Accueil What if you started making real pour-over coffee?

Last updated: 25 juin 2026

What if you started making real pour-over coffee?

Having fallen out of favor somewhere between the advent of the capsule and the reign of the strong espresso, filter coffee has since unfairly suffered from a bad reputation. That of a lukewarm, bland liquid, coming from a plastic coffee maker forgotten on a sideboard. We're starting to get used to the grimaces at the mere mention of "filter coffee" (yes, really, we assure you).

The influence of trends has led us to dismiss filter coffee in favor of the sacred espresso, but at Celsius, we're betting on its gradual return to French homes, in addition to espresso, and here's why:

 

Aromatic Complexity: Filter as a Terroir Revealer

 

Illustration de la complexité

Espresso is a concentrate: high pressure, short extraction, dense result. What makes it strong is also its limitation: the finest, most volatile aromas often disappear into the syrupy beverage.

Filter coffee works in reverse. Water slowly passes through the grounds, at low pressure, over a longer period. It carries along aromatic compounds that espresso is less able to reveal: floral notes, fruity acidity, subtle sweetness. It's extraction by persuasion rather than by force.

The result, carefully prepared with quality specialty coffee, can be reminiscent of some fine teas: complex, delicate, evolving as it cools. A good Ethiopian in a dripper can reveal notes of strawberry, bergamot, sometimes jasmine. Not metaphorically: in the cup.
Roasting plays a central role here. A light roast preserves the original aromas, those that express the terroir and botanical variety. This is precisely what we aim for with our filter roasts: to extract the best from specialty coffee, without betraying it.
Our grandparents' old electric coffee maker wasn't designed to reveal anything. But today's methods are.



Diversity of Filter Methods


One of the great riches of filter coffee lies in the extent of its methods. Each produces a noticeably different result in body, clarity, and structure, and corresponds to a specific user profile. A rabbit hole, you say?


Immersion Methods

The ground coffee infuses in water, then the two are separated by filtration. These include:

The French Press, which produces a full-bodied, slightly oily coffee without requiring much technical skill. An ideal introduction for anyone wanting to move beyond capsules without committing to a steep learning curve.

The AeroPress, portable, virtually indestructible, it can produce a concentrated or diluted coffee depending on the chosen recipe. It slips into a travel bag and works wherever water boils. Find it in our store here.


Gravity Filtration Methods

Water flows slowly through the grounds and filter, carrying the aromas without the solid particles. These include:

The Dripper, the go-to method for demanding enthusiasts. There are countless versions: V60, Origami, Kalita, Orea, etc. Each produces a slightly different profile, but all share the same promise: remarkable aromatic clarity. The Dripper demands precision in grind and water, careful weighing, controlled temperature, and regular pouring. In return, it delivers aromas that few other methods achieve. At Celsius, we use and recommend the Origami S Dripper, compatible with Cafec's Abaca filters.

The Chemex, also a type of dripper but which we've decided to separate due to its divergent operation. Choose this method if you appreciate design and extreme delicacy in the cup.

The electric coffee maker, often underestimated, has seen considerable improvements. Some models now meet SCA standards: precise temperature, integrated bloom, controlled extraction time. For daily use by several people, it produces genuinely good filter coffee. We appreciate the Moccamaster brand.

Gravity Filtration Methods


The Italian coffee maker, known as a Moka pot, is not strictly a filter method: it uses steam pressure. Water, heated in the lower compartment, builds up pressure until it passes through the coffee grounds and rises into the upper reservoir. Indestructible, Italian, direct. Alfonso Bialetti invented it in 1933. It hasn't aged a bit and shares with pour-over methods remarkable accessibility and value for money, deserving its place in the discussion.

The siphon coffee maker or vacuum pot is the most spectacular of the pour-over methods, and probably the least known outside of specialized coffee shops. Its operation relies on two successive phases: steam pressure pushes water from the lower globe to the upper globe where it infuses with the coffee; then, when the heat source is removed, cooling creates a vacuum that draws the filtered coffee downwards. The result is remarkably clear and smooth, close to tea in its texture. A method of delicate precision that rewards patience.


Caffeine: Espresso vs. Filter

This is one of the most ingrained misconceptions: espresso "wakes you up" more than filter coffee. The reality is more nuanced; although more concentrated in caffeine, the average volume of espresso consumed provides less caffeine to the body in the morning. Here's the proof in numbers:

  Minimum Caffeine Content Maximum Caffeine Content Average Amount of Coffee Consumed Minimum Caffeine Intake Maximum Caffeine Intake
Espresso 1.33 g/L 2.50 g/L 36 mL 0.048 g 0.09 g
Filter 0.34 g/L 0.78 g/L 240 mL 0.082 g 0.18 g


So you will generally get twice as much caffeine in a filter coffee as in an espresso. It should be noted, however, that these figures can vary greatly if the person preparing the coffee is not precise with the coffee dose in the filter or the fineness of the grind. These indications are relevant when you consume coffee in a coffee shop, for example.

Furthermore, the perceived effect also differs: the caffeine in filter coffee is absorbed more gradually, producing a longer-lasting and less intense alertness. So, if you're looking for a sustained boost, opt for a large cup of filter coffee. Conversely, if you can't tolerate large amounts of caffeine, you can stick to filter coffee in espresso-sized quantities.


Filter Coffee in the Morning

There is sometimes debate within the scientific community about the relevance of drinking coffee first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. We leave this debate to the experts and let you draw your own conclusions.

In our opinion, whether taken first thing in the morning or a little later as a precaution, filter coffee is ideal. Its acidity is present but not aggressive. Its bitterness is controlled. Its texture is light. It's a coffee that can be drunk in large quantities without the body protesting, and it pairs well with breakfast without overpowering it. You can enjoy your buttered toast with complete peace of mind (and even dip it in the coffee, we promise we won't judge).

Illustration oiseau sur branche






Ritual - n.m.

We won't hide it, the little ritual that accompanies certain pour-over methods contributes to their overall appreciation. In complete contrast to espresso, which involves a high extraction speed and coffee swallowed in a few sips, filter coffee is a true ode to slowing down.

There's a sense of fulfillment in preparing your V60 in the morning: the sun is rising, there's no rush, you're feeling good, Tintin (are we going too far?).

Filter Coffee Price - n.m.

A final, and not least important, argument is that the equipment needed for pour-over methods is generally more accessible than for espresso. Usually, all you need is a kettle, a grinder, and your coffee maker (which can be a simple ceramic element).

The equipment investment to get started seriously with filter coffee:
Total to start with decent equipment: less than €200. For equivalent quality espresso, you generally count five to ten times more. Our articles how to choose your coffee machine and how to choose your espresso machine detail the criteria for each budget if you want to compare.
The cost per cup is also favorable. A well-dosed specialty filter coffee uses 12 to 15 g of coffee for a 200 to 250 mL cup. With a single origin at €40 per kilo, that's about €0.55 per cup: less than a capsule, for incomparable quality.

That being said, as with any passion, you tend to upgrade your equipment as your knowledge grows: a precise kettle that controls temperature to the degree, a scale to precisely control the dose, a better grinder, and a host of more or less expensive accessories.

Furthermore, when you drink filter coffee, you generally consume much less coffee, for several reasons: preparation time, the amount of hot beverage consumed, and the higher caffeine content. Count 12g of coffee for the morning, which usually keeps you going all morning, versus an unlimited number of 8g espressos, depending on the person.


NB: A clarification is needed. The term "filter coffee" is convenient but misleading: all so-called pour-over methods actually include a filter, whether it's made of paper, metal, or cloth. What we oppose to espresso is more of a philosophy of extraction: slow, open, without pressure. We will therefore use "filter coffee" and "pour-over methods" interchangeably in this article.

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