French Press vs. Pour Over: Which Is Right for You?

Two of the most popular manual brewing methods — and they couldn't be more different. The French Press gives you a rich, full-bodied, heavy cup. Pour over delivers a clean, bright, nuanced one. But which is actually better? That depends entirely on what you like.

How They Work

French Press is an immersion brewer. Coffee grounds steep in water for several minutes, then you press a metal mesh filter down to separate grounds from liquid. The metal filter allows oils and fine particles through, creating body and texture.

Pour Over is a percolation brewer. Water passes through a bed of coffee grounds and a paper filter. The paper filter removes oils and fines, producing a cleaner, lighter cup.

The Taste Difference

Characteristic	French Press	Pour Over
Body	Full, heavy, creamy	Light, clean, tea-like
Clarity	Slightly murky, rich	Crystal clear, bright
Oils	Present (metal filter)	Removed (paper filter)
Flavor notes	Chocolate, nuts, caramel	Fruit, floral, citrus
Best roast level	Medium to dark	Light to medium
Texture	Silky, sometimes gritty	Smooth, delicate

Ratio Comparison

Both methods use similar ratios, but the resulting cup tastes very different.

• French Press: 1:15 — slightly more concentrated to compensate for the heavier body
• Pour Over: 1:16 — standard ratio for clean extraction

Equipment Comparison

French Press

Pros:

• Cheap (good ones start at $20-30)
• Dead simple — no technique required
• No paper filters to buy
• Brews multiple cups easily
• Great for coarse-ground pre-ground coffee

Cons:

• Harder to clean (grounds in the mesh)
• Sediment at the bottom of every cup
• Less flavor clarity
• Can over-extract if you don't decant immediately

Pour Over

Pros:

• Maximum flavor clarity and complexity
• Precise control over every variable
• Clean cup with no sediment
• Ritual and craft appeal

Cons:

• Requires technique and practice
• Needs a gooseneck kettle, scale, grinder
• Paper filters are an ongoing cost
• Usually makes only 1-2 cups at a time

Which Should You Choose?

Choose French Press if:

• You want a rich, heavy, full-bodied cup
• You prefer darker roasts
• You want something simple with no technique required
• You brew for multiple people regularly
• You like the ritual of steeping and pressing

Choose Pour Over if:

• You want maximum flavor clarity and complexity
• You prefer lighter roasts with fruity or floral notes
• You enjoy the hands-on craft of brewing
• You usually brew for just yourself
• You want a clean cup with zero sediment

Or just get both. Seriously — they're complementary methods. Use the French Press for your lazy weekend batch brew and the V60 when you want to really taste a special single-origin bean.

The best brewer is the one you'll actually use every morning. Try both, figure out what you love, and brew accordingly.