Jump to content
IGNORED

Need Recommendation for a coffee maker


Tom R.

Recommended Posts

I guess I have become addicted to some of the better coffees that are available. And, my current efforts at home produce coffee that doesn't even taste similar. That could be because I'm too cheap to buy good coffee, or I'm using hard water, or my $9.95 drip coffeemaker isn't up to the task.

 

So, and I know I've seen this topic on this board before, if I want to be able to make both large (12 cups) and small (2-4 cups) amounts of coffee, what's most important? The coffee? The water? The technique? The device?

 

My sons are looking for gift ideas for me and this seems as good as any. What advice can you share?

Link to comment

I say before you purchase a coffee maker of any kind get yourself a water filter. I have an under sink unit a purchased at HD and it makes a huge difference in the taste of the water. Then what ever coffee maker you buy should be adequate.

Link to comment

Water filter unless you know your water is tasty all by itself.

Brand of coffee is personal. I think Starbursts sucks. Too strong.

MGB made a European Roast that was tasty but I don't see it no mo.

You'll have to do blind taste tests and see what peaks you taste buds consistently.

Maker? Hah, too complicated. French Press, Italian perkos that boil up through, Thrift store finds of the 50's vintage. I have a 12 dollar 2 cupper that filters down through just fine but I'm not a coffee nazi that will only drink my stuff one way. I've got a 12 cupper for larger groups and a 32 cup aluminum job for the really large groups. DOn't make no matter, all tastes the same. I use a ratio of two waters, 1 scoop. Again personal choice. USe more grounds if you like to stand the spoon up in the cup.

Link to comment

I use a cheap drip maker, and I think it works fine.

 

Living in Cincinnati your public water is from the river, and therefore highly treated. I would start with the water. Try a bottle of purified drinking water from the store for comparison. See if it makes any difference.

 

If it does then you can look at some sort of under the counter or at the tap filter for your house. I don't really recommend store bought water for a routine.

Link to comment

+1 with the water :thumbsup:

We are not COMPLETE coffee snobs but can't drink Folger's et al and buy mainly French Roast coz we like stronger brews.

We have two Krups drips that make great coffee for us and have served us well for years. Not into the whole 'tte, 'ppe, 'cino stuff...just good strong basic Joe.

 

Link to comment

I don't know what you are doing about grinding and storage. I freeze my whole beans, and grind them with a cheap burr grinder while frozen. The ground coffee is then stored frozen until use. It is still frozen when it goes in the machine. I never let it see room temperature once ground.

 

If you are buying pre-ground be sure it is absolutely sealed, preferably packed in vacuum or an inert atmosphere, and freeze immediately after opening.

Link to comment

All good suggestions. My take:

 

Water is more important than the coffee.

 

Freeze beans for best results.

 

I use a coffee press. They are cheap, easy to clean, last forever, and make good coffee

 

Karl

Link to comment
DaveTheAffable

I have a coffee maker. Her name is "Carol". I've been getting great cups of coffee for 29+ years.

 

No... I don't know where you can get one like the one I have.

 

:dopeslap:

Link to comment

Thanks all for your replies.

 

I think I'll start with a Google search for the "Carol" model. If I don't have any luck there, I'll next try some purified water and check the results. I drink a lot of tap water here but, then again, I've lived in Cincinnati all my life and may be desensitized to any bad taste.

 

Being both cheap and lazy with my coffee efforts to date, I always buy pre-ground coffee and have never frozen it. Perhaps I need two gifts from the sons, a bean grinder and a Technivorm?? ;)

Link to comment

I recently bought a new drip coffee maker - a Cuisinart 12-cup drip. At the time (about 6 months ago) it was one of the better reviewed units. I labored over whether to get a coffee maker that also grinds the beans, but decided that it was too complex and difficult to keep clean.

 

So far, the Cuisinart is great. The coffee comes out hot and brown, just like it's supposed to. The only coffee I run through it is Dunkin Donuts regular blend. Finest stuff on earth. Go to Dunk's web site. Through December they have a special - 2 lbs for $9.99!

Link to comment

I bought a Technivorm, based on recommendations here, and it's a dandy. However, the most important factors are quality, freshly ground beans and clean, very hot water (just off boiling). You can use either a French press or a Chemex (elegant and not too pricey) and attain better results than the most expensive coffeemaker. Focus on the beans--freshly roasted and just ground--and you'll have great coffee.

Link to comment

For me, the only way to a good cup of coffee is to roast and grind your own coffee and brew it in a French Press. www.sweetmarias.com is a good source for coffee beans, equipment and info.

Link to comment

I really enjoy my morning coffee, and have learned some things through experimenting and reading: Use cool, fresh, tasty water. Buy beans that have been roasted recently, ideally from your local roaster if you have one. I buy just enough to last a few weeks. I have read mixed opinions on this, but still think it is best not to freeze coffee. Use about 10 grams of coffee per cup (unless you prefer weaker coffee), and grind the beans with a burr grinder to the appropriate caliber immediately before you use them. A french press makes the best coffee, but I have a 4 cup Krups which makes coffee that tastes almost as good.

 

Jay

Link to comment

same machine I believe, the cuisinart that doesn't have on onboard grinder, does have an onboard water filter, use the Dunkin' coffee as well. pretty consistently decent coffee.

Link to comment

As others have stated start with good water.

As to the maker we have had a home version of Bunn for some time. It has a water tank that keeps water hot. So as soon as you add your water and press the button it goes. (Better have the pot there) Takes very little time and is nice and hot.

Finally we have been ordering from a little place we found while living in Pittsburgh. They roast their own and are not any more expensive than many of the premium brands. Lots of options to try. They have a web site and are called Nicholas Coffee. Been getting ours for 20 years with excellent service and quality. We get whole bean and grind our own but they will do it for you if you wish.

Link to comment

People who are really into their coffee (myself included) go by the 15,15,15 rule. Green coffee beans are good for 15 months. Once roasted, beans are good for 15 days. Once ground, beans are good for 15 minutes. Whatever you choose for a brew method, buy fresh roasted beans and grind them your self with a good burr grinder. If you buy pre-ground bag coffe, it's already stale. Good luck whatever you choose.

 

Ride Safe

Rideoften

Link to comment

Is this the same board where riders will run their $20,000 machines for months and thousands of miles past the manufacturer's recommended oil change interval?

To obsess over water for coffee and disregard oil intervals is funny as heck to this non-coffee rider.

 

Next thing you know some of you will find out another truth.

 

Don't just top off your tires when they are low.

Remove ALL of the old air and refill with new filtered air to increase tire longevity and improve performance.

:lurk:

Link to comment
For me, the only way to a good cup of coffee is to roast and grind your own coffee and brew it in a French Press. www.sweetmarias.com is a good source for coffee beans, equipment and info.

 

+1 on the French press.

 

Although I don't roast my own, I do grind it and the French press is a great way to make a really good cup (or two) of coffee. If you go to TJ Max or Marshall's, if you have them in your area, you can probably find one for $10-15. For me, coffee that's on a burner for more than a few minutes is no longer any good. I also have one of those carafe style makers - no burner - but even if I pre-heat the carafe the coffee is still not hot enough for me. The downside of the French press is that it makes a small amount that you need drink right away before it gets cold. If you want the best though, it's the way to go. Keep your Mr. Coffee for when you have to make a larger amount for guests. IMO

Link to comment

Thanks Tim for trying to liven up this thread :grin:

 

As to the other responders, I have added a burr grinder to my wish list and will be trying the fresh water route before investing in a new coffee maker. Thanks for all of the suggestions.

Link to comment

Finally! a topic on BMWST I know something about.

 

Filtered water is important. Britta is good enough.

 

Coffee maker is important.

Technivorm is the best drip maker.(period) It put's the water into the coffee at the proper temperature. Very important. None of the other coffee makers do. Chemex is fine too, but a little too sensitive to user error. French press makes a good cup; but you get that silt at the bottom of every cup. Vacuum process is the best, if you want to do a science experiment every morning. But it does make a fine show at the end of an evening.

 

Fresh beans are the most important part of the equation.

 

You can't make good coffee, without good coffee. Freshly roasted is THE most important thing, that means less than five days old, two or three is MUCH better. Grind it just before brewing. Freezing does nothing. It's about oxidization. Not temperature.

 

Find a local coffee roaster. Go in and talk shop. Learn from the people who do this for a living. I roast my own beans. I grind and brew them every morning,and I drink the best coffee in the Great State of New Hampshire every day. Go to sweetmarias.com and bone up on the subject.

 

If you're going to have a cup of coffee every day, for the rest of your life, how much BAD coffee do you want to drink?

 

Enjoy every minute of every day. Start with your first cup.

PM's welcome.

 

 

Link to comment
DaveTheAffable

Sorry... mini-hijack...

 

A mother woke up one morning to find her five year old son standing by the bed with a cup of coffee on a saucer. (Dad was off for an early saturday morning golf game)

 

Son - "I made youse some coffee mum."

Mom - "Thank you, Sweetie!"

 

...as she took a few sips, all was well until she found a couple of tiny green plastic army-men in the cup of coffee.

 

Mom - "Honey, why did you put these in there?"

Son - "Cause...cause... the best part of waking up is soldiers in your cup."

 

Hijack off

Link to comment

I like a good cup of coffee but apparently I've never had a good cup of coffee. My advantage over you self-professed coffee snobs is that I can swing by the 7-11 and find pleasure; you unfortunately will find disappointment. :wave:

Link to comment
My advantage over you self-professed coffee snobs is that I can swing by the 7-11 and find pleasure

OK, but what about the coffee???

 

Seriously, I find 7-11 coffee OK. Its freshly ground with stale beans, the pots are filled with city tap water ran through a very old water filter and the pots are washed by a rather exotic, third worldish looking person using a dirty rag.

Link to comment
Freezing does nothing. It's about oxidization. Not temperature.

 

Freezing dramatically slows oxidation, which has a temperature sensitive rate.

Link to comment
I don't know what you are doing about grinding and storage. I freeze my whole beans, and grind them with a cheap burr grinder while frozen. The ground coffee is then stored frozen until use. It is still frozen when it goes in the machine. I never let it see room temperature once ground.

 

If you are buying pre-ground be sure it is absolutely sealed, preferably packed in vacuum or an inert atmosphere, and freeze immediately after opening.

 

No attempt to be a snob, or offend your sensibility, but that is the worst possible way to treat coffee.

 

During roasting the grains swell and as they rest, they release oils and gases; the oils which then are reabsorbed by the grains. If you freeze the coffee you are freezing these oils and even with the hot water they do not blend releasing their actual flavor.

 

Coffee releases gases after roasting, hence the one-way valve on the bags. Coffee is best after 21 days of roasting, which is a moot point when you buy coffee at the store as you never know the roasting date. Coffee loses all flavor and character after a year, by then it is just a vague flavor.

 

If you are concerned about your coffee going stale, buy small amounts, and keep them in a closed preferably air tight jar, but a week of exposure is not going to make a significant difference.

 

Coffee oxidizes when in contact with the air. To minimize this effect you may keep the coffee beans whole until just before brewing, thus all internal part of the bean has never been exposed to air.

 

I use a manual brewing method. I boil water (212 degrees) then let it sit, while I pl;ace the desired amount of coffee in a conical filter (1 tbsp/6 oz) and then pour the water, by then it's probably about 200 degrees. I like it like that.

Link to comment
I don't know what you are doing about grinding and storage. I freeze my whole beans, and grind them with a cheap burr grinder while frozen. The ground coffee is then stored frozen until use. It is still frozen when it goes in the machine. I never let it see room temperature once ground.

 

If you are buying pre-ground be sure it is absolutely sealed, preferably packed in vacuum or an inert atmosphere, and freeze immediately after opening.

 

No attempt to be a snob, or offend your sensibility, but that is the worst possible way to treat coffee.

 

During roasting the grains swell and as they rest, they release oils and gases; the oils which then are reabsorbed by the grains. If you freeze the coffee you are freezing these oils and even with the hot water they do not blend releasing their actual flavor.

 

Coffee releases gases after roasting, hence the one-way valve on the bags. Coffee is best after 21 days of roasting, which is a moot point when you buy coffee at the store as you never know the roasting date. Coffee loses all flavor and character after a year, by then it is just a vague flavor.

 

If you are concerned about your coffee going stale, buy small amounts, and keep them in a closed preferably air tight jar, but a week of exposure is not going to make a significant difference.

 

Coffee oxidizes when in contact with the air. To minimize this effect you may keep the coffee beans whole until just before brewing, thus all internal part of the bean has never been exposed to air.

 

I use a manual brewing method. I boil water (212 degrees) then let it sit, while I pl;ace the desired amount of coffee in a conical filter (1 tbsp/6 oz) and then pour the water, by then it's probably about 200 degrees. I like it like that.

I can't believe the trouble some of you guys go to just to brew coffee. At 6 a.m. who cares?

Link to comment
can't believe the trouble some of you guys go to just to brew coffee. At 6 a.m. who cares?

 

I partially agree with that statement. I've found that most decent coffees should be enjoyed within a half hour of brewing. After that it changes into toxic sewage. So I use a relatively inexpensive Mr. Coffee machine with a thermal carafe and NO heating pad under the pot. Coffee I buy on sale (Eight O'Clock, Dunkin Donuts, similar brands in the darker versions). At my age, I really have a limited amount of patience...and turning coffee brewing into rocket science takes far too long for me.

Link to comment

I won't deny anyone their coffee snobbery, because when you occasionally brew that magic cup, it's as satisfying as it gets. At the same time, there are diminishing returns with all the routine. I have been using my Technivorm for years, and I buy Peet's - not from the grocer, but direct from Peet's as they roast the coffee just before shipping. Agreed you have about a month before the coffee starts to lose it's pizzaz. However, I throw a lot of coffee down the drain, and most of the time I brew a pot that is 90% of perfect, so yes, there is disappointment in not getting it "just right" all the time.

 

Heresy, but I'm going to get a Keurig, and start brewing Green Mountain or something similar out of the K-cups. No more waste, and the flavor is darned close to my 90%-er fresh ground version. My wife can brew her tea, and my visiting family can have their choice of whatever they want, and it's a snap to brew. I can put her tea machine away, the dedicated decaf machine away, and the regular caf machine away. Set up the Keurig on a buffet table where everyone can get at it, and the hell outta my kitchen.

 

Not mentioned in this thread is cold brewing. Essentially there is a process where you make coffee concentrate, which can offer you a lot of control over whether you want your cup medium or strong. And for you moto travelers, you can bring the concentrate with you - just add hot water and it is fresh. Upside or downside: the coffee is much less acidic - even using your favorite brand. Check out The Toddy system for more info.

Link to comment

Keurig single serving. Every cup is hot and fresh, always a consistent taste, Not super cheap but a good value since there is little waste, very quick, I dont think it even takes a minute to make each cup.

Link to comment
I buy on sale (Eight O'Clock, Dunkin Donuts, similar brands in the darker versions).
If you like those coffees try Yuban Dark Roast. A friend of mine and fellow Peets addict did three blind taste testings on some groups of friends who visited his house for food events. Yuban won two of them over coffee sets including Peets French Roast, it came dead last in the other test! I'm currently drinking Yuban as an economic austerity measure after 20+ years of Peets, it's less than 1/4 the price when bought from Amazon in the big cans. It's not as good, but Peets isn't 4x as good either.

 

(Austerity plan is due to imminent unemployment :( , anybody need a remote contract programmer?)

Link to comment
Keurig single serving. Every cup is hot and fresh, always a consistent taste, Not super cheap but a good value since there is little waste, very quick, I don't think it even takes a minute to make each cup.

 

I have a Keurig now for about three years and it brews a decent cup. My wife and I have differing tastes in coffee and it works out well for us. I like bold and she likes flavors so we both get what we want. And it's fast if not a bit pricey. On weekends I typically use my French press as I have more time. When company comes I brew a pot with Mr Coffee. When I retire, maybe I will have time to roast my own. There's a Starbuck's roaster (factory) on my way home from work and it smells wonderful.

 

I just realized, I have a lot of stuff to support this habit. :dopeslap:

Link to comment

You asked for coffee makers. I likemy Capresso Team. Grinds the coffee per pot, can be adjusted for different roasts and strengths.

 

I agree freezing is verboten. Hard to buy fresh roast in less than a pound. Keep it airtight.

 

I don't notice a didference with filtered water.

Link to comment
Keurig single serving.

 

I have yet to get a cup out of mine that didn't taste horrible. I received it as a gift with the nice idea that I could brew a quick cup of coffee in the evening without any fuss. I guess the good news is there are dozens of types of coffee to try in the K cups.

Link to comment

My wife just bought a Bosch single cup coffe pot. It works similar to the Keurig but this one does mochas, lattes, cappucinos, espresso..... It works in a similar format and uses the little individual cups. You get different flavors, but then they have the milk cups aas well. So you can start by putting in a coffe disc in it, then the machine reads the barcode on it and it brews. Then you can pull the coffe disc out and put in the milk disc. Again the machine reads the barcode and decides what it needs to do. I am impressed with it, but I am not a die hard coffe guy. We looked at the Keurig but the Bosch unit seemed to do alot more since the Tassimo has a milk capability to it where the keurig does not.

 

41sghhJLEEL.jpg

Link to comment
can't believe the trouble some of you guys go to just to brew coffee. At 6 a.m. who cares?

 

I partially agree with that statement. I've found that most decent coffees should be enjoyed within a half hour of brewing. After that it changes into toxic sewage. So I use a relatively inexpensive Mr. Coffee machine with a thermal carafe and NO heating pad under the pot. Coffee I buy on sale (Eight O'Clock, Dunkin Donuts, similar brands in the darker versions). At my age, I really have a limited amount of days left...and turning coffee brewing into rocket science takes far too long for me. [/quote]

 

Fixed it for ya!! :wave:

 

 

Link to comment

A few posts north of here Jake suggested the Toddy coffee maker. It's a great suggestion and is worth checking out. It's cheap and it makes darned good hot or cold coffee. Incidentally, the process drastically reduces the acidity of the coffee, so if you find yourself fighting an upset stomach with regular coffee, the Toddy will help immensely.

Link to comment

I can't believe the trouble some of you guys go to just to brew coffee. At 6 a.m. who cares?

 

Life is too short for bad coffee, ugly women, and slow cars. :/

 

2 out of three ain't bad, :thumbsup: but I like my 5 speed, 4 banger Tacoma. :grin: Besides my dog wakes me up anyway, might as well brew a good cup while he has his breakfast and does his business. :dopeslap: Beats tapping the fingers on the table.

Link to comment

You guys make coffee way too complicated. Just throw a spoon or two of coffee in the bottom of an old coffee can with some tap water and heat with your cutting torch until the grounds start to disinigrate, pour in your mug and enjoy.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...