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.
How Does The IKEA Riklig Pot Work?
The IKEA Riklig was originally a teapot designed to brew tea. You can choose from two sizes. The small pot holds around 20 fl oz (600ml), while the large pot holds 51 fl oz (1,500ml.) It consists of three major parts. The pot or carafe, the brewing cup, and the lid.
The pot is made of transparent glass and does not have any tint. The pot has a small but well-designed spout to ensure easy pouring. The pot is also well designed, with the widest part of the pot at the bottom. The bottom is also flat, making the pot extremely stable.
The brewing cup is wire mesh with a plastic rim at the top. The plastic rim attaches to another rim that secures itself well to the edge of the glass carafe.
Finally, a lid piece can be secured on top of the brewing cup, which closes the whole pot.
When brewing tea, you fill-up the carafe with hot water. Then you open up the lid piece to reveal the brewing cup. Add in your tea, and close the lid back. Once the tea is nicely brewed, you can remove the brewing cup and enjoy your tea.
Now that’s how you brew tea. How about coffee?
How Do You Brew Coffee WIth IKEA Riklig Pot?
I picked up the IKEA Riklig not to brew tea but coffee. While shopping, I noticed that the Riklig is the right size for my IKEA Overst Pour Over coffee filter. As a result, I combined them both to brew coffee.
Here is how I do it:
- Remove Pot Lid And Brew Cup: Start by removing the lid and brewing cup of the IKEA Riklig. You can also just remove the brewing cup, but you may not be able to fit some pour-over filters.
- Place Pour Over Filter On Top: Take out your IKEA Overst, pour over the filter, and place it on top of the pot. The flat plating below the funnel round rests well on the rims of the pot, providing a steady surface.
- Brew Coffee Using Pour Over Method: You can not start to brew your coffee. Add in your coffee grounds, and pour hot water slowly to drip brew your cup of joe. Use paper filters, too, if you prefer it.
- Remove Pour-Over Filter, Serve: Once you finished brewing, you can remove the pour-over filters, And then reattach the rim piece and lid to completely close off the pot. Attaching the brewing cup is optional. Serve.
What Are The Pros Of IKEA Riklig Pot?
I like many things about using the IKEA Riklig to brew coffee. They are the best balance between functionality, flexibility, and affordability.
Flat & Stable
Many pots or carafes are well-designed but may lack functional use. They may have an ultra-long spout and a small base. This makes the pot less balanced and may tip over easily if placed on an uneven or unstable surface.
Not with IKEA Riklig. The widest area of the pot is right at the bottom. On top of that, the bottom surface of the pot is flat too. Combined, they ensure the most weight is placed at the bottom of the pot, making it very stable.
Translucent Glass Pot Helps To See Content
Some pots are made of ceramic, wood, stone, and more. They look elegant, but one issue is that you cannot see what is inside the pot.
As a result, you cannot tell how well your coffee is brewing, nor can you tell how much coffee is still inside the pot.
The IKEA Riklig is made of transparent glass without any tint. This helps you to easily see if your coffee is brewing at the right consistency. You can also tell how much coffee is left inside the pot, which would prompt you to brew a new batch if needed.
Well-Designed Spout Makes Cleaning & Pouring Easy
Another issue with pots and carafes is the spouts. Some pots have their spouts designed to be long and narrow. They pour out nicely, but clearing will be a nightmare. You will need a special tube brush to clean the inside surfaces of the spout.
The IKEA Riklig has an open, short spout. This makes clearing incredibly easy. You do not need to use any special brush; your scrub or sponge will do.
The spout also performs well; you can pour out drinks easily without spilling them. The liquids come out easily and are well-directed. When you straighten up the pot to stop the flow, there are also no spillovers.
Works Well With Pour Over Filters
Some pots are designed to not work with pour-overs. Some may have a small opening at the top, so they cannot accommodate the filter well. Some may not be stable enough to handle the additional weight from the pour-over filter, coffee ground, and water.
IKEA Riklig handles both well. It has a wide opening at the top, with a timepiece that attaches inwards and downwards from the rim. This helps it to hold onto smaller pour-over filters.
It also has a flat, wide bottom surface. This ensures the pot is stable and can easily handle the additional weight from the filter, coffee ground, and water.
What Are The Cons Of IKEA Riklig Pot?
As much as the IKEA Riklig pot works well for coffee brewing, it has some downsides. I do not consider them an issue, although you may find some of the issues unacceptable.
Mesh Cup Is Not Fine Enough
The mesh cup may look fine. However, remember that they are primarily designed to brew tea. This means the mesh cup only needs to prevent tea leaves from mixing with the water. As a result, you may not be able to use it with coffee grinds.
If you try to brew coffee directly using the mesh cup, your coffee may have many particles. Your coffee may taste more bitter than it needs to and muddy too. These particles may also over extract itself, causing your coffee to taste burnt.
Overall Finish
The IKEA Riklig is an affordable pot, mass-produced to be sold in large volumes in IKEA’s stores worldwide. This means the overall fit and finish may not be as well done as premium coffee gear such as Bodum.
For my pot, I particularly find the plastic parts a little rough. The edges feel sharp, and the surface may feel hard and cheap. However, they still perform well and do not cause functionality issues to the pot.
Glass Pot Can Be Fragile
Finally, the pot itself. The glass pot is well-designed and looks premium. However, it is glass, after all, and this means it can be fragile. Taking the Riklig pot through harsh conditions may break it.
This means taking the pot on a backpack to go hiking may be hard. You may also want to think twice before chucking the pot into your suitcase, then check the suitcase in for flights.
Who Should Get IKEA Riklig Pot?
To me, the IKEA Riklig pot should work well for most people. This is a particularly good option for those that enjoy brewing large batches of pour-over coffees, as the IKEA Riklig can easily hold up to 51 fl oz (1,500ml) of coffee.
The pot also should work well for those that need a quick way to tell if they are running out of coffee. This is because the transparent glass carafe can quickly tell you that.
However, if you are pedantic and insist on nothing but the best pot, you may not like IKEA Riklig. It does not have a good fit and finish, especially on the molded plastic parts.
These parts also do not give you that secure and satisfying ‘click’ sound when you attach them.
If you want a one-piece solution to brew coffee, this pot will not work. The mesh cups may not work well if you brew coffee directly.
The coffee grind may just leak into the water itself. If you grind your coffee beans coarse, you may under-extract your coffee.
You will need a pour-over filter, which means additional tools to do the job. If you want a one-piece solution to brewing coffee, consider using a French press instead.
Common Questions About IKEA Riklig Pot
Can You Brew Other Drinks With IKEA Riklig?
You can brew other drinks using the IKEA Riklig. However, the mesh cup may not work well, especially if you are going to brew coffee. Instant drinks should work well, such as instant coffee or chocolate drinks.
Can You Brew Coffee Directly Using IKEA Riklig?
You can brew coffee directly using IKEA Riklig. The mesh cup may not be fine enough to keep many coffee particles from entering your drink. You may end up with muddy, dirty coffee with sediments.
Is IKEA Riklig Dishwasher Safe?
The glass part of IKEA Riklig is dishwasher safe. However, consider using the upper rack to protect the glass pot. The plastic part of the pot should be washed by hand.
Is IKEA Riklig Microwave Safe?
IKEA Riklig is microwave safe. You can throw your pot into the microwave and reheat your drinks directly.