Pour-over

Pour-over is a manual coffee brewing method where hot water is poured over coffee grounds sitting in a paper or metal filter, usually held in a cone-shaped dripper over a mug or carafe. There is no machine involved beyond a kettle, which makes it one of the smallest possible coffee setups, since the dripper itself is often smaller than a coffee mug and stores flat in a cabinet.

Consistency comes from pouring in a slow, controlled spiral rather than dumping water in all at once, which is why a gooseneck kettle is the tool most associated with pour-over. Grind size also matters more than with drip machines, since grounds that are too fine will clog the filter and grounds that are too coarse will drain before the water has time to extract flavor.

A frequent mistake is pouring too fast or all in one go, which under-extracts the coffee and leaves it weak or sour. Another is using a grind meant for a drip machine or espresso rather than the medium-coarse grind pour-over generally needs. Because the whole setup is just a dripper, filters, and a kettle, it suits a kitchen with almost no counter to spare for a coffee maker.