French Press vs Pour-Over vs Drip vs Cold Brew: Brewing Methods Compared

By Robin Salvador, co-founder, Caffeine Brothers
Last updated: October 13, 2026

Quick answer: A French press makes a full-bodied cup with coarse coffee and about 4 minutes of steeping. Pour-over gives a cleaner cup in 2 to 4 minutes with a medium grind. A drip machine is the most hands-off, and cold brew steeps for about 12 hours to make a smooth concentrate. The National Coffee Association’s guides give each method its own ratio, grind and brew time, summarized in the table below.

How do the brewing methods compare?

The chart shows why one bag of coffee can make very different drinks. Espresso and cold brew use a lot of coffee for little water, so they come out concentrated and are usually diluted or mixed with milk. French press and pour-over sit in the range most people drink straight.

French press

A French press steeps coarse coffee in hot water, then a metal mesh filter pushes the grounds down. The mesh lets oils and very fine particles through, which gives a heavier, fuller cup than a paper filter. The NCA’s guide uses 1:10 to 1:16, water at about 93 °C and roughly 4 minutes of contact.

It suits dark roasts like our kapeng barako and people who want a simple routine. The trade-off is some sediment at the bottom of the cup. Our French press guide walks through the steps.

Pour-over

With pour-over, you pour hot water by hand over medium-ground coffee in a paper filter. The NCA suggests 1:13 to 1:16 and 2 to 4 minutes of contact. The paper catches oils and fines, so the cup is lighter and clearer. This brings out aroma in lighter roasts such as our Benguet Arabica.

You need a dripper, filters, a kettle (a gooseneck kettle makes pouring easier) and ideally a scale. It takes a little practice to pour evenly. Our 4:6 method recipe is a good first recipe to follow.

Drip coffee machine

An automatic drip machine heats the water and drips it over medium-ground coffee for about 5 minutes. The NCA’s starting point is 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per 6 ounces (about 180 ml) of water. It is the easiest way to make several cups at once, which is why offices and households use it. See our office coffee cost per cup guide for what a pantry machine costs to run.

Cold brew

Cold brew steeps coarse coffee in room-temperature or cold water for about 12 hours, at 1 part coffee to 4 or 5 parts water. The result is a smooth concentrate that you dilute with water, milk or ice. It suits the Philippine heat and keeps in the fridge, so one batch covers several days. Our cold brew guide has a full recipe.

Espresso

Espresso uses a machine and high pressure to push water through finely ground coffee in 20 to 30 seconds. The NCA’s ratio is 1 g of dry coffee to 2 g of espresso. It is the base for lattes and cappuccinos, and it needs the most equipment and practice of any method here.

How much coffee does each method use per cup?

Using the NCA ratios, here is how much ground coffee a 240 ml (8-ounce) cup takes, and what that coffee costs with our CB’s Finest blend in an 800 g bag (₱754 on October 13, 2026, or about ₱0.94 per gram).

Cold brew looks expensive per batch, but you dilute the concentrate, often 1:1 or more, so the cost per glass you actually drink is much lower. Drip bags cost more per cup because each one is packed individually, but they need no equipment at all.

Which brewer should you buy?

1. Choose a French press if you want body and the simplest routine. It is also the brewer in our Christmas Brew Starter gift set.
2. Choose pour-over if you like a clean, aromatic cup and enjoy the ritual.
3. Choose a drip machine if you brew for several people every morning.
4. Make cold brew if you drink iced coffee most days.
5. Skip the equipment and use drip bags at work, when travelling or for guests.

Whichever you pick, match the grind to the brewer. We grind our beans to order: choose coarse for French press and cold brew, normal for pour-over and drip, or fine for espresso when you check out.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. French press coffee. National Coffee Association, updated February 6, 2025. Ratio, grind, temperature and time.
2. Pour-over coffee. National Coffee Association, updated February 6, 2025. Ratio, grind, temperature and time.
3. Drip coffee. National Coffee Association, updated December 5, 2024. Golden ratio, grind and time.
4. Cold brew coffee. National Coffee Association, updated December 3, 2024. Ratio, grind and steep time.
5. Espresso. National Coffee Association, updated February 5, 2026. Ratio, grind and time.
6. Caffeine Brothers shop. Prices checked October 13, 2026, for the cost table.

Found your brewer? Get freshly roasted Philippine coffee beans ground to match it, or contact us for café and office supply.