I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
favorite, but what about the high end drips?

Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
$300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm

Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
bad ones from people with terrible experiences.

Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.

Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
the millions. Are they worth it?

Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
good a cup for a lot less.

My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
I have a cup of tea instead.

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:06:46 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
> Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
> $300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
> http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>
> Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
> bad ones from people with terrible experiences.

A friend has the Technivorm, an excellent machine. I have
the Krups which at about $100 makes great coffee into a thermal
carafe.

For a fast and perfect cup of course the cafe presse is
the way to go. That is what I use for a single cup.

>
>
> Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
> the millions. Are they worth it?

They are not worth the bother.

>
> My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
> she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
> I have a cup of tea instead.


--
This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with
Negroes, entertainers, and any others. - Harry J. Anslinger

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:06:46 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

>I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
>about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
>favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
>Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
>$300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
>http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>
> Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
>bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>
>Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>
>Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
>the millions. Are they worth it?

NO! I bought a cheap B&D, the water came out at ~ 178-180 deg. The
coffee SUCKED. I threw it out after ~ 1 week.

>Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
>extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
>It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
>good a cup for a lot less.
>
>My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
>she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
>I have a cup of tea instead.

A friend has a Cuisinart that sells at Costco for ~$50. MAde good
coffee I though.

-Zz

On 3/11/2012 3:06 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
> Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
> $300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
> http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>
> Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
> bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>
> Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>
> Mr. Coffee and Black& Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
> the millions. Are they worth it?
>
> Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
> extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
> It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
> good a cup for a lot less.
>
> My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
> she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
> I have a cup of tea instead.

I had a four-cup or two-mug Mr Coffee for twenty years. All I ever
replaced was the jug when I dropped it. The machine just stopped working
a couple of months ago and I could not find a replacement but I now have
a 5-cup Sears Kenwood (about $20) that functions identically and the
coffee is fine!

--
Jim Silverton

Extraneous "not" in Reply To.

"Ed Pawlowski" > wrote in message
...
>I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
> Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
> $300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
> http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>
> Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
> bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>
> Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>
> Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
> the millions. Are they worth it?
>
> Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
> extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
> It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
> good a cup for a lot less.
>
> My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
> she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
> I have a cup of tea instead.
>
>
I have the Cuisinart 1200 and like it.
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DCC-...1498160&sr=8-1
I've compared it to French press coffee and I don't know if I can tell much
difference. The Technivorum was best rated in Cook's Illustrated sometime
back and it was felt it was best because the water heated consistently to
just over 200F, apparently the optimal temp. for the coffee to meet the
water.

The minute my coffee is done it goes into a thermal pot for the remainder of
the day. I think that's the secret. Heating after brewing destroys the
flavor.

Kent

Ed Pawlowski wrote:

> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
> favorite, but what about the high end drips?

Fresh ground coffee makes a difference, so I recommend you purchase
something with a built-in grinder. The shelf life of roasted coffee
beans is much longer than the shelf life of ground coffee.

Cuisinart makes something called a Grind-n-Brew which we used for many
years before switching to espresso, and we found it an excellent
machine. We did have a couple of problems with it but the customer
service from the company was exemplary - they replaced a few parts for
us and finally sent us an entirely new machine when ours was three years
old, all at no charge to us and all without any hassle. We still have
that machine and if we were to need to buy a new coffee maker again,
we'd buy another. They were $150 when we bought ours - looks like
they're $100 or less now.

-S-

On 3/11/2012 2:06 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
> Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
> $300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
> http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>
> Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
> bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>
> Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>
> Mr. Coffee and Black& Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
> the millions. Are they worth it?
>
> Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
> extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
> It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
> good a cup for a lot less.
>
> My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
> she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
> I have a cup of tea instead.

How about an espresso maker like this one I found on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Express-Stovet...498225&sr=8-13

or

http://tinyurl.com/7x9jwye

The coffee/espresso maker shown in the Amazon example is 6 cups
capacity. There are a few different sizes from one cup to 10+ cups.
Before gifted with an electric espresso maker (DeLonghi), I used this
sort of coffee maker to make a morning mocha. The only drawbacks were I
always made sure to A) keep an eye on the stove, and B) use the timer to
make sure I didn't get distracted while making coffee/espresso with this
stove-top method. HTH

Sky

--

Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice!!

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 13:13:20 -0800, Mark Thorson >
wrote:


>I put the ground coffee in a big mug, pour the hot
>water over it, stir, then pour into two glass jars
>with filters folded over their mouths. There's no
>support for the filters, but they're larger diameter
>than the mouths of the jars, so folding the extra
>material over the rim creates a collar that holds
>them in place. I've tried filter funnels, but
>they're way too slow. I use two jars to speed
>things up even more. I rinse out the mug and pour
>the two jars of filtered coffee into it.
>
>Other than my coffee mug, a spoon, and two recycled
>jars, no equipment is needed.

That is probably the all time best method, but I just can't picture my
wife doing that with a smile on her face. She sometimes uses a small
French press for a single cup and uses the four minutes steeping time.
I do that for my tea also.

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 19:13:29 +0000 (UTC), Julian Macassey
> wrote:



>
> A friend has the Technivorm, an excellent machine. I have
>the Krups which at about $100 makes great coffee into a thermal
>carafe.

I'm anti-Krups though, after my recent experience with them.

On 3/11/2012 4:45 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
> Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>
>> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
>> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
>> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
> Fresh ground coffee makes a difference, so I recommend you purchase
> something with a built-in grinder. The shelf life of roasted coffee
> beans is much longer than the shelf life of ground coffee.
>
> Cuisinart makes something called a Grind-n-Brew which we used for many
> years before switching to espresso, and we found it an excellent
> machine. We did have a couple of problems with it but the customer
> service from the company was exemplary - they replaced a few parts for
> us and finally sent us an entirely new machine when ours was three years
> old, all at no charge to us and all without any hassle. We still have
> that machine and if we were to need to buy a new coffee maker again,
> we'd buy another. They were $150 when we bought ours - looks like
> they're $100 or less now.
>
I found that the $20 Cuisinart coffee grinder works well with my (about
$20) Mr Coffee and also with its replacement the similarly priced Sears
that I mentioned. Despite what others have said in the past, I keep the
beans in the freezer and I've not noticed any lack of flavor. It's true
that I don't keep the prepared coffee warm but I only drink one mug
after dinner and one at breakfast, which is half the previous night's
coffee heated in the microwave for a minute and a half.


--
Jim Silverton

Extraneous "not" in Reply To.

On 3/11/2012 9:06 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
> Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
> $300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
> http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>
> Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
> bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>
> Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>
> Mr. Coffee and Black& Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
> the millions. Are they worth it?
>
> Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
> extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
> It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
> good a cup for a lot less.
>
> My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
> she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
> I have a cup of tea instead.

I've tried all kinds of brewers. At one time, my favorite method was to
use one of those cheap percolators that you use on camping trips. They
are best at filling the area with a great smell which the others don't
do so well at.

These days skip the gimmicks and just use a couple of cheap automatic
drip coffeemakers and canned stuff cause what I really want is a
non-harsh brew with little fuss. My method is to not put the carafe in
place until the water has a chance to pool and saturate the grounds.
Sometimes I get distracted and forget to put the carafe back in time -
that's always exciting. :-)

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:06:46 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
> Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
> $300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
> http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>
> Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
> bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>
> Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>
> Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
> the millions. Are they worth it?
>
> Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
> extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
> It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
> good a cup for a lot less.
>
> My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
> she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
> I have a cup of tea instead.

AFAIC, a French press is only good for dinner parties. I've used Mr.
Coffee at work. I don't have a problem with the way it brews coffee,
but my home coffee makers have always been a step up from Mr C. DD
gave me an $80-100 Krups two Christmas's ago after the heater on my
old one got weak and I got tired of drinking lukewarm coffee.
Frankly, other than how hot the coffee is - I can't tell the
difference. It's much nicer looking than a Mr. Coffee, but the
quality of a pot of coffee depends on what quality the coffee you
start with is and how much of it you use per cup.

FWIW, my favorite coffee shop hand drips each cup individually and
theirs is superb - so you might want to consider going back to the old
fashioned hand drip method and dripping it directly into a thermal
carafe for better heat retention.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:57:30 -0400, James Silverton
> wrote:

> I found that the $20 Cuisinart coffee grinder works well with my (about
> $20) Mr Coffee and also with its replacement the similarly priced Sears
> that I mentioned. Despite what others have said in the past, I keep the
> beans in the freezer and I've not noticed any lack of flavor.

Agreed. I keep both whole beans and ground in the freezer and they're
fine. I buy them very fresh and they stay fresh there. Love my $20
Cuisinart coffee grinder too!

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>
> Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
> extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
> It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
> good a cup for a lot less.

I take coffee fairly seriously. I buy green beans
and roast them myself. So what do I brew in?

I put the ground coffee in a big mug, pour the hot
water over it, stir, then pour into two glass jars
with filters folded over their mouths. There's no
support for the filters, but they're larger diameter
than the mouths of the jars, so folding the extra
material over the rim creates a collar that holds
them in place. I've tried filter funnels, but
they're way too slow. I use two jars to speed
things up even more. I rinse out the mug and pour
the two jars of filtered coffee into it.

Other than my coffee mug, a spoon, and two recycled
jars, no equipment is needed.

I've heard that coffee should be steeped for four
minutes, but after stirring I pour the coffee into
the filters immediately. I've tried steeping, but
I haven't found any difference in doing that, except
it makes the mug too hot to hold comfortably.

I drink quite a bit of coffee these days, about 4
or 5 mugs of very strong coffee daily.

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:06:46 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
snip

>
>My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
>she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
>I have a cup of tea instead.

I use a manual, glass Mellita coffee carafe. I grind the beans in a
grinder. Fill the tea kettle with water. I measure coffee grounds
into the cone that holds a paper filter over the carafe. When the tea
kettle is just about to whistle, I pour the water over the grounds.
I have never liked the coffee from machines that brew automatically.
There is no dripping with my Mellita. All parts can go into the dish
washer. I'm pretty sure the pot costs less that $20. I don't know
for sure as I have stock piled several in case of breakage. I suppose
some day when I am older and don't want to fuss I might go to
pre-ground coffee in an automatic machine. Probably though I will
give up coffee first.
Janet US

We are Bunn people, and had one for years, which makes the perfect cup
of coffee every time (approximately 3 minutes for a 8 cup pot). Hubby
recently decided to buy a new one, as he broke the carafe, and rather
than just replace that through the manufacturer, he came home with a new
10 cup one. It was around $125, and hopefully will give us the years of
service the other one did.

Haven't tried some of the others mentioned in here, but no need to, as
we're completely satisfied with what we have.

Also like the fact, there is always a full pot reserve of hot water in
it, in case the lights go out... can still have coffee, and just put it
in the insulated Hot Pot.

Judy

On Mar 11, 3:06*pm, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
> about coffee makers these days? *French press still seems to be a
> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
> Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
> $300. * It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>
> *Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
> bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>
> Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>
> Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
> the millions. *Are they worth it?
>
> Has anyone had a big revelation? *Such as I should have spent the
> extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. *Or,
> It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
> good a cup for a lot less.
>
> My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
> she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. *Personally,
> I have a cup of tea instead.

I like the French press method. I heat water to 190, grind own beans,
toss 1/4 tsp. sugar in the pot too, let it brew for 5 minutes (that's
when I rush in and make the bed or something), heat my milk, and I'm
happy with the simplicity of it all. No way would I ever go for one
of the Krups type you mentioned - ack - what a waste of money.

Kent wrote:

> "Ed Pawlowski" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
>>about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
>>favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>>
>>Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
>>$300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
>>http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>>
>>Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
>>bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>>
>>Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>>
>>Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
>>the millions. Are they worth it?
>>
>>Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
>>extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
>>It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
>>good a cup for a lot less.
>>
>>My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
>>she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
>>I have a cup of tea instead.
>>
>>
>
> I have the Cuisinart 1200 and like it.
> http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DCC-...1498160&sr=8-1
> I've compared it to French press coffee and I don't know if I can tell much
> difference. The Technivorum was best rated in Cook's Illustrated sometime
> back and it was felt it was best because the water heated consistently to
> just over 200F, apparently the optimal temp. for the coffee to meet the
> water.
>
> The minute my coffee is done it goes into a thermal pot for the remainder of
> the day. I think that's the secret. Heating after brewing destroys the
> flavor.
>
> Kent

One steel or iron pot dedicated to boiling water and making coffee in.

Boil X number of cups of water, when boiling remove from heat and
measure in the appropriate amount of ground coffee. 1 tbs. for each cup
of coffee and one for the pot.

Let sit for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes some grounds will remain floating on top but after 10
minutes even they will have sank to the bottom of the pan and the brewed
coffee may be decanted with little to no residue.

Of course, while that first cup of freshly brewed coffee is often a
taste treat, especially with some garlic sourdough buttered toast i
don't drink the rest of the pot for flavor or to quench thirst, but
rather for the caffeine it provides in, no matter how it is preserved,
diminishing flavor and freshness.

I have a bit of chocolate liquor that does wonders for a stale cup of
left over coffee

My favorite coffee maker was the french press but i broke so many of
them ... and the various coffee machines from Mr. Coffee drip types to
the more elaborate and these days computer controlled brewing stations
are just one hassle on top of another. And i don't like inside parts of
a cooking tool i cant clean.

Even the simple milita (sp?) drip into a carafe type i don't care for
not only because i have never found a paper filter i liked using, i
think they all add a distasteful flavor to the coffee, and a dedicated
piece of raw silk! i have to do a laundry before i can have a cuppa

And i cant find steel much less gold wire mesh in anything other than
plastic. Now if some one would put gold mesh in a metal or even ceramic
cone.....

Or if somebody would make an all metal, no glass, French Press or
Mellita type drip model....i would at least give it a try.

As it is, dedicated water pot & coffee is all you need to brew an
excellent cuppa.

Even if i were to server the coffee formally in a silver coffee pot i
would brew it the same way.

Oh and also, and perhaps its just me, but i seem to recall the French
press brewing exceptionally strong cups of coffee, i think that 'press'
part can actually be detrimental to the flavor of coffee i prefer.

A good cup of coffee should taste good right out of the pot with no
additions of milk, cream, sugar or etc.

Of course, most of this has to do more with the quality of the coffee
than the pot it is brewed in.

And don't get me wrong, i routinely buy the 4 rather than the 8 - 12
dollar a pound ground coffee.

Oh dear!!!! something just occurred to me

I struggled not to mention it here over the last few days, it seems so
cliché, but, i actually went to a Trader Joe's for the first time the
other day

And, because of my new living situation grabbed a jar of their house
brand instant coffee (along with some marvelous buys on various cheeses,
wines, crackers, sliced meats & assorted other ready to eat or drink
foods all remarkably reasonably priced.)

I used to keep a jar of the Italian Gold Medal (Medalia de Oro) instant
espresso around but it seemed to get very expensive a few years ago
(iirc) and so i had been brewing my coffee and then when i was in the
Joe's the other day, i was pleasantly surprised to see a jar of house
brand (Trader Joe's) instant coffee and even more surprised at how good
it is. At about $3 and change iirc for 3.5 ounces. I will be purchasing
more of it but not soon it seems to last well being used 1 tbs. at a time.
--
JL

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:50:01 -0700, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

> On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:02:00 -0700, sf > wrote:
>
> >FWIW, my favorite coffee shop hand drips each cup individually and
> >theirs is superb - so you might want to consider going back to the old
> >fashioned hand drip method and dripping it directly into a thermal
> >carafe for better heat retention.
>
> My mother used to have a 3 piece drip coffee maker, that was a
> pour-over. Used to make the best cup of coffee, ever.
>
> Found a picture of one...
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-WEAR...em19ce55 0a2b
>
Your mother was cutting edge. Most of my family drank tea and the
rest drank instant coffee, not that we could have gotten anything
better than Folgers in a can out in the middle of nowhere. I remember
how bad restaurant coffee was back in the day and clearly remember
when Farmer Brothers was the coffee they'd brag about, because it
tasted so much better than the other swill.


--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

Ed Pawlowski wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
> favorite, but what about the high end drips?

Reality, it's more the level of the beans than the brew maker for most
of us.

I'm happy with a very simple metal caraffe 5 cup black and decker unit
that cost me maybe 20$. I put in decent beans, normally ground myself
but not always and call it quite usable.'

I love my Cuisinart coffee pot (drip) but then I don't rank as a coffee
expert.

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
favorite, but what about the high end drips?

Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
$300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm

Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
bad ones from people with terrible experiences.

Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.

Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
the millions. Are they worth it?

Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
good a cup for a lot less.

My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
I have a cup of tea instead.

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:26:55 GMT, "l, not -l" > wrote:

>
>On 11-Mar-2012, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>
>> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
>> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
>> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
>
>> Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
>> $300.
>
>A $300 brewer would have to make a helluva lot better coffee than a $20
>brewer to warrant the expense, unless you are a one-percenter. I long ago
>decided that I don't care to try and impress people with a costly coffee
>"brewing system"; I just care about having a good cup of coffee. Since the
>vast majority of the time I make coffee first thing in the morning - that
>means I want it simple and reliable.
>
>After trying many different coffee-maker types, and usng Mr. Coffees for
>several years, I settled on the three I use today. For single cup brewing
>I use a Melitta cone that I picked up the supermarket for about US$3. For
>4 "cups", which is what I use most of the time, I use a Bodum press and on
>the occasion I want to brew 8 "cups", I use a Bodum Santos vacuum/siphon
>pot. All three make coffee that I greatly enjoy; none of them have a
>heating coil under the carafe/pot/cup to burn the coffee after brewing. All
>three are simple enough that they work for a very long time; unlike Mr.
>Coffee where some cheap, unavailable, part fails after a few months
>requiring the purchase of a new one.

My mother-in-law had a Cory vacuum/siphon coffee maker for years. I
may even have one around here somewhere. I know I have some Chemex
ones and a couple of Corning pots too. We use a Cuisinart 12 cup now
and I finally turned the "keep hot" feature off. Just stick the cup
in the microwave to heat it up.


>
>
>> My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
>> she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
>> I have a cup of tea instead.
>
>Given you drink tea and your wife wants something ...easier to pour...; I
>think you should consider a Melitta Ready-Set-Joe (under US$15). Place the
>cone on top of the mug, lay in a filter and some grounds and pour on hot
>water; the coffee brews right into the mug. Of course you do have to have
>hot water and pour it; I use a Chef's Choice cordless Hot Pot but there are
>many similar items (one is among this week's specials at Aldi).
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:57:30 -0400, James Silverton
> > wrote:
>
>> I found that the $20 Cuisinart coffee grinder works well with my (about
>> $20) Mr Coffee and also with its replacement the similarly priced Sears
>> that I mentioned. Despite what others have said in the past, I keep the
>> beans in the freezer and I've not noticed any lack of flavor.
>
> Agreed. I keep both whole beans and ground in the freezer and they're
> fine. I buy them very fresh and they stay fresh there. Love my $20
> Cuisinart coffee grinder too!
>
> --
>

I'm very fond of my Kitchenaid Pro-Line burr grinder.
http://www.kitchenaid.com/product/KPCG100OB.uts
At that price I should be. It does, however, give you a uniform grind that
no blade grinder does. I purchased one at Costco for a very reasonable
price.

Kent

On Sunday, March 11, 2012 2:06:46 PM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
> Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
> $300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
> http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>
> Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
> bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>
> Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>
> Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
> the millions. Are they worth it?

If you use good coffee, I don't see any problem with them. Our 12 cup come type Mr. Coffee makes wonderful coffee. I think it was a $30 model. I always put some ice cubes in with the water to slow down brewing so it doesn't overflow the cone.
>
> Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
> extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
> It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
> good a cup for a lot less.
>
> My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
> she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
> I have a cup of tea instead.

I have a Cuisinart 4 cup that makes great coffee, but it is bordering on impossible to pour the first cup w/o spilling any. Don't buy this:
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DCC-.../dp/B0000A1ZMS

Manual drips like Melitta are great, but more labor intensive.

--Bryan

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:32:52 -0700, "Kent" >
wrote:

> I'm very fond of my Kitchenaid Pro-Line burr grinder.
> http://www.kitchenaid.com/product/KPCG100OB.uts
> At that price I should be. It does, however, give you a uniform grind that
> no blade grinder does. I purchased one at Costco for a very reasonable
> price.

I'd like to get a burr grinder someday, but not at that price - so if
you ever stumble across one at a screaming good deal, please let me
know!

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

Ed Pawlowski wrote:

>I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
>about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
>favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>
>Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
>$300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
>http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>
> Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
>bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>
>Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>
>Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
>the millions. Are they worth it?
>
>Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
>extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
>It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
>good a cup for a lot less.
>
>My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
>she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
>I have a cup of tea instead.

You didn't say what your priorities are, or your budget constraints,
if any.

My highest priority is maintaining flavor beyond the first cup, so a
thermal carafe is a requirement for me.

Do you want quick delivery, or can you wait for a superior brewed cup?
Do you need a "programmable" timer so you can grind, load, and set up
the night before?

Do you want a machine that will last for years or do you want one that
might die sooner but is cheap?

The ones that "sell by the millions" are typically used for
supermarket-grade canned coffee. If that's what you use, there's
little point in investing more in a brewing machine.

French press brewers require a little more fuss. They also work better
with finely ground coffee (i.e. finer than "drip" grind).

Steve Freides wrote:

>Fresh ground coffee makes a difference, so I recommend you purchase
>something with a built-in grinder. The shelf life of roasted coffee
>beans is much longer than the shelf life of ground coffee.

This advice is partly good and partly bad. Grinding beans right before
brewing is a big plus if you care about flavor, but the brewers with
built-in grinders are poor at both tasks. Plus, if the built-in
grinder clogs up or otherwise becomes unusable, you're back where you
started at best.

sf wrote:

>I'd like to get a burr grinder someday, but not at that price - so if
>you ever stumble across one at a screaming good deal, please let me
>know!

Here's a couple:

<http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bodum-Bistro-Electric-Burr-Coffee-Grinder-Black-/380419169998?pt=Small_Kitchen_Appliances_US&hash=i tem5892bfdece>

<http://www.ebay.com/itm/KitchenAid-Pro-Line-Series-Burr-Coffee-Mill-Grinder-Onyx-Black-KPCG100OB-/330700040484?pt=Small_Kitchen_Appliances_US&hash=i tem4cff422924>

I am sipping a very fine cup of Folgers instant....MR

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:50:01 -0700, Christine Dabney
> > wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:02:00 -0700, sf > wrote:
>>
>> >FWIW, my favorite coffee shop hand drips each cup individually and
>> >theirs is superb - so you might want to consider going back to the old
>> >fashioned hand drip method and dripping it directly into a thermal
>> >carafe for better heat retention.
>>
>> My mother used to have a 3 piece drip coffee maker, that was a
>> pour-over. Used to make the best cup of coffee, ever.
>>
>> Found a picture of one...
>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-WEAR...em19ce55 0a2b
>>
Nifty gadget your mom had, Chris!

> Your mother was cutting edge. Most of my family drank tea and the
> rest drank instant coffee, not that we could have gotten anything
> better than Folgers in a can out in the middle of nowhere. I remember
> how bad restaurant coffee was back in the day and clearly remember
> when Farmer Brothers was the coffee they'd brag about, because it
> tasted so much better than the other swill.
>
I grew up seeing a can of Maxwell House on the counter. And sometimes jars
of Sanka (decaf) instant coffee. (Yech!) Later the ground coffee of choice
became Folgers. Didn't really matter to me.... I didn't drink coffee then.

20 years or so ago I joined the Gevalia Cafe coffee club. Got a free coffee
maker I think it was a Krups... not sure. I tried several different
types of their coffee from all over the world. They were all very nice.
But I don't drink enough coffee to warrant getting 2 lbs. (or even 1 lb.) of
coffee a month. Plus I got free coffee at the office. So I cancelled the
subscription. Now I see ads on television... you can buy Gevalia blends at
the grocery store now.

As for my coffee maker... it's a plain ol' $20 Mr. Coffee. I can't give Ed
(the OP) any indication of how long one would last since I don't use mine
every day.

Jill

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 17:05:14 -0700, sf > wrote:

>On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:32:52 -0700, "Kent" >
>wrote:
>
>> I'm very fond of my Kitchenaid Pro-Line burr grinder.
>> http://www.kitchenaid.com/product/KPCG100OB.uts
>> At that price I should be. It does, however, give you a uniform grind that
>> no blade grinder does. I purchased one at Costco for a very reasonable
>> price.
>
>I'd like to get a burr grinder someday, but not at that price - so if
>you ever stumble across one at a screaming good deal, please let me
>know!

Costco currently has Krupps burr grinder for $29 You should be able
to get a burr grinder for around $50+ anywhere, anytime.
Janet US

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:10:18 -0400, George M. Middius
> wrote:

>Steve Freides wrote:
>
>>Fresh ground coffee makes a difference, so I recommend you purchase
>>something with a built-in grinder. The shelf life of roasted coffee
>>beans is much longer than the shelf life of ground coffee.
>
>This advice is partly good and partly bad. Grinding beans right before
>brewing is a big plus if you care about flavor, but the brewers with
>built-in grinders are poor at both tasks. Plus, if the built-in
>grinder clogs up or otherwise becomes unusable, you're back where you
>started at best.
>
Grinders should really be cleaned after one or two uses. Haven't you
ever looked at the grinders at the store and seen all the buildup
around where the coffee exits? That is caused by statically charged
particles and oily coffee beans.
Janet US

I can enjoy a good cup of coffee, but I'll drink any cheap instant. The
worst is the stuff that comes out of those vending machines.

Greg

George M. Middius > wrote:
> Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>
>> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
>> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
>> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>>
>> Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
>> $300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
>> http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>>
>> Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
>> bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>>
>> Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>>
>> Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
>> the millions. Are they worth it?
>>
>> Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
>> extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
>> It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
>> good a cup for a lot less.
>>
>> My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
>> she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
>> I have a cup of tea instead.
>
> You didn't say what your priorities are, or your budget constraints,
> if any.
>
> My highest priority is maintaining flavor beyond the first cup, so a
> thermal carafe is a requirement for me.
>

I bought an inexpensive proctor silex unit with thermal carafe. I think
it's much better than an always heating one. For some reason mine does
start to warm up the outer stainless, but quickly shuts down.

Greg

Christine Dabney wrote:
> On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:02:00 -0700, sf > wrote:
>
>> FWIW, my favorite coffee shop hand drips each cup individually and
>> theirs is superb - so you might want to consider going back to the old
>> fashioned hand drip method and dripping it directly into a thermal
>> carafe for better heat retention.
>
> My mother used to have a 3 piece drip coffee maker, that was a
> pour-over. Used to make the best cup of coffee, ever.
>
> Found a picture of one...
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-WEAR...em19ce55 0a2b
>
> Christine

I have been using one of those much of the time, and have started
toying with my French press again. I also found the reusable
gizmo for the Keurig that does not use paper filters or require
one to disassemble anything. That works fairly well, but one can
only fit a certain amount of coffee in it, so the resulting brew
can be pretty weak--especially when one favors café au lait.

--
Jean B.

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:06:58 -0400, George M. Middius
> wrote:



>
>You didn't say what your priorities are, or your budget constraints,
>if any.


I'd be willing to pay a couple of hundred if it truly makes a better
cup of coffee. I mentioned the Technivorm and would pay for it if it
means a better cup of brew. I may even drink some myself once in a
while.


>
>My highest priority is maintaining flavor beyond the first cup, so a
>thermal carafe is a requirement for me.

That is what she wants next time around.

>
>Do you want quick delivery, or can you wait for a superior brewed cup?
>Do you need a "programmable" timer so you can grind, load, and set up
>the night before?
>
>Do you want a machine that will last for years or do you want one that
>might die sooner but is cheap?
>
>The ones that "sell by the millions" are typically used for
>supermarket-grade canned coffee. If that's what you use, there's
>little point in investing more in a brewing machine.
>
>French press brewers require a little more fuss. They also work better
>with finely ground coffee (i.e. finer than "drip" grind).
>

We buy good coffee and grind it as needed. No programmability is
needed either. I'd rather have something that will last.

On 11/03/2012 9:06 PM, George M. Middius wrote:


> The ones that "sell by the millions" are typically used for
> supermarket-grade canned coffee. If that's what you use, there's
> little point in investing more in a brewing machine.
>
> French press brewers require a little more fuss. They also work better
> with finely ground coffee (i.e. finer than "drip" grind).
>


I think you have it backwards there. I was always disappointed in the
coffee from my french press until I learned that it works best with
coarse ground coffee.

JL wrote:
> Kent wrote:
>
>> "Ed Pawlowski" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>> I know this comes up from time to time, but what are your feelings
>>> about coffee makers these days? French press still seems to be a
>>> favorite, but what about the high end drips?
>>>
>>> Technivorm seems to have better ratings than most, but is approaching
>>> $300. It is made in the Netherlands though, a big plus.
>>> http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm
>>>
>>> Most every other brand has some good ratings, but also some really
>>> bad ones from people with terrible experiences.
>>>
>>> Bunn makes coffee fast, but does not seem to be hot enough for some.
>>>
>>> Mr. Coffee and Black & Decker still have $19.95 models that sell by
>>> the millions. Are they worth it?
>>>
>>> Has anyone had a big revelation? Such as I should have spent the
>>> extra money and bought xxx years ago, it is well worth the cost. Or,
>>> It was a waste to spend so much because the $20 Mr. C makes just a
>>> good a cup for a lot less.
>>>
>>> My wife mentioned that she'd like to have something other that what
>>> she now uses. Faster and easier to pour without spilling. Personally,
>>> I have a cup of tea instead.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> I have the Cuisinart 1200 and like it.
>> http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DCC-...1498160&sr=8-1
>>
>> I've compared it to French press coffee and I don't know if I can tell
>> much difference. The Technivorum was best rated in Cook's Illustrated
>> sometime back and it was felt it was best because the water heated
>> consistently to just over 200F, apparently the optimal temp. for the
>> coffee to meet the water.
>>
>> The minute my coffee is done it goes into a thermal pot for the
>> remainder of the day. I think that's the secret. Heating after brewing
>> destroys the flavor.
>>
>> Kent
>
> One steel or iron pot dedicated to boiling water and making coffee in.
>
> Boil X number of cups of water, when boiling remove from heat and
> measure in the appropriate amount of ground coffee. 1 tbs. for each cup
> of coffee and one for the pot.
>
> Let sit for 5 minutes.
>
> After 5 minutes some grounds will remain floating on top but after 10
> minutes even they will have sank to the bottom of the pan and the brewed
> coffee may be decanted with little to no residue.
>
> Of course, while that first cup of freshly brewed coffee is often a
> taste treat, especially with some garlic sourdough buttered toast i
> don't drink the rest of the pot for flavor or to quench thirst, but
> rather for the caffeine it provides in, no matter how it is preserved,
> diminishing flavor and freshness.
>
> I have a bit of chocolate liquor that does wonders for a stale cup of
> left over coffee
>
> My favorite coffee maker was the french press but i broke so many of
> them ... and the various coffee machines from Mr. Coffee drip types to
> the more elaborate and these days computer controlled brewing stations
> are just one hassle on top of another. And i don't like inside parts of
> a cooking tool i cant clean.
>
> Even the simple milita (sp?) drip into a carafe type i don't care for
> not only because i have never found a paper filter i liked using, i
> think they all add a distasteful flavor to the coffee, and a dedicated
> piece of raw silk! i have to do a laundry before i can have a cuppa
>
> And i cant find steel much less gold wire mesh in anything other than
> plastic. Now if some one would put gold mesh in a metal or even ceramic
> cone.....
>
> Or if somebody would make an all metal, no glass, French Press or
> Mellita type drip model....i would at least give it a try.
>
> As it is, dedicated water pot & coffee is all you need to brew an
> excellent cuppa.
>
> Even if i were to server the coffee formally in a silver coffee pot i
> would brew it the same way.
>
> Oh and also, and perhaps its just me, but i seem to recall the French
> press brewing exceptionally strong cups of coffee, i think that 'press'
> part can actually be detrimental to the flavor of coffee i prefer.
>
> A good cup of coffee should taste good right out of the pot with no
> additions of milk, cream, sugar or etc.
>
> Of course, most of this has to do more with the quality of the coffee
> than the pot it is brewed in.
>
> And don't get me wrong, i routinely buy the 4 rather than the 8 - 12
> dollar a pound ground coffee.
>
> Oh dear!!!! something just occurred to me
>
> I struggled not to mention it here over the last few days, it seems so
> cliché, but, i actually went to a Trader Joe's for the first time the
> other day
>
> And, because of my new living situation grabbed a jar of their house
> brand instant coffee (along with some marvelous buys on various cheeses,
> wines, crackers, sliced meats & assorted other ready to eat or drink
> foods all remarkably reasonably priced.)
>
> I used to keep a jar of the Italian Gold Medal (Medalia de Oro) instant
> espresso around but it seemed to get very expensive a few years ago
> (iirc) and so i had been brewing my coffee and then when i was in the
> Joe's the other day, i was pleasantly surprised to see a jar of house
> brand (Trader Joe's) instant coffee and even more surprised at how good
> it is. At about $3 and change iirc for 3.5 ounces. I will be purchasing
> more of it but not soon it seems to last well being used 1 tbs. at a time.
> --
> JL

Thanks for that tip re TJ's coffee. I do use the Medaglia d'Oro
sometimes and have found it for as low as $3.39 per jar. It is
decent--and even more decent if you add a touch of some coffee
that has what I call "high notes".

Actually, I started using Md'O for my first cup, which I take
pills with, figuring I wasn't savoring it that much anyway--and it
costs far less per cup than the Keurig K-Cups do.

--
Jean B.

On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 17:05:14 -0700, sf > wrote:

>On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:32:52 -0700, "Kent" >
>wrote:
>
>> I'm very fond of my Kitchenaid Pro-Line burr grinder.
>> http://www.kitchenaid.com/product/KPCG100OB.uts
>> At that price I should be. It does, however, give you a uniform grind that
>> no blade grinder does. I purchased one at Costco for a very reasonable
>> price.
>
>I'd like to get a burr grinder someday, but not at that price - so if
>you ever stumble across one at a screaming good deal, please let me
>know!

Burr grinder start at about $50. They go up to astronomical prices.

Ed Pawlowski wrote:

>>You didn't say what your priorities are, or your budget constraints,
>>if any.

>I'd be willing to pay a couple of hundred if it truly makes a better
>cup of coffee. I mentioned the Technivorm and would pay for it if it
>means a better cup of brew. I may even drink some myself once in a
>while.

I don't have personal experience with that one (it's from Sweden, the
same place as Gevalia), but many pros say it can't be beat.

Two excellent ones I know of are the Capresso MT500 and the Kitchenaid
KCM223CU. They both have thermal carafes and in-tank water filters
(replaceable). I'd recommend either of them. Lower on my list are a
two others that make very good coffee: Melitta (kind of flimsy) and
Cuisinart (questionable build quality).

>>My highest priority is maintaining flavor beyond the first cup, so a
>>thermal carafe is a requirement for me.
>
>That is what she wants next time around.

Good choice.

>>Do you want quick delivery, or can you wait for a superior brewed cup?
>>Do you need a "programmable" timer so you can grind, load, and set up
>>the night before?
>>
>>Do you want a machine that will last for years or do you want one that
>>might die sooner but is cheap?
>>
>>The ones that "sell by the millions" are typically used for
>>supermarket-grade canned coffee. If that's what you use, there's
>>little point in investing more in a brewing machine.
>>
>>French press brewers require a little more fuss. They also work better
>>with finely ground coffee (i.e. finer than "drip" grind).
>>
>
>We buy good coffee and grind it as needed. No programmability is
>needed either. I'd rather have something that will last.

Sounds like your priorities align with mine. I recently bought the
above-mentioned Kitchenaid because it was a steal on ebay. If I'd had
to buy retail, I probably would have waited for a thermal French
press. The Kitchenaid has the best build quality I've ever seen.