For coffee geeks: the fascinating Dripper

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New at LA Mill coffee boutique in Silver Lake is a drip coffee system from Japanese manufacturer Hario (the same company that makes the siphon coffee systems). This one involves a glass, cone-shaped holder called the Dripper for Japanese paper filters, which don’t give the coffee the taste of paper that conventional filters can. Called the Hario Dripper, it’s also quite fetching with its red enamel bracket and sits on a glass carafe, available, like the Dripper, in three sizes.

To complete the coffee-making setup, get the special Buono Kettle: Its thin pouring spout means the hot water won’t disperse the coffee grounds with too much force. Also, because of the spout’s gooseneck shape, the water originates from the bottom of the kettle to give a more consistent flow. LA Mill owner Craig Min suggests starting from the middle and pouring in an outward spiral. To work best, the grind of your coffee should be a fairly fine one.

Hario glass carafe, $20 to $26.50. Hario glass Dripper, $16 to $19. Hario Buono Kettle, $48. Box of Japanese paper filters, $5 to $7.

LA Mill Coffee Boutique (next door to the cafe), 1636 Silver Lake Boulevard, Los Angeles; (323) 663-4441; silverlake@lamillcoffee.com.

-- S. Irene Virbila