What’s behind the enduring popularity of pourover coffee?

As cafés shut down during the pandemic, the practice of brewing coffee gained ground in homes. “A year ago, there were kettles suited for pourovers in the price range of ₹15,000-17,000 but now there are many more options for customers to choose from,” says Abhinav Mathur, CEO of Something’s Brewing, which retails coffee and coffee equipment online. Mithilesh Vazalwar, founder of Nagpur’s Corridor Seven Coffee Roasters says that 30% of their equipment sales, more than any other, come from pourovers. Watching the coffee “bloom”, seeing it drip on to the carafe, tasting the notes, no equipment to use or clean–there’s almost an ASMR quality and visual appeal to pourovers not found in other brewing methods. Khushboo Tawde, owner of Mumbai’s Sidewalk Café, says people who like lighter styles usually prefer pourovers: “V60-style coffee has science behind it and is time-consuming.