Review: DripJoy Coffee Brewer

Coffee can elicit an almost religious zeal depending upon who you ask. Me? I drink instant coffee (don’t judge). Usually I’m reaching for a brew of Mount Hagen or Kava Coffee, with a slight splash of milk and no sugar. I’m not a coffee snob by any stretch of the imagination, but I do have my standards. (I find that the regular filtered coffee / Folger powdered grounds at work to taste like diesel.)

In the past, I’ve dabbled with ground coffee beans. They’re messy and time consuming. And no matter how much straining on my part, I inevitably wind up with errant coffee grounds in my cup. In short: I’m not a fan. And coffee bean grinders? I have no time for that in the morning, especially when taking into consideration the amount of noise they make.

So when the fine folks at DripJoy asked if I would be interested in reviewing their brewer and coffee products, I was a bit hesitant. I have my routine and I was perfectly satisfied with my morning coffee. And yet the idea of single serve coffee in cups had some appeal.

My biggest concerns were: Would the whole process of maintaining and making coffee through a brewer be too much of a hassle? And would the DripJoy coffee be as good or better than what I was currently drinking?

There was only one way to find out.

Three days after the company’s initial inquiry, I found myself at my front door holding two DripJoy boxes. In one of the boxes was the DripJoy brewer, in the other was four neatly packed boxes of DripJoy self serve coffee cups.

The Brewer

The DripJoy brewer comes in an aesthetically appealing box. It’s well-packed to prevent damage during transit.

Inside the box is a quick start guide, the brewer, an electric cord and a detachable base to place your coffee cup on when the unit is brewing.

The DripJoy coffee maker is built with high quality plastic and features metal accents and trim. It’s a sturdy unit that looks good on our kitchen counter. Best of all, it doesn’t take up much space. In the front is a dispenser where you can load a DripJoy coffee pod. In the back is a clear reservoir where you add water.

Assembling the unit was simple. Attach the coffee holder to the front of the unit and place the metal shield on top and you’re done.

The biggest claim to fame with the DripJoy brewer is that its engineered to prevent clogging by using high pressure cycles to keep the grounds from getting trapped. The DripJoy unit is compatible with all K-Cup brands, including the 2.0 cups made by Keurig – which means that users have options for their coffee of choice.

Making coffee with the DripJoy brewer is drop dead easy. Plug it in, place the unopened single serve coffee pod in the front mounted holder, close the latch, add water to the reservoir and you’re ready to brew. (The manufacturer recommends unplugging the unit when not in use, after putting the unit to sleep.)

The DripJoy brewer can accommodate your favorite coffee mug. I generally use a mug that’s capable of holding 12 ounces.

The photo below provides a sense of scale.

To brew your coffee, select the number of ounces (6, 8, 10 or 12 ounces) and hit the power button. The brewer takes approximately 3 minutes to brew. When your coffee is ready, the power light changes from red to green.

Tap the power button while it’s green, and your mug fills up with coffee (or as I call it: “my elixir vitae”).

Cleaning up the DripJoy brewer is surprisingly simple. There’s very little in the way of mess, which I like. Occasionally a few drops will hit the base of the unit, but that’s quickly remedied with a paper towel.

The Coffee

DripJoy has partnered with farmers from over 6 countries and 3 continents, ensuring that their coffee is sourced responsibly and sustainably. That’s all well and good, but I’m here to focus on the taste.

For my review, DripJoy provided four boxes: Morning Joy, Dark Bean Daydream, Columbian Cheer, and French Elation. Each box contains 24 cups. I haven’t tried French Elation yet, but the other three taste fantastic. While taste is subjective, for me DripJoy’s coffee flavors are smooth and strong, without the typical bitterness that usually accompanies most brands of coffee.

I’ve been drinking DripJoy’s coffee for more than two weeks now, and I prefer it over my usual instant coffee. Consider me a convert.

Final Thoughts

DripJoy offers three subscription plans for both business and home – allowing you to select the right quantity for your needs. Subscription costs range from $14.99 per month to $24.98 per month, making the average cup of coffee between $.52 to $.62. The per cup cost is higher than my instant coffee choice. From an environmental standpoint, the DripJoy coffee pods can be recycled, once the aluminum is separated from the plastic cup. Thanks to a partnership between DripJoy and Recycle A Cup, subscribers can receive a Recycle A Cup unit (paying only $2.60 for shipping) to make their coffee pods recyclable.

The brewer itself retails for about $100 with the base subscription and drops to $70 with the premium subscription.

I found the DripJoy brewer to be sleek, well constructed and a pleasure to use. The unit is also low maintenance. I really enjoyed the coffee samples I tested. Ultimately, coffee is a very personal choice. In terms of taste and quality and its forward approach to recycling, DripJoy earns top marks.

-Krishna

Krishna October 28, 2016 coffee maker, DripJoy Barista, K-cups, Keurig competitor