Best Coffee Maker

[Clix Pix]

I've been using Krups coffee makers for years. I also have purchased a ceramic thingy and an electric kettle so I can also do pour-overs here at home, too, but haven't really done much of that yet. Easier to just put the coffee and water into the machine and push a button, let 'er rip while I'm having my orange juice......

 

[mobilehaathi]

Your assumptions are correct. Thanks for the info!

The Baratza Encore is definitely a solid grinder, although I don't know if it's in your price range. The Hario manual grinders offer excellent value, but I suspect they are more work than you're looking for.

Actually if you're willing to grind, I'd allocate more money towards a grinder over a machine.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

For those of us who have no knowledge of coffee grinding, how do you make the cup once the beans are ground? Is it just put through a filter or percolator?

 

[D.T.]

For those of us who have no knowledge of coffee grinding, how do you make the cup once the beans are ground? Is it just put through a filter or percolator?

Ground coffee is used with whatever making process you'd like: drip, French press, Chemex, percolator, etc. It's no different (well, it's extremely different ) than just shoveling some out of a can (*shudder*).

In other words if I'm understanding your question correctly, any system that can use ground coffee works.

 

[Huntn]

This talk about super market vs coffee house beans, I may have do a side by side comparison. I regularily buy ground Columbian Kroger brand coffee and it tastes great to me. I frequently have Starbucks and/or Carabou and don't say, "wow, this is so much better"... Maybe I have ineffective taste buds.

 

[mobilehaathi]

This talk about super market vs coffee house beans, I may have do a side by side comparison. I regularily buy ground Columbian Kroger brand coffee and it tastes great to me. I frequently have Starbucks and/or Carabou and don't say, "wow, this is so much better"... Maybe I have ineffective taste buds.

Starbucks and Caribou are not good comparisons, as they're likely old and over roasted anyway. Your best bet would be to get some beans roasted nearby within the last two weeks (and go for a 'Full City' or 'Full City+' roast).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

For those of us who have no knowledge of coffee grinding, how do you make the cup once the beans are ground? Is it just put through a filter or percolator?

Once ground, the easiest methods are the French Press, and the dripper pour-over method (which requires a cone - Hario make excellent ceramic ones, or a plastic one for travelling - plus paper filters).

For the French press, boil kettle, then heat the French press with hot water, pour off, and then put as many spoons (I generally use dessert spoons for measurement, and use heaped dessert spoons of ground coffee) of coffee as you think you will need, generally one heaped dessert spoon of coffee per person. In my case, as with tea, I will add a proverbial 'extra' one 'for the pot'.

Then, I will pour a small amount of water from the kettle into that; let it stand for a minute, stir it, and then add the rest of the water to fill, or half fill the French Press. Place the plunger at the top, for the best part of four minutes, which will allow the coffee to steep.

Depress the plunger - slowly - (otherwise you will splash yourself with coffee grounds - I've done it). This serves to keep the coffee grounds out of your cup. Then pour; add whatever your taste fancies (cream, milk, sugar although the purists tend not to like any of these), and drink.

The Hario dripper is equally easy. Boil kettle. Heat a cup, or mug with hot water. Pour off. Place a filter - folded as instructed on the seam of the filter - in the cone (Hario ceramic or travelling plastic). Spoon however many spoons of coffee into this folded filter which is sitting in the dripper cone. Place this on the mug or cup. Pour water slowly from your kettle into the dry coffee grounds in the folded filter, in the cone, on the cup/mug. Repeat.

When the mug/cup has sufficient coffee in it, remove the cone, plus filter, plus wet (and heavy) coffee grounds. Either bin the grounds plus filter (in the folded filter - these are disposable and wonderfully ecological); they are also extremely good for gardens should you fancy using coffee grounds in your flower beds; wash the cone and drink your coffee.

The Chemex makes fantastic coffee, but is slightly more demanding, as is the Bialetti moka pot.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Thanks for the explanation. I still love my Nespresso machine for ease of use, but may buy a cheap Krups coffee grinder to try out this method.

 

[Huntn]

Starbucks and Caribou are not good comparisons, as they're likely old and over roasted anyway. Your best bet would be to get some beans roasted nearby within the last two weeks (and go for a 'Full City' or 'Full City+' roast).

Interesting. I've no idea where I would find freshly toasted beans, and depending on how much more they cost, I may or may not be interested in paying twice as much or more for coffee.

 

[vrDrew]

For the French press, boil kettle, then heat the French press with hot water, pour off, and then put as many spoons...

Thanks for the delightfully detailed description. With one or two minor variations, thats the way I make my coffee. And I'm rarely disappointed. And more than a few of my guests have remarked how much they like my coffee.

The only downside to this method is that it requires a smidgen of patience. And I'll confess to more than a few times failing to wait the requisite four minutes for my brew to steep. I've had decent - but not spectacular - results after letting it sit a mere 90 seconds or so. But any less is likely to result in disappointment, if not absolute disaster.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Interesting. I've no idea where I would find freshly toasted beans, and depending on how much more they cost, I may or may not be interested in paying twice as much or more for coffee.

Well, they do tend to cost more. It's just one of the reasons I roast my own (far cheaper). But that's a special level of dedication.

 

[Kurwenal]

Thanks for the explanation. I still love my Nespresso machine for ease of use, but may buy a cheap Krups coffee grinder to try out this method.

Coffee’s faithful awesomeness is fleeting. Seconds, and portions of grams, and the merest tittle, matter. Just once, just once....in your life.....gift yourself with the astonishing opportunity to taste truly fresh coffee, properly made.

Convenience...sometimes....rarely...but there is a reason beyond epoch that T.S. Eliot wrote about spoons, not pods.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Coffee’s faithful awesomeness is fleeting. Seconds, and portions of grams, and the merest tittle, matter. Just once, just once....in your life.....gift yourself with the astonishing opportunity to taste truly fresh coffee, properly made.

Convenience...sometimes....rarely...but there is a reason beyond epoch that T.S. Eliot wrote about spoons, not pods.

Ah, bravo. Well said. Cue genuine applause…..(and if an emoticon existed to represent that action, I'd click on it now…)

You mean the line "….I have measured out my life in coffee spoons?" from the outstanding and fantastic poem 'The Love Song Of J Alfred Prufrock' by T. S. Eliot? Brilliant.

When I was at school, I loved that poem. You could keep Holden Caulfield - The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock sang to me.

And thank you. I have just now re-read it, in its entirety, for the first time in decades. Superb, as I recalled - and saying ever so much more than I had remembered.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Coffee’s faithful awesomeness is fleeting. Seconds, and portions of grams, and the merest tittle, matter. Just once, just once....in your life.....gift yourself with the astonishing opportunity to taste truly fresh coffee, properly made.



Convenience...sometimes....rarely...but there is a reason beyond epoch that T.S. Eliot wrote about spoons, not pods.

It might fe a few years yet before I attempt to appreciate finer coffee but I will don't worry. With young children my mornings include tidying up toys, dressing my daughter and throwing a Nespresso pod in the maker for a quick coffee before leaving for the office lol. At weekends I usually end up putting my cup back in the microwave after its gone cold! I would like to get a bean grinder and attempt enjoying fresher coffee. These kids just ruin everything!!!!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Well, they do tend to cost more. It's just one of the reasons I roast my own (far cheaper). But that's a special level of dedication.

Yes, @mobilehaath, my friendi that is a level of dedication that I feel quite unequal to. But impressive, nevertheless.

Coffee’s faithful awesomeness is fleeting. Seconds, and portions of grams, and the merest tittle, matter. Just once, just once....in your life.....gift yourself with the astonishing opportunity to taste truly fresh coffee, properly made.

Convenience...sometimes....rarely...but there is a reason beyond epoch that T.S. Eliot wrote about spoons, not pods.

I agree to the extent that it is always a good idea to try the version of something (coffee, wine, beer, cognac, whiskey) that approximates to excellence at leaf once in your life, just so that you know what it is and can say that you have lived to experience it….

It might fe a few years yet before I attempt to appreciate finer coffee but I will don't worry. With young children my mornings include tidying up toys, dressing my daughter and throwing a Nespresso pod in the maker for a quick coffee before leaving for the office lol. At weekends I usually end up putting my cup back in the microwave after its gone cold! I would like to get a bean grinder and attempt enjoying fresher coffee. These kids just ruin everything!!!!

Seriously, in that case, get pre-ground coffee (but order it from a really good source, not incinerated, stale stuff from Starbuck's, or a supermarket) and you will see the difference.

Personally, although the purists may deplore it, I have - ands use - both beans and pre-ground. You have to adapt for your lifestyle, and, as I am the only person in my universe who makes coffee, sometimes, time is of the essence.

Some mornings - especially if I have to catch an early train for important meetings elsewhere - I don't have time for grinding my own coffee; I have too much thinking and preparation to do, and I am the only person who can do it for myself. So, grinding goes by the wayside, and I revere the fact that I have reground coffee that I can simply spoon into whatever I wish to use.

Nevertheless, all of my coffee is from excellent sources, - usually ecological and ethical, usually sourced from small micro lots with passionately engaged coffee companies - (Sweet Maria's, Intelligentsia, Ethiopian Coffee Company, 3fe coffee and so on); try buying good coffee and see if that makes a difference….

 

[Huntn]

Thread revival...

Anyone head of or used iCoffee by Remington? Saw it in Bed, Bath, and Beyond, a home store. It advertises patented spin-brew technology and claims a superior tasting cup of coffee. Just wondering.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Thread revival...

Anyone head of or used iCoffee by Remington? Saw it in Bed, Bath, and Beyond, a home store. It advertises patented spin-brew technology and claims a superior tasting cup of coffee. Just wondering.

No, I can't say that I have heard of it, let alone used it. What exactly is it?

 

[Huntn]

No, I can't say that I have heard of it, let alone used it. What exactly is it?

See the link, a product (coffee maker) that based on technology claims to produce a superior cup of coffee. In the store such a coffee maker sells for about $100. I'm slightly concerned it uses no paper filter.

https://icoffee.com

 

[Kurwenal]

See the link, a product (coffee maker) that based on technology claims to produce a superior cup of coffee. In the store such a coffee maker sells for about $100. I'm slightly concerned it uses no paper filter.

https://icoffee.com

I have never heard of it......as I read most of the big coffee blogs daily, I think that suggests something.

From their website, their claim to fame seems to be that icoffee is better than Keurig, which is sort of like saying you made a car that is better than a Yugo. I don't care what kind of fancy water jets they use to "agitate" the coffee....if the coffee aint fresh, no amount of whizbang trickery is going to matter. Just my view.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I have never heard of it......as I read most of the big coffee blogs daily, I think that suggests something.

From their website, their claim to fame seems to be that icoffee is better than Keurig, which is sort of like saying you made a car that is better than a Yugo. I don't care what kind of fancy water jets they use to "agitate" the coffee....if the coffee aint fresh, no amount of whizbang trickery is going to matter. Just my view.

Well, @Huntn, when a veteran and vastly experienced coffee aficionado such as @Kurwenal offers an informed opinion on such a matter, I think it might be worth heeding….

 

[nebo1ss]

Interesting. I've no idea where I would find freshly toasted beans, and depending on how much more they cost, I may or may not be interested in paying twice as much or more for coffee.

We are very fortunate in London to have some great specialist coffee places. Starbucks is just the lazy option. I get my beans from Coffee Plant in Notting Hill, London and they also serve great coffee. Their prices are very competitive..


A Link https://www.coffee.uk.com

 

[Scepticalscribe]

We are very fortunate in London to have some great specialist coffee places. Starbucks is just the lazy option. I get my beans from Coffee Plant in Notting Hill, London and they also serve great coffee. Their prices are very competitive..


A Link https://www.coffee.uk.com

I took a quick look at the site you recommended, and thanks for sharing. Apart from not stocking a wide selection of Ethiopian coffees, it does seem to be rather interesting.

 

[Huntn]

I have never heard of it......as I read most of the big coffee blogs daily, I think that suggests something.

From their website, their claim to fame seems to be that icoffee is better than Keurig, which is sort of like saying you made a car that is better than a Yugo. I don't care what kind of fancy water jets they use to "agitate" the coffee....if the coffee aint fresh, no amount of whizbang trickery is going to matter. Just my view.

I wonder how fresh you can reasonably expect your coffee to be? I assume if they are still unground beans they basically stay fresh for a long time. Probably unfortunately the best prices I've found for local coffee is all ready ground in tins, who knows how old that might be. I do know I can taste a difference between Keurig and what I make at home and Keurig in my experience has always been inferior. I should go back to buying beans I grind for a taste comparison.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I wonder how fresh you can reasonably expect your coffee to be? I assume if they are still unground beans they basically stay fresh for a long time. Probably unfortunately the best prices I've found for local coffee is all ready ground in tins, who knows how old that might be. I do know I can taste a difference between Keurig and what I make at home and Keurig in my experience has always been inferior. I should go back to buying beans I grind for a taste comparison.

Actually, I think it is a bit more subtle than that. Circumstances may dictate some of your choices on these matters.

In my case, these days, I usually order coffee (both beans and pre-ground) from specialist roasters who have just roasted the product that day, or week. Both usually taste fantastic, because both are still pretty fresh. (Although the purists will query this, saying coffee is fresh only for minutes after the beans have been ground, real life demands do tend to mean some compromises).

Some mornings, when I am dashing to a train to catch a meeting, I don't have time to ground my own beans. These are the mornings I use the pre-ground coffee, but even this tends to be of excellent quality.

In other words, I rarely buy a tin of coffee in a shop any longer as yes, I don't know how long it has been there. However, when abroad, in countries where any sort of coffee is a luxury - and is extraordinarily expensive - I'll happily pay over the odds for a tin of what I know would be fairly indifferent stuff at home.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Now, some day, when funds permit, I might risk purchasing the La Marzocco Linea Mini; I used to have my eye on the La Marzocco GS/3 - which is stunning, but the Linea Mini is probably more suited to my needs, should I ever contemplate heading down that route.