aiLabeling.aiLabelForImageAltText: Coffee machine pouring coffee into a cup, with a bright window in the background.

Drip Coffee: How to Get More Out of Every Cup

No expensive equipment, no hassle, but plenty of enjoyment: drip coffee is making a huge comeback! Want to brew the perfect cup of coffee with a manual pour-over or a coffee maker? Find tips and tricks here!

Coffee machine pouring coffee into a cup, with a latte and cookies on the counter.

What is drip coffee?

In terms of preparation and taste, drip coffee is the opposite of espresso. Instead of being brewed quickly and under pressure, the coffee is brewed slowly through a filter. This delivers a unique aroma:

Strong bitter substances and acids are filtered out
Delicate notes ranging from fruity to floral can come to the forefront
The caffeine content per 100 ml is lower than in espresso or cold brew

For drip coffee to truly impress, several factors must come together. Baristas

often refer to the brew ratio, which is the ratio of coffee grounds to water. Just as important are the coffee beans, the grind size, and the water temperature. The guidelines are:

Filter-roast coffee beans
Medium grind
Water temperature of 205°F (96°C)
Around 7 g of coffee grounds per 100 ml of water

Did you know? Coffee and espresso beans fundamentally only differ in their roast level. The exact same coffee bean can be used for both espresso and drip coffee.

Two orange coffee mugs on a wooden tray, one with frothy coffee, the other with black coffee.

Coffee Machine or Manual Pour-Over: Which is better?

There is no "better" or "worse" when it comes to coffee equipment. Each established method has its own advantages and disadvantages and is suited to different needs:

A coffee machine is essentially an automated pour-over brewer. It can prepare multiple cups of coffee at once and saves you a lot of effort. However, you always have to brew a minimum amount of coffee, and you are dependent on the machine for water temperature, water distribution, and extraction.
A manual pour-over filter gives you full control over every aspect of the coffee-brewing process. That is why baristas often use it for premium coffee varieties. You can brew small amounts of coffee, though larger quantities take significantly longer. Also, there is more room for error compared to using a standard coffee machine.

Drip coffee from the coffee maker: tips for a richer aroma

Coffee grounds in the filter, water in the reservoir, turn the machine on: making drip coffee is practically effortless. However, there are a few tips and tricks you can use to optimize the aroma and discover a whole new world of flavor.

Tip 1: Prepare the coffee filter
Fold the seam of the paper filter and place it in the filter holder. Tip: Rinse the holder and filter with hot water first. This opens up the pores of the paper so it absorbs less liquid, allowing more of the rich coffee aroma to reach your pot.
Tip 2: Preheat the coffee pot
If your coffee maker has a glass carafe, preheat it with a little hot water. Just remember to pour it out before brewing. If your coffee maker has a thermal carafe, you can skip this step.

Extra tip: Clean equipment ensures a better coffee taste. You can find the most important information in our "How to clean a thermos" guide.

Barista tip: No coffee scoop on hand? A heaped tablespoon of ground coffee is approximately 12g – which is the minimum amount for two cups. If you are dosing with a tablespoon, add "one for the machine" to the filter at the end. This helps to balance out any inaccuracies.

Tip 3: Measuring your ground coffee
A coffee scoop holds about 6–8 g of ground coffee. One standard cup usually equals 125 ml. Dosage: one level scoop per cup. Tip: First brew the machine's minimum amount as a test, then adjust the amount of coffee to your taste.
Tip 4: Optimize your coffee brewing
Level the coffee grounds before starting for an even surface. Since water often hits the center, extraction can be uneven. Tip: Open the filter holder briefly between the first two water pours and stir so that all grounds are moistened.
Tip 5: Use freshly ground coffee
Coffee quickly loses its aroma after grinding. Freshly ground, it tastes significantly better. Even a budget burr grinder—conical or flat (not a blade grinder!)—makes a huge difference. Find your ideal grind size in small steps, starting in the middle.

Freshness Tip: Coffee tastes best shortly after roasting. If there is no roast date on your bag of beans, simply subtract one year from the best-by date.