10 Best Coffee Brewing Methods (Step-by-step Guide)

Besides obvious things such as choosing your coffee beans keenly and giving them a perfect roast and grind, another important factor that determines the quality of coffee that you get is the brew method.

There are different ways of making coffee but to choose the best coffee brewing method for you, it is important to understand what different methods entail and the kind of beverage they produce.

Also, different coffee-making methods will differ in a variety of things from the duration to the ease of use. And these coffee-making methods will also differ in the cost of the appliances required to make coffee.

If you are trying to figure out which coffee brewing method will work best for you, below we provide an overview of some of the most popular ways to brew your java.

10 Best Coffee Brewing Methods

The best ways to make coffee are a more subjective issue that will depend on your specific preferences as a coffee lover. But, regardless of your tastes and preferences, you can be confident that there is at least one method from the 10 below that will work for you.

1. Espresso Machine

Espresso machines provide a simple and fast method of brewing some bold and rich coffee and they are one of the best coffee making methods for those that prefer stronger coffee.

But the difficulty of making espressos will depend on the kind of machine you have because semi-automatic machines are harder to use than super-automatic ones.

However, regardless of the espresso machine you have, the process is the same as it will entail pushing hot water through the finely-ground coffee at high pressure to extract coffee.

What You Will Need

• An espresso machine
• Burr grinder
• Tamper
• Finely ground coffee beans
• Milk frothing jug (optional)

Brew Time: 5 to 45 minutes to warm up (depends on the machine) and 20-30 seconds to pull a shot

Step by Step Instructions

1. ​Start by grinding your medium to dark roasted grounds to a fine consistency
2. ​Fill up the water reservoir with filtered water
3. ​Add finely-ground coffee to the portafilter and tamp
4. ​Return portafilter on the espresso machine
5. ​Place a cup on the machine and push the start button to pull a shot
6. (optional) steam and froth milk and use it to make espresso-based beverages like cappuccinos and lattes

2. Moka Pot

The Moka pot is a multi-chambered stovetop coffee maker that has been built to make strong espresso-like brews, and it will be a perfect brew method for anyone that wants to make espressos but does not want to invest in an expensive espresso machine.

What You Will Need

• Moka pot
• Coffee bean grinder
• Roasted coffee beans
• Filtered water

Brew Time: 5-6 minutes

Step by Step Instructions

1. ​Fill the bottom chamber with filtered water up to the maximum fill line
2. ​Grind your coffee beans finely and add them to the coffee basket which is the middle chamber
3. ​Place the top chamber that is where the coffee collects
4. ​Put your Moka pot over the stovetop at medium heat
5. ​Listen to the hissing pot that the pot makes once the water starts boiling and when the sound stops, the espresso is ready

3. AeroPress

The AeroPress came into the market in 2005 but despite not having been around for long, it is now one of the most popular coffee brewing methods. Many coffee lovers love its versatility and ease of use as it provides a simple hand-operated coffee-making method.

This coffee maker works much like an espresso machine, but it instead makes use of gravity to force the hot water through finely-ground beans to extract coffee.

What You Will Need

• AeroPress
• 2 AeroPress paper filters
• Filtered water
• Coffee beans
• Burr coffee grinder
• Kettle for boiling water

Brew Time: Around 6 minutes

Step by Step Instructions

1. ​Start by boiling the water that you will be using
2. ​As the water boils, you should grind your coffee beans finely
3. ​Rinse one filter with hot water and place it on the plastic cap
4. ​Add the coffee grounds to the filter and wet them with a little hot water for blooming
5. ​Now add the other filter at the top, assemble the AeroPress and place it over your coffee mug
6. ​Push down the plunger slowly but steadily to extract coffee

More Detailed: Click here

4. French Press

The French press is a classic coffee brewing method that has been popular for close to a century now and many coffee aficionados love it because it produces some strong and rich coffee.

A French press is a simple coffee maker that will only consist of a beaker (stainless steel or glass), a mesh filter and a plunger.

What You Will Need

• A French press
• Coffee beans
• Coffee grinder
• Filtered water
• Kettle for heating water

Brew Time: 4-5 Minutes

Step by Step Instructions

1. ​Start by heating water to around 200 degrees Fahrenheit
2. ​Grind your coffee beans coarsely and add them to the bottom of the beaker (use a tablespoon of coffee ground for every 4 ounces of water)
3. ​Pour water over the coffee beans and stir to mix and steep the mixture for around 4 minutes
4. ​Once the steeping time elapses, press down the plunger slowly to strain the coffee
5. ​Now you can pour your coffee and enjoy

Read More: How to Make Cold Brew Coffee in a French Press

5. Pour Over

The pour over is a form of drip coffee maker that does not entail using machines, and it produces some strong, rich and full-bodied cups of coffee. Some common coffee makers like Hario and Chemex are a good example of pour over.

Also, the pour over coffee maker is one of the simplest setups as it will only consist of a paper filter and dripper and is hence quite easy to use.

What You Will Need

• Pour over coffee maker
• Coffee beans
• Coffee grinder
• Filtered water
• Pour over kettle for heating and pouring the water

Brew Time: Around 4 minutes

Step by Step Instructions

1. ​Start by grinding your coffee grounds coarsely
2. ​Boil the water and leave it to cool for around a minute
3. ​Place your pour over set up on your coffee mug then wet your paper filter before adding the coffee grounds to it
4. ​Pour a little water over the ground to bloom them for around 45 seconds
5. ​Now pour the rest of the water slowly and steadily and coffee will drip into the cup below

6. Siphon Coffee Maker

• Siphon coffee maker setup
• Coffee beans
• Coffee grinder
• Filtered water
• Burner to heat water

Brew Time: About 10 Minutes

Step by Step Instructions

1.  Start by setting up the siphon coffee maker following the included instructions
2. ​Grind your coffee beans to a medium/coarse consistency
3. ​Add water to the bottom chamber and the ground coffee to the upper chamber
4. ​Heat water in the bottom chamber with the burners or over an open flame
5. ​Vapor will then force water to rise to the top chamber where it mixes with coffee grounds
6. ​Allow the coffee to brew for around 30 seconds before switching off the burner
7. ​Brewed coffee will descend to the bottom chamber in around a minute

7. Drip Coffee Maker

• Drip coffee maker
• Paper filter
• Coarsely ground coffee
• Filtered water

Brew Time: Under 5 minutes

Step by Step Instructions

1. ​Pour filtered water into the drip coffee maker's reservoir
2. ​Add a paper filter to the coffee basket
3. ​Pour in the coarsely ground coffee over the filter
4. ​Place the glass carafe on the machine
5. ​Push the brew button to start brewing coffee

8. Cold Brew

For those that like strong but less acidic coffee, cold brew is the best coffee brewing method for you. This coffee-making method entails steeping coffee grounds in cold water and the process can take anywhere between 6 and 24 hours.

What You Will Need

• Large mason jar with a lid
• Coarsely ground coffee beans
• Room temperature filtered water
• Large spoon for stirring

Brew Time: 6-24 hours

Step by Step Instructions

1. ​Measure and add the coffee grounds into your mason jar
2. ​Add the cold water over the coffee grounds and stir
3. ​Cover your mason jar with the lid
4. ​Place the coffee in the refrigerator and allow it to brew for at least 6 hours
5. ​After brewing, you should filter it with a cheesecloth or sieve before serving

More Detailed: Click here

9. Turkish Coffee

Anyone that loves strong coffee knows that Turkish coffee will be one of the best ways to brew coffee that is super strong and highly flavorful. This traditional coffee-making method involves brewing extra-fine coffee grounds in a special long-handled brass kettle referred to as cezve or ibrik.

What You Will Need

• Cezve
• Extra fine Turkish coffee grounds
• Filtered water
• Sugar (optional)

Brew Time: 5 minutes

Step by Step Instructions

1. ​Measure and pour the water into your cezve
2. ​Place your ibrik/cezve over the fire and keep the heat at medium-high
3. ​Once the water heats up (before boiling) add the ground coffee at a ratio of about 2 spoons for every 3 ounces of water
4. ​You can also add sugar at this point and allow the coffee to sink in and sugar to dissolve before you start stirring
5. ​Keep stirring the coffee until foam starts to foam at the top and when this happens, you can switch off the heat and take the ibrik off the pot as your Turkish coffee will be ready

Note: It is always a better idea to buy pre-ground Turkish coffee because the extra-fine grind size required to make this brew is not always easy to achieve with regular coffee grinders at home.

Read More: 7 Best Turkish Coffee Grinders

10. Percolator

There are different ways to brew coffee at home, but if you want something that is more old-school and provides a more hands-on coffee-making approach, the percolator is a great option.

This stovetop coffee maker works by cycling boiling water through ground coffee in a small chamber to produce a full-bodied and quite rich coffee.

What You Will Need

• Percolator
• Coarsely ground coffee beans
• Filtered water
• Burner or stovetop

Brew Time: 5 minutes

Step by Step Instructions

1. ​Start by giving the percolator a thorough cleanup to ensure there are no unwanted tastes in the coffee
2. ​Measure and add around 6 ounces of water to the bottom chamber
3. ​Assemble the other parts of the percolator
4. ​Now add around 2 tablespoons of the coarsely ground coffee to the top chamber
5. ​Place percolator over a heat source
6. ​Wait for the water to begin bubbling which is an indication that your coffee is ready

Conclusion

There is hardly any limitation on how you can enjoy your caffeine fix given the numerous ways of making coffee. But if you are looking for the best ways to make coffee at home, you can be sure that at least one of the 10 above will work for you.

All the brewing methods above will make quite some fine coffee. But, it is important to choose what works well for you by taking into account factors like the flavors you want, how much time you have for making coffee and also how much cash you are willing to spend on a coffee maker.