A pour over dripper ($8-50), paper filters, a kettle (gooseneck preferred but not required), fresh coffee, and a kitchen scale. That's it. You don't need a $165 Fellow Stagg EKG to start. A $15 Hario V60 and a $20 stovetop kettle will make great coffee.
The scale matters though. Eyeballing coffee and water is why most pour overs taste inconsistent. A $12 kitchen scale changes everything.
The Recipe That Works Every Time
15 grams of coffee. 250 grams of water. That's a 1:16.7 ratio, which produces a clean, balanced cup on most drippers. Grind medium-fine - roughly the texture of table salt. If you're using pre-ground, go with "drip" grind.
Water temperature: 200-205F. If you don't have a thermometer, boil the kettle and wait 30 seconds. Close enough.
The Pour (This Is Where People Mess Up)
Start with 30-40 grams of water, just enough to saturate all the grounds. This is the bloom. The coffee releases CO2 and puffs up. Wait 30-45 seconds. If it doesn't puff, your beans are stale.
Then pour in slow circles from the center outward, staying off the walls of the dripper. Add water in pulses - pour to about 150g, let it drain halfway, pour to 250g. Total brew time should be 2:30 to 3:30. If it's faster, grind finer. Slower, grind coarser.
The circle pour isn't for show. It ensures even extraction across the entire bed of coffee. Pouring in one spot channels the water through a single path and you get half sour, half bitter coffee.
The Three Mistakes That Ruin Most Pour Overs
Stale beans. Coffee peaks 5-14 days after roasting and falls off fast after 30. The stuff sitting on grocery store shelves for 3 months will never taste right no matter what you do. Buy from a local roaster or a subscription service.
Wrong water temperature. Too cool (under 190F) and you get sour, under-extracted coffee. Too hot (boiling, 212F) and it's bitter. The 200-205F window is tight but it matters.
Ignoring brew time. If your 250g of water drains through in 90 seconds, the grind is too coarse and the coffee will taste thin and sour. If it takes 5 minutes, too fine, and it'll be bitter and muddy. Adjust grind size until you hit that 2:30-3:30 window.
Which Dripper for Which Person
Hario V60 ($8-15): Most control, most technique required. Rewards precision with a bright, complex cup. Best for people who enjoy the process.
Kalita Wave ($25-35): Flat bottom with three drain holes. More forgiving than the V60 - harder to mess up. Best for consistency without fussing over technique.
Chemex ($40-50): Thicker filters produce the cleanest cup. Less body, more clarity. Best if you want a delicate, tea-like coffee and don't mind the larger format.
For most people starting out, the Kalita Wave is the right call. Less technique-dependent, more consistent results while you're still dialing in your grind and timing.