I first came across the Clever Dripper when I was looking for a single cup coffee brewer to use at work and I was hooked. It is small, and durable which makes it a great choice for travel, work, and home use. If you are looking for a manual brewing method that is low maintenance and still produces a great cup of coffee, then the Clever Dripper might be for you. It is easy to use and easy to clean. Mornings can be rough, making coffee doesn’t need to be.
Where to Buy the Clever Dripper
The Clever Coffee Dripper is available on Amazon. If you choose to make a purchase using one of these links, I’ll receive a small commission. To check price and learn more about the Clever Coffee Dripper click here.
Still deciding? Want to know the best part? Then, check out this brew guide to see if the Clever Dripper is the brewing solution for you.
The Clever Dripper looks like a pour over brewer, but it is actually a full immersion brewing method. All the grounds are covered with water during the steeping process. It’s like a French Press but uses a paper filter, so all the mud gets filtered out – And that’s not even the best part.
Now for that best part….
The best part is that it is equipped with a stopping mechanism that traps the liquid until you place it on top of your cup. Placing it on your mug triggers the mechanism and allows the coffee to drain into your cup. Cool, right?
Clever Dripper History
The clever coffee dripper was invented by the Taiwanese manufacturing company, Abid. They specialize in household and home decoration products, so it’s no surprise that the Clever Dripper is sleek and efficient.
I tried to find information about when the Clever Dripper was invented, but I couldn’t find much. I did find some old YouTube videos featuring the Clever Dripper from about ten years ago. My best guess is that it was released sometime in 2010. If anyone reading the has more information about when it was released, let me know in the comments.
Clever Coffee Dripper Dimensions and Sizes
The Clever Dipper is made from BPA free plastic. It will fit most cups and thermoses that have an opening between 1.5 and 3.75 inches. It does not fit the mug pictured above. It’s exactly 4 inches in diameter. It does fit my travel mug though, so I’m still good.
The Clever Coffee Dripper comes in 2 sizes. The large is 6 inches tall by 5 inches in diameter. The small clever dripper 5 inches tall by 4 inches in diameter. Their compact size and durability make them a great choice for travel, or for use at work. I have the large Clever. It’s definitely bigger than I thought it would be, but it’s still small enough keep on my desk or countertop.
Clever Dripper Tutorial
Another great thing about the Clever is that you don’t need any special supplies. Any old kettle or pot will work for transferring the hot water, and you don’t need to use any special pouring technique. You just make sure the grounds are covered with hot water, and you’re good. It uses regular #4 filters that are available in any grocery store. The smaller Clever uses a standard # 2 filter. Here’s a list of supplies you will need.
Supplies
- Medium to coarse ground coffee – 27 grams or about 5 tablespoons.
- Hot Water (Just off a boil) – 450 ml or about 16 ounces. You’ll need some extra to rinse the filter.
- Timer
- Spoon
- Coffee mug
- # 4 Filter for large clever #2 for the smaller clever
- Clever Dripper with coaster and lid
- Scale or other measuring devices (tablespoon, measuring cup)
That’s everything you’ll need to get started.
Instructions
Step 1
Fold your coffee filter along the seams on the bottom and side, so that it will fit better in the clever and will make sure it doesn’t block the mechanism at the bottom.
Step 2
Place the filter inside of your clever dripper. When I put the filter in the clever I line the side fold up with the handle and it fits perfectly.
Step 3
Rinse your filter. You can pour some hot water on your filter to help reduce any paper taste caused by the filter. You can do this while the clever is on top of your mug, allowing the hot water to flow into the mug. This will help to preheat your mug while rinsing the filter. If the paper taste doesn’t bother you, you can skip this step. The coffee will still be plenty hot.
Step 4
Discard the waste water if you rinsed your filter.
Step 5
Place the Clever Dripper on the coaster. This helps to keep things neat in case of any spills or drips. I have not had any problems with dripping or leaking, but better safe than sorry.
Step 6
Add your ground coffee. Shake your clever to create a flat base. This will help with the drawdown and make sure all the grounds are evenly extracted.
Step 7
Add the hot water and place the lid on your Clever to help keep things hot.
Step 8
Set your timer, and allow to brew for 3 to 4 minutes. After about a minute you can use your spoon to break up the crust and give the coffee a stir. This will send the grounds back to the bottom allowing for an even extraction.
Step 9
Once your coffee has finished steeping, give it a final stir and place the clever on your coffee mug. This will begin the drawdown process and should take another 45 to 90 seconds.
Step 10
You’re all done. Remove the Clever from your mug and return it to the coaster.
Step 11
Enjoy your coffee!
Clever Dripper Cleaning
The Clever Coffee Dripper is not dishwasher safe. I repeat. THE CLEVER COFFEE DRIPPER IS NOT DISHWASHER SAFE. Putting it in the dishwasher could discolor the plastic or damage the release mechanism causing it to leak or drip. Simply dispose of the used filter, scrub clean if necessary, rinse, and your Clever is ready to go. I mostly just rinse mine out and put it on the rack to dry.
Clever Dripper Accessories
The only thing you will really need with your Clever Dripper is a filter
The large uses a standard #4 paper filter and the small uses a #2 filter. They are available at any grocery store or you can purchase them here: #4 filters and #2 filters.
Coffee Sock also makes a reusable, organic, cloth filter. This makes clean up a little more difficult but it will save you some money in the long run and is better for the environment. Learn more.
Clever Coffee Dripper Alternative
Even though the clever dripper is manufactured with BPA free plastic, some people do not like the idea of their coffee coming in contact with plastics. Bonavita offers an alternative to the Clever Dripper that functions in a similar way but is made of porcelain with a silicone stopper. Explore this option.
The Clever Dripper is a great single serve brewing option that provides with a compact easy to use method to make our coffee. How are you currently brewing your coffee?
