The Best Coffee Maker: Drip, Espresso, French Press, or Other?

There are a myriad of different types of coffee makers on the market today. They come in different styles, colors and brands. Choosing the right one for your perfect cup of coffee can be confusing and time consuming! Since I recently bought myself a coffee maker, I thought I'd write about what I learned in my research and shopping that helped me make my decision. I'll take you through the steps I took before I chose my own coffee maker.

Choosing How to Brew

The most common way to make coffee, at least in the United States, is the drip coffee maker. It's fast, simple and convenient. Just pour in the amount of water you want, drop in a filter, measure your coffee, close the lid and push the button. In just a few minutes you have a steaming pot of coffee waiting for you, sitting on a hotplate to keep it warm.

Sounds great, right? Sure, but have you ever poured yourself a cup of coffee from a drip coffee maker that's been sitting on the hotplate for 20 minutes or more? It's practically undrinkable. Before I knew much about coffee I used to have to add cream and sugar to those last couple of cups to make it palatable. Since then, I've learned that the hotplate scorches the coffee; if you want a drip coffee maker you should get one that drips the coffee into a glass-insulated carafe to keep it warm. The coffee doesn't scorch and you can even take the carafe to your office or sitting room.

Drip Coffee Makers

A drip coffee maker needs regular cleaning, especially if you live in an area with hard water. Occasionally your pot will be ruined when the filter collapses on itself and allows coffee grounds to fall into the pot. However, drip coffee makers come with some very convenient features, among them a timer system that can have a fresh pot of coffee waiting for you when you get up in the morning. There are even drip coffee makers with built-in coffee bean grinders.

If you decide to buy a drip coffee maker be sure to get one with a carafe instead of a glass pot and get the best quality machine that you can afford.

Percolators

You might also want to think about a percolator. These come in two types-one that you heat on your stove and the electric model. This coffee maker has been around since the 19th century and works by using heat to force water up a pipe and onto a mesh basket of coffee grounds. You can use a filter if you like but there are some people who swear it makes the coffee taste different.

You have to be careful with a percolator, however. The cheaper electric models allow the water temperature to fluctuate, scorching the coffee. A stovetop percolator can easily get hot enough to boil the coffee if you don't constantly watch it. Electric percolators are good for when you have a lot of people gathered that will empty the pot.

The French Press

This little coffee maker is among the most economical and also makes a truly delicious cup of coffee. It consists of a glass jar, a mesh filter and a plunger. It's a simple operation; just put enough coffee in the jar for one cup and pour hot water over it. Stir it and then let it steep for a couple of minutes to get all the flavor from the grounds. Then replace the lid with the filter and plunger and slowly push the plunger down. It will force the grounds to the bottom, leaving a flavorful, aromatic cup of coffee that will make your day!

A French press can be priced as low as $10-15 and is a great choice for someone who wants just one cup of coffee at a time. They are easy to clean; just rinse it out and leave it to dry. If you do choose this method of brewing coffee, spend a little more and get one with good quality glass that won't break easily.

Moka Pots

These little pots are made of steel or aluminum and have two main parts, the bottom pot that holds the water and the top brewing receptacle where the coffee is made. It forces water through the coffee grounds with pressure, a bit like an espresso machine. In fact, it is often called a stovetop espresso maker.

Although a Moka Pot makes a very good cup of coffee it's fairly labor intensive when it comes to cleaning. There are several parts that need to be washed and dried. However, the quality and flavor of the coffee is unbelievable when you get the right beans and the right grind size. A little experimenting and you'll soon get the hang of it.

Espresso Machines

Espresso machines used to be out of reach for most people but technological improvements and modern manufacturing processes have greatly reduced the selling price while making the machines better. You can find espresso machines from about a hundred dollars to a couple of thousand dollars.

Espresso machines are great for a single serving or for making great coffee drinks like a mocha latte. The main feature you want to compare is bars of pressure, as that will determine how good the espresso turns out.

Still Undecided?

I personally prefer the French press. I used to have a drip coffee maker and still do but I haven't used it since I got the press. The taste and quality of the coffee is just not comparable. I don't mind spending a couple of extra minutes using my French press when I get coffee that tastes that good!

To learn how to make real coffee, which coffee beans to buy, what kind of coffee machines you should be looking at? Take a look at the different types of coffee makers available on the market.

Visit PurelyCoffeeBeans to find out the latest tips and information on making 'great coffee every day'!

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Coffee Storage Myths; Freeze Your Fresh Roasted Coffee & Other Popular Misconceptions

So you are finally fed up with that bland black liquid, you once called coffee, brewed from the finest can of generic supermarket grinds. You are financially outraged at the price of a single cup of designer coffee shop coffee. It's now time to take matters into your own hands!

So you invest in the latest technologically advanced coffee maker, including your very own coffee bean grinder. Even the engineers at NASA would envy the bells and whistles on this baby. You splurge on several pounds of the finest fresh roasted Arabica bean coffee the world has to offer.

You pop open the vacuum-sealed bag and release that incredible fresh roasted coffee aroma. Your eyes widen at the site of all those shiny brown beans as you begin to grind your first pound of gourmet coffee. You feel like a mad scientist as you adjust every bell and whistle on your space age coffee maker and you revel in this accomplishment as you finish your first cup of home brewed gourmet coffee. No more long lines and outrageous prices at the neighborhood café for you!

Now it's time to store all those pounds of unopened packages of fresh roasted coffee beans and the unused portion of the black gold you have just ground. Then you remember what your mother told you; "Freeze the unopened beans & Refrigerate the freshly ground coffee".

At this point, it would be best if you just returned to the supermarket and purchase a stock of those generic grinds you had grown to loathe. Having the best coffee beans available and using the most advanced coffee brewing equipment will do little to provide you with the best cup of coffee you desire if the beans are not treated correctly.

Looking at the facts, we learn that the natural enemies of fresh roasted coffee are light, heat and moisture. Storing your coffee away from them will keep it fresher longer. Therefore, an airtight container stored in a cool, dry, dark place is the best environment for your coffee.

But why not the freezer, It's cool & dark?

This does make sense, but if it be the case, then why do we not find our supermarket coffee in the frozen food section?

Here's why!


Coffee is Porous. It is exactly this feature that allows us to use oils and syrups to flavor coffee beans for those who enjoy gourmet flavored coffees. For this same reason, coffee can also absorb flavors and moisture from your freezer. The absorbed moisture will deteriorate the natural goodness of your coffee and your expensive gourmet coffee beans will taste like your freezer.

The coffee roasting process causes the beans to release their oils and essences in order to give the coffee its distinct flavor. This is the reason why your beans are shiny. These oils are more prominent on dark-roasted coffee and espresso beans and the reason why these coffees are so distinct in flavor. The process of freezing will break down these oils and destroy the natural coffee flavor. So unless you don't mind frozen fish flavored coffee, you should avoid using the freezer to store your gourmet coffee beans at all costs.

There are some exceptions to freezer storing your coffee, but you should proceed with caution! Fresh roasted coffee will remain fresh for approximately 2 weeks. If you have more than you can use in this 2 week period you can, and I shutter to say, freeze your coffee but you should follow these steps:


Apply the Freeze Once Rule. What this means is that once you take the beans out of the freezer, they should never go back in. The constant changes in temperature will wreak havoc on your coffee. The frozen moisture on your coffee will melt and be absorbed into the bean, destroying the coffee oils and allowing absorption of unwanted flavors. When you put it back into the freezer, you are repeating the process and destroying your expensive gourmet coffee

Keep moisture out! Remember, moisture is coffee's natural enemy. If you have a five-pound bag of coffee to store, divide it up into weekly portions. Wrap those portions up using sealable freezer bags and plastic wrap. If possible, suck out the excess air from the freezer bag using a straw or a vacuum sealer. Remove the weekly portion when you need it, and store it in an air-tight container in a dry place like your pantry. And remember, Do not put it back into the freezer!


So when is it best Refrigerate Coffee?

Simply put, Never ever, unless you are conducting a science experiment on how long it takes to ruin perfectly good coffee. The fridge is one of the absolute worst places to put coffee. The reasons why not to freeze fresh roasted coffee also apply here.

Other Popular Coffee Myths Exposed.


Grind all beans before storing
Absolutely wrong!. Grinding the coffee breaks up the beans and their oils, exposes the beans to air, and makes the coffee go stale a lot faster, no matter how you store it. This especially holds true for flavored coffees! For the best tasting coffee, you should buy your beans whole and store them in a sealed container in a dark place. Grind right before serving!

Vacuum-sealed packaging equals fresh coffee.
Again, absolutely wrong. The coffee roasting process causes the coffee beans to release a gas by-product, specifically carbon dioxide. This gas release process continues for several days after roasting. In order to be vacuum sealed, the coffee has to first release all its CO² or it will burst the bag, which means that it must sit around for several days before it can be packaged and shipped. This sitting around begins to rob the coffee of its freshness. Vacuum sealing is best for pre-ground coffee, which we already know is not going to taste as good as fresh-ground coffee. The best method for packaging and shipping is in valve-sealed bags. The valve allows the carbon
dioxide gasses and moisture to escape but doesn't allow oxygen or moisture in. Therefore, the fresh roasted coffee beans can be packaged and shipped immediately after roasting, ensuring the coffee's freshness and taste.




A quick review for storing your gourmet coffee


Buy fresh roasted, whole bean coffee directly from a coffee roaster if possible

Look for valve-sealed bags, not vacuum-sealed

Store your coffee beans in a sealed container in a dark place

Grind your beans just before brewing

Enjoy!

Dr. Cynthia Ochi is a coffee lover, who like you, continues her quest to find & prepare the ultimate cup of java. Her search for a quality coffee distributor led to the development of http://www.WeBeJava.com They are not only the distributor but they are affiliated directly with the roastery! Why is this so important? By dealing directly with the roastery, your coffee order is roasted in small batches right before it is shipped. Your coffee order is not sitting around on a shelf just waiting for you to order it! We Be Java's affiliated roastmaster hand picks beans from around the world, blends, flavors & roasts your order so you get the finest coffees available. Their line of coffees have even been featured in Time Magazine! We Be Java's roastery is a certified Organic Coffee Handler and Processor by the Georgia Crop Improvement Association Organic Certification Program (GCIAOCP) and they abide by the standards established by the National Organic Program. Check out http://www.webejava.com for yourself and see if you don?t agree with Cynthia!

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.