Is Pour-Over Coffee A Ripoff?

I like French Press and espresso, but heard a few years ago that paper filter brewing takes out some of the oils that can contribute to high cholesterol, so I gave up my French Press. I have a Mr. Coffee drip at home, but really enjoyed "pour over" (or Melitta as we called it) when I worked at Borders/Seattle's Best.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only guy in the Western world who doesn't really give a shit about coffee. Anyone else?

I do love pour over.  It is always very hot, which I really care about.  I began making coffee this way on camping trips.  Pretty much I enjoy all foods more when camping.  Not sure if this is why I prefer it, or not.   

I do love my french press, and it's what I brew with on a daily basis. But when I'm in the South Loop or on North Broadway, nothing beats a pour-over or chemex from Intelligentsia. I disagree with the Awl article, because his argument that it takes too long is idiotic. The appeal of pour-overs is that the cup is made fresh for you, right then when you order it. It hasn't been sitting in an urn for the last two hours. If you want a cup made properly, get a pour-over. If you don't really care, get a cup of over-roasted crap from Starbucks out of the urn. 

Big fan of pour overs, but cannot agree they are "better" than a properly tuned commercial brewer, such as a Fetco. However, only at places that move enough coffee to make brewing a a few liters worthwhile.

That said - love my Chemex. While I really enjoy the aeropress, I am usually making more coffee that it can make and it can be messy.

What's most important is your bean and whether or not it's been freshly ground.

 I also have capabilities for pour over, french press and drip and will more often than not go with the pour over, depending on what beans I have available at home. I find that it generally has a creamier mouthfeel. I go with a french press when I am in the mood for something more rounded, less complex, usually when I have darker roasted beans (which is rare). And drip is typically reserved for times when I am preparing more than just a cup or two. 

Coffee snobs have gotten tremendously annoying.   A good cup can be made by drip, french press, and yes, even a Keurig machine.  The excessive snobbery completely turns me off the product altogether.

I like Starbucks Coffee at Home at home a lot!!! it is sooo different… but i admit my less favorite is cilantro cafe.

John@Grind and Brew Coffee Maker

Anyway that touches and heats the least amount of plastic...

Pour-over, specifically the V60 in the picture above is just another brew method.  It's really up to the person's personal preference in coffee.  Personally for me, I enjoy brewing via Chemex every morning.

See other brew methods here: http://brewmethods.com/

The best brew method for coffee? That's like asking, "What's the best way to cook meat?"

All coffees are not the same. Some brew methods are better than others for drawing out the characteristics of a coffee's origins, roasting profiles, etc.

Sure, you can choose to charcoal grill all your meats. But you'd be a idiot and a fool to limit yourself like that. When you're enamored with hammers, suddenly everything gets treated like a nail.

It's foolish question to begin with, really.

For years I used a Melitta #6 cone, but a couple years ago switched to French press. Not quite as easy to clean up after, and requires a thermos, but to my palate, tastes better. 

I like Hills Brothers from the red can. You can't beat it.

I think pour over generally tastes better but the wait time can be kind of annoying. I do get a cup of Illy from L'appetito every so often and it's pretty good too and that's drip. Basically, I just like something that doesn't taste like hot brown water.

I had a pour over with a nice aromatic ethiopian that was phenomenal.  I ordered it on accident because I thought it was what they had in the pot, but went with it because I had already set my mind on the bean.  Two days later I got the same bean from a drip and it wasn't as good.  On the other hand, I had the pour over from a more classic central american bean and it wasn't amazing.  It just felt expensive.

But overall I like the pour overs simply because I can get exactly the bean I want at any given coffee shop.

I've got a French press for a morning or two a week, drip maker for those times I don't want to fuss with it.

I've got friends who think the Kuerig, one cup at a time makers are the only way to go. Why take the time to for French press when Kuerig is so much easier. They look down on French presses or drip makers.

On the other side I've got friends who buy green beans and roast their own beans. They think if you don't buy beans by the 50# sack you really couldn't appreciate good coffee.

I think both sides can get kind of pretentious. Choose whatever method you like best and go with it.

Aeropress, with a metal filter disk. It has the depth of flavor of the french press with none of the sludge in the bottom of your cup and the customization of pour-over without the fuss/wait..

Seconding Aeropress. The best coffee I've ever made. 

What is the advantage of the metal filter disk? Just not having to replace the paper filters? (Which have lasted me two years so far, and I'm only halfway through 'em.)

The metal allows a lot of oils to make it into the cup that the paper filter absorbs. I've found the 'presso to have a noticeably deeper flavor using the metal filter.

I love my Aeropress as well. I was thinking of getting the metal filter, but I too still have tons of paper filters left. Maybe i'll be through them in a year? Have you guys tried the upside down method?

Yeah I'm an upside-down method guy. Just made mine a few minutes ago. Lovely over ice!