Cheap Mr. Coffee v Expensive Cuisinart Question...

by Michael
(NY)

QUESTION:

Ok, I have a $100 Cuisinart at home and a cheap $17 Mr. Coffee at work.

I used the exact same Dunkin Donuts coffee (vanilla) in both with the exact same mug.

The flavors were totally different, Mr. Coffee's result being more "dirty" tasting with a funny aftertaste.

What is the reason for this? Could it be the different plastics used to manufacture the makers?

Thanks for your help!


ANSWER:

There are a couple of possible culprits. The first, like you say, is the possibility of chemicals leaching from the plastics used in manufacture. That would explain the funny aftertaste.

Another reason why the coffee from the $17 coffee maker may taste bad is that the brewer isn’t heating the water to a high enough temperature.

This is the principle difference you will find between bargain coffee makers and more expensive brewers. The higher-end machines deliver hot water at just the right temperature, consistently.

If you think about it, you really can’t expect that much from a brewer that costs less than $20.

NOTE: See our page on the best coffee makers under $100...