Since filter coffee is one of the nation’s favorite beverages, it’s vital to know exactly how to make drip coffee at home. A delicate, polished, freshly brewed cup can be a wake-up call, a weekend treat, and everything in between.
How H&GA coffee expert and former barista, I’ve spent the last 9 months testing the best drip coffee makers on the market. I’ve tested massive brands like Breville, OXO, and Technivorm, giving each model its best chance at brewing a delicious single-serve as well as a flavorful, family-sized pot. So, as you can imagine, I’ve brewed thousands of cups of coffee in my time.
If you’re thinking about something lighter and more ritualistic, I compared drip coffee to brewing to give you an idea of how it works best for each person. But for now, here’s everything you need to make a delicious cup of drip coffee.
Crucial accessories for drip coffee
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Before we dive into the details, you’ll need a good drip coffee maker and one of the best coffee grinders to make drip coffee at home. We’ve tested a range of options, but here are three you need to know about.
OXO Brew 8 Cup Coffee Maker
Our experts have loved OXO for over two years. It can make everything from a delicious single serving to a whole pot of coffee. This could be the deciding factor: it doesn’t have a hotplate.
Breville Precision Thermal Brewer
Breville’s expert drip coffee maker has earned a lot of love from experts. It comes with six brewing modes, a host of technical features (including blooming and custom settings), but it also comes with a hefty price tag.
Technivorm Moccamaster 10-Cup Coffee Maker
If you like the finer things in life, as well as a wide range of colors, you’ll love this. It’s elegant, sturdy, can be repaired for a lifetime, and makes delicious coffee. But it’s also costly.
How to Make Drip Coffee
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Most drip coffee makers are automated, so you don’t have to lift a finger to enjoy filter coffee. The more technical the coffee maker you buy, the more brewing settings you’ll have at your disposal.
Luckily, the basics of most drip coffee makers are the same. You need to start with freshly ground coffee. Filter or drip coffee usually requires a medium grind. Most grinders are fine with a medium grind. However, if you want to go with our expert recommendation, the Fellow Ode grinder (available at Walmart) is an amazing option. Ashley Palmer-Watts, founder Artisan coffeesays “the most vital thing in getting good coffee is using properly ground beans. You really want a burr grinder because it will assist you get a richer, more balanced flavor.”
When it comes to beans, you can operate any roast you want. I particularly like to operate lighter roasts because they can’t be used in espresso machines, so it’s great to make the most of the delicate, exquisite notes where you can. I can’t recommend Ashley’s enough Smart cookie roasted enough. Perfect for this type of coffee.
Ashley spent years as a double Michelin star chef before turning his hand to coffee. In 2021, he founded Artisan Coffee Co. He is passionate about making coffee simply and to the highest standard. I highly recommend his blonde roast (as well as his other five blends).
Once you have prepared your coffee, you can follow the standard recipe. Kayla Stavridisformer barista, says that “the golden ratio for drip coffee is about one to two tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounces of water.” Although, as Kayla says, “while this is a good starting point, you should adjust the ratio of coffee to water to personal preference to customize your cup.” That way, you can drink your coffee exactly the way you like it.
Kayla adds that you should also operate good water. “It’s often forgotten, but using filtered water to brew your coffee makes a huge difference, and it also prevents scale build-up on the heating elements.” She also advises keeping the water temperature between 195°F and 205°F, although the machine will automatically set this for you.
That’s pretty much all you need to do to make drip coffee. Once you’ve ground your beans and added water to your coffee maker, you’ll need to press a few buttons (depending on the model you have) and the coffee maker will do the rest.
Kayla trained as a barista at Starbucks, so she’s spent her time making delicious coffees. She now works at Barista HQ, where she lives, breathes, and drinks all things coffee. She’s particularly fond of drip coffee, saying it “holds a special place in coffee culture because of its simplicity, consistency, and ritualistic brewing.”
Tips, Tricks and Troubleshooting
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While mastering the basics is key to learning how to make drip coffee at home, if you want your cup to be perfect, here are some tips, tricks, and troubleshooting advice from the experts.
The first and most vital factor is the drip coffee maker. You’ll want to invest in a high-quality model, since this device does all the brewing for you. We’ve got plenty of recommendations in our buying guide for the best drip coffee maker , but you can also look Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) approval. This means that your coffee machine meets high brewing standards (OXO, Breville and Technivorm, which I mentioned above, are SCA approved).
Steve Springroasting expert at Seattle Coffee Roasters, says it’s also vital to have evenly saturated beans. He says that “some drip machines do this automatically, but if yours doesn’t, you may need to pre-infuse or bloom the grounds by adding a diminutive amount of water to them and waiting about thirty seconds before starting the machine.”
Almost every barista I spoke to recommended blooming your coffee first. Pre-saturating the grounds helps release the acidic CO2 from the coffee. This will give you a smoother, sweeter cup every time. Once you start blooming, you won’t want to go back to the way you were before.
Only brew as much coffee as you can drink. While balmy plates are good (and boy, do I operate mine), leaving coffee on a balmy plate for hours will likely make it taste stale and sour. Steve Spring recommends “pouring your coffee into a thermos jug if you know you won’t drink it straight away.” This will assist you avoid any burnt flavors.
Another reason your coffee might taste stale is that you haven’t cleaned the filter basket thoroughly. Adhering grounds will make your coffee bitter or sour. It’s vital to immaculate the entire machine so that limescale doesn’t build up and dust and dirt don’t get in the way of enjoying a delicious cup of filter coffee.
Steve is passionate about all things coffee (he even owns a coffee roastery) and has a particular fondness for filter coffee. He’s brewed hundreds of cups and loves how “simple and consistent it is, especially for those who want a steady flow of coffee throughout the day.”
Frequently asked questions
How much coffee should you put into a drip coffee maker?
The golden ratio for drip coffee is one tablespoon of ground coffee to about 3-5 ounces of water. That’s a good starting point, but you’ll want to adjust the amount of coffee you add to your taste preferences. Some people like to add more coffee for an intense flavor, while others prefer it lighter.
It’s worth adjusting your grind if you want to change the amount of flavor extraction you’re getting. While you should stick to a medium grind, if you go a bit finer, your coffee will be sweeter. A coarser setting will give you a more acidic, bold flavor profile.
How to improve the taste of brewed coffee?
If you don’t like the taste of drip coffee, it’s vital to check a few things. You should operate good quality coffee beans. Start with a medium roast, but drip coffee is versatile. You can operate lighter or darker roasts, depending on what you prefer.
It’s also much tastier if you brew it with freshly ground coffee, from a burr grinder, on a medium grind setting. If that means investing in your own coffee grinder, do it. I promise you, this little machine will reward you with an endless array of flavors.
Check the water, because if you don’t operate filtered water, impurities can also affect the flavors of the brew. They can also damage the coffee machine.
After all that, immaculate the machine, make sure the filter is immaculate, and try again. If you’re still having trouble with basic coffee flavors, I’ve written a whole article on how to make coffee taste better.
Can I make drip coffee without an espresso machine?
You can make drip coffee without an espresso machine, although it will look (and taste) more like drip coffee. If you don’t have a drip machine, operate medium-ground coffee and brew it with boiling water in a jug. After five minutes, strain it through filter paper and you’ll have drip coffee.
