Looking for a new coffee machine...suggestions?

[Macky-Mac]

These were not coffee affictonatos, I presume the grocery, maybe preground.

my experience is that if you start with bad beans, you're going to end up with bad coffee no matter what hardware you use to brew it.....since you liked the taste of what they gave you, then whatever they used could be a good starting place for you.

But then maybe your interest was just a matter of being fascinated by the french press gadget

 

[Huntn]

my experience is that if you start with bad beans, you're going to end up with bad coffee no matter what hardware you use to brew it.....since you liked the taste of what they gave you, then whatever they used could be a good starting place for you.

But then maybe your interest was just a matter of being fascinated by the french press gadget

I appreciate the advice. The French press is inherently simple, so I was fascinated, but it was the richer taste of the coffee. Years ago, at a hotel I was served what was possibly the best of cup of coffee I ever tasted. I asked the server, but she did not know what kind of coffee it was, Black and no added flavors.

Not seriously, but since then, I have been searching for that taste which is hard to explain, dark coffee color, rich, smooth taste. I’m semi-convinced it was Colombian coffee, but I don’t really know.

My history of coffee brewing was drip brew, grinding beans, switched to buying preground (can’t say why, convienence?) keeping it in the freezer, quit cold turkey, restarted drinking instant which tastes pretty good, but then exposed to the press, and reading that paper filters rob the coffee of oils that effect the taste, decided to get one.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

You have spoken and I have listened, thanks all. I’ve switch to a Secura French Press Coffee Maker, 304 Grade Stainless Steel Insulated Coffee Press with 2 Extra Screens, 34oz (1 Litre), Silver, purchased last night from Amazon, it’s arriving today by 9pm. Love or hate Amazon, they offer amazing service.

View attachment 945145​

Well wear, and I hope you enjoy it when you receive it.

 

[LizKat]

I've never tried a Keurig, but based on your post just checked out the minis on Amazon. The size and convenience is tempting! Is it difficult to find great quality coffee for the pods? Do people really fill their own pods?

Yep i used to fill my own pods sometimes when i'd made a run up to Gimme Coffee and yet on the point of wanting a first cup at 5am didn't want to haul out even a pour-over setup much less the French press, pouring some ground-last-night Kenyan into a fill-your-own pod and hitting the button was like heaven.

But as @DT said, I also found some commercial k-cups that had decent brews in them. Green Mountain brand was fresh, and there was even one Wegman's store offering that I used to pick up when I was in Ithaca. I used to grab a few PriceChopper 12-packs that had novelty brews in them like vanilla or hazelnut once in awhile too. Anything to make a November pre-dawn trip into the kitchen for "coffee right now" seem like it might be worth it...

 

[Huntn]

Ok I had my introduction to my Secura Stainless Steel French Press. It’s simplicity and sleek lines is enjoyable to look at. But seeing made in China irritated me as usual (Another conversation).

I’m glad I opted out of the glass version. Of note the 34oz version does not make 34 Oz, it’s more petite than I imagined it to be before hand, but that’s ok. My goal was to make 32oz, but with the coffee grounds in it, it made about 28 Oz of coffee.

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Speaking of coffee, I purchased 8 O’Clock brand coffee, Colombian. I ground it in a older style elec bur grinder (about 25 years old) where the plastic top being pressed down starts it grinding. Using about 8 TBS of Ground coffee, it was on the strong side. The instructions said one rounded teaspoon of coffee per 4 Oz of water. I have to admit, the outcome was good. Tomorrow, I’ll revert to my instant for a taste comparison. I’m confident, this is better.

The instructions suggested to first fill the press with boiling hot water to heat it up. Then pour it out, add coffee, and add slightly below boiling water, allow to brew for about 4 minutes.

Does anyone preheat the press with boiling water? I’m wondering how much difference it makes to the brewing process. Thanks.

 

[0128672]

Ok I had my introduction to my Secura Stainless Steel French Press. It’s simplicity and sleek lines is enjoyable to look at. But seeing made in China irritated me as usual (Another conversation).

I’m glad I opted out of the glass version. Of note the 34oz version does not make 34 Oz, it’s more petite than I imagined it to be before hand, but that’s ok. My goal was to make 32oz, but with the coffee grounds in it, it made about 28 Oz of coffee.

View attachment 945790​

Speaking of coffee, I purchased 8 O’Clock brand coffee, Colombian. I ground it in a older style elec bur grinder (about 25 years old) where the plastic top being pressed down starts it grinding. Using about 8 TBS of Ground coffee, it was on the strong side. The instructions said one rounded teaspoon of coffee per 4 Oz of water. I have to admit, the outcome was good. Tomorrow, I’ll revert to my instant for a taste comparison. I’m confident, this is better.

The instructions suggested to first fill the press with boiling hot water to heat it up. Then pour it out, add coffee, and add slightly below boiling water, allow to brew for about 4 minutes.

Does anyone preheat the press with boiling water? I’m wondering how much difference it makes to the brewing process. Thanks.

Wait, did you say "instant"? Because yes, French press coffee will undoubtedly be better. Guaranteed.

 

[S.B.G]

Does anyone preheat the press with boiling water? I’m wondering how much difference it makes to the brewing process. Thanks.

Yes, always. I always pre-heat my mugs whether it's for coffee, espresso or hot chocolate.

I don't believe it aids in the brewing process but what it does is help prolong the coffee staying hot in your mug (or French Press).

If the mug is cold when the coffee goes in, the coffee goes cool much faster as the heat transference occurs to balance the difference between the cold mug and the hot coffee.

If the mug is already hot and the hot coffee goes in then the dissapation of heat is significantly reduced thus providing the drinker a longer lasting hot cup of joe.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Ok I had my introduction to my Secura Stainless Steel French Press. It’s simplicity and sleek lines is enjoyable to look at. But seeing made in China irritated me as usual (Another conversation).

I’m glad I opted out of the glass version. Of note the 34oz version does not make 34 Oz, it’s more petite than I imagined it to be before hand, but that’s ok. My goal was to make 32oz, but with the coffee grounds in it, it made about 28 Oz of coffee.

View attachment 945790​

Speaking of coffee, I purchased 8 O’Clock brand coffee, Colombian. I ground it in a older style elec bur grinder (about 25 years old) where the plastic top being pressed down starts it grinding. Using about 8 TBS of Ground coffee, it was on the strong side. The instructions said one rounded teaspoon of coffee per 4 Oz of water. I have to admit, the outcome was good. Tomorrow, I’ll revert to my instant for a taste comparison. I’m confident, this is better.

The instructions suggested to first fill the press with boiling hot water to heat it up. Then pour it out, add coffee, and add slightly below boiling water, allow to brew for about 4 minutes.

Does anyone preheat the press with boiling water? I’m wondering how much difference it makes to the brewing process. Thanks.

I always preheat both my French Press, and my coffee cup/mug with boiling water; otherwise, you'll have lukewarm coffee - which will be especially pronounced in winter.

Very glad that you seem to be enjoying your coffee with your new French Press.

 

[Huntn]

Wait, did you say "instant"? Because yes, French press coffee will undoubtedly be better. Guaranteed.

Yes, I said that, lol.

Yes, always. I always pre-heat my mugs whether it's for coffee, espresso or hot chocolate.

I don't believe it aids in the brewing process but what it does is help prolong the coffee staying hot in your mug (or French Press).

If the mug is cold when the coffee goes in, the coffee goes cool much faster as the heat transference occurs to balance the difference between the cold mug and the hot coffee.

If the mug is already hot and the hot coffee goes in then the dissapation of heat is significantly reduced thus providing the drinker a longer lasting hot cup of joe.

I always preheat both my French Press, and my coffee cup/mug with boiling water; otherwise, you'll have lukewarm coffee - which will be especially pronounced in winter.

Very glad that you seem to be enjoying your coffee with your new French Press.

I did not understand the significance preheating the French press, as all of my experience has been with drip coffee markers with heated plates, but freshly brewed in a drip, it was plenty hot hitting the cup. So the French press is a case of almost boiling water starting to cool down as soon as it hits the French Press. Last night I did preheat the press, but did not preheat the ceramic coffee mug and the coffee was hot. Now I’m not sure if this was my imagination, but the coffee seemed to taste better after it had cooled slightly.

And @D.T. I now understand why having a double walled insulated press would be a better choice.

I’ll have to try brewing it without preheating the press to see how that suits me.

The coffee I purchased came in a heavy metallic like packaging, so I think I’ll keep it in the fridge in a freezer bag instead of a canister. I read an article that said freezing coffee was ok, I suppose fridge or freezer should improve the life of the beans.

And I’ll still have to do a side to side with grocery brought and coffee shop bought regarding the impact of fresh beans.

 

[Huntn]

I knew, but I got rushed and poured boiling water on the coffee grounds (French Press). I was rewarded with coffee that had a chicory flavor, drinkable but not ideal. 😷

I have also found that the coffee made in the French press, without preheating it, stays hot, hot enough to be enjoyed. I believe the insulated double sided stainless of the press assists in this.

 

[D.T.]

I knew, but I got rushed and poured boiling water on the coffee grounds (French Press). I was rewarded with coffee that had a chicory flavor, drinkable but not ideal. 😷

As I said in a previous post, do __not__ use boiling water, that's 212˚ (F), you want 195-205˚, let it cool a bit, I'd guess if you just let the water boil, then give it a 30-40 second, ONE-MISSISSIPPI, you'd be good.

 

[Macky-Mac]

I knew, but I got rushed and poured boiling water on the coffee grounds (French Press). I was rewarded with coffee that had a chicory flavor, drinkable but not ideal. 😷

I have also found that the coffee made in the French press, without preheating it, stays hot, hot enough to be enjoyed. I believe the insulated double sided stainless of the press assists in this.

any further progress to report? hopefully you're not back to instant

 

[Huntn]

any further progress to report? hopefully you're not back to instant

Thanks for your interest.
I’m happily making coffee via a French Press, it’s the best. Of note, my coffee beans come from the grocery store. Even though I have an electric, I purchased a manual grinder which surprisingly is more work then I want to make grinding beans.

Based on the advice I got in this thread from @D.T. among others, I’m happy I chose the double sided stainless over the glass model, and it makes a slight noise when the grounds are pushed to the bottom, but nothing too irritating.

And during times when I don’t want to take the time, I’ll have a cup of instant, which is not that bad.