KitchenAid Bringing the Pour Over Concept to the Masses

The KitchenAid Pour Over Brewer

If it hasn’t already, the phrase “pour over” seems poised to enter the mainstream lexicon.

KitchenAid, arguably the most well-known home kitchen appliance brand, is preparing to release the KitchenAid® Pour Over Coffee Brewer, which the company describes as an “automatic pour over brew technology that staggers water flow to fully optimize flavor extraction.”

“Manual, pour over style coffee making is a process that is becoming increasingly popular among coffee aficionados, and for a good reason,” says Beth Robinson, senior brand experience manager for KitchenAid. “Our new coffee maker automatically simulates that method to extract even the most subtle flavors that make for a properly brewed cup of coffee.”

(related: Say Hello to AltoAir, a Wall-Free Pour Over System from Bairro Alto)

The brewer, which has a suggested retail price of $229.99, is expected to become available later this month in “countour silver,” “empire red” and “onyx black.” It is also the latest home brewer certified under the recently revised SCAA home brewer standards, following last month’s certification of Behmor’s Brazen Plus.

Here’s more from KichenAid on features of the pour over brewer:

Rather than heating the water from the tank in increments as standard coffee makers do, the Pour Over Coffee Brewer features an advanced system that heats all of the water in the tank to 200 degrees prior to releasing it into the brew basket. A timed release of the water evenly saturates the grounds, while a thoughtfully located water tank close to the brew basket minimizes heat loss. By intermittently pouring and pausing the water flow over the coffee grounds, just as a trained barista would, this new model extracts flavors at a more finely calibrated pace than traditional coffee makers.

Additional features on the new model that coffee lovers will appreciate include the option of a medium or dark roast setting, which adjusts the brewing temperature slightly higher or lower to get desired results. A cup selector allows for a specific number of cups to be brewed conveniently, reserving the remaining water in the tank for future use, and an easy to read digital display includes Heating, Pouring, Steeping and Enjoy indicators to bring the brewing process to life.

(related: Say Bonjour to the Barisieur, a Pour Over/Alarm Clock Hybrid)

Technologically, KitchenAid is not exactly breaking new ground here. We’ve seen a recent emergence of automated brewers that play on the pour over concept for both home and commercial applications, from the visually striking Ratio from Clive Coffee to the Seraphim by Curtis (editor’s note for full disclosure: Curtis has had an advertising relationship with Daily Coffee News).  Clearly, this is an innovative time in home brewing. Even better, concepts that were just a few years ago relegated to only the country’s most forward-thinking cafes are going mainstream in a big way.