Filter coffee for beginners: everything for your first pour over
The kettle hums softly, the air smells of freshly ground beans, and in a fine stream the water circles over the ground coffee until it rises and begins to bloom. A pour over is a quiet little moment: a few minutes just for you, with a cup that smells of fruit, blossoms or chocolate. A little luxury you treat yourself to every morning, with beautiful equipment that is welcome to stay out on the kitchen counter. So the nicest question to start with is: what should your coffee moment look like in the morning?
In short: For your first pour over, we recommend a dripper such as the Hario V60 with paper filters, a gooseneck kettle, a hand or electric grinder, a coffee scale and a server. A lovely starting point is 15 grams of coffee for 250 grams of water at around 93 degrees, with a light omniroast from our roastery. If you like it even simpler, take the AeroPress. That is how we advise at Coffee Coaching Club.
The dripper: the heart of your ritual
In the dripper, also called a pour-over cone, lies the paper filter with the ground coffee, and the coffee runs into the server below. A classic is the Hario V60: a cone with a 60-degree angle, spiral ribs and a large hole at the bottom. Because the hole barely slows the flow, you set the pace yourself, with grind size and pouring. That is exactly what turns brewing by hand into a ritual.
Drippers come in porcelain, glass, plastic or stainless steel and in many colours, from Hario, Varia and Timemore, for example, all among the pour-over drippers. We are the exclusive importer of Varia in Switzerland. Our V60 guide shows every step.
Water in a fine stream: the gooseneck kettle
From the gooseneck, the water flows finely and calmly, so you pour in slow circles exactly where you want. Many kettles hold the temperature to the degree, and that is worth it: you can taste temperature differences from just half a degree. Around 93 degrees is a lovely starting point. In our experience, slightly cooler brings out more aroma in the bean, slightly hotter more body.
Gooseneck kettles come from Varia, Flair Espresso and Hario, for example, all among the gooseneck kettles. You can see how to mix your water to your taste with the mineral concentrates from Apax Labs in composing your own coffee water. We are the exclusive importer of Flair Espresso and Apax Labs in Switzerland.
The grinder: freshly ground, by hand or electric
Freshly ground coffee smells wonderful. For filter coffee, you grind medium-fine: coarser than for espresso, finer than for the French press. A hand grinder is single dose in its most original sense: you grind exactly the portion you are about to enjoy, and you switch from bean to bean. Beautiful hand grinders are made by Comandante, Timemore, 1Zpresso and Kinu, for example, all among the hand grinders, and we compare two of them in Comandante vs. Timemore.
If you would like to grind at the press of a button, an electric grinder suits you, from Varia or Timemore, for example. Many single-dose grinders switch effortlessly between espresso and filter. In our experience, conical burrs bring more aroma, and the larger the conical burr set, the more body. Flat burrs bring more clarity to the aromas, and the larger the flat burrs, the more clearly that clarity comes through. You can see which approach suits you in hand grinder or electric grinder.
The scale and your first recipe
With the scale, a beautiful cup becomes your favourite cup, one you brew the same way every morning. Our starting point for a large cup:
- Put in the paper filter and rinse it with hot water; this preheats the dripper and server. You pour the rinsing water away.
- Grind 15 grams of coffee medium-fine, add it and set the scale to zero.
- Pour on around 45 grams of water until all the ground coffee is wet, and let it bloom for around 30 seconds.
- In slow circles, top up to 150 grams, then to 250 grams.
- Let it run through, swirl the server once and pour.
That is around 1:17. It becomes stronger with 17 grams of coffee, lighter with 14 grams. For a fuller cup, you grind a touch finer; for a lighter, clearer one, a touch coarser. In the filter coffee simulator, you set ratio, grind size and temperature and see where the cup is heading, and you will find more brewing tips in our help section.
Beautiful coffee scales come from Timemore, Varia, Acaia and Normcore, for example, all among the coffee scales. We are also the exclusive importer of Normcore in Switzerland.
Paper filter and server
The paper filter holds back fine particles and gives you a clear cup. It matches the shape and size of your dripper, 01 or 02 for the V60, for example. Filter coffee: numbers, myths and the paper filter effect tells you what else it does.
Below it stands the server, ideally made of glass: you watch the coffee rise drop by drop, and you pour for yourself or for two. You will find servers among the coffee pots, and dripper and server as a set from Hario, for example. You will find ideas for making everything look beautiful together in setting up a coffee corner.
The beans: lightly roasted, full of fruit
In the filter, a bean shows its delicate sides especially clearly. To start with, we recommend our light omniroasts, roasts for espresso and filter alike. Wild Peach from Guji in Ethiopia tastes of peach, berries and jasmine, and in a pour over the peach comes through most clearly. Bright Cassis shows sparkling berry fruit in the filter with a long, fresh finish, and Choco Rouge, a microlot from India, combines berries with dark chocolate. If you love chocolate, Cozy Chocolate is a bean that tastes soft and chocolatey in the filter.
Freshly roasted beans need a resting time, which is why we work with resting times instead of a roast date in days. You will find all our roasts among our coffee beans.
The AeroPress: simple and robust
If you like it simple, the AeroPress is a wonderful alternative. Coffee and water steep together in the chamber, then you gently press the plunger down, and the coffee flows through a fine filter into the cup, usually fuller and richer in body than from the dripper. It is ready in a few minutes, the AeroPress is clean in seconds, and being light and robust, it loves to travel, more in espresso on the go.
You will find all models, including a larger one for two cups, under AeroPress. We set both methods side by side in AeroPress vs. Hario V60, and Jackson, our AI advisor, puts together your filter setup with you around the clock.
At a glance
| What | What for | Right for you if |
|---|---|---|
| Dripper | holds filter and ground coffee, the coffee runs into the server | you enjoy pouring as a ritual |
| Paper filter | holds back fine particles | you love a clear cup |
| Gooseneck kettle | a fine, calm stream, often with temperature control | you want to pour in slow circles |
| Hand grinder | freshly ground, portion by portion | you would like grinding to be part of your morning |
| Electric grinder | freshly ground at the press of a button | you often make several cups |
| Coffee scale | coffee and water by weight | you want to brew your favourite cup again |
| Glass server | for you or for two | you love to share |
| Light omniroast | clear fruit in the filter | you enjoy discovering something new |
| AeroPress | immersion with gentle pressure | you like it simple and robust |
You can also find us in person
In Bern at Gerberngasse 44 and in Zurich Oerlikon at Hagenholzstrasse 50b, many drippers, kettles, grinders and scales are set up, and you can see them live. In the Bern café, filter coffee is on the menu too. Drop by for a coffee.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need for my first pour over?
A dripper with paper filters, a gooseneck kettle, a grinder, a coffee scale and a server. Plus freshly roasted beans, ideally a light omniroast to start with.
How much coffee do I use for a cup of filter coffee?
15 grams of coffee for 250 grams of water is a lovely starting point, which is around 1:17. If you like it stronger, use 17 grams; if you like it lighter, 14 grams.
How hot should the water be for pour over?
Around 93 degrees is a lovely starting point. In our experience, slightly cooler brings out more aroma in the bean, slightly hotter more body. A kettle with temperature control lets you plan every cup, because you can taste temperature differences from just half a degree.
Which grind size suits filter coffee?
Medium-fine, so coarser than for espresso and finer than for the French press. For a fuller cup, you grind a touch finer; for a lighter, clearer one, a touch coarser.
Hand grinder or electric grinder for filter coffee?
Both grind wonderful filter coffee. The hand grinder is single dose in its most original sense and grinds exactly your portion without any power at all. The electric grinder grinds at the press of a button and suits you if you often make several cups.
Which coffee beans suit filter coffee?
Light roasts and omniroasts, because in the filter they show their fruit especially clearly. From our roastery, Wild Peach, Bright Cassis or Choco Rouge suit it, for example. An omniroast is a roast level intended for several brewing methods.
AeroPress or dripper: which suits me?
The AeroPress suits you if you like it simple: coffee and water steep together, then you press the plunger down, and the cup usually turns out fuller. The dripper suits you if you enjoy pouring, and usually gives you a clearer cup.
Written by Yalcin Akpinar, qualified food chemist and coffee roaster at Coffee Coaching Club. Updated: October 2026.
