You need four things to make great pour-over at home: a dripper, a gooseneck kettle, a scale with a timer and a burr grinder. The set I'd buy comes to about $205. If that's more than you want to spend, the section after the table shows where to cut.
The kit I'd buy
| Item | My pick | Price | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cone dripper | Hario V60 02, ceramic | about $23–33 | The reference dripper. Its spiral ridges and big hole let you control flow with your pour. |
| Gooseneck kettle | Hario V60 Buono, 1.2 L | about $53–77 | The thin spout lets you pour slowly and evenly, so every bit of coffee gets wet. |
| Scale with a timer | Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2 | about $50–60 | Reads to 0.1 g and times the brew, so a good cup is repeatable. |
| Hand burr grinder | Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro | about $80–110 | Steel burrs give even grounds, the biggest single upgrade to flavor. |
Prices were checked in November 2026. Always confirm at the store.
Where to spend and where to save
- Spend on the grinder. An uneven grind gives a cup that's sour and bitter at once. A burr grinder is the one item worth stretching for.
- Save on the dripper. The plastic V60 brews the same way as the ceramic one for less, and plastic loses less heat than you'd expect.
- Save on the scale. Any kitchen scale that reads to 1 g works. You'll just time the brew on your phone.
- Kettle: a stovetop gooseneck works fine. Electric kettles with temperature control, like the Fellow Stagg EKG, are a nice upgrade later, especially for light roasts.
With a plastic dripper and a basic kitchen scale you already own, the kit comes to about $150.
The best beans for your first pour-over
Pour-over makes a clean, clear cup, so it's the best way to taste bright, fruity coffees.
- Ethiopia, washed Yirgacheffe: jasmine, bergamot and lemon. The classic pour-over coffee.
- Kenya AA from Nyeri: the roaster lists raspberry, cranberry and floral notes. Juicy and bold.
- Guatemala Antigua: the roaster lists berry, green apple and jasmine. Bright but gentle.
Prefer chocolate and caramel? Pour-over works with those too: try a Colombian Huila or the taste quiz for a match.
Your first brew
- Ratio: 15 g coffee to 250 g water (1:16.7)
- Grind: medium-fine, like table salt
- Water: about 94 °C
- Steps: pour 45 g to bloom and wait 30 seconds, pour slowly in circles to 150 g, then to 250 g. Aim to finish draining around 3 minutes.
Sour means grind finer; bitter or slow means coarser. The brew chart has every step and timing on one printable page.