Coffee Makers

Escoffier · February 8, 2006

Grover and I have both a Senseo and a Melitta pod coffee maker. (and for you purists, we also have 3 different French Presses, a Braun automatic coffee maker and more tea pots than any one person should have). Coffee pod makers are fast and (with the right coffee) make pretty decent coffee. Anyone have a favorite coffee pod maker?
I buy coffee from Community Coffee in Baton Rouge and they just started making coffee pods for all coffee makers. I ordered one each of the dark roast and medium roast. So far the dark roast is the only one I've opened. It will work in both the Senseo and the Melitta machine. The coffee it makes is dark, rich, has a nice nose and is very smooth. It beats the Melitta coffee hands down.

Meaghan · February 8, 2006

Pod coffee maker. I thought that was some MP3 shit. Damn.

Escoffier · February 8, 2006

Pod coffee maker. I thought that was some MP3 shit. Damn.

Well, you could hum while the coffee is brewing... :lol:

Jacques Gastreaux · February 8, 2006

And I thought it was something from Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Escoffier · February 8, 2006

And I thought it was something from Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Until the coffee is made it could well be...at least I'm not sure who's running the store first thing in the morning until that first long sip of steaming hot coffee...

shogun · February 8, 2006

I'm a huge fan of our plumbed-in Keurig system at work. It's hard to clean, apparently. That is to say, they only clean it once every few months so it starts to go downhill after a while. It's very good before then, though. The coffee itself comes in at least 12 varieties (most of which are actually alright...I prefer the regional blends) and one pod makes 10 ounces.

--Matt

The Guy Who Always Seems To Try To Want To Make The Cup Just After Somebody Should Have Emptied The Spent Pod Bin So Has To Empty The Bin Before It Will Make Coffee

amyblues · February 8, 2006

I'm a huge fan of our plumbed-in Keurig system at work. It's hard to clean, apparently. That is to say, they only clean it once every few months so it starts to go downhill after a while. It's very good before then, though. The coffee itself comes in at least 12 varieties (most of which are actually alright...I prefer the regional blends) and one pod makes 10 ounces.
--Matt

My new job has a plumbed-in Keurig system too! The last job had coffee so bad I wouldn't offer it to my worst enemy so this is a revelation. Every cup fresh and some interesting varieties are offered. I'm trying to work my way through but keep getting stuck on the French roast.

LittleWing · February 8, 2006

I have a Melitta too - I've only tried the Melitta pods because I just bought it. Now its time to reorder - Do all pods fit in the Melitta machine?

I like the convenience, but I find that it makes a little bit of a mess- the water kind of leaks out (down the front, behind the spout) and then I have to spend as much time cleaning it as it would take to brew a regular pot. But I rarely want more than one cup (or two, if my Domestic Partner aka boyfriend wants me to make him some too), so it works for me.

Escoffier · February 8, 2006

I have a Melitta too - I've only tried the Melitta pods because I just bought it. Now its time to reorder - Do all pods fit in the Melitta machine?
I like the convenience, but I find that it makes a little bit of a mess- the water kind of leaks out (down the front, behind the spout) and then I have to spend as much time cleaning it as it would take to brew a regular pot. But I rarely want more than one cup (or two, if my Domestic Partner aka boyfriend wants me to make him some too), so it works for me.

All pods will fit in all machines (with the caveat that you have to be careful to tamp that little devil down so nothing exends over the rim)...I use the Dark Roast from CommunityCoffee.com and it's extremely good (and $4.99 for 16 pods it's a decent buy as well).

When you put the pod in the holder, make sure nothing is above the silver rim. I used to have this problem as well but now that I'm packing the pods down...no problems. I also use the ice tea spout as opposed to the coffee spout and that makes it easier to get a mug under the spout. I also use both buttons...large cup button first, small cup button once the water heats up the second time. Makes about a 12 ounce cup of good coffee (and quick as well).

ol_ironstomach · April 3, 2007

The Aeropress, a sort of glorified giant syringe from the mad scientist who invented the Aerobie, has been drawing very favorable notice from coffee geeks over the last year or two. Has anyone here played with one of these contraptions? Handy replacement for the venerable French press, or expensive plastic toy?

Obligatory pod content: on a whim, I bought (and subsequently retired) a Senseo from Costco about two years ago...partly on the theory that it could be a passable teamaker. It was sorta convenient, but eventually I replaced it with an electric vacuum pot and a "perfect teamaker" from Teavana. As for making coffee with it...meh. What's with that fakey crema?

Meaghan · April 4, 2007

The other day I got one of these puppies for my office. The noise it makes when the beans grind automatically is like a jet taking off ( a good thing), and it brews a pretty decent cup. Neeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaarrrrrr (grind, grind, grind). I'm into sound effects.

giant shrimp · April 4, 2007

we have settled into the french press in recent years because it seems to brew the best tasting coffee. it's not entirely convenient, especially in an office setting, but at home the ritual is easy, and you can experiment until you find the method that's just right for you. i grind the beans quite fine and don't mind some fortifying sludge at the bottom of the cup. we had a fun alessi press wrapped in a green plastic alien, but eventually had to abandon it when it started cracking. currently, we are using an eight-cup chrome-plated bodum (from sur la table), which is holding up much better than the alien at well under half the price. I still warm up the pot with hot tap water even though it is made of heat-resistant borosilicate glass. the filter is easy to loosen and clean.

dcs · April 4, 2007

The other day I got one of these puppies for my office. The noise it makes when the beans grind automatically is like a jet taking off ( a good thing), and it brews a pretty decent cup. Neeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaarrrrrr (grind, grind, grind). I'm into sound effects.

How easy is it to clean? Although I have long been tempted, I have resisted getting an integrated bean grinder / coffee machine because I have heard reports that the grinder mechanism gets damp from the brewing and gets to be a little messy in the clean up. Is this true? For now, I just use a separate bean grinder. Anything that can save me an extra 10 seconds in the morning would be well worth it. :blink: Thanks.

monsterriffs · April 4, 2007

it's not entirely convenient, especially in an office setting

I actually have a small 1.5 US cup french press I keep in my desk and, honestly, I think it's more convenient than dealing with the machines or running to Starbucks. Cleaning it takes all of 5 minutes and that's something you just do on the fly when you have some downtime. Sure, it's not as convenient as having the coffee ready for you in the pot, but honestly, since most of us are gourmands here anyway, wouldn't you rather have the better tasting coffee for just a fraction more effort?

giant shrimp · April 4, 2007

wouldn't you rather have the better tasting coffee for just a fraction more effort?

bodum makes a portable press as well, i believe. however, i stopped drinking coffee in the office long ago, when i was getting enough jitters without it. there is nothing short of tranquilizers that will prevent me from staying up half the night if i have had too much coffee during the day, and at this time of the year, with the carpet beetles forcing themselves through the mesh of the window screens to lay their eggs in our home, that would be an absolute nightmare, even with the minute spiders waiting for them with their traps spun on the sills.

Meaghan · April 4, 2007

How easy is it to clean? Although I have long been tempted, I have resisted getting an integrated bean grinder / coffee machine because I have heard reports that the grinder mechanism gets damp from the brewing and gets to be a little messy in the clean up. Is this true? For now, I just use a separate bean grinder. Anything that can save me an extra 10 seconds in the morning would be well worth it. Thanks.

I don't think it's that messy-you just have to get the system down. Really hungover, it's a little messy maybe. Set up near the sink and drag the trash can to you. I wash and dry well between uses and have it queued to go on a whim (b/c you never know when you'll want to crack out on coffee).

DLB · April 4, 2007

I have been using a french press for the last few years with mix results. A few weeks ago, I came home to find the glass insert missing. I found out later that night that the cleaning people broke it and threw it in the trash, this really pissed me off at first. However, I did not make a fuss about, as these things do happen. So last week I decided to purchase a stove top expresso maker, just to try something new. The results have been a more consistent cup of coffee, I love it. and will never go back to the french press.

squidsdc · April 4, 2007

I bought a small french press for work, since I am the only one drinking decaf. (I used to be able to drink the full-leaded stuff, but no more as I get too jittery) Last year, surprisingly, my cholesterol did go up unwarranted and this is the only thing I could attribute it to, as my dining and lack of exercise habits had not changed. I stopped drinking the french press coffee as soon as this report came out, and my cholesterol came back down.

So, I resorted to purchasing a good thermal carafe to keep the leaded stuff hot when I want to brew some decaf for myself. We just have a Basic Braun drip, but we purchase good coffee from Royal Blue Organics. To me the difference comes in the ratio used for making the coffee ~2 T per 6 oz of water is the way to go! (That's the benefit of being the only decaf drinker--I don't have to put up with those who only will drink coffee made with 1T per 8 oz of water)

giant shrimp · April 5, 2007

I stopped drinking the french press coffee as soon as this report came out, and my cholesterol came back down.

maybe it's time to switch to green tea. when i'm dead, i would hate to think i had done it to myself.

mdt · April 5, 2007

I bought a small french press for work, since I am the only one drinking decaf. (I used to be able to drink the full-leaded stuff, but no more as I get too jittery) Last year, surprisingly, my cholesterol did go up unwarranted and this is the only thing I could attribute it to, as my dining and lack of exercise habits had not changed. I stopped drinking the french press coffee as soon as this report came out, and my cholesterol came back down.

Well here is one interesting quote from the article. Seems like you need to average a pretty hefty amount before you need to worry about it. I am keeping my French press.

They found that drinking an average of six cups of coffee a day was associated with increased total cholesterol and LDL, the harmful type of cholesterol. Nearly all of the rise in cholesterol was linked to unfiltered coffee.

monsterriffs · April 5, 2007

Well here is one interesting quote from the article. Seems like you need to average a pretty hefty amount before you need to worry about it. I am keeping my French press.

Agreed. Even if you were drinking only regular, filtered coffee, wouldn't drinking six cups of that stuff result in adverse health effects anyway? Seems like the old adage "everything in moderation" is applicable here.

lackadaisi · April 5, 2007

I love my Nespresso!! At home, we have the Nespresso Concept, which makes near-perfect cappuccinos in 2 minutes flat, including clean-up. Jlock and I agree that it is one of the best purchases that we have ever made (even though we thought we might be wasting our money when we bought it), and we have used it every single day since we bought it 2 years ago. At work, I have the Essenza, which I thought was necessary because I got so spoiled by the coffee at home, but really, I probably don't use it enough to justify the purchase (that might be due to a decrease in caffeine consumption that I undertook soon after its purchase).

squidsdc · April 5, 2007

Well here is one interesting quote from the article. Seems like you need to average a pretty hefty amount before you need to worry about it. I am keeping my French press.

As well you should. I don't dispute it, I just know that the tie-in worked for me (I call 'em as I see 'em...) I actually prefer being able to use the coffee maker, as it means less time futzing and cleaning the french press. Plus it's easier to multi-task while the coffee is brewing.

Remember the mice that got cancer after drinking the equivalent of 800 cans of diet soda? Saccharin was banned due to those studies! At least, for now, the decision is up to each individual.

shogun · April 6, 2007

They found that drinking an average of six cups of coffee a day was associated with increased total cholesterol and LDL, the harmful type of cholesterol. Nearly all of the rise in cholesterol was linked to unfiltered coffee.

Do they mean six ACTUAL cups of coffee (Say like 'large' cup or 'medium' cup), or six wussy six-ounce 'servings' you use to measure out how much coffee you need, a laughable system based surely on some mid-19th century supersitition about the devil, or perhaps war rationing? :blink:

RaisaB · April 6, 2007

I have one of these Jura Capressa. This is the second one I have had, the first was recalled and they replaced it with this one. It is incredible! No cleaning, it cleans itself. Easy coffee, just press a button. Better than anything else out there. (Commercial machines excluded). It has easily paid for itself over 7 years! (The one I bought originally was the demo model and I got it very cheap).

tfbrennan · April 6, 2007

For the past year or so, I've used the Toddy cold brewing system at home. My wife, who is bothered by coffee's acidity and to a lesser extent, caffeine, believes the claims that this system results in less of both. She also brews tea with it, so we've got containers of both concentrates in the refrigerator. We simply boil water in the morning and add it to a few ounces of concentrate in our mugs, the ratio of water to concentrate depending on our respective preferences. A review of the Toddy system

Spiral Stairs · April 6, 2007

Do they mean six ACTUAL cups of coffee (Say like 'large' cup or 'medium' cup), or six wussy six-ounce 'servings' you use to measure out how much coffee you need, a laughable system based surely on some mid-19th century supersitition about the devil, or perhaps war rationing?

I'm sure they are referring to the wussy "cups" that no one really drinks. Sort of like:

1. "Serving" size. By the official definition, a Ray's cowboy cut is more than nine servings of meat.

2. "Sleeping through the night." By the official definition, a baby sleeps through the night if said baby sleeps for FIVE consecutive hours. I don't know about you, but I don't think a baby who sleeps from 8PM to 1AM has "slept through the night."

But I digress...

thistle · April 6, 2007

Well, not a pod, but a plug for a small size (8-cup) thermal carafe machine-Capresso. It's at least 10 years old, has been used almost daily, & I'd buy one again. I grind my beans every 2-3 days, have a Capresso grinder, but preferred the Braun grinder I had earlier (had a timer)....

Ilaine · April 6, 2007

French press here. Spoiled me for anything else, Starbucks included.

There is more futzing, true. Leftover grounds go into the composter or the garbage disposal. The messy pot and filter goes into the dishwasher the night before, or if not, by the time the pot is washed and the beans are ground and measured, the water is boiling.

A timer keeps me from wandering off and forgetting about it.

If there is method of making coffee that doesn't require cleaning grounds, it may be pods, but if you must have pods, couldn't you put pods into a French press pot?

My cholesterol was OK last time I checked, but at any rate, giving up coffee would be unthinkable.

Al Dente · April 7, 2007

Been using the same Mr. Coffee coffee maker since 1974. Good enough for Joltin' Joe, good enough for me.

Barbara · April 7, 2007

Been using the same Mr. Coffee coffee maker since 1974. Good enough for Joltin' Joe, good enough for me.

Do you really mean that you have a Mr. Coffee maker that has lasted 30 YEARS? I've never had one that last 30 months.

Choirgirl21 · November 7, 2008

I only saw one reference to the aeropress in an old post. Not sure how many coffee connoisseurs there are on here, but thought I'd report on the aeropress. My boyfriend picked one up recently and after a weekend of drinking coffee from it I have ordered my own. Not only is it incredibly easy to use, easy to clean, and quick, it produces coffee that has lower acidity levels which means my stomach doesn't suffer like it inevitably does from the store-bought stuff, or even the stuff I make in my french press. I didn't think I could be so enamored with a coffee maker until using this. It's available online for $25 (free super saving shipping if you buy from Amazon). I may end up buying a second one for my office.

I really sound like a sales ad, but I swear, I am just happy that I've discovered it. Oh, it makes espresso too.

November 7, 2008

I'll second that. I don't use my Aeropress daily because it requires much more coffee (ground) than other methods do, but it does make great coffee. More specifically, I think it actually makes an Americano. What you get out of it is espresso, and then you add hot water to make it an Americano. But anyway it is highly recommended :lol:

(For daily use I have a Chemex. I bring my Aeropress with me when I travel.)

Choirgirl21 · November 7, 2008

I'll second that. I don't use my Aeropress daily because it requires much more coffee (ground) than other methods do, but it does make great coffee. More specifically, I think it actually makes an Americano. What you get out of it is espresso, and then you add hot water to make it an Americano. But anyway it is highly recommended
(For daily use I have a Chemex. I bring my Aeropress with me when I travel.)

That is the one drawback that I've noticed as well.

I'm a little curious about the Americano description. I've been adding enough water to get to the 2 level and with that, I get what I consider a normal cup of coffee (I don't add water afterward). This is with 2 rounded T of coffee grinds. I like my coffee strong, but don't feel what results is any stronger than what you'd get at say Starbucks. So what's the deal?

November 7, 2008

That's interesting. I use the scoop that came with the Aeropress, which is a larger volume than a tablespoon. So if I use two scoops and fill to the 2 level on the Aeropress, I am making a stronger brew than you. I then add water afterward to taste. I should try it your way! Do you use an espresso grind, or something more coarse (like drip)?

perrik · November 10, 2008

Heat a cup of milk, froth it with a wand (less than $20 - mine was $1.99 from IKEA)
Pop 2 scoops of espresso-grind dark roast into the Aeropress, fill to a little under level 2, work that vacuum magic.
Combine the two and watch your weekly latte budget take a huge nosedive.

I love my Aeropress.

Al Dente · November 10, 2008

I never heard of an Aeropress so I checked out their website. In addition to this coffee-making device, the company makes various frisbees.

I'm a little skeptical of buying my coffee maker from Wham-O.

ol_ironstomach · November 10, 2008

I never heard of an Aeropress so I checked out their website. In addition to this coffee-making device, the company makes various frisbees.
I'm a little skeptical of buying my coffee maker from Wham-O.

Removing my "normal person" disguise for a moment, the Aerobie is much, much cooler than a Frisbee. Here's a link if you want the gory details, but the crux is that the airfoil is designed to be more efficient flying "backwards" than forwards, because the trailing edge of the ring has to fly in the turbulent wake of the leading edge.

Inventor Alan Adler, I gather, needs a lot of coffee. Here's an episode of Weapons Masters in which he makes a brief appearance (about 17 minutes in) explaining his flying rings. And yeah, that's the Capitol in the background...portions of the show are filmed here in DC.

lizzie · December 13, 2008

Doe anyone use a Cuisinart coffee maker - we have tired off Senseo and the french press is not our best morning option, so I am considering a drip machine. I am open to either a simple brew machine or one that grinds and brews. Other brands/particular machines anyone favors?

youngfood · December 13, 2008

Doe anyone use a Cuisinart coffee maker - we have tired off Senseo and the french press is not our best morning option, so I am considering a drip machine. I am open to either a simple brew machine or one that grinds and brews. Other brands/particular machines anyone favors?

I reccomend avoiding the grind and brew. While it is convenient that it can be set to automatically grind for you, it is terribly inconvenient to clean. Unless you are really excited to set the machine up the night before and come downstairs to a pot of fresh ground brewed coffee, the difficulties of cleaning the wet grounds out of the machine after each use outweighs the positives on these models, I think.

Beto · December 13, 2008

I'm a big proponent of the Melitta-style pourover method of brewing, for both the quality and simplicity of it. All you need is a way to make boiling water, a coffee grinder, a Melitta drip cone and filters.

It takes me all of 4 minutes to make a cup of coffee that rivals (or exceeds) any drip machine out there. With one exception that I'm aware of, home drip machines don't get water hot enough to properly extract enough flavor from the coffee. The result is a relatively lifeless cup of coffee with very little complexity or nuance.

dcs · December 13, 2008

Cooks Illustrated raved about the Technivorm Moccamaster.

Link-A-Dink

At $265, however, I have not yet been able to pull the trigger.

lackadaisi · December 13, 2008

Nespresso! It changed my life.

ETA: I just noticed that I mentioned this about a year and a half ago earlier in this thread. For me, however, it is worth mentioning again, because I continue to love it!!!!!!! (As do the multitude of people who show up at my house and immediately insist on cappuccino.)

Beto · December 13, 2008

Cooks Illustrated raved about the Technivorm Moccamaster.
Link-A-Dink

At $265, however, I have not yet been able to pull the trigger.

That's the one exception to which I was referring. It's an awesome machine, but not exactly recession-friendly.

Mark Slater · December 13, 2008

I'm a big proponent of the Melitta-style pourover method of brewing, for both the quality and simplicity of it. All you need is a way to make boiling water, a coffee grinder, a Melitta drip cone and filters.
It takes me all of 4 minutes to make a cup of coffee that rivals (or exceeds) any drip machine out there. With one exception that I'm aware of, home drip machines don't get water hot enough to properly extract enough flavor from the coffee. The result is a relatively lifeless cup of coffee with very little complexity or nuance.

I was a Melitta guy for many years and in the past year have come to prefer my French press. I also stopped buying the ridiculously priced coffee at the Safeway preferring the insanely cheap whole bean varieties at Trader Joe's.

Beto · December 13, 2008

I was a Melitta guy for many years and in the past year have come to prefer my French press. I also stopped buying the ridiculously priced coffee at the Safeway preferring the insanely cheap whole bean varieties at Trader Joe's.

Looks like our arcs swung in opposite directions. I used to do almost only French press, but in the last year or so, Melitta's been my go-to. Thing is, some coffees are better suited for the full-body that the press pot gives, and others are more delicate and lend themselves to filter.

Either way, just enjoy what you're drinking!

MarkS · December 15, 2008

We just threw ours out. Too hyped and did not produce.

Beto · December 16, 2008

We just threw ours out. Too hyped and did not produce.

What did you throw out?

Treva · December 17, 2008

What did you throw out?

Not the Technivorm? Is it too late to rescue it?

I've read this entire topic thread and didn't see any mention of grinders. Okay. Okay. The topic is Coffee Makers. Still, I am dismayed to read that some are using PODS! Ack. This is not proper good coffee. Freshly roasted quality beans and a good burr grinder are the most important factors contributing to good home brewing. Water quality and a steady hand are also helpful.

I'm a bit fed up with french press and am buying a Chemex Classic with a polished wood collar and leather tie. Such a dandy thang. http://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/Coffeemakers.htmand

And a cloth filter http://barismo.com/2008/11/cloth-filter.html

I like the Chemex Hand Blown Water Kettle as well.

Sensual. Simple. Ritual.

Happy holidays to me. Happy holidays to me. Great coffee is the only thing that can purge my Grinchetteness.

goodeats · July 2, 2010

I had a total coffeegeek moment when I was in Chicago in early June: Millennium intelligentsia had a Hario Siphon Coffee option that I couldn't try because 12oz was too much for just myself. Instead, I just stood around and captured it on camera to share this cup-o'-joe-moment (flicker stream) with y'all. This method is by FAR my favorite way to brew coffee.

Escoffier · July 2, 2010

I had a total coffeegeek moment when I was in Chicago in early June: Millennium intelligentsia had a Hario Siphon Coffee option that I couldn't try because 12oz was too much for just myself.

Wow!! The old Bunn commercial coffee maker lives. If you ever ate in a diner, you may remember those stainless steel coffee pots with the plug-in siphon top. Here are a couple of alternatives to paying more than $45 for a siphon coffee maker. Siphon Coffee Makers.

weinoo · July 2, 2010

I'm totally into my newish vacuum pot, though when I'm brewing coffee for just me, I tend to use a simple one-cup drip method.

And an Aeropress, as delicious a cup of coffee as it makes, is not making espresso.

lperry · July 2, 2010

I'm totally into my newish vacuum pot, though when I'm brewing coffee for just me, I tend to use a simple one-cup drip method.

And an Aeropress, as delicious a cup of coffee as it makes, is not making espresso.

Thank you for posting this! A friend has an ancient one of these that has metal pieces, and I figured it was a design that wasn't made any more. This pot makes coffee that I like almost as well as Turkish coffee.

weinoo · July 2, 2010

Thank you for posting this! A friend has an ancient one of these that has metal pieces, and I figured it was a design that wasn't made any more. This pot makes coffee that I like almost as well as Turkish coffee.

No problem. Do a search for vacuum pots...I think I got mine from northwest something or other. Or Amazon. Around $40, and buy a couple of replacement filters along with it. The high-end Japanese pots will run more, but aren't really necessary, in my opinion.

Pool Boy · July 4, 2010

I am a lazy punk during the week and I get my caffeine at work through one of those make by the cup things. I know, it's not so great.

But on the weekends, when I am feeling a little indulgent, I'll break out the old school Itailan stovetop espresso maker thingie. Love it. And, if I am not feeling that adventurous, I'll just french press it.

Ilaine · July 24, 2010

Just got a nice Capress Infinity conical burr grinder, doesn't seem like it's going to get plugged up like my old ones, but new problem, the ground coffee has so much static electricity it flies everywhere and makes much more mess than I care to deal with first thing in the morning!

At the same time, the gasket on the cannister I store my coffee in got chewed up in the dishwasher -- memo to self, gaskets should not be put in the dishwasher -- and while I am searching for a replacement the coffee may have dried out somewhat.

I thought I had solved the coffee storage problem by ordering a Fresh-o-lator from Community Coffee but they don't make them like they used to, it's not air tight at all.

Solutions?

zoramargolis · July 24, 2010

I thought I had solved the coffee storage problem by ordering a Fresh-o-lator from Community Coffee but they don't make them like they used to, it's not air tight at all.

Solutions?

Check at The Container Store.

Choirgirl21 · July 31, 2010

But on the weekends, when I am feeling a little indulgent, I'll break out the old school Itailan stovetop espresso maker thingie. Love it. And, if I am not feeling that adventurous, I'll just french press it.

So I keep forgetting to bring my Aeropress back home from work, leaving myself with only 3 other options to have coffee - a regular 12-cup drip coffeemaker, a french press, and a stovetop espresso maker. The thing is, I've forgotten how to use the latter, don't remember the proper proportions for the press, and the drop, well blech. Can someone remind me how to use the espresso pot, and what amount of grounds (and what grind) you would recommend for that and the press? I do like my coffee on the stronger side although maybe not quite tarry - if I make the espresso, I'll just add to whole milk to make a latte.

Oh, I forgot, I have a 4th option, my jetboil camping stove has a coffee attachment. But that's really just a french press as well.

DonRocks · December 2, 2013

I think it's time.

I'm ready to drop some major coinage on an espresso machine.

Or maybe, I should get something else.

My Cuisinart Grind-and-Brew is fine for what it does, but it's awful for what it doesn't.

I want to pull some bad-assed expresso (yes, that's the French spelling, so don't correct me) shots. And scald me some lactose-free milk in the process.

How much maintenance cleaning is involved in owning a top-notch machine?

I like Americanos because they give me adequate "volume" without pumping up the caffeine until I'm sprinting up-and-down stairs singing the Chiquita Banana song.

They're going to be calling me Barrista Barney before long.

Okay:

1) Any advice? I'm starting from zero, and need to acquire as much information as possible.

2) Should I split this topic up, and if so, what's the logical way to do it?

Where the hell is Nick Cho?

hungry prof · December 2, 2013

I've been thinking about and researching this exact same purchase for a long time, but have yet to take the plunge. For what it's worth, my research suggests that the conventional wisdom is that your grinder is just as important--if not more important--as the actual espresso machine. You can get the world's greatest espresso machine, but it'll do you no good without a quality grinder. Conversely, you can make a good espresso with an excellent grinder and just an average machine.

There's a great shop called Seattle Coffee Gear that has a bunch of useful videos posted on various grinders and machines. They're also really friendly on the phone. When I finally do this, I'll probably buy from them.

zoramargolis · December 2, 2013

I think it's time.

I'm ready to drop some major coinage on an espresso machine.

Or maybe, I should get something else.

My Cuisinart Grind-and-Brew is fine for what it does, but it's awful for what it doesn't.

I want to pull some bad-assed expresso (yes, that's the French spelling, so don't correct me) shots. And scald me some lactose-free milk in the process.

How much maintenance cleaning is involved in owning a top-notch machine?

I like Americanos because they give me adequate "volume" without pumping up the caffeine until I'm sprinting up-and-down stairs singing the Chiquita Banana song.

They're going to be calling me Barrista Barney before long.

Okay:

1) Any advice? I'm starting from zero, and need to acquire as much information as possible.

2) Should I split this topic up, and if so, what's the logical way to do it?

Where the hell is Nick Cho?

First question you must ask: do you want a machine that has a built-in grinder, or not? If you do, the comments below won't be as helpful.

I am looking for a new machine, because while it has served us very well, our SAECO Aroma is several years old and has just about pooped out, as inexpensive machines usually do. We have a very good Rancilio Rocky grinder, so we don't want an espresso maker with a built-in grinder. After looking at reviews on the web, I have narrowed our search down to two options: Rancilio Silvia (the highest rated and most expensive in that category) and Gaggia Classic 14101. Those two machines pretty much have to be ordered online-- I've had good experiences in the past at wholelattelove.com. The Breville EP8XL Cafe Roma is sold at Sur la Table, as well as online, but the reviews I read turned me off about that machine's durability.

On the other hand, you can make exceptionally good coffee with an AeroPress, which costs about $25, and get a separate milk foamer that you put into the microwave. We've been making morning cappuccino with the espresso machine, and afternoon coffee with the AeroPress, and I'm not sure which we enjoy more.

Escoffier · December 2, 2013

I have a Capresso Impressa C9 which automatically grinds the beans, produces the steam, siphons the milk and makes one damn fine cappuccino as well as "normal" coffeel. It is a self-cleaning maker which also makes it nice. Unfortunately, we're going to be without for a few days while it gets a logic board updated (as part of the warranty service).

thistle · December 2, 2013

I also had a Capresso coffeemaker, after 15+ years, some small piece broke off, & I replaced it w/ an inexpensive Hamilton Beach coffeemaker-my coffee is just not that good anymore, & I realize I need to get a better coffeemaker. I don't need one that does it all (I have a grinder), but I think a thermal carafe is necessary. I am low tech, I just want coffee that tastes good....

porcupine · December 3, 2013

Has anyone played around with home roasting coffee beans? I'm thinking of getting one of these. I don't want that nasty smell in my house, though.

Rovers2000 · December 3, 2013

As someone who has debated going for one of the high end espresso machines this is something I've been considering for awhile: ROK Manual Espresso maker

It received high marks from America's Test Kitchen FWIW

Beto · December 4, 2013

Coffeegeek is a great authority for coffee and espresso-related gadgetry. Both the Behmor home roaster and the ROK espresso maker get high marks.

I've been following the website for years and they've never steered me wrong.

Beto · December 5, 2013

I think it's time.

I'm ready to drop some major coinage on an espresso machine.

Or maybe, I should get something else.

My Cuisinart Grind-and-Brew is fine for what it does, but it's awful for what it doesn't.

I want to pull some bad-assed expresso (yes, that's the French spelling, so don't correct me) shots. And scald me some lactose-free milk in the process.

How much maintenance cleaning is involved in owning a top-notch machine?

I like Americanos because they give me adequate "volume" without pumping up the caffeine until I'm sprinting up-and-down stairs singing the Chiquita Banana song.

They're going to be calling me Barrista Barney before long.

Okay:

1) Any advice? I'm starting from zero, and need to acquire as much information as possible.

2) Should I split this topic up, and if so, what's the logical way to do it?

Where the hell is Nick Cho?

Don, what type of budget are you looking at? If you're looking to spend around $1K, the Rancilio Silvia/Rocky combo can't be beat. Like it's been said before, the grinder is just as critical in the chain as is the espresso machine. I've had a Rocky in daily use for over 10 years and it is still going strong.

Maintenance-wise, a simple backflush after use will be sufficient. Use bottled water and I would recommend descaling it every 6 months or so with this stuff. I've rebuilt a few machines and more often than not, the reason that they needed repair was for lack of regular descaling.

lperry · December 10, 2013

It is a daily deal for Christmas, so the link will probably not be working tomorrow, but Costco has $600 off a Saeco Xelsis machine today. Being something of a coffee philistine, I have no idea if it's a good one, but I thought it might be a good deal.

zoramargolis · December 10, 2013

It is a daily deal for Christmas, so the link will probably not be working tomorrow, but Costco has $600 off a Saeco Xelsis machine today. Being something of a coffee philistine, I have no idea if it's a good one, but I thought it might be a good deal.

Saeco makes very good espresso machines. I have had good luck with two Saeco "bottom-of-the-line" non-automatic machines. They don't last forever, but each has given us 4-5 years of daily excellent espresso beverages.

porcupine · December 10, 2013

I want to pull some bad-assed expresso (yes, that's the French spelling, so don't correct me) shots.

Mais vous écrit en anglais. So it's snobbery to use the French spelling. And misleading.

Escoffier · December 10, 2013

Mais vous écrit en anglais. So it's snobbery to use the French spelling. And misleading.

Pourquoi?

eating out · December 19, 2013

So... what's the verdict, DR? I'm on the market for a machine as well...

squidsdc · December 25, 2013

Hey Don-Serious Eats has a roundup here. "The State of the Art: What's New in Coffee Equipment" posted by Nick Cho Dec 23rd.

wolverine · June 5, 2015

Given Don's recent post on grinders and my recent coffeemaker troubles, thought I'd move this one up. My Cuisinart DCC-2800 Perfect Temp recently broke. I liked the coffee it made, but it only lasted about 18 months (leaked). Looking for a good, reliable drip coffee machine for weekday morning coffee. I've looked at Consumer Report and they recommend the Cuisinart and then this Mr. Coffee drip as their top two. Just bought the Mr. Coffee, but don't love it. I've got a separate grinder, which I prefer to built-in grinders for when I grind coffee. Any suggestions/recommendations?

dwt · June 5, 2015

We've been happy with this Cuisinart for everyday use:

We are actually on the second one -- the first lasted for many years (it actually had a stainless steel rather than the current plastic body panels). I think our current one is at least 5 years old.

DonRocks · June 5, 2015

I'm on my second Cuisinart Grind & Brew, and I have to say, I'm not buying a third. The grinder is lame, the water doesn't get that hot, and I'm going "Finklestein" - I'm too old to be having anything less than awesome coffee. One thing that was nice about it was the "Pause and Pour" feature (where you can yank the pot out as it's dripping, to avoid having to wait for the entire thing to finish), but the downsides outweighed the upsides, and it was pretty tough to clean. I'm going high-level grinder, and either pour-over or French press, with a subscription to Qualia's coffee beans - I know, I know, $50 a month for coffee beans is nutso, but I honestly think it will be worth it (plus I can always stop) - hell, I probably spend $1,000 a year anyway on mostly lousy coffee that I drink only to get caffeinated; the last time I had a truly great cup of coffee was at Qualia, a couple of months ago - I had a decent cup at Caffe Aficianado, but I haven't had a genuinely great cup of coffee since March.

lekkerwijn · June 6, 2015

My feeling is if you are going to use expensive beans don't settle for mediocre methodology. Invest in a high quality grinder. With practice a pour over system, French Press or Aeropress- all of which are cheap - will get you coffee shop quality brew. That said, I also love my Nespresso machine for speed and ease of use to quality ratio. Now that the pods are off patent in Europe there are some well made refillable pods that can be ordered and I imagine with some ingenuity you could hack a great espresso.

hapatite · February 24, 2016

I also use an Aeropress. Used to use a delonghi espresso maker, but the Aeropress is just as good without all the fuss.

JBag57 · November 7, 2016

We are suddenly in the market for a good coffee maker. Seeing as how the most recent post is 9-1/2 years old (sorry about that, I guess I was on the first page of the thread, not the last), I am wondering if anyone has something newer on the market that he or she is pleased with. Grind and brew or brew only are both options, what I am mainly looking for is one that will heat the water to an appropriate temperature to brew an entire pot of coffee, and that I won't have to replace on a yearly basis. TIA.

Edited November 7, 2016 by JBag57

DonRocks · November 7, 2016

33 minutes ago, JBag57 said:

We are suddenly in the market for a good coffee maker. Seeing as how the most recent post is 9-1/2 years old, I am wondering if anyone has something newer on the market that he or she is pleased with. Grind and brew or brew only are both options, what I am mainly looking for is one that will heat the water to an appropriate temperature to brew an entire pot of coffee, and that I won't have to replace on a yearly basis. TIA.

Read "A Chat with Joel Finklestein" from start to finish - you'll be glad you did.

If you order a good grinder from him, you'll *never* look back.

Just think when you're paying $5 more for a grinder through Qualia when you could get the same thing through Amazon: He educated you, and you're helping to support an honest business (as opposed to buying one from Caffe Aficiando). Joel gets my money every single month, and I'm *delighted* to give it to him.

---

This one post in particular "cuts" to the heart of grinders (a small part of the post, quoting Joel):

"Hands down, the best way to experience coffee is to buy it fresh and grind it right before you use it. A good grinder (we carry Baratza burr mills) will make a noticeable difference in the coffee you make at home, but the difference between grinding at home and preground coffee is so significant, that I encourage customers to buy whatever home grinder is in their budget. Buying good quality, fresh roasted coffee preground is like buying a nice wine then serving it warm in a dixie cup.

I like Baratza grinders because they are a good value, ranging in price from $129 up to $900, they tend to offer a lot of bang for the buck compared with competing products (i.e. Rancilio Rocky, which I can confirm porcupine I have also had a rocky relationship with, pardon the pun). But generally, I don't suffer brand loyalty. However, I generally discourage my customers from buying any burr grinder that costs less then 100 bucks. Why? Because there are a lot of burr grinders out there for half the price of a good one that both don't work very well and don't last very long."

Rovers2000 · November 7, 2016

Agree with everything Don mentions above - however, if you're looking for something a bit more traditional, I have the Oxo reviewed below and have really been impressed.

Feb 8, 2016 - "The Best Coffee Maker" by Cale Guthrie Weissman on thesweethome.com

squidsdc · November 8, 2016

How timely! We have an AMEX gift card that we've been wanting to use on a grinder, but every time I do research and think I know which one I want, I see something in a review that makes me doubt. So I will read Don's link above and see if that helps

Also-we recently purchased the same OXO linked above, at BBB at a ridiculous sale price, and are loving it. I like it even for heating up water for tea as I can heat to a lower temp and don't need another piece of equipment just to have heat water. Can't wait to try it with a good burr grinder!

DonRocks · November 8, 2016

2 hours ago, squidsdc said:

How timely! We have an AMEX gift card that we've been wanting to use on a grinder, but every time I do research and think I know which one I want, I see something in a review that makes me doubt. So I will read Don's link above and see if that helps

Also-we recently purchased the same OXO linked above, at BBB at a ridiculous sale price, and are loving it. I like it even for heating up water for tea as I can heat to a lower temp and don't need another piece of equipment just to have heat water. Can't wait to try it with a good burr grinder!

I will never go back from a Baratza grinder - be careful what you wish for. You know as soon as you pick it up that it's extremely heavy-duty, and will last for a long, long time - mine is over a year old, I use it almost every day, and it's as if it's still brand new. I'd be very surprised if this didn't last ten years, at least - and that's ten years of professional-level grinding. And it's *so easy* to clean - perfect engineering combined with a maniacal quality of assembly. Look at The Don Rockwell Idiot Kit - I give this my absolute highest recommendation ... life's too short not to drink world-class coffee every single day, when it's *so easy* to do. Also, those Zojirushi coffee cups are like nothing of this earth - they're the only things I didn't buy from Qualia, but they're the greatest coffee "cups" I've ever seen - they are almost literally perfect.

KMango · November 10, 2016

On 11/8/2016 at 11:31 AM, DonRocks said:

"...Also, those Zojirushi coffee cups are like nothing of this earth - they're the only things I didn't buy from Qualia, but they're the greatest coffee "cups" I've ever seen - they are almost literally perfect..."

Howdy, have Google'd and Amazon'd, could not find. Link?

(purty please)

(and hi, everyone)

Law Taco · November 10, 2016

On 11/8/2016 at 0:31 PM, DonRocks said:

I will never go back from a Baratza grinder - be careful what you wish for. You know as soon as you pick it up that it's extremely heavy-duty, and will last for a long, long time - mine is over a year old, I use it almost every day, and it's as if it's still brand new.

I hope you have better luck than we have had with Baratza. We have owned a Baratza Preciso for almost three years. The quality of the grind is great. After the first year, though, the micro grind selector broke and we had to send it in for service. Then, last month, the grinder shut down mid-morning grind. I think there is a short, and we will need to send it in again.

silentbob · November 10, 2016

FWIW, erin79 swears by the Gaggia MDF burr grinder that we got five years ago. We can't speak to how it grinds for coffee but she loves it for espresso.

Bart · November 10, 2016

On ‎11‎/‎8‎/‎2016 at 0:31 PM, DonRocks said:

Also, those Zojirushi coffee cups are like nothing of this earth - they're the only things I didn't buy from Qualia, but they're the greatest coffee "cups" I've ever seen - they are almost literally perfect.

If I didn't know better, I'd guess this was from The Onion. What makes a coffee cup other worldly and almost perfect? And why "almost perfect"?

DonRocks · November 10, 2016

4 minutes ago, Bart said:

If I didn't know better, I'd guess this was from The Onion. What makes a coffee cup other worldly and almost perfect? And why "almost perfect"?

Because nothing is perfect, but I can't think of anything I would add to, or take away from, this coffee "cup" (or, more accurately, "drinking device") - it is an engineering marvel.

Bart · November 10, 2016

Can we get a link? I googled "Zojirushi coffee cups" and came with a metal to-go cup with a push-to-drink button. I'm assuming you're talking about something else because pushing a button to get a sip is certainly not an improvement to a standard coffee mug where you just sip.

DonRocks · November 11, 2016

8 hours ago, Bart said:

Can we get a link? I googled "Zojirushi coffee cups" and came with a metal to-go cup with a push-to-drink button. I'm assuming you're talking about something else because pushing a button to get a sip is certainly not an improvement to a standard coffee mug where you just sip.

When you push the button, the top part of the lid flips all the way back, and it stays open and out of the way.

The colors are great, too - you could spend $500 on a coffee mug, and I don't see how it could be much better than this.

The pictures (and the video) on the left side of the page are the most useful, but just trust me on this one.

Do yourself a favor and get the 16-ounce size.

The only drawback I can think of is that it doesn't microwave, but it doesn't need to since it holds the temperature all day long - if the beverage isn't hot enough to begin with, I put it in a ceramic cup, microwave, and make the transfer.

People who say it leaks just don't know how to screw it shut - it doesn't leak at all: You can hold it upside down if you want to.

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