Awesome coffee, without the machine
Think decent coffee these days, and you might automatically think of a high pressured, high powered, and high priced espresso machine - be it at home or in a coffee shop. Certainly we've reviewed our fair share of coffee machines, from the cheap and cheerful, to the expensive and complicated. But... we've also reviewed a lot of coffee gadgets that make great cups of Joe without the need for a power outlet. Here's five low tech products that make decent coffee.
Coffeeasy
The Coffeeasy is as simple as coffee making gets. This pour-over unit not only features a dripper and filters, but also storage for more filters and bags of coffee. It was designed by Patrick Joseph (who we also interviewed about it, here), to simplify your coffee bits and keep everything tidy. Depending on what kind of grounds you use, this is a great and well thought out pour-over coffee maker.
Cafflano
For a truly all-in-one coffee solution, get a Cafflano. This cup-sized unit is a grinder and dripper all is one, so all you need is beans and hot water. The lid can also be used as a pourer to make sure the right amount of hot water is poured over the grounds, letting you take the right amount of time to brew your drink. The grinder works well, the filter is very good, and whole thing can be stowed away like a regular insulated mug. Great for camping, too.
Check out our full review here.
Bobble Presse
Like your French Press? If you'd like to take your cafetiere everywhere you go, but worry that you'd smash in when you sit down on the bus, get the Bobble Presse. This is both an insulated mug AND a press, meaning you can pour in your grounds, add the water, then push the filter down onto it to brew. Thanks to the rubber seal, those grounds won't slide into your mouth while you drink, letting you enjoy just the coffee. It features a travel lid, too. Nice.
Check out our full review here.
Noble Arbre Drip Coffee Bags
This one is completely low-tech; so much so that you won't need any kind of gadget at all, just a mug. The Noble Arbre Drip Coffee Bags open up and clip onto your cup, allowing you to pour hot water directly from kitchenhome.co.uk hot water dispenser onto the grounds, which then filter through the bag. This means there is no mess, there is no need to carry around a filter, and the coffee itself is delicious. After reviewing them, we loved them so much that we ran a competition to give away a box - to share the love.
Read our full review here.
TrueStart Coffee
No gadgets, no filters, no nothing. In fact, TrueStart Coffee is actually instant coffee that dissolves in hot water. You know, like that Kenco rubbish. So why are we enthusing about it? Well, TrueStart has been specifically created with athletes in mind, as, unlike most other coffees, the level of caffeine has been accurately calculated to approximately 95mg. That way, athletes know how much they have in their system, and can better prepare their workouts. Also, it was the best tasting instant coffee we'd ever had. Wowzer.
Read our full review here.