The best choice maker for an excellent brew

by Bruce Brockett
(Newport, New Hampshire, USA)

I use only the vacuum brewing method and employ the new Yama 5 or 8 cup models.

NOTE: You can get Yama vacuum coffee makers at Amazon.

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Toddy coffee

by Joe Rupp
(Taipei, Taiwan)

Cold brewing is the only way to go at home. Of course I like an espresso now and then out in the real world. Cold brewing lets you have the best of both worlds. When friends visit I can make them a cup of fantastic hot coffee in less than 30 seconds - all I do is put two ounces of toddy concentrate in a cup, fill the cup with steaming water from the hot water pot and that's it. They think I'm a magician.

The Toddy coffee system is available at Seattle's Best Coffee shops or online.


Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Single Cup Coffee Brewers - Keurig No Disadvantage

by George
(Asheville, NC)

The author suggests that you are stuck with the coffee maker's suppliers. Not True with the Keurig! Keurig provides for a separate loose grind adapter. I do purchase outside coffee brands and my Keurig Coffee Maker never fails to provide a fresh hot cup of joe...

NOTE: You can learn more about the Keurig single cup brewers here...

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Stella Coffee Maker - Espresso and Cappuccino

by bambam13
(england!!)

I love this machine!! i picked it up as an ex-display model for £60! i need to change the washer on the steam rod because of some rather brash customers that had a look at it in the shop but other than that its great!! i leave it on all day so i always have warm water for my coffee n it hasnt spoilt a brew yet! must have a great temperature regulator!

i did have to learn all the starbucks stuff like how too make lattes n cappuccinos though!! but thats all part of the fun isnt it ;)


heres a link too it

http://www.hartsofstur.com/acatalog/Stellar_Coffee_Maker.html




cheers,
bam

bambam13photos.deviantart.com
bambam13.couk

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

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...

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Best coffee maker

by Bob
(Mansfield, Ohio)

Hamilton Beach BrewStation

Hamilton Beach BrewStation

I have a french press I like a lot, but my favorite is a Hamilton Beach BrewStation. Makes great coffee, can make 1 to 12 cups, keeps coffee hot without cooking it, 2 separate heating elements w/ auto-shutoff. The reservoir element shuts off on completion of the brewing cycle. The warming after 2 hours. I keep mine on the edge of a shelf so as to easily fill a tall mug or a thermos. Bob

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Aerobie Aeropress

by Todd Walker
(West Monroe, LA)

Aerobie Aeropress

Aerobie Aeropress

The Aeropress is a single cup coffee maker that uses a reservoir for the grounds, which you fill with hot water then use a plunger to force the water through the grounds. The result is basically a concentrated, espresso-like concoction which you then add hot water to in order to make a regular strength cup, much like an Americano.

The Aeropress is very easy to use and makes a very rich, flavorful cup of coffee. At only $20 or so you can't go wrong.

Editor's Note: You will also find the Aerobie Aeropress featured on our Coffee Gifts page...

Click here to read or post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Siphon Coffee Maker

by Bernardo Diaz
(Arecibo, Puerto Rico)


You may have never heard of siphon coffee making. Then again, you may have read about it in the New York Times and thought it was some $20,000 gizmo used by crazy coffee nerds in San Francisco. You may have heard of it under a plethora of other names - vacpots, vacuum brewed coffee, siphon brewer, siphon vacuum coffee, and all sorts of word combinations.

This brewing method fell out of favour in the US and Canada by the 1960s, and with only a few holdovers making devices for the next few decades. Most of the major brands that used to make siphon coffee makers eased them out of production during that time, including General Electric, Silex, Sunbeam, Cory and others. Still, the brewing method maintained a hard core set of fans, maybe just in the hundreds, or dozens, and a few manufacturers continued to produce them: Bodum has continuously made a siphon coffee maker since the 1970s. Cona, out of the UK, has been making them since before World War II. Nicro, a commercial small appliances maker, was manufacturing them right up through the 1970s when demand finally disappeared, at least for cafes and restaurants.

In the late 1990s, a bunch of coffee nerds started talking up the joys of siphon coffee makers, or "vacpots", in places like alt.coffee and with the aid of rudimentary photos and pretty basic short video clips, a new (albeit small) generation of people cottoned on to this brewing method, if not for anything else than the show it provided.

And now, well into the first decade of the 21rst century, and some 160 years after the siphon coffee maker was first invented in France and Germany, the technique is set to explode (figuratively, not literally) with almost everyone in the specialty industry taking interest. Peter Guiliano, the famed green bean buyer for Counter Culture Coffee and acknowledged as one of the best cuppers in the business today, lists the siphon coffee method as one of his favourite ways to make coffee.

Back in 1998, I saw my first ever siphon coffee maker in action. I make no joke about this - it was a seminal moment for me in coffee. I was very much into all things espresso at the time, and I still recall the first time I brewed a cup. I'd been reading about vacpots for a few years - mostly in the newsgroup alt.coffee, but also in books like Ken Davids' Joy of Coffee - but it wasn't until I stumbled upon a used Bodum Santos in a flea market that I bought one, took it home and set it up for the first brew.

Almost everything about using a vacuum coffee maker is sensory involved: aromas, fragrance, motion, touch, action. Grind the coffee, add it to the top vessel. Add cold (or hot) water to the bottom. Put the bottom on a heat source. Add the top vessel with its attached siphon. Watch. Liquids defy gravity. The brew gurgles, but it's not boiling. Remove from heat source. Watch the coffee move back down, or "south". Watch the bottom vessel's brewed coffee gurgle as air is drawn through the spent grounds to release the built up vacuum. Remove top vessel. Smell. Ahhh. Pour. Taste. More ahhhh.

So much science. So much sensory involvement. So much fun. And the taste... Do it right, and you'll wonder not at the fact that so many specialty industry leaders consider this "the best".

For more information about coffee making and videos about siphon coffee makers check
http://www.harvestsoftheworld.com/videos.html

Editor's Note: Great post. Thanks!

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

DeLonghi Magnifica Bean to Cup Espresso Maker

by Debra-Lynn
(New Hamburg, Ontario)

DeLonghi Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine

DeLonghi Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine

I purchased this model in october 2010 in London England. I had done a little research to see what was some of the better models. I liked the concept of beans grinding and brewing a fresh cup each time.

The set up was a breeze, a small adjustment to the brewing strength for my personal taste and the machine was good to go. Place beans in one compartment, water in another, press a button for single or one for double espresso and presto a perfectly brewed cup of coffee. A frother for the milk to make latte or cappuccinos.

The only small negative; no container to froth the milk and when the machine is turned on to start up and for each process of coffee it is very noisy. However it takes less than a minute to brew a cup so the noise level is minimal.

Expensive initial outlay at 379 Sterling (UK) yet worth every penny. Wanted to cry when I recently moved back to Canada and the machine will not work on 110w compared to the 220w in the UK. Will see if I can find an adapter power source to have it work in Canada.

May have to sell and buy a North American version.

The DeLonghi Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso/Coffee Machine is available at Amazon.com.

Click here to read or post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Gevalia

by Sally
(Florida)

Wish I could say something nice about it. I've had several different Gevalia coffee makers. When you open the lid, the condensation cascades down the back. When you go to pour a cup, condensation and coffee pour onto the counter no matter how you position the pot over your cup. Many times grounds and coffee overflow onto the hotplate and counter.....with no rhyme or reason.
I had a nice, plain Braun that worked beautifully but became discolored (white). I'm looking for another Braun in black. They're dependable an have no "issues".

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

BUNN

by HEATHER
(IOWA)

VERY FAST COFFEE DONE IN LIKE 2MINUTES!!! LOVE IT! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Editor's Note: Can you tell us the model? (Use the comments function below.)

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Filtron

by Jean
(Fargo ND)

The Filtron cold brew coffee system is by FAR the best coffee I have ever tasted. No acid, no bitter taste. Just smooth wonderful coffee. And eight o clock supermarket coffee tastes great made with the Filtron. Everyone who has coffee at our house always asks what kind of coffee it is. Its the best coffee maker out there!

Editor's Note: The Filtron Cold Water Coffee Concentrate Brewer is available online at Amazon.

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Keurig - You CAN use your personal grind!

by Linda B.
(Menifee, CA USA)

I have to admit I love coffee! After using the typical counter top coffee drip type maker, I tried the Senseo, which uses pods. I liked it, but the pods themselves sometimes dripped and were somewhat messy. I've been using a Keuring K-cup machine for the past year and I love it! If you're thinking of buying one but have heard that you can only use prepackaged K-cups, that information is wrong!

Most of the Keurig coffee makers come with a simulated K-cup in which you put your favorite ground coffee. When you're done brewing, just tap the plastic simulated K-cup contents (grounds) into the trash and you're good to set up for another cup. There are even timers on some models. Sometimes I love grinding my own beans and K-cup obviously anticipated that others do too:)

Editor's Note: We have a Keurig coffee maker as well. We like it too. : )

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Saeco!

by Joy
(Manitoba, Canada)

My favorite coffee/espresso machine is the Saeco Giro. Not exactly inexpensive, but, wow, the coffee is great! I only wish it could be hard piped! Bed, Bath and Beyond sold it for $600 US.

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Jura F9 is worth the money

by Dr. Fritz Heiby
(Zanesville, OHIO)

Jura F9

Jura F9

This is a great super-automatic for those who don't have a lot of time or patience to make espresso drinks the way a purist would. The press of one button does everything: grinding, tamping, and brewing.
I 1st learned of the Swiss-made Jura machines while visiting relatives in Germany a few years ago. I was so impressed that I just had to have one.

It is not cheap by any means, but my wife and I love this machine and use it every day. We also find it great for entertaining. It is so convenient and well worth the money.

Note: The Jura-Capresso Impressa F9 Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center is available through Amazon.com

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

French Press + Great Beans + Boiling Water = Superb Cafe

My French Press is wonderful but the carafe is not removable (well, I cannot get it off the glue spot that Starbuck's puts in the base). Another carafe would be my choice, its a silver ornamental one. French Press is best because the water has to be at least 112F for wonderful coffee, which the plastic coffee makers cannot attain.

Second would be a great perculator, which they really don't make anymore. But, no, correction, the Cory can be purchased still, on Ebay, and that would be my 2nd. choice.

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Single Cup Breville

Breville BKC600XL Gourmet Single-Cup Coffee Brewer

Breville BKC600XL Gourmet Single-Cup Coffee Brewer

This is a great single cup coffee maker that comes with a single serve unit in the lid that is interchangeable with the K-Cup unit and allows you to use your own coffee in a mini-filter (metal filter that stores in the lid)if you can't find a K-Cup. It brews a great cup of coffee with four sizes - from 3oz to 11oz.

You can set your water temperature (up to 192 degrees) and when you want it to come on and turn off (water heater). It has a 64 oz removable resevoir with a charcoal filter if you don't have good water.

By the way, if you look at sights like Coffee-Cow or Keurig's own site, you will find a plethora of coffees from light house blends to Kona to very dark and bold arabic blends. There are also teas, cocoa's and many flavored coffees available. Discounts and free shipping are available at many sights. You do pay for the convenience.

Editor's Note: The Breville K-Cup Brewer is an excellent, and unexpected entry into the K-cup brewer market. I never thought anyone other than Keurig would make and sell brewers for K-cups.

Click here to post comments

Return to Best Coffee Maker.

Before you go, sign up to receive the Coffee Detective Newsletter...

Sign up for occasional newsletters about the best coffees and brewing equipment. Plus special updates from the Coffee Detective Coffee Store…