Coffee Experts Share Their Favorite Way To Make A Single Cup Of Coffee
People like coffee a lot, but sometimes you only want one cup. And not a comically big single cup or 40-ounce tumbler-full, but an actual 8 to 12 ounces of coffee. To help you nail the perfect petit pour, we asked our favorite baristas, coffee roasters and latte artists for their favorite way to make one cup of coffee.
Michelle Kawahara, a barista and Lavazza’s West Coast training manager, endorses the single cup. “Interestingly, my husband doesn’t drink coffee, so preparing it just for myself feels quite calming,” Kawahara told HuffPost. “I like to ensure that my morning cup of coffee is just right, as I typically have only one cup a day.”
When you’re only having a single cup, you might as well make it spectacular. To help you ensure your small caffeine fix is brewed to perfection, here are coffee experts’ favorites for making one serving of joe.
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Amazon
Hario's V60 ceramic coffee pour-over cone
Michelle Kawahara, Lavazza's West Coast training manager, ensures her perfect brew with a Hario V60 ceramic pour-over cone. This handy contraption was a popular suggestion from our experts, gaining endorsements from Jackson Konwinski, coffee buyer and supervisor of Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Jiyoon Han, co-owner of New York City's Bean & Bean Coffee Roasters.
Kawahara says this method is perfect for making 10-12 ounces of coffee, noting, "This technique really brings out the flavors of the coffee, making them more noticeable and enjoyable." But she recommends using Hario's specific pour-over paper filters, "[to] remove any extra bits like oils and sediments from the coffee, resulting in a smoother and less bitter taste, leaving your mouth feeling fresh."
Konwinski also recommends using Hario's white paper filters and encourages using a kitchen scale to ensure precision for one cup. "Using an appropriately accurate digital scale, not just for the beans but also the water as I brewed, has been one of the largest improvements to my coffee craft," Konwinski said.
Han uses this ceramic dripper every morning, saying, "The V60 produces stellar coffee, especially if you enjoy bright, fruit-forward coffees since this brewing method tends to highlight the top notes in coffee." She does note you may not get it right your first few times. "Proper V60 brewing technique does take a bit of practice to get right, and the brewing process itself requires full attention for 2-3 minutes — which might not be possible some mornings," she said.
Amazon
A Clever coffee dripper with 100 filters
If your heart is calling you to try a single cup pour-over, but you want something a little less finicky, Han recommends the Clever dripper. "It's a nearly foolproof way of making a fantastic cup of coffee without requiring a specific pouring technique or even the use of a gooseneck kettle," she said. "The Clever's design is a mix of immersion brewing and percolation brewing. The Clever dripper is essentially a French press that gets filtered, and it's just as easy to use! Definitely a favorite method."
Amazon
AeroPress portable coffee maker
Another common favorite: the AeroPress.
"It’s simultaneously the most versatile brewing method out there while being very humble in appearance, design and pricing," said Andrea Grove, creator and roaster at Elementary Coffee Co. in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. "I use mine with a hand grinder that’s designed to fit snuggly inside the pieces and make for easy travel. So I take it everywhere with me for a good cup of coffee on the road, in the woods, and at home!"
Peter Leonard, owner of Little Amps Coffee Roasters in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, agreed, noting the ease and price point of this compact device. "As long as you can get ground coffee, which most specialty shops can do for you, and have a hot water source (even a microwave) you can use the provided scoop and get a great cup with our measuring anything! And they’re super affordable!"
Cosette Manson, a coffee content creator who consistently goes viral recreating Starbucks drinks at home, also loves the AeroPress for its versatility and affordability. "You can make espresso, hot coffee and cold brew! I highly recommend it to both beginners and coffee experts. I love using my AeroPress to recreate Starbucks drinks at home, too!" Manson said.
Amazon
Cosori pour-over coffee maker with stainless steel filter
Megan Spring, manager of Tall Rabbit Cafe + Community in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a fan of the pour-over carafe for a soothing morning ritual making a single cup.
"If I have the time, I prefer to use a pour-over to create my coffee at home," Spring said. "Currently, I am using the COSORI pour-over coffee maker I purchased from Amazon before we opened Tall Rabbit. I simply boil water in my kettle, put in the reusable filter, and start the pour-over process. I enjoy the process almost as much as I enjoy the quality of coffee."
Amazon
A Kalita Wave dripper
"I just don’t think you can go wrong with the Kalita Wave," Maciej Kasperowicz, director of coffee at Trade Coffee, told HuffPost. "If you’re looking to brew a tiny cup, like 8 ounces, the smaller Wave 155 is best, but if you’re fine brewing a cup on the larger side, the more common 185 is terrific, versatile and really easy to make tasty coffee with. I prefer the metal one, because I don’t have to worry about breaking it, and I like the little server that comes as a part of the set."
Wave 155 Dripper: $28 at Amazon
Complete set (pictured): $76 at Amazon
Sur La Table
Breville Bambino espresso machine
It's no wonder Michael Breach, a renowned latte artist and founder of Baristart, leans toward espresso drinks, though he says at home, he's often making single cups of black coffee. "Even though I do latte art for a living, I pretty much only drink cold black coffee. I mainly just make iced Americanos using espresso shots from my Breville espresso machine and ice and water," Breach told HuffPost.
While Breville espresso machines run the gambit in size, price and complexity, we like the Bambino model. It's a smaller, compact machine made for making one to two shots, but also has a frother. It won't take up your whole counter (and it's a lot cheaper than the bigger models).
