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Coffee Machines
Grinders, Presses and Makers oh my!
Coffee machines are a must for the perfect cup of coffee, but how do
you pick the right one?
Here's a quick overview of each type of coffee equipment you need to
brew the perfect cup. Feel free to click on each individual section for
more details and reviews of each of the coffee machines.
First, the four-step process of coffee
preparation:
Here's how coffee goes from raw to your cup!
- Raw coffee beans must be roasted
- Roasted coffee beans must be ground
- Ground coffee is combined with hot water
- Brewed coffee is separated from grounds
Coffee
Roaster
Usually, most coffee drinkers leave this up to the professionals.
However,
an Australian by the name of Corretto created a home coffee roaster out
of a bread machine. If you want to go this route, don't forget to pick
up a multimeter, which helps to control and monitor the roasting
process. I don't have a lot of experience on this so just Google
"coffee roasters."
Coffee Grinder
I remember my first grinder like it was yesterday. It was a gift from a
family member. It was probably the best gift I've ever received as I
used it every single day, well, almost! It was one of the Starbucks
Barista Blade Grinders, which also happened to be the one that was
recalled in March 2009. Although, I never had any problems.
 Benefit:
Keep your grounds whole and fresh and only grid the amount you need
each time.
Con:
Takes time, but not that much! Also produces a wide variety of grind
sizes that may plug up some filters creating an uneven brew.
Here's a growing list of recommended coffee grinders.
At a crossroads…
now that you have coffee grinds, you're ready to brew. How you want to
do it is up to you. However, I'm a big fan of the coffee press as it
doesn't taint the coffee with paper filters. It's a great way to go,
but to make an informed decision, I've given you a few other options as
well.
Coffee Press
The coffee press or "French Press" is a tall glass like cylinder that
includes a metal or nylon mesh filter on the end of a "plunger." Like I
said, it's one of my favorite coffee machines.
Basically, you put the grounds in (coarse so they can be filtered)
followed by hot water. You leave it in for 4 to 7 minutes or as
directed. Then you push the plunger down, which traps the grounds,
enabling you to purr the brewed coffee out.
Benefit:
A "clean" brew is left, which means the coffee wasn't tainted by the
filter.
Con:
Takes a little longer and the coffee might not be as hot as you'd like
it to be afterward, prompting you to reheat.
Here's a growing list of recommended coffee Presses.
Coffeemaker
These coffee machines are a one-stop shop. I had one of these once upon
a time and it was great! It was a single-serving one too so it was
great for being on the go, but obviously not ideal if company was over.
The best part was it had a reusable metal filter.
 Benefit:
Easy to setup and a lot come with pre-packaged coffee pods for
single-cup brewing that don't require a filter. Pretty much no mess.
Con:
While it maybe easy, it takes the art out of brewing and you won't be
able to increase or experience with boldness.
Here's a growing list of recommended Coffeemakers.
Coffee Percolator
This is one of my favorite coffee machines and just saying coffee
percolator brings back memories. My dad's favorite way to brew coffee.
This is a metal container that you put water in and then there is a
metal stem and cup that you put grounds in and it acts as the filter.
Basically, you heat the water up and as it heats up it mixes/brews with
the grounds.
Be careful not to boil the coffee too long as it will turn the coffee
very bitter!
Benefit:
Ability to experiment boldness, great for making big pots of coffee and
it gives off the best aroma throughout the house!
Con:
You have to pay attention to this one. Boil too much at it's bitter…
don't heat enough and you won't get all the flavor out of your grounds.
My dad says he's been making coffee for 30 years and still hasn't got
it right!
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