The Key Difference Between Drip Coffee And Pour Over [Read This!]

There is not just one difference between drip coffee and pour over there are several, one stand out difference is the end product – the cup of coffee and how it tastes – another difference is the effort required to brew the coffee.

Without delaying much further, keep reading to get the details and comparison of these two brewing techniques and get a great understanding of the difference between drip coffee and pour over.

What Is The Difference Between Drip Coffee And Pour Over?

Both pour over and drip coffee brewing are very different brewing processes in many ways. A drip coffee machine is an easy and effortless brewing process that you can use to make great quality cup of coffee with factory-like consistency.

It is an ideal brewing method when you are busy or have just woken up in the morning. Set it up and that is it. Modern coffee machines have the ability for you to set a timer for you to set it up the night before and have a coffee ready as you awake.

If you sleep, no worries, there are safety features like an auto-off to prevent your machine becoming a fire hazard.

Pour over is a very different coffee brewing method which requires some specialist equipment like an electric temperature control digital gooseneck kettle with precision temperature control for the best results.

With pour over, you have full control over the hot water temperature, flow rate and, as a result, you have full control of the brew time, the time your hot water is in contact with the coffee grounds.

The result is that due to having full control over all the variables of the brewing process you get an excellent cup of coffee that extracts all the intricate and complex flavors from the coffee grounds.

That is the key difference – full control vs little to no control when brewing your coffee and the quality of the cup of coffee.

Let’s talk in more detail about the difference between drip coffee and pour over coffee.

Read: Pour over Vs drip coffee 

The Differences Between Drip Coffee And Pour Over – The Flavor

Let’s get started by talking about the end result, the most important point of brewing coffee: the flavor, the taste of the cup of coffee produced.

Drip Coffee Flavor

As long as you are using the correct and perfect coffee to water ratio and modern drip coffee maker you can get a quality cup of coffee. Your drip coffee can be bold and strong as well as smooth and crisp.

You will get the same cup of coffee every single time. You can alter the body and depth of flavor by using a different type of coffee filter, from a metal coffee filter to a paper filter or a cotton coffee filter.

Pour Over Coffee Flavor

Due to the very different brewing process and the fact that you have full control over all aspects, the resulting brew is much better and more flavorful than a regular drip coffee. This is a simple fact that is not debatable.

The brewing process is much longer as there is a long more preparation required than the drip coffee method. The effort is worth it when you have the time and patience to use this brewing method. This technique can and will extract all the coffee oils and flavors and get them into your cup of coffee, regardless of the roast level.

The result is a rich, great tasting cup of coffee with all the nuances and delicate flavors extracted from the beans.

Read: How does a drip coffee maker work?

The Quality Of The Final Brew: Drip Coffee Vs Pour Over

Following on from the flavor of these two brewing methods and their differences is the quality of the final cup of coffee.

Drip coffee

A lot of the final quality of your cup of drip coffee will depend on your drip coffee maker. The old-fashioned ones from roadhouses or coffee shops in the 1980s just don’t have what it takes anymore – technology has moved on, and the machines have got a lot better over the past half century or so!

With a more modern machine you can ensure a quality even distribution of the hot water over your coffee grounds via a controlled spray. With improved heating elements and water filtration you will get higher-quality results than bygone years. I can say, and happily admit that you can and will get a delicious coffee.

Pour Over

This manual coffee brewing method offers you a greater potential for variations of how you want your final coffee to be. This offers you a greater potential for brewing a coffee that is highly customized and of a much higher quality.

This is due to the manual process of pour over coffee brewing being highly customizable with you being able to have full control over every single aspect that affects the flavor and quality of your cup of coffee.

As a coffee lover and coffee expert, owning a gooseneck kettle that has digital temperature control will help you to make a much better quality pour over coffee as you will develop a skill, attention to detail and a perfect control over the flow rate and contact time that the water has with the coffee grounds.

Use the tools perfectly, and you will have a perfect cup of coffee; also, use them poorly, and you will end up with an average brew.

With the right equipment and the proper grind size for each brewing method, you can get a good quality cup of coffee.

 The Difference Between Pour Over Coffee And Drip Coffee – The Equipment + Durability

Coffee brewing requires the use of specialist equipment, no matter how big or small. What is important is that the equipment is durable and lasts you a long time.

Drip Coffee

The bonus with drip coffee is that all you need is your drip coffee maker and a plentiful supply of filters and if you want different types of filter to produce different types of coffee. A good quality, modern drip coffee machine with plenty of features, like an auto brew feature, will cost you US$100 to US$200+

In terms of durability, I’d expect 10 years easily if you take good care of it when you take good care of it. This is why it is worth spending money on a good machine as if you take care of it and clean it regularly (inside and outside (the water tubes)) and use filtered water to prevent the build up of lime scale.

I expect at most over time, the most probable part that will need replacing is the heating element, which is not expensive to replace.

Read: Drip coffee

Pour Over

Pour over is a popular brewing method for coffee experts, coffee lovers and dedicated coffee nerds and geeks like me!

There are a number of different devices for this technique, ranging from the very familiar single serve devices, which go right over your coffee mug, to much larger multi-serve devices, which makes coffee for the whole family and collects the coffee in a larger jug for pouring.

The famous Chemex is a pour-over method for making larger quantities of coffee. There is one piece of equipment that you need, regardless of which pour over device that you use, and that is a gooseneck kettle.

One with the ability for you to set the temperature exactly is much better, as you will have the perfect brewing temperature and the ability to keep heating it as and when required when you are pouring your coffee and keep your water at that perfect temperature.

Most of the equipment for pour over coffee is made from stainless steel, glass, ceramic, metal or plastic, and thus will last you a long time. Just be careful with the glass ones.

Pour Over Vs Drip Coffee – Convenience And Time

One of the main differences between drip coffee and pour over is the convenience of the methods and the time taken in total to produce a cup of coffee.

Let’s see how these two compare.

Drip Coffee Method

I’m sure you are very familiar with the convenience of drip coffee brewing and the simplicity of a preset option, or your preferred preset option and getting your coffee ready the night before and enjoying this feature as it automatically brews your coffee exactly when you need it – when you wake up!

The amount of time taken in preparation is nothing at all! Just as long as it takes you to replace your filter and fill it with fresh coffee ground and the time it takes you to fill your water reservoir.

At most just a few minutes.

By far, the drip coffee process is very convenient, which is why coffee drinkers still use and enjoy this method today. High-end modern machines include the ability to program your own settings.

Pour Over Coffee Method

The brewing process of pour over coffee is much longer than drip coffee. This is unquestionable. The actual brewing time alone is very similar to the drip method, but the preparation can take much longer.

Especially when you are doing it skillfully and perfectly. It is a stop-start method, as every few minutes you are checking the temperature while pouring and giving your gooseneck kettle a little heat up for a few seconds to ensure the temperature is within the perfect range of 92C to 96C (195F to 205F).

Once you get used to and master this technique, you will find that it is not at all an inconvenience and only takes a minute or two more than the drip method.

The only inconvenience is the time it takes you to master the method and the average cups of coffee that you will make while practicing this method.

Just keep it in mind why it is a popular option and that it is worth the practice and effort.

Brew Temperature

The brew temperature is very important and must be within the idea range of 92C to 96C, (195F to 205F) as outside this small window, your coffee will be too bitter when too high and too sour when too low.

Drip Coffee Brewing.

The majority of drip coffee brewers just don’t reach the ideal temperature for making great coffee of 192F to 205F (92C To 96C) and is slightly below that range.

I find it odd why they don’t, as it is not essential that your coffee remains at this temperature, as the cup will be too hot to enjoy and will need to cool down.

Pour Over Coffee

Here you have 100% control over the temperature and can maintain it within the ideal range by reheating it if and when your water moves outside this perfect brewing temperature. If you want a stronger, more bitter coffee, keep the temperature at the higher range of 96C (205F).

If you want a coffee that is not so strong and slightly weaker, aim for the lower temperature range of 92C (195F).

Cleaning Your Equipment

It is obviously important to keep your equipment clean. The cleaner, the better the quality of your coffee.

Drip Coffee Machine

A drip coffee machine is more complicated to clean and requires more than a quick wipe with a cloth. You need to clean the water pipes regularly as they are a place where bacteria can grow due to the constant moisture.

The use of white spirit and distilled water or baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and flushing your machine abundantly.

There is no great difficulty in cleaning your machine. It just takes a while and something you should do at least bi-weekly or tri-weekly.

Pour Over Coffee

Your pour over devices are easy to clean, and you have a clear advantage here when is comes to keeping your gear nice and hygienic. Mostly, with the majority of pour over coffee gear you have only two pieces of material to clean. Clean them after every use to avert the build up of ugly coffee stains.

I suggest every so often cleaning your Stainless steel gear with white vinegar or baking soda to keep them free from stains. Your glass gear, use bleach every so often and rinse well to keep them super shiny and sparkling clean.

Frequently Asked Questions About Difference Between Drip Coffee And Pour Over

Why Is Pour Over Better Than Drip Coffee?

The pour over method produces a much better cup of coffee than a drip coffee machine for a number of reasons – even when using the exact same coffee beans. The main reason is that with pour over you have full control over the brewing process and all the variables associated with brewing coffee.

Being able to adjust the temperature, the flow rate, the amount of time the water is in contact with the coffee grounds helps to draw out all the intricate flavors and nuances of the coffee grounds.

The result is a much better tasting coffee.

Why Is Pour Over Coffee Less Bitter?

Your pour over is less bitter is due to using the correct water temperature, proper grind size and a good flow rate. Your coffee is not supposed to be overtly bitter.

If your coffee is too bitter, you will need to adjust the contact time, the amount of time the water is in contact with your coffee grounds. First check the temperature and ensure that it is between 92C and 96C (195F and 205F). You can adjust the grind size by making it slightly larger.

If it is not bitter enough, first check the temperature and ensure that you are in the correct temperature range. You can also check the grind size and make it slightly smaller to increase the contact time to make your coffee more bitter.

The reason your pour over coffee is less bitter may be due to this brew method drawing out some of the more intricate flavors and nuances from your coffee beans.

What Coffee Is Best For Pour Over?

There is no particular best coffee for pour over as this brewing method is one that requires a lot of effort. It is worth it to use high quality specialty grade coffee beans. Also, due to this technique being able to extract the full range of flavors with a fresh flow of water it is one of the better techniques for single origin specialty grade coffee.

This technique is ideal for any roast of coffee, so when selecting your beans you don’t really need to focus on a particular roast. Just use the roast that you enjoy the most.

Here are a few suggestions.

• Volcanica Peaberry coffee (any, location).
• 100% Hawaiian Kona coffee, bonus points for trying Peaberry coffee.
• Ethiopian Yirgacheffe medium roast.

Is Pour Over Coffee Worth It?

Yes, pour over coffee is more than worth the effort put in to making it as it produces a quality of coffee that is rich, delicious and very aromatic with all the complex flavors extracted.

Trust me, I am a legit coffee lover, I am being honest and straight with you – it is absolutely worth it. But you need the right equipment, like a digital temperature control gooseneck kettle.

Can I Use Regular Ground Coffee For Pour Over?

Of course, you can use any coffee that you want to with the pour over technique, including regular ground coffee. Ensure the grind size is a medium-grind or medium-coarse grind size.

Even though this brewing technique is much better for specialty grade coffee, I highly recommend the use of regular coffee until you get the hang of and master this brewing technique.

Can I Use A Regular Kettle For Pour Over Coffee?

I’ll be honest with you and say that you can use a regular kettle to make a pour over coffee but, just be fully aware that if, and when you do, you will not have the ideal or perfect control over two key aspects that make pour over coffee great.

These are the temperature and, more importantly, the flow rate. A regular kettle will flood your grounds, as control over the flow rate is difficult and poor pour technique leads to poor extraction quality. A gooseneck kettle will produce much better results.

A gooseneck kettle with digital temperature control is much better and results in a notably much better quality of coffee.

Is Pour Over Coffee Stronger Than Drip?

No, it is not true that pour over coffee is stronger than drip coffee. It is a little weaker. Pour over coffee is enjoyed for its ability to extract the unique, intricate and exquisite flavors from your beans.

Does Pour Over Taste Different Than Drip?

Yes, you get a better, higher quality of flavor from pour over coffee than from drip. The flavor is clearer, more vibrant and nuanced.

Final Thoughts – Difference Between Drip Coffee And Pour Over

Now that you know the difference between drip coffee and pour over coffee you can make a properly and fully informed decision about which is best for you, when and why. 

Which of these two brewing methods do you prefer? Which produces the best brew for you? 

Join our online coffee community on Facebook / Meta and let us know! Chip in with your own opinion and your point of view. I double dare you to post an image of your tasty brew! 

Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location