Coffee Machines & Equipment

What’s the Clover Vertica Coffee Machine at Starbucks, and Why Does it Matter?

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Starbucks clover drip coffee machines
Two of the original Clover coffee machines that are NOT the new Vertica machines.

by Lars H

Perhaps you remember from more than 10 years ago when Starbucks bought Clover, a high tech coffee machine company that could make individual cups of coffee with extremely precise water and temperatures. High end independent coffee shops had been buying the machines to make extremely good drip coffee until Starbucks bought the entire company, taking them off the market to anyone but Starbucks.

The original plan was to roll out these Clover machines at Starbucks locations around the US, and perhaps around the world.

There was one at my local Starbucks in Dallas, Texas. But it was one of only two or three in the entire state! And it turns out that Starbucks never really rolled them out nationwide like they had planned.

In fact, I recently drove over to my Starbucks to take a photo of the Clover there, and they have taken it out of the store. It’s no longer there. I had to drive to a different Starbucks Reserve store in Dallas to find one. I’ve heard there’s also one in a Starbucks in Dallas on Park Lane.

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Using an IKEA Riklig Teapot For Coffee. (Review with Photos)

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IKEA Riklig Teapot
You can also brew coffee with the IKEA Riklig Teapot.

by Nigel Ong

IKEA makes a wide range of kitchen gadgets, including coffee brewing. There are pour-overs, coffee grinders, and more. With IKEA Riklig, people see it as a pot for brewing tea. 

However, I have been using it as a pot to help brew coffee, and it works amazingly well. If you are keen to know why, read on.

In this post, I review the IKEA Riklig and explore how you can brew coffee using the pot itself. I will discuss the pros and cons of the pot as well.

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IKEA Overst pour-over coffee dripper / filter – my review (with photos)

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by Nigel Ong

IKEA has always been known to make a wide range of kitchen tools, including coffee gadgets. The IKEA Overst is their pour-over coffee dripper/filter. It is affordable compared to premium drippers, such as the Hario V60. 

However, how good is the Overst, and does it make good coffee? Let’s find out in this review.

In this post, I will share my experience using the IKEA Overst dripper for over half a year. I will review the IKEA Overst coffee dripper/filter in detail and talk about what I like and don’t like about the dripper. 

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Hario V60 vs. Chemex for Making Pour Over Coffee – My Thoughts

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Hario V60 and a Chemex side by side

By Darren Oliver

Among fans of pour-over coffees, the debate has been going on for years: the V60 or the Chemex, which method is better, which produces tastier coffee, and why one is better than the other. I am a person who has dealt with both methods, brewing dozens of liters of coffee with each. So I’d like to throw in my two cents and tell you why, of the two methods mentioned, I lean towards the former. My thoughts are the result of reflections after years of using both methods, but they are not definitive answers. 

Perhaps Chemex is the method you enjoy brewing more. If so, great! That’s what the world of coffee is all about. So don’t take the arguments below as revealed truth, but more as a certain point of view that may make you think further.

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What kind of espresso machine does Dunkin’ Donuts use?

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Dunkin' Donuts espresso machine by Schaerer
You can see that the back of the machine is branded Schaerer at this Dunkin’ shop where I went to look up the answer to your question.

QUESTION: What kind of espresso machine does Dunkin’ Donuts use? I ordered an Americano there recently and it was good. – Randy U

CLEARLY COFFEE REPLIES: Dunkin’ Donuts has invested in high-quality commercial espresso machines that you get a great cup of coffee every time you visit, even if the employee isn’t necessarily a pro barista. They use a Swiss-made commercial espresso machine called the Schaerer Ambiente that is a superautomatic that does most of the work for you.

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What’s the healthiest coffee maker?

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QUESTION: What’s the healthiest coffee maker? I only buy organic coffee and I use filtered water. So I don’t like the idea of using a lot of plastic or aluminum to make my coffee either. Got any suggestions? – Mike L

ANSWER: You make an interesting point. There are concerns, for example, about putting plastic containers in the microwave oven because it releases BPA or other hormone disrupters. Perhaps running hot water over these plastics might be something you want to avoid.

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