Top 5: Methods For Brewing Coffee At Home

So you’re a fan of great coffee and want to know the best way to craft the perfect cup at home? Home brewing itself can often seem intimidating at first, but don’t fret, we’re here to shed some light on the best, foolproof ways for creating fantastic coffee from the comfort of your own home. 

So you’re a fan of great coffee and want to know the best way to craft the perfect cup at home? Well you’ll be pleased to know that there is no single, definitive way to make a fantastic cup of coffee, there are several! 

Coffee enthusiasts can argue all day about what method they think is best, but it all comes down to what works best for you. Perhaps you like having the convenience of a quick brew, or maybe you relish the process itself and favour more complex, manual brewing methods. Each way has its own unique set of benefits and drawbacks. Home brewing itself can often seem intimidating at first, but don’t fret, we’re here to shed some light on the best, foolproof ways to make coffee at home. In no particular order, here are the top five methods for home brewing: 

5. Home Espresso Machines

Let’s face it, we all love an espresso based coffee, whether you prefer flat whites or warming cappuccinos from your favourite local cafe. Most people don’t even think about this as an option for coffee at home, but with all-in-one espresso machines from reputable brands such as Sage, recently exploding in popularity, home espresso is now more accessible than ever. Despite this, it does still remain the most expensive and arguably more complex method on this list. Being able to replicate the coffee from your favourite specialty coffee shop is of course an art in itself. You’ll need to learn how to dial in espresso, as well as perfect your milk textures to avoid an overly foamy hot mess! There’s definitely something fun about being able to hone your personal barista skills from the comfort of your own kitchen though! 

If you’re looking to delve into the world of home espresso, we recommend Sage’s line of machines, in particular the Barista Pro. Take a closer look here. 

4. The French Press

Definitely one of the easiest, most cost effective methods of brewing coffee at home, the French press is used all over the globe for good reason. French presses or cafetieres work by soaking coarsely ground coffee in hot water and plunging the grounds to the bottom, filtering your brew quickly and easily. As there is no filter paper involved, it allows much more of the natural oils in the coffee to make their way into your brew. This means you get a more rich coffee flavour, which is great for lighter roasted specialty coffee beans. We recommend using a fruity coffee like our Juicebox  for this method if you want to experiment with interesting single origins!  

3. Coffee Pods

Another popular choice due to their convenience, coffee pods have boomed in popularity since the home coffee pod machine landed on the market, with big names like Nespresso leading the way. What’s great about pods is that they always provide a consistent taste with every cup, which is harder to obtain with other brewing methods. They’re also great if you want a super quick, easy brew. Simply pop your chosen pod in your machine, press a button and then add milk or hot water to taste. However, pods are often brought up in controversy, as most are difficult or even impossible to recycle. Luckily, a wave of biodegradable options have hit the market and it’s very easy to avoid aluminium pods entirely. Check out our biodegradable/compostable coffee pods here.

2. Stove Top 

Stove top coffee makers, also known as moka pots, are a great way to create strong (almost) espresso style coffee at home, without any additional fancy equipment! They’re relatively inexpensive, and can deliver rich-tasting coffee on the fly. They essentially work by channelling steam and hot water at a high pressure through coffee grounds, percolating it in the top chamber. This method allows for a high degree of customisation with your brew if you want to get a bit more nerdy with it, which we’re all for! Not only that, stove tops are extremely portable, light and easy to clean - making this a sure no brainer if you’re into stronger brews similar to espresso. 

1. Pour Over 

We finally get to the pour over method of home coffee brewing! It can arguably yield the cleanest cup of coffee on this list, which is why it’s a favourite among coffee enthusiasts. This brew method accentuates the natural aromatic flavours in your coffee allowing your chosen beans to really shine. It can be difficult to master at first, as there are several adjustable variables to contend with, to really make the most out of your cup. Things like, pouring technique, coffee to water ratio and water temperatures can all affect the extraction of your coffee and taste. V60 is a great starting point if you want to get into pour over coffee. Not only is it cheap to buy, but the filters are readily available in most good coffee shops.