Thanks to Starbucks, I’ve had coffee in many forms — macchiato, latte, frappe — and enjoyed all of them. But a straight cup of joe? I usually find it too bitter. So in order to test a cold brew ice-drip coffee maker called Dripo, I had to enlist a couple of true coffee drinkers.
How it works: Ground coffee goes into a container that is placed atop a tumbler. Ice and water go into a water reservoir screwed atop the tumbler. The device has two filters: a built-in filter for the grounds and a paper filter that controls the flow of the water. In our air-conditioned office it took six hours and 17 minutes for the ice to melt and all the water to seep through the two filters and the ground coffee. The instructions don’t give a time frame, but the website does say, “Enjoy your fresh cold-brew two hours later.” Maybe they made their cold brew in a sauna.
Results?
I got “That’s not bad” from a coffee drinker who said he didn’t normally care for cold-brew, while another said she liked that the taste was clean. “I can taste the different flavors of the bean,” she said. My own opinion was that, as far as coffee goes, this was pretty smooth. There was a slight bitterness, but if I had to drink a cup of straight coffee, I could handle this one without even making a yucky face.
To speed the process, I made a batch with cold water (no ice). It took only an hour and 44 minutes, but it was horrible, like extremely watered-down coffee. Ice and time are key to this gadget.
I also tried making cold-brew tea (no ice, just cold water), but while bitterness was reduced in coffee, it was more potent in tea (this could be alleviated by using less than the suggested 30 grams of loose tea).
Does it work?: Yes, with ice.
Pros: It’s great to see a Kickstarter project come to fruition (807 backers donated $61,938). Twenty filters are included, enough to let you decide whether you like the product before investing $4.95 in a pack of 50. No measuring spoons or scales are needed, as measurements are marked on the coffee grounds container and the water reservoir just needs to be filled almost to the top. Good design — the reservoir cover doubles as a cover for the tumbler. Simple to use. Portable. Easy to wash.
Cons: Cannot be put into a dishwasher or into boiling water. No reusable filters. Lid for tumbler isn’t drip free.
Cost and availability: $34.95 at getdripo.com (plus shipping charges), $35.99 at amazon.com (free shipping available), $24.99 at frys.com (but you need to create an account).
Worth it?: If I were into coffee (and had the patience), I would want two of these so one was always dripping away. But I tend to want my drinks now, not hours later, so I’ll have to pass.
Got a gadget that you love? Curious about one you’d like us to test? Email crave@staradvertiser.com or write Crave, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813.
