Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

Living on the road, even temporarily, doesn't mean I have to sacrifice good coffee. I'm not a savage! Even though hotel rooms are usually equipped with coffee makers, the coffee they provide is not inspiring, or generous!

If it were only a day or two, I could frequent coffee shops. If I have 2 cups of coffee a day, and spend $2.50/cup; in two and a half weeks, that would cost nearly $100. And that's assuming I can find good coffee shops enroute. Not a change I'm willing to take!

I discovered, years ago, that you can buy mini basket coffee filters. They fit in the 2 cup coffee pots most hotel rooms have. Very simple solution, all you need is a package of your favourite coffee. Now, an ordinary traveler would stop here, problem solved. I have never been accused of being ordinary.

I have tried different things over the years. A camping percolator, a French press. They make great coffee, but they are monstrous to clean out, requiring a lot of water.

Top View

This is a pour over coffee maker. The principle is the same as a traditional coffee maker that you have on your kitchen counter. The only difference is that you heat the water separately. Like when you warm the pot to make good tea, pour hot water over the filter to warm it. Then fill the cone with coffee grounds, no paper filter needed. 

Place on top of coffee cup. Do not forget this step! You will be sad to see your coffee all over the counter! Don't waste good coffee!

One set of instructions I found stated: Add 3 T of ground coffee. 4T if you like mud. 5T if you are reckless.

Pour hot water over the grounds and allow to drip through. Simple as that. Not counting the time to boil the water, it took about 3 minutes. The coffee was delicious! I made a second cup, adding an extra tablespoon of grounds, equally delicious!

Gavin was a little concerned when he woke up to find I turned the kitchen into a filming studio. I had to open the microwave so the ring light would fit. Don't tell Donovan, I borrowed his gear! When I get a video editor, and learn to edit, I will have some videos to show! Learning new skills staves of dementia!!

Clean up was simple. I used a mini rubber spatula to scrap out the grounds. A quick rinse finished the job.

So why did I choose this particular model? There are dozens of types available. Many gorgeous ones are glass and ceramic, but I wanted something unbreakable, of course. Those would be perfect for keeping at work. You could make coffee with the hot water spigot on the water cooler. I did not want plastic, I try to avoid plastic whenever possible. So that left metal. 

Bottom View

I also wanted one that didn't require a filter. Less to pack, less garbage. Many come with a cup, but I have so many cups, that wasn't necessary. Some even came with insulated travel cups. This particular cone has a nice rubber lined base that will sit on any size cup, and not slide. It's stainless steel, and I love the cooper finish. I like pretty and functional!

This coffee maker did not come with a case or a drip tray to set it on. Some versions had a lid, to keep the steam in, that also served as a coaster. That was not a deal breaker, I can use pretty much anything as a tray.  I will probably make a drawstring pouch to keep it in, to protect it from scratches, dents and dirt. (any excuse to craft) So far, I have no criticisms of this method of making coffee. I will report back after I have used it for awhile. 

And here ends our infomercial!