Brew Method
NextLevel Pulsar: Recipe, Valve Settings and Mini Comparison
The NextLevel Pulsar combines a flat filter bed, dispersion cap and adjustable drain valve. Learn the standard brewer's setup and a current 20 g method, then see why the narrower Mini needs its own paper and adjustments.
On This Page13 Sections
Key Takeaways
- 1The valve controls drainage; the cap distributes water. Neither removes the need for a correctly seated filter and level coffee bed.
- 2The named standard-Pulsar method uses 20 g coffee and 340 g (11.5 US fl oz) water at 97–98°C (207–208°F). Start the bloom open, close at the first drips, then reopen at 0:30.
- 3Pulsar Mini uses a smaller 58 mm (2.3 in) paper and a deeper bed at the same dose. Do not copy standard-model grind and timing without adjustment.
Highlights
- Named method
- 20 g coffee / 340 g (11.5 US fl oz) water
- Water / ratio
- 97–98°C (207–208°F) / 1:17 by mass
- Reference finish
- 3:30, standard model
- Plain serving reference
- 96 mg caffeine / about 2 kcal / 0 g sugar
The nutrition reference is a separate 240 g (8.5 oz) serving of generic brewed coffee, not the yield from this method's 340 g (11.5 US fl oz) water input. See the serving assumptions.
What Is NextLevel Pulsar?
Pulsar is a cylindrical filter brewer made by NextLevel with design input from Jonathan Gagné. A paper disc covers the bottom support; a removable cap disperses the incoming water. The valve lets you retain water for an immersion phase or release it for percolation.
The standard brewer's current product page lists 380 ml (12.8 US fl oz) liquid volume. That is a chamber specification, not a promised drink yield or permission to fill it to the rim with coffee and water.
What Makes the Pulsar Different
The intended water route is through the coffee bed and bottom paper, without the exposed side-paper route of a cone. Correct paper seating and an evenly prepared bed still matter. See no-bypass brewing for the broader explanation.
I fit the matching Pulsar paper flat and centered before adding coffee. The valve lets me control drainage, but it cannot correct a folded or displaced filter, so I settle that part of the setup first.
On the standard brewer, the manual describes the right-pointing horizontal position as closed. Upright is open; partial opening restricts flow. The method below uses open and closed states rather than asking you to estimate a partial opening.
Standard Pulsar vs. Pulsar Mini
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| Feature | Standard Pulsar | Pulsar Mini |
|---|---|---|
| Filter system | Standard-model paper and wider bed | Dedicated 58 mm (2.3 in) paper; narrower bed |
| Manufacturer dose context | Manual discusses 15–40 g; the method here uses 20 g | Product page describes 12–20 g as its optimized range, not an absolute limit |
| Valve | Adjustable drain valve | Same valve, according to NextLevel |
| Recipe transfer | Follow a standard-model method first | Match ratio and consider bed depth; adjust grind and agitation |
NextLevel's Mini tips recommend attention to dry-filter setup and closing the valve during agitation. The same dose produces a deeper bed in the narrower brewer. Gagné's bed-depth article explains why diameter, dose and grind should be considered together.
Filter Setup for the Standard Brewer
Use a stable server, scale, timer, matching paper and a kettle whose stream you can control. A gooseneck is optional because you pour into the dispersion cap. For the general preparation basics, see how to make pour-over coffee.
The named method below uses wet-base seating: close the valve, add enough water to cover the support ridges, lay the paper on that water, then open the valve to drain. Close it again before fitting the barrel, adding and leveling coffee, and placing the cap.
This differs from the manual's alternative assembly sequence: fit dry paper, seat the barrel, then rinse. Both are published procedures. Follow one complete sequence; do not leave excess setup water in the server or count it toward the recipe.
How to Brew with the Standard Pulsar
Use Jonathan Gagné's 20 g card currently published on NextLevel's recipe page.
| Variable | Named reference |
|---|---|
| Coffee / water input | 20 g / 340 g (11.5 US fl oz), excluding setup water |
| Ratio | 1:17 by mass |
| Temperature | 97–98°C (207–208°F) |
| Grind reference | 650 µm burr gap on the card's EG-1 / Ultra setup; not a particle-size target |
| Bloom / reopen | 60 g (2 US fl oz) / 0:30 from the first pour |
| Remaining water | 280 g (9.5 US fl oz) in pulses, to 340 g (11.5 US fl oz) cumulative |
| Reference finish | 3:30; coffee and grind can change the actual time |
Recipe
Standard Pulsar: Jonathan Gagné’s 20 g Card
- Makes:
- 1 batch; collected coffee is less than 340 g (12 oz)
- Time:
- About 3:30 from first water, plus setup
Ingredients
- 20 g ground coffee; medium-coarse as an initial setting on another grinder
- 340 g (11.5 US fl oz) brewing water at 97–98°C (207–208°F), plus separate setup water
Equipment
- Standard NextLevel Pulsar with valve, matching paper and dispersion cap
- Stable server, grinder, scale, kettle and timer
Method
- Close the valve, add setup water to cover the filter-support ridges and lay the paper on it. Open to drain, discard that water, then close the valve. Fit the barrel, add and level 20 g coffee, fit the cap and tare the scale.
- Open the valve, start the timer and begin a 60 g (2 US fl oz) bloom through the cap. Close the valve at the first drips and finish that 60 g (2 US fl oz) pour. Swirl lightly.
- At 0:30, reopen the valve.
- Pour through the center of the cap in small pulses, keeping the water layer less than 1 cm (0.4 in) above the coffee bed. Stop at 340 g (11.5 US fl oz) cumulative water.
- Let drain and compare the result with the card's 3:30 reference finish. Swirl the collected coffee before serving.
Recipe notes
Follows Gagné’s manufacturer-hosted 20 g card, not his longer-bloom 2023 blog method.
The source’s 650 µm EG-1/Ultra burr-gap setting is not a universal particle size. Start medium-coarse on another grinder and adjust.
For another grinder, a medium-coarse filter setting is a practical first trial, then adjust from taste and drainage. Record the starting setting on your own grinder. The 280 g (9.5 US fl oz) remaining water includes every pulse; it is not added again after reaching 340 g (11.5 US fl oz).
Does 340 G (11.5 US Fl Oz) of Water Make 340 G (12 Oz) of Coffee?
No. Water remains in the grounds and paper. Weigh the collected coffee if you need a beverage yield; do not infer it from the chamber volume or final brewing-water target.
What About Temperature and Longer Brews?
The named card uses 97–98°C (207–208°F) and a 3:30 reference. The manual allows other temperatures and longer methods, and notes that light and darker roasts can respond differently. If it tastes dry or harsh, first review grind and agitation rather than simply trying to hit the clock.
Pulsar Troubleshooting
| Problem | Useful first check |
|---|---|
| No flow when draining | Confirm the valve is open, then inspect paper seating and clogging |
| Unusually slow, harsh brew | Reduce heavy agitation; try a coarser grind as a separate experiment |
| Water escapes around the assembly | Stop and let it cool; check paper size, barrel seating and valve insertion against the manual |
| Mini is much slower with the same dose | Account for the deeper bed and use the Mini's own setup and agitation guidance |
| Unexplained recipe differences | Check whether a source specifies burr gap or particle size, and input water or final scale mass |
The manufacturer manual explains valve removal and food-safe lubrication if the valve sticks or leaks. Follow that procedure instead of forcing it. Lift a brewer containing hot water by its base, never by the barrel. After use, remove the grounds, rinse the parts and wipe coffee oils from the chamber. NextLevel encourages hand washing and warns against chlorine or bleach.
How It Tastes
Pulsar makes paper-filtered coffee, with a controllable immersion phase and drainage rate. The coffee, recipe and filtration shape its flavor and texture. Changing bloom length, grind and temperature changes more than one aspect of extraction, so keep a baseline before experimenting.
Who Should Choose It?
Choose Pulsar if retaining bloom water or changing drainage is useful to you. Choose Tricolate if you want a dispersion screen without a valve. A Clever Dripper or Hario Switch offers a different steep-and-release workflow; their filter geometry and release mechanisms are not the same as Pulsar's.
Popular Drinks with NextLevel Pulsar
Plain black filter coffee is the straightforward use. For iced coffee, use a dedicated Japanese iced coffee method or a Pulsar-specific iced recipe that divides the water budget between brewing water and ice. Adding ice to the full hot-water method changes the final dilution.
Pulsar Caffeine, Calories and Serving Size
A 240 g (8.5 oz) serving of generic brewed black coffee provides about 96 mg caffeine, 2 kcal and 0 g sugar, using USDA Standard Reference record 14209. These are reference values for plain coffee, not a laboratory result for Gagné's recipe, Pulsar or Mini.
Serving, sugar and sources
The USDA record lists 40 mg caffeine, 1 kcal and 0 g sugar per 100 g. A 240 g collected-coffee serving therefore gives 96 mg caffeine and 2.4 kcal, rounded to 2. Actual beans, dose, extraction and serving size affect caffeine; milk and sweeteners change calories and sugar. The 340 g input-water target is not a 340 g beverage yield.
Common Questions Before You Brew
Must I Start with a Wet Filter?
For the Gagné recipe above, close the valve, cover the support ridges with setup water, then lay the paper flat and drain. The standard manual also describes dry-paper assembly followed by rinsing; Mini has separate dry-filter advice. Keep the filter setup with its chosen method.
Can Pulsar Make Espresso?
It is a gravity brewer without espresso-machine pressure. You can brew concentrated filter coffee, but it does not become espresso because the valve is partly closed. See espresso brewing for that method.
Can I Use the Same Paper in Pulsar and Mini?
Buy for the exact model. Mini uses a 58 mm (2.3 in) disc; do not assume a standard-model filter fits merely because both are circular.
Editor's Take
Sources and Further Reading
8 references
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