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I am in the market for a good coffeemaker but am overwhelmed by the market. So, to introduce myself: I love coffee! Im a Starbucks drinker, not Caribou. My favorite drink is a mocha, but I brew my own regular cuppa joe (Starbucks beans or Kona) every morning. So, I would like something that enables me to make a good cup thats a bit fancier than my regular brew. I am very sensitive to milk, so I am not able to consistently tolerate a cappucino or any other drink that is heavy on the milk. As a side note - in missing Miami - I love my cafe con leche and cortadito (cuban style - yummiest!).
So what features do you think will get the most bang for my buck (I saw models in the $1000's!); Do I need more than one machine (espresso and traditional cfmkr)? and what brand/make do you recommend, or recommend avoiding?
I too am a coffee lover. I prefer whole bean gourmet coffees*, which I grind as needed with a burr grinder.
I'm not into espressos and frothing, so I can only endorse a basic, reliable no frills coffee maker, and I've never been disappointed with a Bunn. I've been using them since 1973. They're not lying when they say it takes 3 minutes to brew up a 10 cup pot.
On the high-end, Krupps. I have one over 15 years old and it still works great. It is the kind with the coffee maker and an expresso/cappicino on the side. You do not need two different brewers.
A friend bought me a new one because the Krupps had a crack in the grounds cannister but, I still use the Krupps at another house. The one she bought me is "West Bend", a low-end from a national retail chain that has almost the same set-up as the Krupps. This coffee maker is fine except you really have to use a high-end filter and make sure none of the grounds accidently fall into the grounds cup or the thing will back up and spill coffee all over the counter. Happens to me about once every 3 months. UGH.
The Expresso maker on the West End (which is what you would use for Cuban style) works great.
I still love my Krupps but, this new coffee pot was a gift from the heart of a dear friend so I use it.
Have you tried a french press? Or a stovetop espresso pot? I've found both of those to make the best coffee, and you could easily get both for under $80. The french press give the coffee that little bit of foam at the top, and if you want it stronger just leave it in for as long as you want (directions say 4 minutes, my mother leaves hers in for about 10, so it's all personal preference).
I can't remember the french press brand, but I got it at Target for about $30. I'd say try to look for one that has marks on it for the 4-cup or 6-cup amount, as it makes it easier. "4-cups" filled my 20 oz coffee cup.
hi,
IMO the best coffee maker out there is a BUNN coffeemaker. they are around 120.00 but well worth it! they make your cofffee fast and hot in about 2-3 minutes
I guess maybe i'll give Bunn another chance next time. I tried their home model ~7 years ago, and they were duds. The original and the exchange that i bought both had misadjusted spray heads and were unable to brew without pushing the grounds out of the basket. The Cuisinart Grind&Brew that i subsequently purchased was also less than stellar and i don't have any faith in them either. I've had the best experience with Melitta makers and grinders.
I have to ditto the Krups. I had one for 9 years of daily use before it croaked. I'm sure the model is obsolete, but it had a large carafe for 10 cups of regular brew and a small carafe for 4oz of espresso. It also had a steamer that never performed as well as I wanted, but it was great at heating milk. I'm using a cheapo now, just a plain ole Mr. Coffee. As long as I keep the internal parts clean, use good water and grind the beans just before brewing, the coffee tastes as good as it did from the Krups.
You said earlier that mocha is your favorite, but you can't tolerate coffee drinks heavy on milk. Do you need the espresso maker, or did I misunderstand?
If you kick around on the coffee fan sites, you’ve heard about the Technovorm Moccamaster coffee maker. The pricey European import has been rated tops by consumers on nearly all of the major coffee sites, and taken top ratings from Cooks Illustrated, the popular magazine published by the makers of America’s Test Kitchen. The Moccamaster has also achieved something no other coffee maker has ever done – it’s been certified by both the American Specialty Coffee Association and the European Coffee Brewing Centre for consistently brewing coffee at the recommended temperature.
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. The Cuisinart Grind&Brew that i subsequently purchased was also less than stellar and i don't have any faith in them either. I've had the best experience with Melitta makers and grinders.
