My coffeemaker is dying, what should I get?

[lotus.blossom]

We enjoy our coffee in this hosuehold and we have been getting by with a crappy Cuisinart 4 cupper. It leaks and doesn't make enough for a crowd and now the plastic parts are breaking. What should I get to replace it?
We love espresso and dark roast coffees. An espresso machine? Another coffeemaker? A french press? What do you all have?

[amma_mama]

I guess it depends on how much you really want to spend...I personally would not buy a cheap espresso maker so I do not have one (but hope to treat myself one day). I am the only coffee drinker in the hose so I have both a French Press and Italian Moka Pot (which goes on the stove top). I use the French Press most days and have one at the office as I like it better than the office coffee. It is easy to use and clean. The coffee is pretty caffeine-intensive, though, since the water is sitting with the grounds for along period. I use the moka pot only occasionally but it makes a pretty good pseudo espresso, is less caffeine-intensive even if the coffee is "stronger" tasting. It is also relatively easy to keep clean.

I don't know if either comes in something bigger than a 4 cupper, though. So if you want something with bigger capacity, you probably need to go for a regular coffee maker...which also has the potential advantage, depending on the model, of having a timer to have coffee when you get up in the AM...

[lotus.blossom]

I googled the Moka Pot. We acually have had one of those things in the past and it was novel for a little while but then I think we got tired of cleaning it out and it may have rusted..... I can't really remember but its gone now.

The extra caffeine aspect of a french press is new to me. I don't like that idea since I am nursing. So maybe it'll have to be a new coffeepot?

I would love to have an espresso machine but I just got a kitchenaid stand mixer so I think I have maxed out my kitchen tool budget for a while

[Pinoikoi]

Keurig.. I LOVE my Keurig.

If you get the small attachment part (can't recall its name) then you can use your own grounds, but I like the K cups, they came in such delicious flavors.. German Chocolate Cake is one of my favorites...

I like that I can pour one flavor for me in a few seconds it is hot, it goes directly in my cup, and dp can have Chai Tea or something right after it with no cleaning of anything.. I can preset my preferred temp, and I can tell it what size of coffee cup I am using. I also feel really good about it because I am not wasting any coffee.. if I make a "pot" of a coffee in a regular machine, then I always dump out a cup or two that nobody drinks and has gotten old.. that's a lot of waste over a year.

You can find them at Bed Bath and Beyond, Sears, Kohls, even Costco now. If you buy one, get one that comes with a coffee sampler pack.. that is how I got mine from BBandB, but the Costco deal is a VERY good deal- lots of coffee in their sampler.

My bff has a french press, and she used to be a barrista, so she is GOOD at making coffee, but I find that sometimes the press makes a grittier cup of coffee... I am sure I could get used to it over time, but something to think about.

[lotus.blossom]

I do like the idea of a single serve coffeemaker, but the k-cups sort of make me cringe because there is a lot of waste involved. I'm guessing you probably can't recycle them?

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by lotus.blossom

I do like the idea of a single serve coffeemaker, but the k-cups sort of make me cringe because there is a lot of waste involved. I'm guessing you probably can't recycle them?

If you buy the attachment $14 (I think it is called My K Cup)? you can use whatever grounds you want and reuse the attachment, then the only waste is the grounds themselves which you can put in the soil. Therefore, VERY LITTLE waste.

More on how they are evaluating the materials in the disposable k cups can be found here.. http://www.keurig.com/environmental_...CP1VSQJN4W8T73
Currently the disposable cups are not recyclable, but I think they will be in the future, in the meantime, the My K Kup is easy to use, reusable, and has virtually no waste. I have one. It is no harder to use than filling a reusable filter on a regular coffee maker..

[russsk]

My ILs have the Keurig. It doesn't do it for me. I use a French press or moka pot. I haven't noticed any increased caffeine with the french press, though. It only takes about 4 minutes to steep. Vacuum coffee makers also make excellent coffee, but take more effort to clean.

[Mama Mko]

We love the Keurig.

[limabean]

I want ideas too. I've been thinking of getting a french press because I've read that it produces the best-tasting cup of coffee (Cook's Illustrated did a comparison last month). So since my coffeemaker is dying I thought it'd be a good opportunity to try something new. My only hesitations are:

1) Do they come in a 12-cup size? I hate the thought of not being able to make a large amount when I have guests.

2) They obviously aren't programmable, and DH and I use that feature a lot, as he gets up before me and it's nice to be able to prepare everything the night before and have it ready and waiting for him, then still have hot coffee waiting for when I get up.

Any thoughts?

[sapientia]

I love my french press. You can get them pretty big, I do believe.

[russsk]

Originally Posted by limabean

I want ideas too. I've been thinking of getting a french press because I've read that it produces the best-tasting cup of coffee (Cook's Illustrated did a comparison last month). So since my coffeemaker is dying I thought it'd be a good opportunity to try something new. My only hesitations are:

1) Do they come in a 12-cup size? I hate the thought of not being able to make a large amount when I have guests.

2) They obviously aren't programmable, and DH and I use that feature a lot, as he gets up before me and it's nice to be able to prepare everything the night before and have it ready and waiting for him, then still have hot coffee waiting for when I get up.

Any thoughts?

Ikea makes a nice press for $12. Get 3 and you have plenty for guests.

You obviously can't program a press, but you can get everything ready the night before so all you have to do is heat the water and steep. You could also get an electric kettle on a timer so your water is hot when you wake. Then you'd just have to wait 4 min.

For me, though, making the coffee is part of the ritual. Maybe I'm crazy, but I love filling the kettle, the sound of the burner lighting, grinding the coffee, etc. It only takes a few minutes, but it's incredibly satisfying.

[limabean]

Originally Posted by russsk

Ikea makes a nice press for $12. Get 3 and you have plenty for guests.

You obviously can't program a press, but you can get everything ready the night before so all you have to do is heat the water and steep. You could also get an electric kettle on a timer so your water is hot when you wake. Then you'd just have to wait 4 min.

For me, though, making the coffee is part of the ritual. Maybe I'm crazy, but I love filling the kettle, the sound of the burner lighting, grinding the coffee, etc. It only takes a few minutes, but it's incredibly satisfying.

The bolded part sounds crazy to me -- I don't have the cabinet space for 3, and lining 3 up on the counter would look ridiculous. I'll have to see if they make a large one, or maybe just get a small one for everyday use and keep a coffee maker around for company? Or get a large insulated carafe and fill that up for company? But then that's another big thing to store too ... I don't know...

I know what you mean about the ritual -- I love making my cup of tea in the mornings (I only have coffee a couple of days a week). It's more DH I'm thinking of, since he's the first one downstairs. But you're right, he could grind the beans and fill the press the night before, then just boil water in the morning while he's doing other things. Hmm ... I'll have to give it some more thought. I think I definitely need one for myself -- I just might be the only one who uses it.

[mumkimum]

I think the largest french presses are 8-cup (though it's more like 6 cups if you use American-sized mugs).

You can def. set it up the night before with grounds, and fill a kettle (or whatever) to boil your water. You might want to also make sure you got an insulated one too, if you have more of a hectic trying-to-get-coffee-ready-on-time situation when you make it. Bodum's insulated presses really do keep pressed coffee warm quite awhile.

Seriously, if you prefer darker roasts they're much more delicious in a press. If you're sensitive to caffeine, you might really notice the difference between pressed and drip coffee (dh does) - personally, I drink a little less coffee when it's pressed cause I find it much more satisfying. You can also, obviously, just use a little less beans and it won't be as much of an issue.

[North_Of_60]

A family member took pity on our Walmart base model (didn't even have a clock) and got us a Hamilton Beach Brew Station. I love it because it has the Flavour + mode, which brews it slower to get maximum flavour. And the best part is that you just push your cup up under the spout and pour (great for my sore hands, no more lifting a hot full carafe of coffee!).

[LisainCalifornia]

I bought this one last year:

Cuisinart Brew Central

based on good reviews at several different websites. I am the type that researches a trash can for a week before purchase, so I did my homework. I have been very happy with it. The coffee is piping hot and stays that way, the coffee is smooth. The program function works perfectly, so my coffee is always ready at 6:00 am when I need to get up. It comes in black, white and stainless steel. There is a slightly different model that comes in red if you are into that.

One thing I am not into---flavored coffee! Blech! Oh, the sacrilege of it!

I swear, Starbucks has ruined this generation. People only drink overly sweet flavored coffees or can only make it in those one cup pod machines.

[russsk]

Originally Posted by limabean

The bolded part sounds crazy to me -- I don't have the cabinet space for 3, and lining 3 up on the counter would look ridiculous. I'll have to see if they make a large one, or maybe just get a small one for everyday use and keep a coffee maker around for company? Or get a large insulated carafe and fill that up for company? But then that's another big thing to store too ... I don't know...

Well, I don't think I'm crazy, but I've been wrong before.

[limabean]

Originally Posted by russsk

Well, I don't think I'm crazy, but I've been wrong before.

I hope that didn't come off as rude. I'm going through a purging phase with all the junk in my house/life, and the thought of bringing 3 duplicate objects into my house made my nerves frazzle.

[Equuskia]

well I don't know if this would work for you and the kind of coffee you drink, (we use Puerto Rican coffee) but I use a coffee sock to make coffee at my place of business, since I don't have electricity there for a coffee maker. Basically I make coffee like this:
1) Measure out 6 oz of water for every serving of coffee.
2) Boil the water.
3) Measure out 2 Tbsp grains for every serving of coffee.
4) Add coffee grains to boiling water, stir, turn off heat and cover for 5 minutes.
5) Stir again, then pour contents into coffee sock. You can brew directly into your mug, thermos, etc.
6) Discard grounds, then wash the sock with dish washing liquid and water until clean again.

The resulting coffee is delicious (according to my mother the coffee aficionado, and the customers). There is no paper filter taste, and at least with Puerto Rican coffee, you can save coffee made this way for the next day and reheat it with no loss of flavor. My mother the "reheated coffee is gross" person never knew that I served her reheated coffee. And she is one that can tell you if the coffee was made in a pot with a sock, in a coffeemaker, one of those dispensing machines, etc. She's very picky.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by rebeccajo

We love the Keurig.

Yep, very versatile...

I see that some posters have been asking about serving coffee for parties.. a baby shower had a Keurig going and that was what convinced me.. everyone got exactly what they wanted!

[griffin2004]

A couple of thoughts from a sister coffee-oid:

--a French press (imho, the best coffee ever) of single or double serving size
--a big French press then decant into a pre-heated thermos
--a drip system that brews into a thermos carafe; that's what I use and I love it; it's programmable so I set it up the night before and get to awaken to the smell of fresh coffee; yummy!