Home Food & Drinks How to choose the best coffee maker

How to choose the best coffee maker

by Edvard Berlusconi

For most people, their daily lives cannot begin properly unless they have had that perfect first cup of hot coffee. Of course, you can spend over 200 dollars for a coffee maker that has an interactive display and a specific kind of stainless steel detailing that you would only find on the best pro-style coffee makes. However, you could get a good cup of coffee from a coffee maker that costs half that. But, you might still want more features and a bit more money can buy you convenient things like a thermal carafe and setting that will adjust the brew strength. Let’s take a look at how you can choose the best coffee maker for you:

How do you take your coffee?

  1. The number of cups? – If one cup of coffee is enough for you to start your day, opt for a one or two-cup drip model or a single-serve machine. If you need more, choose a larger automatic drip or an electric French press. Larger models can brew 10-12 cups.
  2. How often do you drink coffee? – If you enjoy drinking coffee throughout the day, you should consider buying a model that has an insulated carafe or mug. These will keep your coffee fresh and hot for hours.

    Img source: en.wikipedia.org

  3. Cannot see straight in the morning? – For some people, turning on the machine and making the coffee can be a lot to handle. If that is the case, purchase a unit that can be programmed to automatically start brewing in the morning.
  4. Consider the height and size – When choosing a model, consider the counter space that you have. All the machines can fit under the upper cabinets, however, you will still need to pull it out when it is time to brew some coffee.

You will need to match your coffee maker to your  habits

You will find various coffee makers available, including the coffee presses, manual-drip systems, and single-serve pod coffee makers that can brew separate cups. In the lost below, you will be able to read about the most common types of coffee makers:

  1. Drip Coffee Makers

Img source: Cnet.com

This is the most commonly used type of coffee makers. With these automatic drip appliances, you will need to fill a compartment with water, load the coffee into a filter basket, and click a button that will heat the water and run it into the grounds and into the pot. The best drip machines reach 195º to 205º F in 5 to 6 minutes, which is the standard time.

  1. Single-Serve Pod Coffee Makers

Img source: Amazon.com

These machines will force the water through a small packet, either a small hard capsule or a soft pocket similar to a tea bag. Some of them even accept an adapter that will take your favorite loose grounds. Pod machines are a bit more expensive to use since you will need to buy special coffee refills. If you want to check out the best budget coffee maker, click here.

  1. 1- to 2-mug drip

Img source: hamiltonbeach.com

These are designed to make smaller amounts and they come with either a pod or drip model, the latter using an adapter to hold the coffee grounds. Some of the models will brew directly into an insulated mug that is ready to be taken with you on the train or on the car.

  1. Specialty

Img source: nomadcoffeeclub.com

These machines are different from the standard drip ones. Some mimic the French press by suspending the coffee grounds in hot water for a specific period of time before filtering it. And automatic drip machines will simply spray the water on the grounds and it drips through.

Conclusion

As you can see, these are the things you need to consider when looking for a new coffee machine. Keep in mind that you will need to match the coffee machine with your habits in order to get the most out of it.