plastic, and the material influences the taste of your brew, so choose wisely.

The type of filter also has an impact. Reusable metal filters keep the coffee oils, like a French press, whereas reusable cloth ones are an affordable and environmentally conscious way of keeping them out. A compostable paper filter gives the cleanest final cup and makes your life easier when cleaning up.

Pour over is a drip filtration brewing method. You slowly pour hot water over a bed of medium-grind coffee, and gravity draws it down during extraction. Opportunities for experimentation with the final flavour profile are present every step of the way. You’ll get a more nuanced taste of the beans’ characteristic notes in a clean cup.

For more, read about how to make pour over coffee with the best coffee beans for pour over.

The Showdown: Pour Over Coffee Vs French press

Now that we have a sense of the two brewers and what their brewing methods look like, let’s delve into the details of the difference between French press and pour over. While they are similar in some ways, your choice of French press vs pour over greatly impacts the taste of your brews.

Ease Of Use

The French press method is a breeze to get into for many coffee lovers. All you need is fresh coffee beans ground to a medium coarseness, hot water, and four minutes.

You can step away and have more than enough time to brush your teeth while you wait for your morning cup of good French press coffee. Just be sure to come back in time for the plunge, or you’ll find your finished brew to be bitter-tasting from being over-extracted.

The manual coffee brewing method of pour over coffee makers is much more hands-on. It’s not advisable to dunk water on the coffee grounds and walk away.

It first requires a scale to accurately measure the amount of water and coffee beans to use. Then you need to set your filter. The brewing process for pour over coffee makers requires pouring heated water over medium coarse ground coffee. We suggest using a gooseneck kettle to get the perfect pour.

To start, when pouring, you want to first bloom the grounds and then gently switch to a slow-growing spiral technique. Once you’ve got the hang of the pour over method, you’re free to experiment with variables like pouring technique, brew time, and grind size (3).

It will take persistence and patience to perfect various brewing methods. And it’ll be worth it.

Cleaning a pour over dripper is easier than cleaning a coffee press. In both cases, discard the wet coffee grounds (not in the sink!). The multi-layer metal filters of a French press take an extra moment of rinsing to clean. Wash the inside of each brewer with warm, soapy water, and many brewers are dishwasher-safe.

Versatility

French press coffee is pretty customizable. You control grind size, how long you steep your coffee grounds, how much coffee and water you use, and the water temperature.

The French press is not limited to making coffee. Cafetieres can be used with cold water to make cold brew. A French press can also double as a manual milk frother, so you can make at-home lattes and cappuccinos. You can use a French press to brew loose-leaf tea.

A pour over affords more control than a French press when brewing hot coffee. Along with the variables already mentioned, you have influence over the speed and style of pouring, and the material and shape of the dripper and filters.

Portability

French presses tend to range in size from a 0.5 L capacity to a 1.5 L capacity. They aren’t overly large or heavy, but with a few exceptions, they aren’t the best option for travel. Glass French presses are light but easily breakable. Stainless steel French presses are more durable to withstand life on the move, but they are heavy.

A pour over dripper is typically a much more portable coffee maker, unless it’s made from breakable glass like a Chemex. There are far more suitable travel-friendly options among pour over brewers. There are tiny ones fit for just one or two cups, and there are lightweight and durable stainless steel metal or plastic models. There are even collapsible silicone drippers for backpacking. They slip right into your backpack or travelling case. Just be sure to account for the space needed for filters.

Taste

A French press makes a delicious cup of rich, full, and robust brew that effectively emphasizes hints of caramel in medium roasts and toasted notes of cocoa in dark roasts. At least, that’s what I’ve found with my daily morning brew. The coffee oils lend each perfect cup a full body, creamy mouthfeel, and powerful aroma. It’s unlike any other way of brewing coffee.

A pour over is for coffee connoisseurs who prefer lighter coffee. You’ll taste all of the subtleties noted on your bags of coffee, from hazelnut to molasses to tamarind and more. You’ll be able to look at a coffee flavour wheel, taste everything it refers to, and really build up your palette and refine your expertise (4).

This is all thanks to a pour over’s unique way of bringing out the inherent properties of coffee beans. Using paper filters, your smooth cup will be crisp, clean, and completely free of oils or sediment. The resulting taste is a stark difference compared to the bold brews of a French press, but you’ll really get the complex nuanced details found in light roasts.

The Verdict

Should you choose French press or pour over? Both brewing methods have their charms, and given their low cost, there’s really no reason both brewers can’t grace your coffee bar. A French press coffee maker is easy to use and delivers a bold flavour and full body. The pour over is more portable and produces niche cups of coffee and endless flavours to discover. It’s really up to your personal taste.

Use a French press if:

• You prefer full-bodied coffee.
• You’re new to brewing coffee.
• You want natural oils in the cup for a rich mouthfeel.

Use a pour over if:

• You prefer lighter roast coffee.
• You want total control over brews.
• You prefer a cleaner cup with more complex flavours.