Thread: Calling All Coffee Experts!!

A good burr grinder (something like a rocky/macap/mazzer/Cimbali) and a French press or a vac pot or a Melitta cone filter. For drip the Technivorm is one of the few brewers that will brew at the proper temperature (most brew way to cold). I have a Bunn commercial plumbed in machine that I tweaked and tuned for the proper brew temp/rate but that is a pretty substantial hunk of hardware for your average home. I have a dedicated espresso bar that is sits on, but 90% of the time I am a espresso drinker.

Another possibility is a stovetop espresso maker, also called a macchinetta ("little machine?") or "moka." There is some information about them here. We have the $25 Bialetti 6-cup machine along with a couple of others (note that that means six little espresso cups; I make a potful and pour it into my travel mug for the drive to work).

+

=


Since there are no moving parts except the lid, they generally live forever as long as you are careful with the basket (don't bang it against things to get the grounds out). You just need to replace the rubber ring once in a while. Some people worry about daily exposure to aluminum, some don't; but if it's a concern, I notice that at sites like this you can get stainless-steel pots.

These little guys will tend to steer you toward using good, fresh coffee, because whatever flavor is in those beans, they give it to you intensified.

Thanks guys for all the advice!!!!!

I have a Moka pot and am getting a French press but at 5:00am or earlier I don't have the coordination to use either.

I'll be looking at and dreaming about the Technivorm while I make due with the one I have.

I used to be a Gevalia member but it is a tad expensive just for my morning caffeine shot. I keep good stuff around for good cups of coffee but keep cheap stuff for the morning and random business guests. I can wait to get a good maker because good coffee from drip is only needed for dinner parties and special guests.

I've been using the same 10 cup bunn machine for the past 6 years.

+1 on cannonfodder's suggestion

splurge for the nice burr grinder, and cheap out on the coffee maker. I'd suggest turkish Ibrik, moka pot, or french press. Make sure to get quality roasted beans from a reputable roaster as well, and use quality water...if you won't drink your tap water plain, make coffee with what you do drink.

Personally I REALLY enjoy my Turkish coffee, and with my Mazzer Super Jolly grinder...it makes a mean tiny cup. I sold my espresso machine a while ago because to me it didn't really compare (or only 1 out of 10 shots did), so until I can get a good dual boiler or HX machine I think espresso isn't worth it.

HTH

Ya gotta go with quality for a coffee brewer. The pour over style that fits onto a Thermos is what I use on the road. You can find those here.

Wayne

I have worked at several cafes in my lifetime, and consider myself quite the coffee connoisseur...so what I am about to say may seem odd. For my money the best home brewed cup of coffee out there comes from an older version stainless steal electric percolator. I have invested several hundred dollars in various espresso machines, and several different autodrip coffee makers, and well nothing makes a cup of plain old coffee like an old percolator. The one I have runs about $50, (Presto brand, Stainless Steel)...as far as a timer, no such luck, but seeing that they turn on and start the brew the moment you plug them in I'm thinking if you get one of those timers for your lights(you know the ones that turn them on and off on a regular schedule when you're on vacation so vandals don't think no one is home) then you have a quick fix to that problem...and for $50 I don't think you'll find anything out there that makes a cup of coffee nearly as good.

Originally Posted by Dephunct101

I have worked at several cafes in my lifetime, and consider myself quite the coffee connoisseur...so what I am about to say may seem odd. For my money the best home brewed cup of coffee out there comes from an older version stainless steal electric percolator. ...

You know, that doesn't seem odd to me. Percolated coffee was a lot more common when I was growing up, it seems, and lately I've been thinking I'd like to get hold of a percolator and try it. I was thinking of a stovetop unit--I'd guess there wouldn't be a lot of difference in the result. Though that wouldn't help Wildtim's 5:00 AM coordination issues, with which I can completely identify!

perc guys don't take offense however coffee brewed in a perc is considered the worst possible way to brew coffee. Its not my opinion but if you read the coffee sites they will tell you this. The cardinal rule of coffee brewing is that the coffee passes over the grounds one time and one time only. A perc passes it over again and again. This is the reason why when the Mr Coffee machines came out years ago and most people were using percs then these new machines sold by the millions and people were amazed how great the coffee tasted.

Coffee from a percolator is just a little worse than road tar. They are flawed in design. A percolator takes the extracted coffee, overheats it, then rebrews again producing a burnt swill fit for watering ones plants with.