I was wandering around the Avoca store in Dublin last week and came across this marvellous little gadget. An all in one cafetiere, thermal, coffee mug. It's called a 'Smartcafe Hot Cafetiere Mug." It does what it says on the label! It doesn't look particularly smart but under that rather plain exterior lurks a really 'smart' little innovation which was designed by Sebastian Conran.

My mug is red and black but another five colours are available. If I had seen the silver one I probably would have bought that.

They are a sturdy plastic two toned mug with a built in filter. The filter slides down a groove on the inside of the mug. Holding the coffee grounds safely out of your drink.

The process goes like this.

Measure coffee grounds into the mug.
Pour on boiling water to about half an inch from the top.
Wait a short while for the grounds to steep.
Slide plunger/filter thingy into grooves inside the mug.
Push down to the bottom.
Voila! A perfect cup of hot fresh coffee!

~~~This mug has a lot of things going for it.~~~

1. It is economical. There is not the wastage that you can get with a normal cafetiere.

2. The thermal sides of the mug means that the coffee stays hotter for longer.

3. There is no heat loss as you transfer coffee from the coffee pot or cafetiere to the mug.

4. You can make it as strong or as weak as you wish.

5. No one pinches your coffee whilst you are upstairs getting dressed waiting for it to brew!

6. The design of the filter means there is no seepage of coffee grounds into the drink. You don't get a mouthful of bits at the end of your drink. (Yuk!)

7. It is very easy to clean, you just remove the filter and tap the grounds out into the compost bin. Wash as you would a normal mug.

8. The filter/plunger is well made and looks sturdy enough to last for a long time. The nylon mesh is fine and the construction looks seamless so I don't expect it to crack or come away from the molding. It fits easily into the groove so there is no fiddling whilst you try to fit it in.

9. The handle is a comfortable size and shape and doesn't get hot.

10. It's ideal for taking out into the garden, it keeps your drink warmer for longer whilst you potter about and it won't break if you knock it over.

~~~A few things I'm not so keen on~~~

1. It's not pretty. I usually drink out of a bone china mug. This is definitely not one. It is a chunky plastic mug and looks like one!

2. If I have to drink out of a plastic mug it could look a little less boring.

3. It cost me 8 Euros. Nearly £8.00! Having said that, Avoca is a lovely shop but it is expensive. Perhaps these mugs are cheaper elsewhere.


~~~Does it work?~~~

Yes, it works beautifully. It's efficient, economical, easy to use, easy to clean, there is no taint from the plastic so your coffee is delivered just as it should be.

The plunger when depressed fits flush to the inside and top of the mug so it can't be dislodged easily and is almost invisible. There is nothing sticking out to snag on accidentally, which is important if you are handling a mug of hot liquid.

It is a very useful object if you want to make just one cup of coffee. As far as I can see it would also be very useful for brewing loose tea and herbal infusions, with absolutely no mess involved!

It is also dishwasher safe. (Which would be very handy for me if I actually had a dishwasher.)

It's really nice to find a kitchen gadget that does what it's designed to do so well.

It's a highly recommended, well designed cafetiere mug!

(My kids will all be getting one as part of their Christmas present!)