In this Brew It Stick review, find out if this cute little off grid coffee maker could become your favourite way to brew fresh coffee in the great outdoors!
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BREW IT STICK COFFEE MAKER DETAILS:
• Link: Brew It Stick on Amazon
• Price: £12
• Weight: 62g
• Measurements: 6cm (wide at the base) x 19.5cm (height)
• Main material: ABS, styrene, nylon filter
• Dishwasher safe? Yes
• Do you need a kettle to heat the water? Yes
• Do you need extras ie filters, batteries, pods etc? No
• Does it work on an induction hob? N/A
• Amazon review score: 3.9/5
• My 7 day review score: 70 / 100
Check the current price on Amazon
Whether you’re into bushcraft, ultralight backpacking or have a campervan like me, over the next few weeks (or maybe even months?!) I will find you the perfect coffee maker.
Guaranteed!
Let me know in the comments below what you demand from a coffee maker, and let me help you find your perfect match!
BREW IT STICK REVIEW
Today I am focusing on the Brew It Stick.
The amusing thing about this cute little coffee maker, is that every single person that has seen it in real life, has likened it to a toilet brush!
It comes in various colours but I chose the gorgeous teal.
It looks lovely, is very lightweight and the perfect size for living in a campervan or mobile camp kitchen.
The handle and coffee basket frame is made of plastic and the basket is lined with an extremely fine nylon mesh.
The handle and brew basket screw apart.
The basket is quite narrow but it’s easy to fill with coffee with no mess.
The basket gets filled 2/3 full with freshly ground coffee and placed in the cup.
Hot water is then poured through the top mesh of the brew basket where it is left to brew for 4 minutes.
It’s available in various colours other than the teal that I chose.
Black seems to be the most popular, but I’ve also seen it in navy blue and a pretty light grey.
You can find them all here: Barista & Co Brew it Stick on Amazon.
One nice thing is that once you’ve bought the Brew it Stick, you don’t need to buy anything else.
It doesn’t use filters, batteries, pods or paper.
Find the Brew It Stick here on Amazon.
The Brew It Stick comes simply packaged in a small cardboard box with no plastic waste.
The instructions are very simple and easy to follow.
HOW DO YOU USE A BREW IT STICK COFFEE MAKER?
Wash the Brew It Stick well in hot soapy water, or on the top shelf of the dishwasher before using for the first time.
Unscrew the basket from the handle and fill two thirds full with a freshly ground coffee.
Then screw back together.
It is recommended you use a coarsely ground coffee to get the best out of the Brew It Stick.
Place into a cup and boil the kettle.
Leave it for 20-30 seconds to come ‘off the boil’.
Carefully pour the water through the top of the basket chamber, gently turning the Brew It Stick as you go to ensure all the grounds inside the chamber get soaked.
When you have as much water in the cup as you like, push the Brew It Stick under the water and twist for 5 seconds.
I assume this is to force any air out of the brew chamber, thereby ensuring maximum brewing.
Then let go of the handle (the Brew It Stick will float in the cup) and set a timer for 4 minutes.
When the time is up, remove the brewer from the cup and place into the holder whilst you enjoy your coffee.
HOW MANY CUPS OF COFFEE DOES IT MAKE?
One. You can also brew fresh leaf tea in the Brew It Sticks too.
WHAT COFFEE GROUNDS SHOULD I USE WITH THE CLEVER DRIPPER?
It is recommended to use coarsely ground beans.
Always grind your beans just before brewing your coffee for maximum flavour and quality of brew.
I use this cheap handheld burr grinder at home and camping to keep my beans super fresh.
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THE BREW IT STICK COFFEE MAKER
I love how it looks, and that it makes people smile when they first see it!
I also love the colour, how simple it to use and the fact that there are no ongoing costs/expenses.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE ABOUT THE BREW IT STICK COFFEE MAKER
Unfortunately, I don’t enjoy the coffee made in the Brew It Stick.
And I’m honestly a little bit gutted about that, because I had big plans for this to replace the Aeropress in my camper van.
Something very strange happens during the brewing process, and whilst I’m not a coffee expert, let me try to explain.
The freshly brewed coffee looks good and strong.
You can’t see through it like you can in a weakly brewed coffee.
It has good ‘mouthfeel’.
By that I mean it doesn’t taste weak, or thin, or empty.
However, when you swallow the coffee, there doesn’t appear to be any flavour.
It is extremely smooth, with any natural bitterness, sweetness, nuttiness, in fact any flavour at all removed.
But for me, that meant that the coffee tasted flat, bland and incredibly disappointing.
I think there might be a place for this coffee maker for those that are new to drinking fresh coffee and are a little concerned by coffee tasting too bitter or strong.
Or perhaps for children that like to drink coffee but don’t want a strong or bitter brew.
BREW IT STICK COFFEE MAKER SCORES
• Ease of Use: 8
• Ease of Clean up: 8
• Quality of Brew: 2
• Value for Money: 6
• Style: 10
• Design: 6
• Durability: 3
• Waste: 8
• Weight/Storage: 9
• Wow Factor: 10
Total Score: 70 / 100
All in all? A bit of a disappointment if I’m honest.
You can watch me reviewing and putting this coffee maker through its paces here on YouTube.
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CAN YOU HELP ME FIND THE BEST CAMPING COFFEE MAKER ON THE MARKET?
What’s your preferred way of making coffee using real coffee grounds in the great outdoors?
Let us know in the comments below and we may end up reviewing your favourite coffee maker in the near future too!
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{HOW I TEST & REVIEW CAMPING COFFEE MAKERS}
The first time I use a coffee maker, I follow the included instructions.
I then spend the next 7 days perfecting the brew and learning all there is to know about it.
I watch other videos, read blog reviews & Amazon comments, and play around with different brewing techniques.
Finally I finish off the review with a round up of all I have learnt, and give it a total score out of 100.
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Huge thanks to Owens Coffee, a 100% Organic coffee roaster in Ivybridge, Devon. Please note this review was not sponsored, but they did supply me all the coffee beans to make this review possible. To find their full range of freshly ground beans, check out their website here: Owens Coffee. PS I highly recommend their Dart blend ;)
This article contains affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission if you follow, and shop through our links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping support the work we do here at hedgecombers.com :)
Janie x
Helen Connors says
Hi Jane, I really enjoy your posts but can’t remember the name of the coffee grinder you use.
Could you remind me please.
Best wishes
Helen
Jane Sarchet says
Hi Helen, I use this electric one: https://amzn.to/2VnwA1Z
and this hand crank one: https://amzn.to/37EBsFR (I think this is the one – it looks identical but I can’t find my order to make sure it’s the exact one!)
Hope that helps!
Jane x
Sarah Anderson says
I bought this to use at my office and I was underwhelmed. Your description was spot on about looking and smelling right but tasty flat. I tried some variations on use and got better results, then watched the company video on use, which was different than the directions on the box. The video has you blooming the grounds similar to how you would do it with a pour over. I’ll definitely be trying that. Otherwise I guess I have another tea infuser.
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Sarah, thanks for stopping by.
They have brought out an updated version apparently to address these issues, but I haven’t tried it as it :)
Jane x