Pour Over Vs Moka Pot

In this article, we will be going over the basics of both a Moka Pot and a Pour-Over Coffee Maker. We will also show you why the Moka Pot is one of the most popular methods for home brewing coffee (especially in Europe), while the Pour-Over method is best suited for those who enjoy lighter roast coffees.

What is Moka Pot?

Also called a stove top espresso maker, the Moka Pot has been a popular brewing method for coffee since the late 19th century. This device utilizes steam pressure to brew coffee directly into an attached cup or pot.

Although quite simple looking, making good brewed coffee with a Moka Pot can be extremely tricky at start. But once you learn how to grind your beans, the espresso to water ratio and the brewing time, it will become a breeze.

Moka Pot is marketed as inexpensive, compact and portable. When compared with other brewing methods, it’s also quite easy to clean afterwards. But most importantly, this coffee maker produces strong coffee (between 2-3 bar of pressure). Therefore, it works great for making espresso-like coffee.

Advantages of Moka Pot

Works well for those who enjoy darker roasts. The Moka Pot’s thick walls also retain heat in a way that Pour-Over brewers cannot, so you can enjoy warmer, richer coffee.

Moka Pot is a straight forward, easy to use device. It can be used by anyone, even those with less coffee drinking experience.

It requires no supervision, just put the ingredients together put it on a stovetop and you’ll have your drink in no time.

Moka pot doesn’t require any special accessories other than coffee and water.

Moka Pot can be used on any stove, so it travels well.

What is Pour over?

If you enjoy lighter roasts with a sweet, dark caramel flavor and a balanced acidity, then we would suggest trying out the Pour over method.

It is a simple process , but if you’re new, you may run into difficulties at the beginning.

The Pour over method differs from the Moka pot in that it doesn’t require a special device to make coffee. Instead, the ground coffee is poured directly into a cone dripper or filter. Then hot water is slowly poured over the coffee grounds.

Advantages of Pour over

It’s a low-acid way to brew coffee. If you want to try something that’s easy and quick, this is the way to go. It’s also very versatile. You can use this method to brew any type of coffee, from French press to filter brews.

It’s very easy and simple for beginners. Unlike the Moka Pot, this coffee maker uses paper filters that are easy to clean.

It’s very fast. Because of the direct pouring method, it takes only a few seconds to pour your coffee. And that’s a lot faster than any other coffee maker.

Moka Pot Vs Pour Over

Coffee Taste

If you love dark roasts, then Moka Pot is the way to go. It will bring out the best of your coffee beans, creating a rich and flavorful cup of coffee.

But remember, Moka pots brew coffee under a lot of pressure, which can lead to over-extraction if not used properly.

Moka Pot is ideal for those who prefer dark roasts. Since darker roasts are roasted longer and at higher temperatures, they are more likely to be bitter, acidic and lower in body than lighters ones.

For those who prefer light roasts or those who want a fuller bodied brew, pour over is ideal.

Many swear by pour over as being the best way to brew lighter roasts. It brings out the subtle flavours and sweetness in your coffee beans – simply put it’s like a more refined version of Moka Pot.

The Strength of Coffee

A well brewed cup of Moka Pot coffee is usually very strong. This is because the Moka Pot must be used on a stove, which extracts coffee under pressure.

However, this is also why Moka pots can be extremely easy to over-extract the coffee – resulting in an overly bitter and acidic taste.

The pour over method provides a lot more control for the strength of your brew, by allowing you to control many variables when brewing but the coffee will not be as strong as a moka pot or near to espresso consistency.

Varying the amounts of ground coffee and water can create different flavors in your coffee.

For example, simply changing the grind size on your Pour Over Coffee Maker can make a large impact on its strength. Due to their nature, these two brewing methods will create very different tasting cups of coffee.

If you are an espresso aficionado, then don’t even think of chemex or pour over and you can go for a Moka Pot.

If you like light, delicate and aromatic coffee, then Moka Pot is for you.

Ease of Brewing

Both the pour over and Moka Pot methods are easy to use.

All that is required when making coffee with a Moka Pot is water and coffee grounds. This does make Moka pots ideal for beginners who wants to brew their first cup of coffee.

Moka pot is also very handsfree, just fill water, coffee and put it on a stovetop and then wait for that trademark coffee aroma to fill the kitchen.

It is ideal for busy people like me who loves their coffee but hates having to wait for the coffee to be ready.

Pour Over is also an easy method. You just need to pour hot water onto your coffee grinds and wait for the perfect pour.

Pour Over is an art, everybody has their own favourite method of making pour over. Some do blooming (i.e. wetting the grounds first with some water and then waiting), some don't.

However, for some, pouring water over your coffee grounds can be intimidating at first. This is why many people prefer to use a Moka pot when they want to brew their first cup of coffee.

Type of Coffee & Roast

Moka Pot is ideal for those who like darker roasts and enjoy the strong taste of their coffee. It is perfect for those who want to have a rich, flavorful coffee with darker beans. It really brings out the best of the coffee bean’s most flavourful oils.

On the other hand, pour over is ideal for those who prefer light and delicate coffees. Pour over is also one of the best ways to use lighter roasts.

You can control how much water you use and how fast it flows over your coffee grounds, meaning you can brew any type of coffee using this method without altering your original taste preferences.

There’s no doubt that a pour over method creates a more flavorful cup of coffee when the beans are dark, bold and high in acidity. However, it’s important to note that this is not always true about Moka pots.

Is coffee from a Moka pot stronger?

Moka Pot coffee has a strong flavor that’s very rich and robust. It is also less acidic when compared to coffee brewed in pour-over. Pour Over is the best for having a nice, light and delicate cup of coffee. There are a lot of variants of pour-over, so it’s up to you to discover which one is the best for you.

Is Pour over worth it?

Pour over is a little faster than the Moka Pot, but it does require more skill and technique. If you’re looking for a fast and easy way to brew coffee, then I can definitely recommend pour over.

Why does my Pour over taste sour?

If you used too fine of a grind, this can cause the coffee to absorb water too quickly and cause over-extraction. It can also lead to a sour or stale-tasting coffee. You should also adjust what grind size and pouring speed you use for your pour-over; a finer setting will use more surface area, which will extract the coffee more slowly and evenly than a coarser grind which will extract more quickly.

Is pour over coffee healthy?

You should be aware that pour-over coffee is not the best way to brew coffee. And yes, it is much better than Moka Pot, but still not the healthiest way of brewing coffee.

Pour Over has less water than Moka Pot and thus it should be considered healthier. From a nutritional perspective, all types of coffees are very healthy.

How do you get crema with a moka pot?

To get crema, you need to use a “stove-top espresso maker”. When making coffee in Moka pot, you want to use the correct grind size and amount of coffee. The amount of pressure also turns out to be an important factor. The best results can be achieved by using a Moka pot as a traditional espresso maker.

Which has more caffeine Moka pot or French press?

Moka pot coffee is very strong and acidic. Moka pot drips through a pressurized filter made of metal to separate coffee beans. This pressure forces the beans to fully extract the remaining water which is used to make coffee.

French press coffee uses more water when making a cup of coffee than Moka pot does. A French press requires about 3 times more water than Moka Pot does for an equivalent amount of brewed coffee.

Why does my Pour over take so long?

When using a pour over, it can take a long time if you’re not using the right grind setting. After all, the slower the water moves through the coffee grounds, the more flavorful your cup of coffee will be.

Final Words

You now know the fundamentals of the Moka pot and pour over!!

If you love a strong coffee drink with dark tones and smoke, then moka pots are probably best for you. If you are looking for something simple and quick, use moka pot. The taste and smell of coffee is more enjoyable in moka pots.

But if you’re looking for a lighter, smoother roast then pour over is probably better suited for you.

For those not into coffee or are sensitive to its acidy goodness (like me), you will find pour over coffee easier to drink.

So which one do you use?

Let me know in the comments!! and while you are here , check out my other coffee related posts.