Eva Duo?

In my original review of the Eva Solo 0.6 L, which I adore and use more often lately than any other coffee maker I own, I stated that it holds 20 oz. I’d like to revise that figure downward to 18 oz. Why? Because recently I’ve been pushing the limits of the Eva Solo’s capacity in order to make coffee for two with it in the morning while my mother-in-law stays with us. Here I’d like to talk about what I’ve learned in doing so and also give a few small updates based on extended usage of this press-style (and yet press-less) brew gadget.

The bloom: It’s because of this factor that I can’t do 20 oz. The coffee I brew is just too fresh! What terrible problems we have to deal with around here, right? After stirring, the bloom goes down significantly but not entirely, making it difficult to insert the metal filter without spilling unless you’ve added no more than 18 oz. of hot water originally.

The stir: I generally stir for 10 seconds or less right at the beginning. Some people recommend 20-30, but 10 works just fine for me. Stirring always reminds me of certain select Starbucks baristas operating their Clover machines. Anyway, it’s likely that extended (or, on the flip side, lack of) agitation would affect cup quality, but I haven’t experimented with either as yet.

Sediment: I noticed a marked reduction in sediment passing through the metal filter when I upgraded to the Baratza Preciso a few months ago. I still get a little, which is expected for any press-style system as far as I know unless you sieve your ground coffee. Interestingly, in doing two pours from the Solo, I find that there’s usually somewhat more sediment at the bottom of the first cup than in the second. Mental note: will have to look into this in the future.

Cleaning: I continue to use a baby bottle brush to clean inside the carafe. I also run everything but the neoprene jacket through the dishwasher fairly often, and I’ve never had any problems. The occasional JoeGlo soak is probably a good idea as well.

Bottom line: I still highly recommend the Eva Solo. If you can find a deal for one on eBay, don’t hesitate! I’d pull the trigger on another in a heartbeat if the price were right. Consider springing for the 1.0 L version if you’ll be making coffee for two.

Note: No mugs were harmed during the production of the image shown below; on the contrary, these particular mugs were pampered with excellent coffee. All implied or explicit references to Ikea (left) or Waffle House (right) are solely my own and should not be interpreted as either official ROASTe endorsements of the coffee served at these establishments or subtle hints that you need to go scarf down some Swedish meatballs and/or scattered, smothered hash browns right away. Seriously. Save these last two treats for me, please.

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