Any coffee connoisseur will tell you that there are different times and different needs for a pot of pour-over, French press, or cold brew, but up until now, they would’ve also told you to use different tools for each varietal. No longer is that the case, however, thanks to the latest coffeemaker from Manual. Meet the Manual Coffeemaker No. 3, the third iteration of the company’s ever-popular Kickstarter-funded caffeine creators.
The understated glass pitcher (hand-blown and featuring a double-walled design) is capable of creating either pour-over, French press, or cold brew coffee, all with a single coffeemaker. The large format of the No. 3 allows you to make handcrafted coffee in bulk without sacrificing quality, and of course, the flexibility of the maker means that no matter what you’re craving, you can find a solution. The No. 3 is also insulated to keep your coffee hotter (or cooler) for longer periods of time. And because good coffee doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, this particular coffeemaker allows you to use auto-drip filters that are available (for cheap) at just about any grocery store.
So how does each coffee-making process work? First, there’s the pour-over. The No. 3 features a ceramic dripper that is nested into the pitcher, which contains a standard Melitta auto-drip filter. “Flat bottom filters provide a more consistent extraction than cone-shaped filters, and are much more forgiving when brewing,” the Manual team notes. When you’re ready to make your coffee, just pour hot water over the top of your grinds until you’ve attained the desired coffee volume.
As for French press, the No. 3 comes with the classic press that can be used to create this particular coffee’s consistent and full-bodied flavor. And thanks to the double-walled glass, Manual claims that your French press coffee will have a more regular temperature. “To reduce the ‘silt’ that happens with French press, we recommend a little bit of a longer steep time to allow the grinds to settle,” the team adds. “Additionally, by not pushing the press all the way to the bottom, you can avoid disturbing the grinds — and will yield a much ‘cleaner’ cup.”
Finally, for the hot summer months, coffee enthusiasts can brew a pot of cold brew — simply store the cold brew mix in the corked No. 3 overnight, then French press it in the morning.
You can now pre-order the entire Manual Coffeemaker No. 3 kit (with both French press and pour-over capabilities) for $98 on Kickstarter. Delivery is estimated for December 2017.
