10 Best Coffee for Pour Over in 2024 (Beans, Ground, & More)

This is our review of the best pour over coffees in 2024. 

I’m Tim, a coffee geek who brews coffee and espresso daily. I study and test various coffee brewing methods– it is my top passion. And one of my favorite brewing methods is pour-over coffee. 

My top choice for pour-over coffee is the Olde Brooklyn Italian Dark Roast Whole Beans coffee because of its perfect strength, high quality, and outstanding flavors. 

However, everyone has different tastes, especially when it comes to coffee. You might prefer a lighter roast or a lower-cost option. 

To cover various preferences, I made a list of the top ten coffees for your pour-over brewer. 

So, keep reading to find the perfect pour-over coffee for you.  

Top 10 Pour-Over Coffees

1. Olde Brooklyn Whole Beans – Best Overall
2. French Press Coarse Ground – Runner-Up
3. Stumptown Coffee – Best Organic
4. Kicking Horse Coffee Medium Roast – Best Budget-Friendly 
5. Black Rifle Ground Coffee – Best Flavored Coffee
6. Volcanica Brazil Decaf Coffee – Best Decaf Grounds
7. Coffee Blenders Twin Peaks Premium – Best Single Serve
8. Kuju Coffee Premium Pour Over – Best Travel/Camping Packets
9. Grinders Coffee Beans 1kg – Best in Australia 
10. Brown Bear Ground – Best in the UK 

10 Best Pour-Over Coffees in 2024

1. Olde Brooklyn Whole Beans – Best Overall

The Olde Brooklyn Italian Dark Roast Whole Beans is my top recommendation for pour-over brewing because of its great strength, gourmet taste, and pleasent aroma.

The coffee is a dark roast and has a strong flavor. It also has a fantastic aroma, subtleness, and rich taste, which is perfect for pour over brewing.

It is whole bean coffee, which means you will have to grind it yourself for your pour over brewer. Just grind it to a medium to a course grind size and load it in your brewer. 

Due to its great tasting notes and strength, many people like it black. But it goes good with cream and milk too. 

However, it may be too intense for some coffee drinkers. If you have a preference for lighter and medium roasts, I would not suggest this coffee.

This Olde Brooklyn coffee is a multi-origin blend that incorporates coffee beans from Colombia, Brazil, and Guatemala, resulting in a distinctive flavor profile.

One potential drawback is that it is only available in a 5-lb bag, which may be more than the a single coffee drinker or even a small family can consume before it becomes stale.

To prolong the freshness of your beans, you can store half of them in the freezer using a vacuum sealer like I do.

If you’re looking for something which a more exotic taste, consider the French Press Specialty Coffee, Coarse Ground, Primos Coffee Co.

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2. French Press Coarse Ground – Runner-Up

The Primos Coffee Co French Press Specialty Coffee is our second choice for pour-over coffee. It has excellent tasting notes, is produced by a sustainable, small-batch roaster, and is coarsely ground for pour-over brewing.

The coffee is a medium roast, making it a great option if you want a milder cup of coffee. It offers a good balance of flavor with hints of fruit and cacao, without being too overpowering.

It makes a well-balanced cup of coffee that offers a smooth and sweet taste with low acidity. 

As previously stated, the coffee from Primos Coffee Co is pre-ground to a coarse-grind size. This is the perfect grind size for most pour-over brewing methods. 

Other pre-ground coarse or medium-coarse grind coffees may contain smaller pieces that can pass through the filter and potentially affect the taste of your coffee.

This Primos Coffee Co French press coffee is slightly more expensive than other pre-ground options. However, it has great taste and quality. 

However, since it is hand-crafted and grown by a small batch company/coffee roaster, the slightly higher price tag is justified. 

Primos Coffee Company operates its own farm in Nicaragua, allowing it to have complete control over the entire coffee production process, ensuring a consistent product for its customers.

The Primos Coffee Co French press specialty roast comes in a 12 oz bag that is resealable to extend its freshness.

If you’d like an organic coffee for your pour-over brewer instead, the Stumptown Coffee Roasters Holler Mtn. Coffee is my recommendation. 

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3. Stumptown Coffee – Best Organic

Stumptown Coffee Roasters Holler Mountain Ground Coffee is the best organic coffee for pour over brewing. Because it is USDA-certified organic, has a balanced flavor, and fantastic quality. 

The coffee is a medium roast, which results in lower acidity compared to a dark roast and a more pronounced flavor than a light roast.

Like other medium roasts, it has moderate strength and bitterness, with subtle citrusy notes that may not appeal to everyone.

For those who prefer medium roasts, I highly recommend the Holler Mountain ground coffee. Its caramel and hazelnut flavors complement well with milk or your preferred creamer.

The coffee is ground to a medium size, making it suitable for brewing in a coffee machine or pour-over system. 

Stumptown Coffee Roasters Holler Mountain ground coffee is priced higher than other ground coffee options. If you’re seeking a budget-friendly option, this may not be the best choice.

However, this Stumptown Coffee Roasters is USDA Certified Organic. This means that you can be sure of the absence of harmful pesticides or GMOs. Causing the higher. 

It comes in two sizes– 12 oz and 18 oz, which you can buy through Amazon, several other online merchants, and local grocery stores.

If you’re looking for a more affordable option, the Smart Ass, Medium Roast Grounds from Kicking Horse Coffee might be a better option for you.

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4. Kicking Horse Coffee Medium Roast – Best Budget-Friendly

Kicking Horse Coffee, Smart Ass, Medium Roast Grounds is a budget-friendly pour-over coffee option that offers great taste.

This medium roast has a complex aroma and flavor profile with hints of tart red currant, sugar cane, and milk chocolate.

It’s smooth taste and balanced body complement well with milk or your preferred creamer or can be enjoyed as black coffee.

The coffee comes in a 10 oz bag with a medium grind size, making it suitable for drip coffee, pour-over, or cold brew.

Kicking Horse Coffee’s Smart Ass Medium Roast Grounds are both certified USDA organic and certified Fairtrade. This means it meets ethical and environmental standards during production.

The price of this ground coffee is lower compared to others, making it a good choice for those on a budget. The packaging also clearly states the roast date for optimal freshness.

Kicking Horse Coffee sources Arabica beans from several regions in Africa, Central America, and South America to create a diverse flavor profile.

One drawback is that it contains less coffee per bag– 10 oz. Compared to other brands that offer sizes ranging from 12-16 oz.

However, it’s worth noting that having a smaller amount of grounds may actually be beneficial as it can help ensure that you use it all before it becomes stale.

The Smart Ass medium roast has a pleasant aroma of sweet syrup and vanilla bean with unique tasting notes.

However, it may not suit everyone’s taste. Some online reviewers have mentioned that it is too bitter for them.

If you want something more flavorful instead, look at the Black Rifle Coffee Hazelnut Ground Coffee. 

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5. Black Rifle Ground Coffee – Best Flavored Coffee

The Black Rifle Coffee Hazelnut ground coffee is my recommendation for pour-over brewing due to its subtle and excellent hazelnut flavoring.

The coffee is a smooth medium roast with earthy tasting notes. It is best black but goes well with cream and sugar too. 

Black Rifle sources coffee beans from various locations and blends them to produce a distinct coffee.

This coffee is a medium roast with a balanced flavor profile, suitable for those who prefer a milder brew with some strength.

The Black Rifle coffee is pre-ground to a coarse grind size, allowing for easy use in your pour-over brewer without any additional preparation.

A drawback of this coffee is its higher price, which is more than an average 12 oz bag.

But, Black Rifle allocates a significant portion of its profits to support Veterans and first responders, making it worth the extra costs. Plus, you get great coffee.

If you’re looking for a decaf coffee instead, check out the Volcanica Brazil Decaf Coffee up next. 

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6. Volcanica Brazil Decaf Coffee – Best Decaf Grounds

The Volcanica Brazil Decaf Coffee grounds is the top choice for those you want an organically grown, decaffeinated coffee.

The medium roast has a unique flavor profile with hints of sweetness, chocolate, and a balanced acidity.

The beans for this ground decaf are grown in volcanic regions in Brazil, where the unique soil composition and elevation impart a remarkable taste to the coffee.

The Volcanica Brazil roast of decaf coffee grounds costs above average compared to other brands. That said, it is not overly costly.

This Volcanica coffee is organically grown and is Fair-Trade Certified and Rainforest Alliance Certified.

This indicates that the coffee beans are grown using ethical farming and environmental practices. Plus, they are free from chemicals, additives, pesticides, and other substances.

The Volcanica decaf coffee grounds are packaged in 16 oz bags, which may be excessive for some decaf coffee consumers. This is especially true if they are the sole decaf drinker in their household.

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7. Coffee Blenders Twin Peaks Premium – Best Single Serve

Coffee Blenders Twin Peaks Premium Single Serve Pour Over Arabica Coffee is my recommendation for single-serve pour-over coffee because it is convenient, affordable, and tastes great. 

It is a medium roast coffee with a balanced, smooth, yet bold flavor profile. It is a great choice for those who want the benefits of pour-over coffee without the cleanup. 

This coffee comes in single-serve pouches that you place in your pour-over brewer before you pour hot water directly over it. 

After you finish brewing, you just grab the bag and throw it away. 

This coffee has a great taste and strength, but you cannot make it stronger by adding in a bit extra grounds (since it is single-serve). 

So if you like having the freedom of using more or less grounds to adjust the strength and flavor, this coffee isn’t for you. 

This Coffee Blenders Twin Peaks Premium coffee comes in a 10-pack of 0.42 oz pouches.

Each pouch is individually sealed to maintain freshness. 

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly single-serve option for your camping or hiking trip, consider the Kuju Coffee up next. 

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8. Kuju Coffee Premium Pour Over – Best Travel/Camping Packets

The Kuju Coffee Premium Pour Over Individual Coffee Packets are the best travel and camping pour over coffee. 

This Kuju coffee is the top choice because each packet of coffee has an integrated anchor that you can use to attach to your coffee mug. 

You can then pour hot water directly over it to make your cup– no pour-over brewer is needed. 

That said, a few consumers had some issues with the anchors breaking. However, this problem seems isolated as most reviews are positive. 

This coffee is ethically sourced and eco-friendly, which means it has minimal impact on the environment and supports the farmers. 

And when you purchase this coffee, you’ll be pleased to know that 1% of the sales is donated to environmental causes. 

The Kuju Coffee single-serve packets have excellent-tasting notes of oak, chocolate, and honey. 

It is a medium roast and tastes great black as well as with cream and sugar. 

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9. Grinders Coffee Beans 1kg – Best in Australia 

The Grinders Coffee, Espresso, Roasted Beans is the top pour-over coffee in Australia because it is locally roasted, tastes great, and affordable. 

The coffee has tasting notes of nuts, fruits, and chocolate and has a smooth yet strong flavor.

It is a medium-dark roast blend of Arabica and Robusto beans, which gives it a strong taste, though not as strong as dark and espresso-roasted beans.

This coffee is best for pour-over drinkers who prefer a strong flavor without it being too overwhelming.

The Grinders Coffee whole beans are priced affordably compared to other coffee in Australia. One advantage is that the beans are roasted locally in Melbourne.

Additionally, the beans are Rainforest Alliance Certified, indicating that the farming practices support the regions where they are grown.

One potential drawback is that the product is only available in a 1 kg bag, which may be excessive for certain households and result in it getting stale before you can use it all.

Some online purchasers have expressed that this coffee is “too bland,” but I have a different opinion. In my experience, this Australian coffee has a rich and enjoyable flavor.

Looking for the best pour over coffee in the UK? Check out the Brown Bear Colombian Medium Roast Ground Coffee below. 

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10. Brown Bear Ground – Best in the UK 

The Brown Bear Colombian Medium Roast Ground Coffee is my top pour over coffee recommendation in the UK due to its smooth body, excellent tasting notes, and the fact that a percentage of its sales is donated to Free The Bears.

The pre-ground coffee is made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from Colombia, resulting in a well-balanced medium body with the perfect level of acidity.

The coffee has a natural hazelnut flavor boasting tasting notes of toffee, apple, and marzipan. It differs from any coffee I have tasted.

This coffee is ideal for pour over enthusiasts seeking a flavorful and smooth cup.

The coffee is pre-ground to a coarse grind size, meaning it is ready to add to your pour-over brewer once you open it. 

The coffee comes in a 227 g resealable bag, which helps maintain the freshness of the grounds for a longer period of time.

One positive aspect of this coffee is that Brown Bear donates 5% of its coffee sales to Free The Bears, a charitable organization focused on improving the quality of life for sun bears and Asiatic black bears.

Some individuals may perceive this coffee as being bitter. However, I hold a different opinion on the matter.

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How to Pick The Best Pour Over Coffee

Here is what you should consider as you shop for pour over coffee. For more details, see our complete coffee-buying guide.

What to consider	Why it’s important
Roast	Medium and dark roast coffees are better for pour-over because they have more intensity.
Whole bean or pre-ground	Whole-bean coffee stays fresh longer than pre-ground coffee, which you must grind yourself.
Grind Size	Pour-over coffee requires a medium to coarse grind size.
The right type for your beverage	Bean species, caffeine levels, etc., are all factors in your cup of pour-over coffee
Certifications	Organic, fairtrade, and other certifications likely matter to you
Price/Budget	Pour-over coffee can be anywhere in between affordable to expensive.
Single vs. multi-origin	Single-origin coffee tends to have a more consistent flavor than multi-origin blends.
Packaging/roast date	Recent roast dates mean the coffee is fresher.

Roast

The roast level of pour-over coffee varies from blonde, light, medium, and dark, which is important to consider as it affects the strength and flavor of the coffee. For pour-over coffee, I recommend medium and dark roasts. 

Medium and dark roasts have more flavors and strength. However, the roast you like the best is up to you. 

Roast	Flavor	Best for
Light roast	Mild to medium	Coffee drinks (drip brewing, pour-over)
Medium roast	Medium	French press, Coffee drinks (drip brewing, pour-over), cold brew,
Dark roast	Strong	French press, Coffee (drip brewing, pour-over), cold brew, and espresso drinks
Espresso roast	Very strong	Espresso drinks

Whole Bean Vs. Ground Vs. Packets/Pouches

One should also take into account whether to use whole beans or pre-ground coffee for your pour-over coffee.

Compared to ground coffee, whole beans have a longer shelf life of up to four weeks. Additionally, grinding the beans yourself ensures a fresher cup.

And when you grind coffee beans yourself, it fills your kitchen with pleasant coffee aromas.

In contrast, pre-ground coffee is more convenient as you scoop it straight into your pour-over brewer without much prep work.

There is less time cleaning up, but you miss out on the satisfaction of grinding them yourself, and they tend to go stale more quickly.

Additionally, you can also purchase pour-over coffee packets or pouches. These pouches contain pre-ground coffee that you load into your brewer.

When you’re done brewing, you can throw them straight into the trash. They have the least amount of cleanup time. 

Whole Bean Benefits

Here are the main benefits of whole bean coffee: 

• Longer shelf life– about 4 weeks 
• Ability to grind beans to different sizes for specific brewing methods
• Grinding your own coffee adds nice aromas to your home
• Better/fresher tasting coffee

Ground Coffee Benefits

Here are the main benefits of pre-ground coffee: 

• Less prep time 
• You don’t need a coffee grinder
• Fewer items to clean
• Takes less time to make coffee

Grind Size

For pour-over coffee brewers, I recommend using a medium to coarse grind size.

The grind size affects how fast and thoroughly your coffee grounds mix with the water during the brewing process. This impacts the strength and flavor of your coffee.

The filter/strainers in most pour-over brewers can handle medium to coarse-ground coffee.

Using a smaller grind size may result in grounds ending up in your cup of coffee, yuck. 

Learn more in our coffee grind size guide.

Grind Size	Best for
Fine	Espresso machines and Moka Pots
Medium	Drip machines, cold brew, and pour over
Medium-coarse	Drip machines, pour-over, cold brew, and French press
Coarse	French press and cold brew

Certifications

When choosing coffee for your pour-over brewer, it is important to consider Organic, Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade, and other certifications.

A Fair Trade certification signifies that the coffee was sustainably farmed and the company supported local farmers and communities involved in its production.

A USDA-certified organic coffee is free from artificial preservatives, flavors, colorings, and other additives.

A Rainforest Alliance Certification makes sure there is no deforestation caused by harvesting the coffee beans. 

If these certifications are important to you, find a coffee brand with them.

Reference the table below and our full guide on coffee certifications to learn more. 

Certifications	What it means
USDA Organic	Cruelty and chemical free and transported safely.
Fairtrade	Protects the farmers who grew the coffee beans.
4C Certification	Protects the farmers who grew the coffee beans.
Rainforest Alliance Certification	Ensures no deforestation.
Smithsonian Bird Friendly	Looks after the birds living in the coffee farms.

Price/Budget

When shopping for pour over coffee, it is important to consider both price and quality.

Lower-quality coffee is typically cheaper, and higher-quality coffee is usually more expensive. That said, look out for deals and sales. 

A 12 oz bag of whole-bean coffee can have prices ranging from $8 to $25 (or $0.25 to $0.79 per each 6-oz cup of coffee), depending on factors such as quality and brand.

Type	Cost range per 6-oz cup of coffee (budget to high-quality)
Pre-ground coffee	$0.25 to $0.32
Single-origin whole-bean coffee	$0.32 to $0.54
Multi-origin whole-bean coffee	$0.22 to $0.41
Specialty pour over coffee	$0.29 to $0.51

Single-origin Vs. Multi-origin

When choosing coffee for your pour-over brewer, it is important to consider its origin.

Single-origin coffees are made by using beans that are sourced only from one country, region, or farm.

They showcase the unique flavors, tasting notes, and textures of one coffee bean species and the geographical area where it was grown.

Single-origin coffees typically have a more robust and consistent flavor profile. They are often priced higher than blends from multiple regions, although in some cases, they may be more affordable.

In contrast, multi-origin coffees are created using beans that come from two or more sources, typically two or more countries or regions.

The beans can come from the same species but from different regions, or they can come from different species from the same or different regions, which allows for countless combination possibilities.

Multi-origin coffees can create a wide range of flavors by incorporating tasting notes from different locations and beans to create a unique blend.

Some multi-origin blends can have inconsistent flavors and unappealing tastes. They are generally more affordable.

There is no blanket statement that one is better than the other. However, you may develop a preference for specific single origins or multiple-origin blends.

Single Origin Coffee Benefits

Here are the benefits of single origin coffee beans/grounds:

• Robust and consistent flavors
• Unique textures and tasting notes
• More strength/boldness

Multi-origin Coffee Benefits

​​Here are the benefits of multi-origin coffee beans/grounds:

• Generally more affordable
• Countless bean combinations can yield great flavors
• Complimentary tasting notes from different regions

To learn more about this, see our complete guide on single and multi-origin coffee beans. 

Packaging/Roast Date

When choosing coffee for your pour over brewer, it is important to check the packaging and/or roast date.

Some brands list a packaging date or a roast date. Typically, these are on the same day or one to two days apart. 

For the best taste, freshness, and quality, pick a coffee that has been recently roasted or packaged.

Whole beans have a longer shelf life, whereas pre-ground coffee tends to go stale more quickly.

This is because of the increased surface area of the coffee grounds, which leads to increased exposure to air and faster decomposition.

If you purchase coffee online, it can be difficult to verify the packaging date. However, you can contact the seller and politely ask for a fresh batch instead of one that has been stored for a long time.

Best Brands

When looking for pour over coffee, I  recommend top brands such as Olde Brooklyn, Grinders Coffee, Black Rifle Coffee, Volcanica, and Kicking Horse.

All of these brands offer a variety of whole-bean and pre-ground coffee options in different roast levels and flavors.

Additionally, these brands are available in various supermarkets, grocery stores, and online retailers such as Amazon.

Our Verdict

These are my top 3 coffee recommendations for pour over coffee. They all have excellent tastes, roast levels, and quality.

• The #1 option is the Olde Brooklyn Italian Dark Roast Whole Bean Coffee because of its great quality, unique tasting notes, and strength. 
• The runner-up, the French Press Specialty Coffee, Coarse Ground, Primos Coffee Co, has low acidity, smooth & pleasant cacao tasting notes, and is sustainably harvested. 
• The Stumptown Coffee Roasters Holler Mtn. Coffee boasts a USDA-certified organic certification, dynamic flavors, and widespread availability.