I’m a Former Barista, and This $25 Coffee Brewer Has Earned a Spot in My Kitchen
For many of us, nothing is more personal than our coffee preferences—well, maybe mom’s maiden name, or whether we wear boxers or briefs. Maybe you like your iced coffee topped with a generous dash of half-and-half and slathered in a fragrant syrup that rivals the smell of a Yankee Candle store. Or maybe you want a strong black coffee that will stimulate your taste buds until they go numb. You know, that pain.
No matter how you like your coffee, the truth is it’s hard to make a consistently good cup at home. But you don’t need an expensive brewer to make a cup of coffee worth drinking at a coffee shop. All you need is freshly ground coffee, filtered water, and a $25 stop dripper I’ve been testing.
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The hand pour dripper or brewer method is simple. Most fit onto a coffee cup and only require a paper filter. Although you have to manually pour hot water over the coffee grounds, you get a cup of coffee that’s full-flavored without being over-extracted or bitter. Sometimes, a pour-over dripper can create a cup so smooth that you don’t even need to add milk to it.
While there are countless options for pour-over coffee makers, the Dwell Dripper stands out because it’s aimed at people who haven’t brewed at home before or are using a cheap electric coffee maker they bought in college. Think of the Dwell Dripper as your gateway to a world of delicious coffee that doesn’t require a barista with a man bun to make it for you.
Stay Dripper, by Shen Yun Coffee Roastershas many unique features that make it both simple and versatile. It’s made from BPA-free silicone instead of glass, metal or ceramic, making it easy to carry. I’ve been testing it for a few weeks now, and I could easily imagine throwing it in my suitcase while traveling without worrying about it breaking.
Pour-over brewers usually have a tapered or flat-bottomed design, such as a Dwell. While the coffee grounds in the center extract more than those around the perimeter, the flat-bottomed shape allows for more even saturation of the coffee grounds than a tapered dripper.
“As a Verve company, we sell thousands of pour-over coffees every day,” Verve CEO and co-founder Colby Barr told CNET. “We chose to use a flat-bottom brewer because we really prefer This method of extraction. “It’s almost crazy to me that all brewing methods are not flat-bottomed.”
Not only does the Dwell have a flat bottom, but it’s also mostly open, which allows for the filter and coffee to brew. This means the dripper simply holds everything in place without affecting the brewing itself – the filter hangs off the cup. The drip tip uses a flat bottom filter but is compatible with most Wave paper filters including Kalitta 185 filter.
The Dwell comes with a small spoon that is the same color as the brewer. Verve created the Dwell Dripper in conjunction with Bould Designs, founded by Fred Bould, one of the designers behind the Dwell Dripper. nest thermostat. The Dwell Dripper involves a unique and simple three by three process. Add a filter to the Dwell (bonus points if you flush it). Then add three tablespoons of ground coffee. Finally, pour hot water into the coffee machine three times until it reaches the mark on the side. Three minutes later, a delicious cup of coffee appeared.
Typically, coffee snobs bristle at the idea of using volume measurements instead of scales. But using a three-level scoop actually works. I brewed a dozen cups of coffee with the Dwell Dripper while my coffee scale sat on the counter collecting dust. I’ve made coffee with a variety of roasters, such as Verve, Four Barrel, and Collectivo, and have been pleased with the results. Dwell’s coffee tastes great, is smooth, and is consistent every day.
But if you’re wondering about weights and proportions, a three-level scoop on a Dwell equals about 20 grams, and at a 1:15 ratio, water weighs 300 grams – pretty standard stuff.
Why the Dwell Dripper is a great gift
The best feature of the Dwell Dripper is that it caters to your needs on your coffee journey. So if you don’t have a coffee scale or a gooseneck kettle, that’s okay. But if you do, you can use them. The Dwell’s broad appeal will ensure that both newbies and seasoned coffee snobs alike will get something out of it.
The $25 price tag makes it a great gift for that person in your life who wants to brew better coffee at home. I also recommend buying them a bag of fresh whole bean coffee if they don’t already have one good coffee grinder. The Dwell Dripper will last you years and years, and the low upfront cost is well worth it.
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