Quick Review of the Eva Solo

I’ve had this total immersion brewer for 6 months now, and my impression of it is overwhelmingly positive. I think it's making some of the greatest coffee I've ever had at home. Here's a thorough review from CoffeeGeek (with pictures) that I couldn't hope to outdo.


I've got the .6 L version, which holds ~20 oz. It's perfect for one person (or two in a pinch).

What I love about it:

- Simple as pie to use. Add coffee, add hot water, stir, wait, and pour.

- No paper filter.

- Seems to consistently bring out the best in the coffees I've tried with respect to aroma, body, flavor.


What I don't love about it:

- The price. ~$85 is the cheapest I've seen this selling for new lately, but then again I found mine used in pristine condition on eBay for $30 shipped. Just lucked out.

About price, the premium Eva Solo charges for new units is not entirely BS in my opinion. There's just something about the coffee it makes. A barista I know at a local cafe where they regularly brew using Eva Solos has a theory that the curved metal lip you use to pour enhances aroma and flavor the way a wine aerator works. Who knows? It would be difficult to test that theory because the metal lip is attached to the filter, i.e. it's not a part you can remove from the brew process easily.

About cup profile, you’ll love this if you enjoy French press-style coffee and don’t mind a bit of sediment. The Eva Solo is much easier to clean than a press though. Also, the Eva Solo is better at keeping the brew temp. high since it's wrapped in a neoprene jacket.

A few other observations:

- The opening at the top is just narrow enough that you have to be careful when adding ground coffee. I can pretty much always manage to dump coffee into the Eva Solo straight from my Virtuoso’s ground coffee bin without spilling, but first thing in the morning I have to be cautious.

- Related to the above point: I can't fit my hand inside the Eva Solo to clean it. A long-handled brush works best. Luckily, I have a spare (and unused) bottle brush that works great.

- I’ve discovered that my Eva Solo fits perfectly under the Bunn My Cafe Home's pod drawer with the drip tray removed (see pic below). This appeals to my lazy side because it means I don't have to get out my digital scale and electric kettle when I'm not in the mood to do hot water by weight. Nice! If I'm being picky, the coffee could be a touch hotter when made this way. I typically pour my hot water using a kettle faster than the Bunn delivers it, which likely accounts for most or all of the difference. But really, it was still plenty hot--certainly at or very nearly at the temp. you'd want for proper extraction. IIRC the Bunn heats to 200 degrees.

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Any questions? Feel free to ask!