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The Clever Coffee Dripper is a manual brewing device that is near and dear to my heart. Its ease of use and low barrier of entry made manual brewing approachable to me. I have many fond memories of brewing up my homeroasted coffee fresh out of my Behmor 1600 and savoring the interesting and intense flavors.
Unfortunately, my Clever’s clear plastic body slowly became cloudy and coffee stained. One day, I couldn’t take it anymore and threw out my clever coffee friend.
A year or two later, I ended up purchasing a new Clever Coffee Dripper and writing a review on the blog. One of the only negative things I could say about the Clever Coffee Dripper was that it would inevitably stain and “look a little scary”.
Enter Andrew for Homewara.
Andrew contacted me a few weeks ago and let me know that he had come up with a solution; he made a Clever Coffee Dripper type brewer out of black plastic. It was a simple change but possibly a major improvement (embarrassment over a heavy stained Clever Coffee Dripper is a real thing and no one is talking about it).
He graciously sent one over to me for evaluation. Here is my opinion on the Homewara Black Clever Coffee Dripper and how it stacks up against the original.
Similarities
The Homewara Clever and the original Clever are very similar in shape, size and functionality. Both are made of BPA-free plastic, have a clear silicon gasket and stopper at the base, and both have raised lines on the interior to assist with airflow. They both come with a coaster and a lid.
The two brewers seem to brew the same way (same drawdown time, your Clever recipes should carry over well).
If you are interested in reading a review and brew guide for the original Clever Coffee Dripper, I recommend you go back to my May 2015 evaluation of the brewer. My opinion on the brewer hasn’t changed.
Differences
The major difference between the two is (of course) that the Homewara is made out of black plastic. It should not have the same problems with staining that the original Clever has.
There are some other minor differences between the two devices but I do not believe these have much of an impact on how they brew. Here are a few things I noticed as being different:
- The Top Shape- The original Clever has a rounded octagon shape at the top and the Homewara Clever is circular. I am unaware of the implications this will have on brewing but I am guessing it is a pretty minor change.
- The Filled Volume- The Homewara can hold around 50mL more liquid than the original Clever. This is actually pretty handy because I feel like I am always filling my Clever to a precariously high level.
- The Device Weight- The Homewara weighs about 20 percent less than the original Clever. This doesn’t necessarily mean anything but I thought I would mention it. I did a few tests to see if this would change heat retention but there was no noticeable difference between the two brewers.
- The Packaging- My Homewara did not come in a box but rather in a clear plastic bag. The original Clever comes with a box that includes a recipe and care instructions. This isn’t a big deal to me at all.
- Manufacturing Country- The Homewara is made in China and the original Clever is made in Taiwan.
One Thing Worth Mentioning
When my Homewara arrived and I was evaluating it next to my original Clever, I noticed that the draw down mechanism seemed a lot smoother on the original Clever. The Homewara still worked fine but just seemed a little off.
After some investigating and removing the bottom piece of the brewer, I discovered a small piece of plastic sticking out. I assumed that it was a piece mistakenly left from the manufacturing process. I carefully snipped off the piece with a pair of nail trimmers and the mechanism worked just as smooth as the original Clever.
This was an easy two minute fix and likely an isolated incident. Taking the bottom off of my Clever is something I do periodically when cleaning it. If you run into a similar issue, it is a modification anyone can do.
Final Thoughts (End Clever Coffee Dripper Embarrassment)
The Clever Coffee Dripper is a great brewing device. It is the perfect fit for beginners but can brew a cup of coffee to rival other (more trendy) drippers. The staining issue has always been something that bothered me with the Clever. It is one reason why I’ve preferred to use a ceramic dripper.
If the plastic in the Clever Coffee Dripper is something that concerns you, Bonavita makes a brewer, the Bonita Wide Base Porcelain Immersion Dripper, with a similar concept that is porcelain (which will also not stain).
From what I can tell, the Homewara Black Clever matches the original Clever as a coffee brewer and has the added bonus of not staining. There are a few minor differences but between the two, I think I would definitely recommend the Homewara Black Clever Coffee dripper over the original.
Have you ever suffered from Clever Coffee Dripper Embarrassment or is it just me? Please leave comments, questions and concern below. Thanks!
Keep it up, bro! You’re really maturing as a coffee enthusiast and a writer! I love reading this haha let’s brew soon! – your super awesome lil bro Jake
Thanks Jake! We will have to have a brewing session soon.
Hi,
I’ve found that soaking the clever dripper with puli caf (espresso machine cleaner) really does the trick for lifting the staining.
Worth giving your old clear one a good soak.
The black is a great idea for hiding staining, but it could also make it harder to spot if old coffee/dirt is building up.
Great post and blog though!
Matt
Cloud Coffee
Hey Matt!
That is a good point. I got rid of my original Clever before I learned about the wonders of Joe Glo and Cafiza. In my personal experience, I have not has as much success with cleaning plastic parts as I have with my ceramic, metal and glass brew gear. I’ve already passed on my clear Clever brewer to another enthusiast or I would run some tests and see how clean I can get it (that stuff really is amazing).
As far as the black hiding grime build up, I haven’t had much of a problem with that (on the Homewara or a black Melitta filter cone I use). It is still pretty easy to see build ups against the shiny black plastic.
Thank you for your comment, perhaps I should change my recommendation to say: “If you already have a Clever, there is no use swapping it out for this one. If you are thinking about getting one new, the Homewara is a better choice (when the prices are comparable).”
Thanks again,
John
Thanks for the review! Glad you found it to be improved. I’m working with our factory to make sure we don’t have issues with the release valve in the future, as well as some other improvements.
Andrew Maury
Homewara
Hi Andrew, I’m glad to hear you’re improving the CCD. I bought one at the beginning of 2012. within three months mine developed cracks through the plastic. I was really disappointed.
I continued using it for a time because it didn’t leak much. I assume that was because the plastic expanded when heated.
I haven’t bought another one because i was afraid the same would happen and I’d just be extra disappointed. :)
So, my question.
Have any changes been made in the plastic improving ccd’s ability to “take the heat?” :) thanks so much!
Rusty
Just noticed I didn’t check the box to be alerted if there’s a reply here. :)
Thanks for the walk through. I had no idea they had a product like this. I now feel fully educated when making this purchase. Looking forward to hearing more!
Are these the folks that invented the Clever, and created the black version? Who is Andrew?
homebrew.com