Here's How to Make Coffee at Home Using 7 Different Brewing Methods
Getting your daily caffeine fix at home is a lot easier (and more convenient!) than you think.
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When it comes to a good cup of coffee, everyone has their favorite cafes and go-to coffee shops — but for those days when you're stuck at home or are simply too busy to go on a Starbucks run, knowing how to brew your own coffee at home can be a life-changing skill. Of course, if you're used to getting your daily caffeine fix from expert coffee makers (or by simply pressing a button on your automatic drip pot or Keurig machine), it might be a little daunting at first to learn how to make coffee at home. That's why we've rounded up all the different ways to manually brew your own homemade coffee, from a step-by-step guide on how to use your basic French press to the best way to make a perfect pour over.
Wondering which of these brewing methods is best? The short answer is that it depends on your needs and preferences. No matter what type of coffee maker you're using, though, the most important thing is that you're using high quality ingredients. Using fresh, whole coffee beans can make all the difference — as can grinding them well to the optimal grind size and consistency for the specific method. As for the best coffee-to-water ratio, a general guideline is a 1:17 ratio of coffee to water — or in other words, for every 1 gram of coffee, use 17 grams of water (use a digital scale to measure your ground coffee for better results). With these tips, you'll soon have a great cup of coffee no matter which brewing method you choose!
French Press
What it is: The French press is one of the most classic and easiest ways to make coffee, brewing by soaking ground coffee directly in hot water then pressing a plunger down to separate the grounds from the coffee.
How to make it: Pour coarse ground coffee into the carafe, then fill it with boiling water before giving it a quick stir. After waiting for four minutes for the coffee to steep, put the lid on and slowly press the plunger down to separate the grounds from the coffee. Serve immediately (or transfer to a separate carafe), as the coffee will continue to brew and get more bitter if allowed to sit in the press for too long.
Type of grind: Coarse
Ground coffee to water ratio: 1:16
Brewing time: 4 minutes
Resulting brew: Full-bodied, rich
Pour Over
What it is: One of the oldest ways to brew coffee, the pour over method involves pouring hot water through coffee grounds placed in a filter to allow the coffee to drip slowly into a vessel.
How to make it: Place a filter in a coffee cone dripper placed over a cup or carafe. Rinse the filter with hot water (to get rid of the paper taste and seal filter in place), then discard the water. Add fine coffee grounds into the filter before pouring boiling water to saturate the grounds fully, waiting for 30 seconds to allow the grounds to "bloom." Then, continue to add boiling water, pouring in a circular motion as to wet all the grounds evenly until you reach your desired final brew weight.
Type of grind: Fine to medium
Ground coffee to water ratio: 1:16
Brewing time: 3–4 minutes
Resulting brew: Nuanced, smooth
Chemex
What it is: Invented in 1941, the Chemex is a specific type of pour over that uses an hourglass shaped vessel and a specially designed filter that is 20–30% heavier than other filters, which helps regulate the flow of water as it passes through coffee grounds.
How to make it: Place the Chemex filter inside the flask, lining up the side with multiple folds with the spout. Rinse the filter with hot water, discarding the water afterwards, before adding ground coffee inside the filter. Pour boiling water to saturate the beans and allow them to "bloom," then stir. After 30 seconds, continue pouring water in a circular or back-and-forth motion to saturate all the grounds evenly until you reach your desired final brew weight.
Type of grind: Medium coarse
Ground coffee to water ratio: 1:16
Brewing time: 4–5 minutes
Resulting brew: Bright, pure
Aeropress
What it is: Portable and lightweight, the Aeropress is a relatively new device invented in 2005 that brews coffee by pressing down a plunger to create air pressure, forcing coffee through a filter and into a cup.
How to make it: Insert a paper filter into the plastic cap before wetting the filter and cap with hot water, then dump out the water. Twist filter cap onto the chamber of the Aeropress and place securely over a mug or carafe. Add ground coffee into the chamber, then add water and stir. Insert the plunger and push down gently until plunger reaches the grounds.
Type of grind: Fine to medium
Ground coffee to water ratio: 1:12
Brewing time: 2 minutes
Resulting brew: Smooth, clean
Moka Pot
What it is: Also called a stovetop espresso maker, this Italian invention brews a strong, espresso-like coffee by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through coffee grounds.
How to make it: Fill the lower chamber of the Moka pot with boiling water up to the fill line. Then, fill the filter basket with ground coffee, making sure it is even but not too compact and brushing away any loose grounds around the edge of the filter basket. Place it into the bottom compartment and screw on the spouted top before placing the pot on a stove set to medium heat. Remove from heat as soon as you hear a hissing, bubbling sound.
Type of grind: Fine
Ground coffee to water ratio: 1:2
Brewing time: 5 minutes
Resulting brew: Strong, sharp
Siphon
What it is: A siphon is a type of vacuum coffee maker that brews by using vapor pressure to force water to rise into the upper chamber to mix with coffee grounds, then allows gravity to drop the water back into the lower chamber through a filter.
How to make it: Soak the filter in warm water before placing it into the siphon’s top component (the “hopper"), hooking it securely to the glass tubing. Then, fill your siphon's bottom component (the "bulb") with water. Insert the hopper into the bulb before placing it above a burner. Once the water has boiled and risen up to the hopper, lower the heat and add the coffee grounds in the hopper, then stir. Let the coffee brew for 60–90 seconds, then remove the siphon from the burner and stir again. Wait for brewed coffee to drain down to the bulb before serving.
Type of grind: Medium fine
Ground coffee to water ratio: 1:15
Brewing time: 5–8 minutes
Resulting brew: Clean, flavorful
Cold Brew
What it is: Cold brew coffee is made by soaking coarse-ground coffee beans in cold or room-temperature water for an extended period of time, usually 12 hours or more, and then filtering out the grounds to result in a coffee concentrate that is served with water or milk.
How to make it: Add coarse ground coffee and water to a jar, a cold brew maker, or any large container. Give it a good stir before storing it in the refrigerator or at room temperature, allowing it to steep for at least 12 hours. Strain into a clean vessel, using a mesh filter lined with a coffee filter or a cheesecloth. Store in the refrigerator.
Type of grind: Coarse
Ground coffee to water ratio: 1:12
Brewing time: 12 hours
Resulting brew: Smooth, mellow
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