The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Recommend On - Coffee Makers
LeCaustic
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Yes
I need a new coffee maker. My Kenmore doesn't filter the water anymore and cleaning/new filter doesn't work.
$50-$75 range (Though lower is acceptable)
10-12 cups
Auto start
Doesn't screw up brewing (It's surprising how many don't know how to fucking do their job)
RELIABLE
I need a new coffee maker. My Kenmore doesn't filter the water anymore and cleaning/new filter doesn't work.
$50-$75 range (Though lower is acceptable)
10-12 cups
Auto start
Doesn't screw up brewing (It's surprising how many don't know how to fucking do their job)
RELIABLE
Your sig is too tall. -Thanatos
LeCaustic on
0
Posts
I came here to post this, in slightly different words.
You could also just grab one of those filtering pitchers or whatever and make some really good coffee.
For that you wanna buy good beans, keep them in a cool, dark place, and grind them right before brewing. French presses are awesome because you can use them for other stuff in the kitchen too. Throw your grinds and some filtered (boiling) water into the french press, let it brew for like 4 minutes, press and pour.
I've even heard that a pinch of salt counters coffee's bitterness. Think that was on a Good Eats episode.
I'm not going to deny that a french press makes a superior cup of coffee, but when it's 5 A.M., I am not interested in screwing around with a press, and making sure the beans are the right grind to not come up through the mesh, and boiling water, and steeping the grinds for the proper time.
I just wanna fill a machine with filtered water, grind some beans, and push a button. Eventually my machine will beep, and there will be a carafe full of decent coffee waiting for me and the missus.
I have one of These coffeemakers, and it does the job well enough. The freaking clock light is bright enough that it lights up the whole kitchen at night. It also comes in red, which obviously indicates that it will go faster. Programming it is easy and hassle free, and it has a dial that will raise and lower the temp of the warming plate.
If/when this one breaks down and I had to buy another one, I would look for one with a cone shaped, rather than basket shaped filter design. When the water flows down through the cone it comes in contact with more grounds = richer brew. I'd also look for one with a washable, reusable filter basket, so that I'm not always throwing away paper filters.
Other things that definitely improve your brew have already been mentioned. Buy whole beans, store in an airtight container, grind before brewing, and use filtered water.
You can also get the version I have, which is exactly the same but doesn't have the grinder.
I'm going to not recommend using a reusable mesh filter. I've never had a lot of luck with one. It lets quite a bit of stuff through and you end up with a bunch of sediment in the bottom of your cup. Nothing works better than a paper filter.
http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198006524737
I haven't had any problems with the mesh filter on the cusinart. Plus, dishwasher safe yay!
cheaper options include the
12cup grind and Brew
10cup thermal grind and Brew
I bought the 12 cup on sale in September for $80. Nothing more enjoyable than waking up to the sound of coffee being ground.
we bought one b/c we thought it would be convenient but the cleaning is such a PITA b/c the coffee container also has a metal heating disk, and a strainer, etc.
one thing i would definitely get in my next coffee maker would be an insulated caraffe rather than a glass pot... it keeps the coffee warmer longer (some keep it warm for hours)
If you really want an auto-drip brewer, the only one I can recommend is the Technivorm.
I'm not a connessieur or anything, but I like the coffee it makes. It's programmable, can hold a lot of coffee if I have guests or just 1 or 2 cups just for me, and gives a beep when it's done.
I got it at Bed, Bath & Beyond with one of those 20% off coupons they send out, not a bad deal.
I use a gold mesh filter but I also put a paper filter to help catch all the grinds that the gold mesh doesn't catch. It makes a really tasty cup of coffee without the sediment at the bottom of your cup.
It's programmable, so I just put everything in the night before, set the timer for just before my alarm goes off, and tada! When I wake up, I can smell fresh-brewed coffee and it smells DELICIOUS.
It's a 12-cupper, which is nice when I need it but otherwise I rarely make that much since it's just me and I only have a cup or two. It has a cone filter, which as someone mentioned earlier makes a better cup of joe.
It also has this cool "Aroma" feature. So normally when brewing coffee, the incoming water pushes out the water in the coffee, right? So the outgoing water doesn't have enough time to get fully saturated. Well the Aroma feature will drip some water into the grounds, then let it sit for 30 seconds or so, THEN it will displace that now-saturated water with more water. This results in a noticeably stronger and more flavorful coffee taste, if you're into that. (my parents make me shut it off when they visit me, it makes it too strong for them)
Anyway I looked for it, couldn't find it since apparently it's been discontinued, but I did find this wonderful look-alike.
The 10 cup version was what I saw at Macy's for $80 on sale but I didn't want to purchase it without doing my homework. I'm glad to see other people vouch for this.
Also, I would buy a french press or even personal grinder, but my budget is tight and my time is sparse. I've been using starbucks insta-crap coffee while I figure out what to buy. I usually had my old unit setup where I would set the coffee to be ready and I'd have it brew right when my alarm went off. It was definitely a nice wake up call (The smell), so I definitely want to get back to that.
Thanks! I'll probably be picking up the cuisinart 10cup this evening.
If you're using a paper filter it's just going to block the oils that makes coffee really tasty. I guess the gold mesh filter is easier to clean properly (oils will stick to plastic and can mess with the coffee's flavor), but that's not the main reason why most coffee nuts use those kinds of filters with their drip brewers.
There are others for more, but it's a stainless steel pot with a handle, so there's not really much benefit besides a longer handle.
Of course, that might be too much work, in which case you can use the Israeli method: pour turkish grounds into cup, add water, add sugar to taste.
I'd suggest considering the Thermal version depending on your preferences. It doesn't have a hot plate, the jug is just a thermos flask basically so it keeps the coffee warm for longer without adding more heat. Net benefit is that the coffee isn't stewed if it sits for a while. But if you live somewhere cold it might not retain the heat long enough for you. Mine is a thermal grind and brew and in the summer here in Scotland it will keep the coffee hot for hours - like 8am until middayish. In the winter, maybe only an hour or two depending on how tight I'm being with the central heating.
Of course, I guess if you brew, drink and run it makes no difference either way. It isn't going to sit long enough to go cold but it also isn't going to sit long enough to stew.
http://www.amazon.com/Krups-FME4-14-12-Cup-Coffeemaker-Stainless/dp/B0004JML6S/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1263474464&sr=1-9
I also use a Bodum French Press.
http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-1928-16US6-Chambord-Coffee-Press/dp/B00005LM0S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1263474564&sr=1-1
Personally I think a French Press is the way to go, but for some it will be a little too involved. You can't set it and forget it.
Before my Krups coffee maker, I used the Cusinart Coffee-on-Demand
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DCC-2000-Coffee-Programmable-Coffeemaker/dp/B0009VELUA/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1263474740&sr=1-12
It worked out well for 5 years, then it died, but on its behalf, I was drinking about 2-3 pots of coffee a day...
Also, I know people who own the Cusinart Grind & Brew that a lot of other members have posted about, and heard good things.
So there are a couple of reccomendations for you. Hope it helps.
My wife bought me a Tassimo for Christmas, and it does it's job pretty good. Really good Espresso or Lattes, except it's only one cup at a time. Definitely not the best you can get for normal (Americano) coffee, but good for lazy people like me.
Switch - SW-3699-5063-5018
Not expensive, makes good coffee, et cetera. Get a good burr grinder if it's in the budget.
I also have a pot with an extra-large attachment that will brew 10-12 cups, I believe. The flavor is excellent, and the prep is easy - just boil a kettle of water and pour. It's quick, too, and no messier than a regular coffee maker.
I've been pretty happy with mine for like two years now. As someone who can't be arsed with beans and only needs one cup at a time, as opposed to a pot of coffee for family members, it works well.
All of the flavor is the beans. If you get bad beans it won't matter how you brew them. Even if you get good beans, if you don't like the kind of beans you got you won't like the coffee. I'm currently drinking Guatemalan Antigua coffee because it's smooth, slightly chocolately, and well-balanced.
For machines, it really just depends on involved you want to make it. I have a similar setup to Eggy, with a burr and a drip machine. Works OK, but may pick up a french press since the flavor & body difference is quite significant (as is the time required).