Filter Versus Immersion: Time to Toss that Drip Coffee Maker?

We’ll wade into the deeper waters of espresso later in the week, but for now there are two main brewing methods to discuss: filter brewing and total immersion brewing. I’ll give my propers to my favorite tools for each method this week, but let’s lay some groundwork.

Total immersion brewing is where all the ground coffee stays in contact with all the water for the total brew time. This is what press pots, vacuum brewers, and even “cowboy coffee” consists of and is also the method used in “cupping”, the industry practice of evaluating coffee. Executed well, this can produce an unmatched cup and its the method favored by pros.

Filter brewing is simply hot water passing over grounds and through a filter. Its what your old, plastic, brown-stained Mr. Coffee does poorly and your fancy $150 coffeemaker with all the extra buttons and blue LEDs also does poorly. A kettle of water and a Melitta cone filter or Chemex brewer use this method too while giving you better control over the results.

The advantage of filter brewing is that its more tolerant of your grind or dosage being off, where total immersion brewing demands tighter precision.

In both methods water temperature (and of course water quality) is key. Coffee brews best around 195°F-205°F—just a bit off a boil. Lower temperatures can make the brew sour while water that’s too hot will miss much of the flavor of the brew. The vast majority of consumer drip coffee makers fail to get water hot enough or don’t deliver a consistent temperature. Your dollars are much better spent on a good burr grinder (rants and recommendations to come).