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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Illy Classico Instant Coffee, My Review and Photos

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Can of Illy Classico instant coffee Illy blend

by Nigel Ong

If you have gotten tired of drinking regular instant coffee, you can always explore coffee from other regions. I have always found Euro-style coffee refreshing and not too alien from what we are used to in America. 

With Euro-style instant coffee, there are two brands that you can easily get here in the US, Lavazza, and Illy. Both are Italian and make an excellent blend of instant coffee too. We have reviewed Lavazza’s Prontissimo Intenso before, but what about Illy?

In this post, I will review Illy’s Classico Instant Coffee. I’ll explore how it tastes, black and with flavorings. Finally, I explore how it compares against regular coffee and if it suits you.

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McDonald’s McCafe Breakfast Blend Light Roast Bagged Ground Coffee: My Taste Test and Review (Photos)

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McCafe Breakfast Blend Light Roast Bagged Ground Coffee

by Nigel Ong

McCafe coffee has been staples with many of us, thanks to it being everywhere. One good thing about the McCafe coffees, too, is that you can make them at home by getting its range of bagged coffees. 

However, how good are these bagged coffees? Are they as good as the ones they serve in McCafe restaurants, or more like a disappointment? 

In this post, I picked up a bag of McCafe’s Breakfast Blend and thoroughly tested it. I brew it in three popular ways and then experiment by adding common flavorings. 

Then, I compare it against other McCafe roasts and regular coffees. Finally, I arrive at my conclusion and suggest who are the people that will enjoy the McCafe Breakfast Blend the most.

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Cafe Targowa: A Polish Coffee Shop with Coffee From an Aeropress World Champion

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Two golden Aeropress coffee awards at cafe Targowa, in Pland
Two golden Aeropress coffee awards at cafe Targowa, in Wrocław, Poland.

by Darren Oliver

I walk between the stands in the crowded market hall. From all sides come beautiful and intriguing smells: oriental spices, teas, delicious cheeses and meats… One aroma, however, stands out above the rest. It’s a smell so distinctive that any coffee lover would recognize it awake in the middle of the night. A sign in Polish appears to my eyes: “Coffee stronger than Bruce Lee’s kick.” I’m standing in front of a small stand, on whose counter two golden Aeropresses shimmer. I have reached my destination: I’m at Cafe Targowa.

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Polish Coffee: Why Coffee Lovers Should Pay Attention to Poland

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Interior of a specialty coffee shop in Poland
This coffee shop is run by the Polish winner of the Aeropress World Championship.

by Darren Oliver

In one of our previous articles, we wrote about “plujka” coffee, a popular brewing method that was the only brewing method available in Poland during the socialist era, when access to high-quality beans was much more difficult. So how, in just 30 years since the political change in Poland, has it come to a situation where specialty coffee is available almost universally, in every major supermarket, and Polish baristas are very successful internationally? Today we would like to present some arguments for why every coffee lover should pay attention to Eastern Europe when looking at the world map.

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Starbucks Pike Place Roast Bagged Ground Coffee: My Review, Photos

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Starbucks Pike Place roast coffee beans and hot coffee

by Nigel Ong

When it comes to coffee, people think of Starbucks or Folgers. However, some coffee enthusiasts consider these coffee houses as subpar or low-quality. There’s even a joke where coffee lovers call Starbucks’ roasts’ Charbucks.’ 

The reason? They think Starbucks roasts its beans darker, so the smoke can mask the low-quality beans it uses. How true is this? I picked up a bag of Starbucks’ signature Pike Place Blend to find it out myself. 

In this post, I will brew the Starbucks Pike Place Blend in three ways and then sample its tastes. I will also experiment with some flavorings to see if they can help elevate the taste of the coffee. Finally, I answer if Starbucks’ roasts deserve that ‘Charbucks’ moniker.

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Nescafe Gold Instant Coffee: My Review with Photos

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Nescafe Gold instant coffee container

By Nigel Ong

Nescafe may not be as popular as Folgers here in America. Still, they are pretty much the default instant coffee in Europe and Asia. Nescafe also offers a more premium version of their instant coffee, called the Nescafe Gold. 

Will Nescafe Gold taste better than regular Nescafe? Or is it nothing but a branding exercise? Let’s find out. 

In this post, I will review the Nescafe Gold Blend and explore how it tastes with all sorts of flavorings. I will also compare its tastes with regular Nescafe and see if the Nescafe Gold is better.

What Is Nescafe Gold?

Nescafe is a line of instant coffee made by Nestle. This Swiss food company is also behind many popular foods such as Cheerios, Coffee Mate, and Gerber. 

Within the Nescafe line, there is the regular Nescafe. These are the basic instant coffee made with Arabica and Robusta bean blends. Then there’s the Nescafe Gold. 

Nescafe Gold is a more premium offering, using only a higher-quality blend of coffee beans. Nestle also tried to blend different beans to produce different flavors and styles of coffee with Nescafe Gold. 

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