You've probably seen baristas do the dramatic spiral pour. That's great for show, but at home, a steady, slow pour in a circular motion is all you need. The goal is even saturation, not artistry.

Avoid pouring all the water at once. That might cause channeling, where water finds a path through the coffee bed and leaves the rest dry. Result: weak, uneven extraction. Instead, do a quick bloom—pour just enough water to wet the grounds, wait 30 seconds, then continue in circles.