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.
What Is IKEA Overst?
The IKEA Overst is a pour-over coffee dripper/filter similar to the Hario V60. It is part of IKEA’s coffee gadget series, which includes pots, cups, French presses, milk frothers, grinders, and more.
It consists of two separate pieces, a mesh filter and a funnel with a flat plate. Place the mesh filter inside the funnel, load it with coffee grinds, and pour away to make your coffee.
Funnel
The funnel for the IKEA Overst looks like the V60, with some differences. The V60 has no spout, but the IKEA Overst has one. Depending on how you are brewing your coffee, it can be a plus or a weak point. More on this later.
The funnel is made of steel and has a sturdy hook-like handle too. I actually used the handle to hook my filter to my kitchen wall. The build is sturdy, although the finishing can be better.
But then, I don’t care about how it looks, just how well it brews the coffee.
Mesh Filter
The mesh filter is quite fine, which should help remove coffee grinds from your cup of joe. The bottom of the mesh cone is also solid, meaning it should help to keep the water inside the filter longer instead of dripping straight into your cup.
A small ear also functions as a handle, helping you to put in and take out the filter from the funnel easily.
How To Brew Coffee Using IKEA Overst?
The user guide does provide some instructions on how to brew coffee using the IKEA Overst. However, the instructions are not very clear. It tells you how to brew but not how to brew a good cup of coffee using the pour-over.
I have spent some time searching for how to brew a good cup of pour-over coffee, and this is how I do it:
Grind Your Beans
Start by grinding your beans. In most cases, opt for medium-fine grind. The grinds should be finer than the French press but coarser than espresso machines.
If you don’t have a grinder at home, ask your local barista to help grind them.
Make A Heap
Add 20 grams of coffee grind into your filter. When adding, ensure to have the coffee grind at the bottom, not the side of the filter.
When you are finished, use a spoon to gently push the grinds towards the center, to form a heap or a peak. This will help the grinds to brew better.
Pour A Bit, Watch It Bloom
It’s time to start pouring the water. Use hot water, but not boiling water. IKEA advises that you use water around 205°F (about 96°C.)
When pouring, do not pour a large amount in one go. Instead, pour in a small amount at a time, focusing on wetting all the coffee grounds. You may notice the bloom and release a good aroma as the coffee ground gets wet.
Gradually Add More Water
Once all parts of the coffee grind have been covered, you can gradually pour in more hot water.
Continue until you have poured about 180 ml of water in. Brewing a cup of coffee with 20 grams of ground coffee should be nice. Use about 3-4 minutes to slowly pour the water in.
I enjoy using my IKEA Overst dripper with my IKEA Riklig pot, as the pot has the right size and depth to host the dripper’s spout. Some cups may not be deep enough, making it impossible to brew coffee using the IKEA Overst.
How Does Coffee Brewed Using IKEA Overst Taste?
When brewing with IKEA Overst, I usually brew directly using the mesh filter. I do not use any filter paper.
However, to make this review more detailed, I decided to pick up some filter paper and do a small experiment to see if the paper filter makes any difference. I picked up some Hario paper filters to brew coffee on the IKEA Overst.
As for the coffee, I thought using a popular roast may help here. As a result, I picked up a Starbucks Pike Place Roast bag.
Brewing results using the IKEA Overst. The left is with filter paper, the right without.
Without Filter Paper
Without filter paper, the coffee looks darker, and it seems like there’s some sediment floating around in the coffee. I waited for about 2 minutes before I started taking a sip.
At the first sip, I got bitterness, lots of it. I decided to wait another 2 minutes to allow the coffee to cool down slightly. I gargled my mouth with some water and tried the coffee again.
This time, I noticed some faint bittersweet flavor, which I would try to describe as dark chocolate. The sweetness may come up a little more after you have swallowed the drink on your tongue.
The coffee is light, although it hits you with a strong bitterness. When I finished the coffee, I also noticed that there was quite some sediment at the bottom of my coffee cup.
Sediments at bottom of coffee cup. The left is with a paper filter, the right without.
With Filter Paper
With filter paper, I immediately noticed some improvements. The coffee comes out in a lighter shade of brown, and when I hold it against a strong source of light, I do not see as much sediment floating around in the coffee.
I carefully waited 4 minutes to simulate similar wait times when I tried the coffee without a paper filter.
The coffee also seems to taste ‘cleaner’; perhaps the filter paper helped to remove finer coffee particles that the IKEA mesh filter fails to capture. I can taste the bittersweet flavor better, and the bitterness is also not too strong.
When I finished, my assumptions were proven true. There were fewer sediments at the bottom of my cup.
What I Like About The IKEA Overst
There are many nice things to be said about the IKEA Overst, which means you should not just discard it as a ‘cheap IKEA filter.’ Here are some reasons why I like this filter:
Affordable
It is an affordable pour-over filter. You can buy it from IKEA’s official website, paying a price in the teens. At the point of writing, it costs $14.99.
Compare this to the Hario V60 pour-over, which many consider the gold standard for a pour-over. A V60 of similar size costs around $25 and is made of glass, which may be much more fragile than the Overst.
The V60 also does not come with a mesh filter, meaning you need to always use paper filters.
Sturdy
The IKEA Overst is made of stainless steel, which is incredibly sturdy. You can drop it, smash it against the wall, step on it, and it does not break. It may deform, but you can always bend it back.
This also means you can easily take the IKEA Overst on a trip. Pack it in a suitcase, and do not worry about breaking it along the journey. It will also survive a backpack hiking trip into the woods.
Easy To Clean
The IKEA Overst is easy to clean. It does not have odd twists, nooks, or surfaces requiring specialized brushes to clean. In most cases, you only need to use a sponge and clean it with dishwashing liquid.
Its steel surface is also smooth, meaning it does not pick up oils or colors from the coffee. This means you do not need to clean it too vigorously. It is also dishwasher safe.
Spout Makes Little Splashes
One extra feature of the IKEA Overst is the spout. The spout is about 1 to 2 inches long and has a sharp end. One side of the funnel spout is longer than the other.
This spout ensures that when the coffee drips into the pot of the cup, it does not splash all over the place. This may not be too important to some people, but I think it helps to keep your carafe or cups clean on the sides.
Mesh Filter Makes Life Easy
Finally, I like the filters. They may not be the best, especially if you compare them against filter papers, but they can be a godsend. Imagine when you want to make coffee, only to discover you run out of filter paper.
Plus, by not buying single-use paper filters, you reduce waste and better protect the environment.
Suppose you are concerned about the mesh filter not performing too well. In that case, you can always grind your coffee coarser to prevent too many fine grinds from getting into your coffee.
What I Don’t Like About The IKEA Overst
As much as the IKEA Overst is a good starter pour-over filter, it does have its shortcomings:
Build Quality And Finish
There is a reason why the IKEA Overst is affordable; it is not made with the highest manufacturing standards.
IKEA puts effort into areas that matter most, such as the quality of the steel materials and functionality. But this pour-over filter doesn’t do well on the aesthetic side.
The flat plates attached to the funnel’s bottom are secured well, but the bent metal bits are clearly visible. The simple design also gives it an industrial feel, almost like a gasoline funnel.
Spout Length
As I mentioned in the earlier part of this post, the spout can be a blessing and a curse. If you enjoy drinking your coffee using a shallow cup, the IKEA Overst is not a good idea.
This is because the spout may be too long, causing the flat place to be unable to rest on your cup’s lip. You may need a deeper cup or a carafe to use the IKEA Overst well. I use my trusty IKEA Riklig glass pot or my trusty 8-oz mug.
On top of that, the spout length does make it slightly difficult to clean. You will need to use a small bottle brush to clean the inside surface of the spout well.
Who Is IKEA Overst For?
I picked up the IKEA Overst to start exploring pour-over coffee. However, I used it less as I developed a preference for French press coffee.
I still think the IKEA Overst is a cheap way to start with pour-over coffee. If you find the pouring ritual enjoyable and the coffee nice, upgrade to a better pour-over filter later.
This is also a great choice if you are looking for a ‘beater’ pour-over filter. It is completely made of steel, so it can take a lot of abuse. Take it on flights, hiking trips, and know it will still brew good coffee.
If you are the lazy type that prefers easy maintenance, the IKEA Overst is also a good idea. It is easy to clean and also dishwasher safe as well.However, I do not recommend this to anyone who takes their coffee seriously. If you are a casual coffee hobbyist, the IKEA Overst will work. Anything beyond that, you will start to complain about its performance. You may be better off with a Hario V60 instead.