When I mean heaping, I mean heaping. I mean huge. I use the measuring cup that comes with the Aeropress and fill it to heaping twice. I'm not exactly sure how much that measures out to, but I would have to think it's more than 2-3 tablespoons.
Best coffee maker - is there a consensus?
- Thread starter Duggo
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When I mean heaping, I mean heaping. I mean huge. I use the measuring cup that comes with the Aeropress and fill it to heaping twice. I'm not exactly sure how much that measures out to, but I would have to think it's more than 2-3 tablespoons.
I am a regular press pot user and except for the small amount of sludge left in the bottom of the cup have been happy with this method of brewing.
The clean up also looks much easier with the AeroPress.
I just hit Amazon and am looking forward to my first use.
The clean up also looks much easier with the AeroPress.
I just hit Amazon and am looking forward to my first use.
That's probably pretty close to double strength, then. But.. why?
Good question. It really doesn't come out like an espresso, but it comes out quite strong. I usually have to add a bit more boiling water to the final brew before I can drink it. I've experimented using less coffee, but for whatever reason it turns out weak and somewhat bitter. The more coffee I use, the smoother, more robust flavor.
The Aeropress seems to take a bit of tweaking and experimentation, but once you learn how to use it appropriately, it works out quite well.
Very much like wet shaving.
If your Mom wants a very good cup of coffee...the easiest way to go is a Keurig brewer and if she likes Kona coffee, she can get Coffee People's Kona k-cups. I have a Rancilio Silvia and a Capresso Coffee Team and both are great but the easiest "good enough" cup of coffee is the Keurig!
Other than small footprint, what's the advantage over a good drip coffee maker. With a French press, you must boil the water first, then add it to the pot, then wait and then do the press thing. With a drip it's all done in one step. With a good gold filter you can use a pretty find grind (to more efficiently use the coffee) and have no sludge. Also, my understanding is that the ideal brewing temperature is about 185 degrees (or so), so I'd think boiling water is hotter than ideal.
My uncle has a French press and likes it a lot, but I don't quite get it.
It's closer to 198, and usually, the water sits for 30 seconds or so off the boil.. which brings it down to around 202-ish (dependent on ambient temperature, the container it was boiled in, etc..), which is just fine for brewing. Assume some temperature loss when the water hits the french press itself, and you're usually pretty close to on target.
Aeropress instructions say 180 or so, IIRC. I do not know why. Why would the temperature change for a brewer that brews under less pressure than espresso? It shouldn't. That's just Alan's own preference.
+1
It really is easy, and I'm embarrassed to admit that my coffee "snobbery" has made an unwitting classist of me. The fact is that the Keurig brewer is perfect for people with Parkinsons (or similar symptoms) and/or arthritis -- no fine motor-movements required, or fighting with hard-to-grasp knobs, switches, or similar parts. OTOH, the Keurig brewer is "King" of the waiting room (just ask my dentist!)
In addition, there are a variety of k-cup coffee vendors, which sell excellent single-origin coffees in a variety of roasts and grinds, as well as interesting blends and [gasp!] flavored coffees. In fact, you can even buy a k-cup "basket", which is a refillable plastic container, used in place of the commercial item! Fill it with your own home-roasted coffee, ground on-the-spot or at home that morning, and see for yourself how good it can be to "smell the coffee"
I've seen k-cup coffee offered (online) at $13.95/24, which comes to slightly less than 60-cents/cup of "Joe". What's that? 20%-25% of the cost for a cup of "American" at $harbucks? You do the math... it works for me.
L
Lord Henry
Another +1 one for the Keurig brewers. I'm currently in Iraq and we use them all over the footprint. I have one in my office and my lower left desk drawer has about 200 k-cups in it at any one time. "Hello, My name is Rob, and I am an addict"
However it wasn't until we were on our second one that we learned the 150 dollar one is silent. Which would have been good to know before I ordered the one for my room which elicits various responses from my roommates.
However it wasn't until we were on our second one that we learned the 150 dollar one is silent. Which would have been good to know before I ordered the one for my room which elicits various responses from my roommates.
Saw this today on Gizmodo:
http://gizmodo.com/5250810/designer-brewer-uses-precise-science-to-make-the-perfect-cup-of-coffee
http://gizmodo.com/5250810/designer-brewer-uses-precise-science-to-make-the-perfect-cup-of-coffee
the coffee maker that gets the most press might not be the best coffee maker. No doubt the Technivorm is right at the top. why, because it brews with the proper temperature, saturation rate and water dispersion.
I contend that if you have a bit of time on your hands, can boil water and have a thermometer, that you can brew coffee equal to the Technivorm with this or similar. Melita and Bodum both sell similar pots quite reaonably priced. $15 for the Melita. So I guess it depends on what you want and how much green you can throw at it.
I contend that if you have a bit of time on your hands, can boil water and have a thermometer, that you can brew coffee equal to the Technivorm with this or similar. Melita and Bodum both sell similar pots quite reaonably priced. $15 for the Melita. So I guess it depends on what you want and how much green you can throw at it.
You get very little sludge in a French Press/Cafetiere if you use the correct grind. It should be a lot more coarse that for Espresso, then it doesn't come through the mesh much.
We had one of these when I was a kid. For me now, the amount of time/effort spent would make it a non-starter, but with the proper effort it should make great coffee (but I'll just stick with a good automatic drip).
I would say that my wife makes a pretty good cup of coffee!
Other than that, I think a standard French-press with fresh ground good coffee is pretty hard to beat.
But perhaps I'm being a bit too plebian
--Matt
Other than that, I think a standard French-press with fresh ground good coffee is pretty hard to beat.
But perhaps I'm being a bit too plebian
--Matt
In your case, where you don't have the inclination to fiddle with it or 3 minutes to put towards the coffee, this solution is not for you. Really it is just the laborious boiling and pouring of the water
that consumes the time. Just trying a little devils advocacy 
by pointing out that for $15 you can brew just as well, if not as conveniently as you can for $245.in your case, where you don't have the inclination to fiddle with it or 3 minutes to put towards the coffee, this solution is not for you. Really it is just the laborious boiling and pouring of the water
+1
I use an $80 Cuisinart (not a $245 coffee maker), and get good results. Nothing wrong with the glass carafe method, but as pointed out above, it ain't for me. I happily take 25 minutes for my morning shave but do not want to spend an extra 5-10 mins making coffee.
Typically all I do is kick out a couple of shots through my <gasp> Starbucks machine and add some hot water. Nothing like a nice black Americano to kick start your morning. Plus...it only takes a couple of minutes
Barry
The topic of the OP was "Best Coffee Maker". The Technivorm is considered by many as being that machine. Last time I looked their entry level maker was in the $245 range. So the $15/$245 spread I mentioned was aiming at that machine, not you. Comments were directed at the issue. If I had the extra cash, I might have the Technivorm. The truth is that the manual coffee maker is not for me either. I use a Phillips with an insulated carafe and I am happy with it. it brews at 190°f, a bit shy of perfect and the water comes out of a central hole in the lid, so wetting is not optimum, but it makes darn good coffee just the same and it doesn't get cooked on a burner like so many.
I have long lamented that manufacturers refuse to do a few simple things that would greatly improve their machines while adding little to the cost. A control panel mounted adjustable temperature regulator and a thermometer would allow you to quantify the effects changing the brew temp with repeatable results. A little effort in developing a spray head would not be too tough. Regulating the flow via a replaceable orifice available in different sizes again would be an easy addition. It is all old technology, no new wheels to invent. Yet only a few get any where near it and they make you pay dearly for the pleasure.
