The short answer
Pour over if you want a clean, bright cup and enjoy the ritual. French press if you want body and richness with zero filters. AeroPress if you want speed, portability, and forgiving brewing.
Pour over
- Cleanest, most transparent flavor
- Paper filters remove oils and fines
- Requires a gooseneck kettle and patience
- Best with fresh ground beans — a manual grinder is the standard pairing
French press
- Full-bodied, rich, easy
- No paper filters needed
- Coarse grind — the Grinder Pro (CNC) dials it in cleanly
AeroPress
- Fast, portable, near-zero learning curve
- Very forgiving of grind size
- Great for travel and offices
Which should you buy first?
Most beginners start with pour over — one cone, fresh grind, clean cup. It is also the method that benefits most from good gear. See our coffee gear collection for the essentials.