A substantial part of the American population drinks several cups of coffee every
day. Wouldn’t it be great if every cup of coffee that you drink is made exactly
the way you like it? That is possible if you pay sufficient attention to all that
goes into making your cup of coffee. You just can't go wrong when you're equipped
with good quality ground coffee and a coffee maker that suits your requirements.
Types of Coffee
Coffee tastes differently depending on the way it is brewed. The most common methods
of brewing coffee include: drip, press, vacuum, stove top and espresso. However,
each technique requires a different kind of coffee maker. Some people prefer traditional,
full-bodied coffee, while others crave one of the many speciality coffees available
on the market today, such as Cappuccino, Latte, Macchiato, Con Panne, Mocha and
Americano. Of course, your coffee maker must be equipped with an espresso pump to
make many of these specialty coffees in your own home.
Types of Coffee Makers
Drip Coffee Maker
Drip coffee is the most common type of coffee consumed everywhere. The reason for
this is the ease of using a drip coffee maker and the efficiency of most of the
branded coffee makers of this kind available in the market. A drip coffee maker
may be either a pourover type or an automatic one.
The automatic coffee maker has been around since the early 1970s. An automatic coffee
maker just needs to be filled with the required amount of ground coffee and water
and, in a matter of minutes, a full pot of coffee is ready to be consumed. The way
a drip coffee maker is made ensures that water is distributed evenly over the ground
coffee. The result is flavor intense coffee.
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Automatic coffee makers are hooked up to a waterline which ensures automatic filling
of water. Several automatic models also have a pourover option that enables users
to pour water to brew coffee in case hooking up to a waterline is not possible.
Drip filter coffee makers do not need any complicated maintenance procedures. Most
of the carafes can be washed in a dishwasher after the used coffee grounds are rinsed
off.
Vacuum Style Coffee Makers
Vacuum style coffee makers use two stacked containers for making coffee. The top
container is where the brewing process takes place, while the lower container is
filled with water that is heated using a heat source.
A siphon links the top container to the bottom and pulls up the hot water into the
upper container. The coffee is ready once the water passes through the ground coffee
and into the lower container. An advantage of the vacuum style coffee maker is easy
cleaning since there are no hard to reach corners.
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Pod Coffee Maker
A coffee maker of this kind forces hot water through a pod of ground coffee. This
method is ideal for a fast cup of coffee. However, this very feature is a limitation
too, as this method works only for single servings. Multiple cups take that much
more time. On the other hand, brewing one cup of coffee at a time can be an advantage
when different people in the same household drink different types of coffee.
Pod coffee makers can be filled with multiple cups of water at one go, but can be
used for brewing just one cup at a time. Pod coffee makers are by far the easiest
to keep clean since the used coffee pod is disposed of just like a used tea bag.
There are no coffee grounds left in the appliance.
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Percolators
Using a percolator is a very old fashioned method of brewing coffee. The way coffee
is brewed in a percolator is quite similar to that of a vacuum style coffee maker.
Percolators may be made of metal and can also be heated directly on stovetops. Small
baskets made of metal mesh hold ground coffee and are lowered into the percolator.
New generation percolators come with an electrical heating facility that can be
programmed with the help of a timer. Cordless percolators are also available.
Percolators are easy to clean.
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The French Press
The French press method uses just one container. The ground coffee and water are
put together in one container and allowed to stand for a while. A press is then
manually lowered into the container. The press filters the ground coffee from the
brew and leaves fragrant coffee that is ready to drink.
This method is suitable for brewing one or two cups of fresh coffee. The one major
disadvantage with this method is that the coffee is not as hot as with other methods
since the time taken for brewing decreases the temperature. There are no major maintenance
hassles where French presses are concerned.
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Espresso Machines
There is a whole range of espresso machines from most coffee maker manufacturers
to choose from. These machines include a pressure pump that gives your espresso
all that froth and steam.
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Coffee Maker Features To Consider
Heating Pads
Most electric coffee makers come with a heating unit that keeps the coffee warm.
This feature is very useful when not everyone is having coffee at the same time.
But do remember that coffee left on the heating pad for too long loses flavor.
All About Carafes
People can choose the material they want for the carafe of their coffee maker. Glass
is a preferred option as it helps you see when your coffee is ready and also tells
you at a glance if you need to brew some more. The only drawback is that glass needs
to be handled carefully.
Stainless steel carafes are the other option and are very durable. These carafes
may be a good choice if you are not a very careful person or if you are always in
a hurry during your morning coffee time.
Some manufacturers also offer thermal carafes which keep your coffee hot for a much
longer period. They score over heating pads by ensuring that your coffee doesn’t
end up tasing burnt because of overheating.
Some models come with two carafes that allow you to brew two pots of coffee at the
same time. This is a very handy feature that lets you accommodate differing tastes
like regular and decaf at the same time. Double carafes are also a good idea for
places where large amounts of coffee is required.
A very important feature to consider is the size of the coffee pot. Depending on
your needs you can choose a suitable size. The standard sizes that are available
are single cup, two, five, eight, ten and twelve cup capacity models.
Built-In Grinders
Those of you who are very particular about the flavor and strength of your coffee
should opt for a model with a built-in grinder. This feature will let you grind
fresh coffee beans every time you brew a cup of coffee. After all, there is no replacement
for freshness.
Timers
For those of you who like to be pampered with a cup of coffee ready and waiting
when you wake up, there are programmable coffee makers. You rise to the smell of
freshly brewed coffee.
Price Range
Most manufacturers produce models to fit various price ranges in order to have a
wide customer base. Features of different models in each category can be compared
to find the one model that will provide you with coffee just the way you like it.
With a $12-$18 budget you can pick up a basic one cup drip coffee maker. By extending
your budget a little to approximately $35-$40 can get you a basic ten cup coffee
maker. A three to four cup capacity coffee makers with added features like a pause
and serve function can be bought in the below $50 price range.
However, for a top of the line single cup model you can end up spending as much
as $65-70. Pod coffee makers often fall into this general price range.
If you would like a 10-12 cup coffee maker with a timer, a pause and serve feature,
and a built-in water filter, be prepared to pay anything between $50-$100. For an
additional $30-$50 more, you can also add in a built-in grinder. Some of the best
manufacturers who make models with these specifications include: West Bend, Hamilton
Beach, Philips, Cuisinart, Farberware, and Krups Allegro.
If you are prepared to enter the price bracket of $150- $250, manufacturers like
Braun offer you a combo espresso machine and coffee maker. You can then indulge
yourself with specialty coffees with such models. But be warned that these coffee
makers will give you additional functions, but usually make only one or two cups.
All top manufacturers offer several feature-packed coffee makers in this price bracket.
Two cup fillers and sleek, streamlined looks are some of the features one can expect
to find in coffee makers in the $150-$250 range.
Large capacity coffee makers with two carafes can be bought in the $250-$400 price
range. Beautifully shaped carafes make coffee makers in this section stand apart.
Most manufacturers offer high end combination machines that can be used for both
espresso and drip coffee. A ten cup capacity and a 15 bar espresso are often combined
in the same machine in the $250-$400 price range.
Once you enter the $450-$1000 price category you can get built-in grinders, multiple
cup fillers, timers, water filters and espresso machines all in the same coffee
maker. Gaggia, Francis Francis, Saeco, Nespresso and Solis all have models in this
high end category.
There is also the $1000 plus category which commands high prices because of a combination
of stunning looks and specialty features like multiple cup warming surfaces. Coffee
makers in this category are equipped to provide a simple cup of coffee and any specialty
coffee like espresso, cappuccino and other varieties.
Top Manufacturers