Best Coffee Maker

[Scepticalscribe]

No, that kettle or one like it is not required, but I find it convenient.

For the Chemex, I like to brew at 205f, and I can taste the difference between 195 and 205. Plus, that particular kettle has a setting that maintains the temperature, so, for example, when I pull the kettle from its base and use the water to pre-heat the Chemex, and then I put the kettle back on the base, the appropriate water temperature is maintained, and the kettle is ready when I go to make the coffee.

Obviously, all of the above can be accomplished with a decent pot and a thermometer.

SandboxGeneral has one as well, and may have a view.

Thank you.

Well, it seems that I need to give further thought to this; the videos I looked at which explained how to make coffee with a Chemex did seem to suggest that - for the Chemex - a kettle where one enjoyed considerable control of rate and volume of pouring (those elegant goose-necked numbers) are a must have. Hence, a deep and meaningful debate over the topic of kettles……..SM, or Intelligentsia.

And now, from what you tell me (which also accords somewhat with the videos I watched), temperature, or some means of identifying it, is also a key variable, irrespective of whether the thermometer is on the kettle itself or lives an independent life elsewhere, to be summoned when needed. I see.

 

[Kurwenal]

Thank you.

Well, it seems that I need to give further thought to this; the videos I looked at which explained how to make coffee with a Chemex did seem to suggest that - for the Chemex - a kettle where one enjoyed considerable control of rate and volume of pouring (those elegant goose-necked numbers) are a must have. Hence, a deep and meaningful debate over the topic of kettles……..SM, or Intelligentsia.

And now, from what you tell me (which also accords somewhat with the videos I watched), temperature, or some means of identifying it, is also a key variable, irrespective of whether the thermometer is on the kettle itself or lives an independent life elsewhere, to be summoned when needed. I see.

Yep. The goose neck and its low flow provide the control necessary for even saturation.

I have said over in The Thread that this kettle is the best $95 I have ever spent on any coffee item, and that statement remains true. Chemex, pour over, AP, FP, and now tea. Works wonders. I even use it to pre-heat the water for my vacuum brewer.

I would expect there is some equivalent gadget Over There that would let you avoid very high shipping charges.

 

[Msail30bay]

Sounds like you tried a really light roast or a roaster that doesn't know what their doing. Starbucks beans are 6-12+ months old by the time you buy them and their all burnt since they use the cheapest/lowest quality crops around as no other way to support their volume. Even their store bags are stale but wouldn't matter if fresh anyway as their all charred to a crisp leaving no bean taste and only the burnt roast after taste. They burn and char everything so that way every store has the same consistent taste (which as nasty as it is they are consistent lol) but hey if you like the taste of what I imagine would be a cigarette having an orgy with a cigar then hey thats all that matters

Well, you sound like someone who DOES NOT what good taste like. IF Starbucks coffee beans are all - old, cheap, burnt charred, etc - then explain to me WHY SO MANY people drink .... buy Starbucks coffee? And, IF there are SO MANY local roasters out there with good 'fresh from the farm' coffee beans, then why are they doing so poorly?

You need to go drink your Sanka freeze dry crap and have seat. B..... please.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Well, you sound like someone who DOES NOT what good taste like. IF Starbucks coffee beans are all - old, cheap, burnt charred, etc - then explain to me WHY SO MANY people drink .... buy Starbucks coffee? And, IF there are SO MANY local roasters out there with good 'fresh from the farm' coffee beans, then why are they doing so poorly?

You need to go drink your Sanka freeze dry crap and have seat. B..... please.

I'm afraid that you'll have to forgive me. Actually, I'm a little curious, really, about your post.

Are you trying to defend Starbucks, because you like their offerings? Or because you think that they are successful, and that successful businesses are their own defence against criticism?

Or, are you - as the apparently outraged tone of your post might suggest - incandescent at the thought that another poster has described their offerings as 'burnt and stale'? And why the expression of wild emotion anyway?

Starbucks are a big, popular, powerful and wealthy company. Actually, I'm sure their collective corporate hide can take a little disagreement, dissent and criticism, especially from coffee lovers and aficionados of the bean. Indeed, their very own corporate model encourages a robust cannibalism of their very own branches, so I am pretty certain that a little criticism will not cause them to suffer overmuch.

Now, at the risk of provoking, or giving rise to a further splenetic and incandescent outburst, I'll offer a few thoughts on the matter.

Starbucks coffee shops - in general - are rather nice places in which to while away an hour or two. They generally come with wifi, have nice high ceilings, comfortable chairs, and seek to replicate the attractive and cosy ambience of the coffee shops one finds across mainland Europe, which were - and are - a welcoming and comfortable public space.

However, there is one significant difference between the European coffee shops which allegedly inspired Starbucks and what Starbucks produced, and it is this. Coffee shops in mainland Europe - and many of the small independent shops which have sprung up in the British Isles - pride themselves on sourcing, and serving, excellent coffee. Indeed, setting, comfort, and ambience (not to mention free wifi) - while all important, are not the main criterion by which one judges a coffee shop. The reputation of a coffee shop, and the criteria by which it will be judged, stands or falls on the quality of coffee served.

And, in this context, it is with regret that I have to report that Starbucks, unfortunately, serves perfectly dreadful coffee. Their model insists on having the exact same taste replicated throughout their stores, and this taste - that of burnt, stale, actually incinerated coffee - is indeed faithfully repeated across their branches, the very ones encouraged to cannibalise one another, (and, in the process, strangle other coffee shops, too).

I don't doubt the success of this regrettable business model, but, as someone who loves coffee, I deplore it.

 

[S.B.G]

No, that kettle or one like it is not required, but I find it convenient.

For the Chemex, I like to brew at 205f, and I can taste the difference between 195 and 205. Plus, that particular kettle has a setting that maintains the temperature, so, for example, when I pull the kettle from its base and use the water to pre-heat the Chemex, and then I put the kettle back on the base, the appropriate water temperature is maintained, and the kettle is ready when I go to make the coffee.

Obviously, all of the above can be accomplished with a decent pot and a thermometer.

SandboxGeneral has one as well, and may have a view.

Thank you.

Well, it seems that I need to give further thought to this; the videos I looked at which explained how to make coffee with a Chemex did seem to suggest that - for the Chemex - a kettle where one enjoyed considerable control of rate and volume of pouring (those elegant goose-necked numbers) are a must have. Hence, a deep and meaningful debate over the topic of kettles……..SM, or Intelligentsia.

And now, from what you tell me (which also accords somewhat with the videos I watched), temperature, or some means of identifying it, is also a key variable, irrespective of whether the thermometer is on the kettle itself or lives an independent life elsewhere, to be summoned when needed. I see.

Yep. The goose neck and its low flow provide the control necessary for even saturation.

I have said over in The Thread that this kettle is the best $95 I have ever spent on any coffee item, and that statement remains true. Chemex, pour over, AP, FP, and now tea. Works wonders. I even use it to pre-heat the water for my vacuum brewer.

I would expect there is some equivalent gadget Over There that would let you avoid very high shipping charges.

The Bonavita 1-liter Variable Temperature Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle is a great kitchen accessory! I'm thankful, in this Thanksgiving season, to Kurwenal for recommending it to me. I use it multiple times per day for heating the water up for French Press. Like Kurwenal, I set it to 205℉ and I pour a little bit of water in with the grounds and wait about 30 seconds for it to bloom. While waiting, I put the kettle back on the base and press the hold button to keep the temperature constant. Then after stirring the grounds, I pour the rest of the water in and let it sit about 4 minutes before pouring.

The gooseneck is designed very nicely and pours like a dream, very smooth and calm with no spillage or problems.

I also use it to add hot water to my oatmeal when I have that for breakfast, such as today.

It's a very nice thing, and I recommend it very highly.

 

[Kurwenal]

I don't doubt the success of this regrettable business model, but, as someone who loves coffee, I deplore it.

Well said, friend.

The good thing about SB is that those who like what they offer are able to partake, and those who don't are able to skip it. I like cheeseburgers, and for that reason I do not eat at McDonald's. I like coffee, and for that reason I do not drink at SB. On occasion, sometimes, such as when having coffee with my father-in-law, requires a SB visit. But, by choice, no.

Everyone is free to drink whatever they like. I just wish more coffee drinkers would give themselves the chance to taste truly fresh and properly roasted and prepared coffee. Especially a doppio or ristretto. Hyperion to a satyr.....

For any SB's fans who are wondering why some of us go on so much about freshness, proper roasting and proper preparation: which would you rather eat, a tomato picked fresh from the garden, and organically grown, or a tomato purchased from a big chain grocery store and that has been sitting on the kitchen counter for 6 months. The difference between SB and fresh, properly roasted and prepared coffee is as extreme. Perhaps moreso.

The Bonavita 1-liter Variable Temperature Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle is a great kitchen accessory! I'm thankful, in this Thanksgiving season, to Kurwenal for recommending it to me. I use it multiple times per day for heating the water up for French Press. Like Kurwenal, I set it to 205℉ and I pour a little bit of water in with the grounds and wait about 30 seconds for it to bloom. While waiting, I put the kettle back on the base and press the hold button to keep the temperature constant. Then after stirring the grounds, I pour the rest of the water in and let it sit about 4 minutes before pouring.

The gooseneck is designed very nicely and pours like a dream, very smooth and calm with no spillage or problems.

I also use it to add hot water to my oatmeal when I have that for breakfast, such as today.

It's a very nice thing, and I recommend it very highly.

View attachment 516000

I love oatmeal!

 

[SurferMan]

Well, you sound like someone who DOES NOT what good taste like. IF Starbucks coffee beans are all - old, cheap, burnt charred, etc - then explain to me WHY SO MANY people drink .... buy Starbucks coffee? And, IF there are SO MANY local roasters out there with good 'fresh from the farm' coffee beans, then why are they doing so poorly?

You need to go drink your Sanka freeze dry crap and have seat. B..... please.

You obviously don't know marketing, Starbucks has mastered marketing and branding that has convinced the masses, please go back to school and learn marketing 101. All my friends and even wife that liked Charbucks never had it again once they tried my coffee, they didn't know better, hell even my neighbor now orders fresh roasted beans to their house. You obviously know nothing about roasting or beans and how some may prefer a lighter roast and others a full city+. I'm personally not a fan of lighter roast and sounds like you aren't either from what you had. Roasters that know what their doing flourish, according to your logic and thinking craft beer brewers suck and don't know what their doing since their not the size of mass production companies like Inbev or Coors etc.

Oh and why do you think almost everyone that orders at Starbucks orders some crazy cream + extra extra extra tripple vent sugar + 3lbs of syrups to where it doesn't even resemble coffee. B/c possibly they can't stomach the wretched taste of the coffee as is lol?

Obviously I can place a McDs Burger in front of you and a perfectly cooked Wagyu that is sex inducing, and you'd choose the McDs by your logic. So have fun with your Charbucks and McDs.

And since some years ago when they switched to Superautos their quality dropped even further as they wanted consistency at every stores, awfully bad tasting but hey it'll be that same bad tasting coffee at every shop aka consistency. Back in the day they had La Marzocco machines and Mazzer grinders but as they grew they couldn't figure out training baristas consistently and switched, and they've grown so much bigger their bean crops and quality have gone down the tubes, 10+ years ago they were better, not near real roasters/shops but better then where they are now.

Oh and how about being in Chicago like where I'm visiting right now and the Charbucks stores are nowhere near as busy as places like Metropolis Coffee and other roasters/shops in the vicinity, b/c people have learned what "real" coffee should taste like.

Just b/c a company is big doesn't mean much, there is a company in my industry that rapes clients on fees and cost and yet people flock to them b/c of their "positioning" but more importantly b/c they don't know better (now what does that sound like, oh Starbucks clients), yet their quality sucks, their work sucks etc, once I show clients what real quality is and results/roi that blows them out of the water I get clients from them left and right. I even had a audience I was asked to speak at and that company had two sales reps speaking there as well, let's just says they paled in comparison and I went into so much detail that this company looked like a chicken with its head cut off running around lol. Never judge by the size and success of a company

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Yep. The goose neck and its low flow provide the control necessary for even saturation.

I have said over in The Thread that this kettle is the best $95 I have ever spent on any coffee item, and that statement remains true. Chemex, pour over, AP, FP, and now tea. Works wonders. I even use it to pre-heat the water for my vacuum brewer.

I would expect there is some equivalent gadget Over There that would let you avoid very high shipping charges.

The Bonavita 1-liter Variable Temperature Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle is a great kitchen accessory! I'm thankful, in this Thanksgiving season, to Kurwenal for recommending it to me. I use it multiple times per day for heating the water up for French Press. Like Kurwenal, I set it to 205℉ and I pour a little bit of water in with the grounds and wait about 30 seconds for it to bloom. While waiting, I put the kettle back on the base and press the hold button to keep the temperature constant. Then after stirring the grounds, I pour the rest of the water in and let it sit about 4 minutes before pouring.

The gooseneck is designed very nicely and pours like a dream, very smooth and calm with no spillage or problems.

I also use it to add hot water to my oatmeal when I have that for breakfast, such as today.

It's a very nice thing, and I recommend it very highly.

View attachment 516000

My grateful thanks to you both for your replies. Advice, as always, welcomed (and sought) and gratefully received.

Okay, the kettle discussion appears to have reached a consensus - at least among those who are advising me on such matters. Sweet Maria's still seem to stock them (which is more than I can say for their range of Chemex pots - I checked), whereas the ones stocked by Intelligentsia lack the all important thermometer in the base of the element.

On the topic of kettles, ours died today, after a few days where expiry was threatened. And, as is the way of life, it decided to favour me with the news of its demise at a hilariously inconvenient moment. Anyway, a colleague from abroad had called by (having been invited) for some 'real coffee'; the French Press was primed and prepped, the cheese laid out, Ethiopian coffee ready to rock, when the kettle decided that it was time to shuffle off this mortal coil, etc.

So, back to hospitality basics as I proceeded to boil water in a saucepan, any image of caffeine coolness shot to pieces, my guest cheerfully oblivious and grateful to receive whatever coffee I was able to offer.

On the topic of the Chemex itself is there any advice my advisors would care to tender? What about the volume? The three cup, models seem rather small to me; what recommendations would one suggest between the five cup and the eight cup models? (Even for me, I think a ten or twelve cup model would be considered excessive).

And a further query. Online research (including on the website of Chemex themselves) suggests that it is possible to obtain handblown (nicer, sturdier, and more attractive looking), or machine made versions. Any thoughts? (And yes, doubtless you know in advance what answer I wish to hear in response to this rhetorical question). More to the point, Sweet Maria's list every single Chemex - the handblown and the standard machine made ones - as out of stock. May well have to seek recourse to the official website of Chemex themselves, then……..

 

[S.B.G]

My grateful thanks to you both for your replies. Advice, as always, welcomed (and sought) and gratefully received.

Okay, the kettle discussion appears to have reached a consensus - at least among those who are advising me on such matters. Sweet Maria's still seem to stock them (which is more than I can say for their range of Chemex pots - I checked), whereas the ones stocked by Intelligentsia lack the all important thermometer in the base of the element.

On the topic of kettles, ours died today, after a few days where expiry was threatened. And, as is the way of life, it decided to favour me with the news of its demise at a hilariously inconvenient moment. Anyway, a colleague from abroad had called by (having been invited) for some 'real coffee'; the French Press was primed and prepped, the cheese laid out, Ethiopian coffee ready to rock, when the kettle decided that it was time to shuffle off this mortal coil, etc.

So, back to hospitality basics as I proceeded to boil water in a saucepan, any image of caffeine coolness shot to pieces, my guest cheerfully oblivious and grateful to receive whatever coffee I was able to offer.

On the topic of the Chemex itself is there any advice my advisors would care to tender? What about the volume? The three cup, models seem rather small to me; what recommendations would one suggest between the five cup and the eight cup models? (Even for me, I think a ten or twelve cup model would be considered excessive).

And a further query. Online research (including on the website of Chemex themselves) suggests that it is possible to obtain handblown (nicer, sturdier, and more attractive looking), or machine made versions. Any thoughts? (And yes, doubtless you know in advance what answer I wish to hear in response to this rhetorical question). More to the point, Sweet Maria's list every single Chemex - the handblown and the standard machine made ones - as out of stock. May well have to seek recourse to the official website of Chemex themselves, then……..

I forgot to mention that in addition to Fahrenheit the kettle also has settings for Celsius, for our European friends.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I forgot to mention that in addition to Fahrenheit the kettle also has settings for Celsius, for our European friends.

This particular EU citizen is bilingual in both Celsius and Fahrenheit…..but thank you for your kind thought, good sir.

 

[VideoFreek]

I was wandering around Zurich a few weeks ago and ran into a Nespresso store. OK, I understand that. But, when I ventured inside, I found, to my absolute and undying horror, a "Nespresso bar." You saddle up to the bar and order your "pod" and the "barrista" puts your pod-of-death into a Nespresso and makes you a coffee.

To wit, the evidence, taken by yours truly as I tried to hide a camera in my jacket.

Image

I said 10 Hail Shrinks and repeated Shrink's Law, but holy you know what, I don't think I have ever seen such an absurd homage to staleness. Not even SB.

LOL, yeah that probably came as quite a shock to you, since Nespresso doesn't operate so many of their "boutiques" in the USA (I count only 3 dozen or so on their website). But these are more common in European cities, typically situated in or near the high-end shopping streets that contain the "usual suspects" of ultra-luxe branding--Prada, Versace, Vertu, etc. That says it all, right there. The odd thing about these is that, besides the coffee bar, they offer the pods and a few accessories for sale, but the machines, while on display, but not sold there. And you are right--it does produce an odd feeling of amusement mixed with horror (is there a word for that?) to watch the exquisitely well-dressed patrons elegantly sipping away at their pod coffee.

This is of course integral to Nespresso's overall branding, reinforcing the core brand message that this is serious, high-end coffee. For better or worse, it apparently is working quite well for them.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

LOL, yeah that probably came as quite a shock to you, since Nespresso doesn't operate so many of their "boutiques" in the USA (I count only 3 dozen or so on their website). But these are more common in European cities, typically situated in or near the high-end shopping streets that contain the "usual suspects" of ultra-luxe branding--Prada, Versace, Vertu, etc. That says it all, right there. The odd thing about these is that, besides the coffee bar, they offer the pods and a few accessories for sale, but the machines, while on display, but not sold there. And you are right--it does produce an odd feeling of amusement mixed with horror (is there a word for that?) to watch the exquisitely well-dressed patrons elegantly sipping away at their pod coffee.

This is of course integral to Nespresso's overall branding, reinforcing the core brand message that this is serious, high-end coffee. For better or worse, it apparently is working quite well for them.

To be honest, I think the sheer convenience factor of the pods, (along with the extraordinarily successful marketing) together combined are what have helped give Nespresso such a widespread appeal.

 

[Thomas Veil]

About a year and a half ago we got a Cuisinart thermal carafe coffee maker. For the last few weeks it's started leaking out the bottom, so as happy as I was with it up until now, I can't recommend it.

 

[zen97]

Has anyone tried the Wilfa Precision Coffee Maker?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Has anyone tried the Wilfa Precision Coffee Maker?

Um, no. I can't say that I have.

Indeed, I must confess that I have never even heard of it. Do you use it, and how do you find it?

 

[mobilehaathi]

Has anyone tried the Wilfa Precision Coffee Maker?

Nope, but I have to admit I am intrigued by the design.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Nope, but I have to admit I am intrigued by the design.

Yes, that is a most extraordinary design. Not only am I intrigued by the design, but I'll admit to some slight burning curiosity as to how it actually works in practice.

Then, again, it could be simply the sort of design that is intended to provoke a response. Actually, in an odd way, it reminds me of one of the more unusual Belgian beer glasses (and you know that in civilised Belgium, their many wonderful beers all come with their very own, uniquely shaped and styled glass); anyway, the beer glass which this coffee making set calls to mind is that usually swerved with the Kwak beer, which is quite……extraordinary to behold.

 

[zen97]

Um, no. I can't say that I have.

Indeed, I must confess that I have never even heard of it. Do you use it, and how do you find it?

I saw it at Williams Sonoma.. might buy it to replace my Technivorm.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

And Chemex, - wedded to tradition though they seemed to have been - a name which means an exquisitely elegant pot, plus a method (and website) which I have been perusing, and thinking about for a few weeks now, have just announced that they intend to launch what they have decided to call an 'Ottomatic' in 2015…….

 

[D.T.]

A few months ago I discovered the weekend make-a-really-good-cup device was dearly departed (RIP French press...) So I casually mentioned a Chemex to the wife, who of course remembered and bought me a nice little 3-cup (and proper Chemex filters and even a lid) for Christmas.

Used it just this past weekend, and while I need to work on my technique the first results were pretty darn good. I grabbed some beans from a local cafe, decent mid-ranged, reasonably fresh (I’ll probably source online the next time).

Used our kitchen scale, used the suggested ratio, got a decent grind, water just at 200º. Wet the filter, initial pour to bloom, just a touch inside a small divot, a little around the outside, wait a minute, outside in 1/2 the remaining, then the final 1/2 (minus the initial tiny pour). Got a good shaping on the coffee in the filter (not collected at the bottom, but following the cone contours).

I’d like to pick up a nice gooseneck kettle for better precision (especially with the smaller Chemex), maybe a Hario or Fino.

Fun stuff. I haven’t made any really good coffee, without rushing in a long time

 

[Scepticalscribe]

A few months ago I discovered the weekend make-a-really-good-cup device was dearly departed (RIP French press...) So I casually mentioned a Chemex to the wife, who of course remembered and bought me a nice little 3-cup (and proper Chemex filters and even a lid) for Christmas.

Used it just this past weekend, and while I need to work on my technique the first results were pretty darn good. I grabbed some beans from a local cafe, decent mid-ranged, reasonably fresh (I’ll probably source online the next time).

Used our kitchen scale, used the suggested ratio, got a decent grind, water just at 200º. Wet the filter, initial pour to bloom, just a touch inside a small divot, a little around the outside, wait a minute, outside in 1/2 the remaining, then the final 1/2 (minus the initial tiny pour). Got a good shaping on the coffee in the filter (not collected at the bottom, but following the cone contours).

I’d like to pick up a nice gooseneck kettle for better precision (especially with the smaller Chemex), maybe a Hario or Fino.

Fun stuff. I haven’t made any really good coffee, without rushing in a long time

Well, I confess that I read your post describing your delight and joy when using the Chemex; it sounds relatively easy to make, seems quite wonderful to look at, and , above all, would appear to be quite delicious to drink. Well wear, and long may you enjoy using it.

 

[smallcoffee]

I don't think anything is better than a hand burr grinder and a French press.

 

[mrex]

Best Coffee Maker

Moka pot and fresh roasted coffee beans...
Moccamaster coffee maker (you cant go wrong with this)

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I don't think anything is better than a hand burr grinder and a French press.

Well, I really think it depends on what your particular preference is that particular day. Each day is different.

Some days, I am in a hurry, and am operating on something approximating to automatic pilot. Those are the days I choose the ceramic Hario drip cone, with its paper filter - a swiftly consumed cup of coffee swallowed in haste, at speed, mind elsewhere.

Then, other days, I have a guest. Someone drops by or calls in, sometimes by arrangement, or sometimes unexpectedly. Or my brother is around and we share a pot. Those are the days my (raspberry coloured) Le Creuset French Press is pressed into service, for a loner, lingering coffee, coffee with conversation, companionship, and congenial chat.

Then, there are the mornings I fancy a stove top espresso. That is when my battered and much loved Bialetti moka pot is fished out and put to work, gurgling on the stove. Such mornings, invariably, take place in summer when I have plenty of time to potter and prepare the coffee, and want to sit and think, and sip, savouring it all. Early autumn and spring are also times for this type of self-indulgent, but usually solitary (unless you count Mozart for company) sipping of coffee.

Doubtless, if, and when, I add a Chemex to that mix, it, too shall have its own ritual and carefully chosen moment of precisely planned consumption. (That is, of course, after the inevitable initial period of infatuation wears off; until then, as I know from dismal experience, the Chemex might trump everything else for a while….)

 

[smallcoffee]

Sorry I should have qualified that a bit more. I meant that in kind of a one-stop solution, general and easy, and cheap.

But yeah I would agree that there are other great options and they are good or better for different situations.