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OT: Coffee Maker - Printable Version

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OT: Coffee Maker - Hank 91 - 10-28-2016

There are some coffee experts on this board, so I'm looking for some knowledgeable advice. I'm in the market for a coffee maker; here are my requirements:

I do NOT want a single serving machine like a Keurig.
I would, however, like the capability to make just one or two cups, but occasionally an entire pot.
I don't want paper filters.
My wife would probably like to make a latte.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - BurgXXIII - 10-28-2016

We recently got a Breville BDC650 and it works pretty well. Cup or carafe, 1 to 12 cups, gold filter, hopper and burr grinder. For milk we got a Nespresso frother which also works really well.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - CTcard - 10-28-2016

Do you have money to spend?

From my time in Switzerland, I became enamored of the Jura machines, so I now have one at home and really like it. It is easy, robust, and I think makes good coffee.

However, it makes espresso-style coffee (which is the definition of "coffee" there).
So, your wife would like it for Lattes, but it doesn't really make a pot of coffee.

https://us.jura.com/en/homeproducts/machines


Re: OT: Coffee Maker - Bruce Wang - 10-28-2016

It would be hard to meet all these requirements with one machine.  A latte is espresso + steamed milk.  So you need an espresso machine.  If you want to make a pot of coffee, you would then need another coffee maker.  My wife also like lattes, so I've had to accomplish the same goals.  Here's my recommendation to balance everything you want to do, keep the cost reasonable, and make excellent coffee. This setup requires paper filters.

Very good grinder (I have a Breville - not the cheapest and not the best, but it was a good tradeoff on price, functionality, quality and ease of use)
Breville milk steamer/frother
Breville temperature control electric kettle
Aeropress - to similate espresso, requires paper filters
Chemex (to make larger portions of coffee) - requires paper filters

You will notice that Breville shows up a lot here.  I've had to replace a grinder, electric kettle, and milk steamer.  They were all specialized highly rated brands.  Each one broke and I've just come to appreciate the quality of Breville's products.  They are on the expensive side, but I think you get an excellent value when you factor longevity and functionality.  I don't have direct experience with Burg's recommendation, but I have a lot of trust in the Breville brand, and if you want an all in one, that's probably a good bet.  Skip the latte and make a cafe au lait instead.

I've decided not to buy a real espresso machine because I can feel like I'm getting good value when I go to a coffee place.  They are amortizing the costs of very expensive espresso machines across many many cups.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - Phogge - 10-28-2016

Some machines are better than others but I keep coming back to my two presses: single and large. I've never had a machine make it better.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - ChicagoCard - 10-28-2016

I love my Zojirushi 5-cup coffeemaker. Should be able to find on Amazon.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - martyup - 10-28-2016

Sometimes simple is best.  You might consider a French press for coffee and a Bialetti Moka pot for espresso.  You would need a good grinder, unless you only purchase ground coffee.  For the latte milk I would suggest a Nespresso milk frother.

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Re: OT: Coffee Maker - martyup - 10-28-2016

BTW, with a kickoff time of midnight on the east coast for tomorrow's game, coffee is not OT.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - Hank 91 - 10-28-2016

(10-28-2016, 01:50 PM)martyup link Wrote:BTW, with a kickoff time of midnight on the east coast for tomorrow's game, coffee is not OT.
So whatever happened to the +1 button?

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - Hank 91 - 10-28-2016

(10-28-2016, 01:05 PM)ChicagoVisitor link Wrote:I love my Zojirushi 5-cup coffeemaker. Should be able to find on Amazon.
No paper filters? I love my Zojirushi tea thermos, so this is sounding good...

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - fullmetal - 10-28-2016

(10-28-2016, 01:57 PM)Hank 91 link Wrote:[quote author=martyup link=topic=16003.msg177397#msg177397 date=1477687818]
BTW, with a kickoff time of midnight on the east coast for tomorrow's game, coffee is not OT.
So whatever happened to the +1 button?
[/quote]

It's right under your avatar/post count/reputation in the left pane of each comment.  [ + ]

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - 82 Card - 10-28-2016

Can't help you with the espresso. For regular coffee, I'm a fan of the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT741 <https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/technivorm-moccamaster-kbt741-black-or-polished-silver>. With this machine, I can consistently match or do better than the drip coffee at the fussy coffee places in San Francisco (i.e. Blue Bottle, Philz).

If you want paperless, you can get a #4 gold mesh filter. For small quantities, you can close the outflow when you start brewing and open it part or full when you want it to start draining. Part that holds coffee lifts off for easy washing. For commuters, you can brew right into a 16 oz Thermos Nissan bullet if you put a small piece of gorilla tape on the carafe detection switch.

The machine is pricey but it lasts forever. I've had mine for 25 years. I make 4-8 cups every day. Maintenance consists of occasionally running vinegar through it. Once I had to replace the basket because the flow control didn't seal completely. Those replacement baskets are now priced about $25. No glass carafe to break.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - gocard14 - 10-28-2016

I would also second the super automatic espresso machine option but go with a better value then Jura with this machine.

https://www.amazon.com/Gaggia-Superautomatic-Espresso-Machine-Silver/dp/B003XV31IG

It gives great espresso (needed for the wife's lattes) with a milk steam want for lattes or cappucinos, uses beans and not pods (with the lower marginal cost that provides) or grounds, which go stale quickly. I typically use it to make a long espresso (size of a cup of coffee, but better taste imo) every morning then a capuccino when I have time.

The caveats are that it won't make a whole pot of coffee at once, and true coffee purists will state that super automatics never give quite as good espresso as a well done hand pulled shot. In my opinion, though they are very close. I love my gaggia.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - Hank 91 - 10-28-2016

(10-28-2016, 02:00 PM)fullmetal link Wrote:[quote author=Hank 91 link=topic=16003.msg177398#msg177398 date=1477688232]
[quote author=martyup link=topic=16003.msg177397#msg177397 date=1477687818]
BTW, with a kickoff time of midnight on the east coast for tomorrow's game, coffee is not OT.
So whatever happened to the +1 button?
[/quote]

It's right under your avatar/post count/reputation in the left pane of each comment.  [ + ]
[/quote]

I know. I miss the one that was next to every post.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - ChicagoCard - 10-28-2016

(10-28-2016, 01:59 PM)Hank 91 link Wrote:[quote author=ChicagoVisitor link=topic=16003.msg177394#msg177394 date=1477685141]
I love my Zojirushi 5-cup coffeemaker. Should be able to find on Amazon.
No paper filters? I love my Zojirushi tea thermos, so this is sounding good...
[/quote]

I have a gold tone filter that fits perfectly. I've had it for years but I know I looked around a bit and found it for less than the Amazon price I just saw.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - BostonCard - 10-28-2016

(10-28-2016, 04:16 PM)ChicagoVisitor link Wrote:[quote author=Hank 91 link=topic=16003.msg177399#msg177399 date=1477688355]
[quote author=ChicagoVisitor link=topic=16003.msg177394#msg177394 date=1477685141]
I love my Zojirushi 5-cup coffeemaker. Should be able to find on Amazon.
No paper filters? I love my Zojirushi tea thermos, so this is sounding good...
[/quote]

I have a gold tone filter that fits perfectly. I've had it for years but I know I looked around a bit and found it for less than the Amazon price I just saw.
[/quote]

Don't you have a baseball game to be watching... or are you a White Socks fan?

Good luck to both the Cubs and Indians, BTW.  I'm glad someone gets their curse lifted this year.

BC

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - ChicagoCard - 10-28-2016

Not a fan of any of the teams out here. I just live here.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - Hank 91 - 10-29-2016

So after thinking about all this, I finally brought my decision to my wife. "I think I just want to get a French press. Do you know what that is?"
Her response: "Um, we have one in the cupboard right there."

Problem solved.

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - martyup - 04-08-2018

So I got fed up with pod brewing after reading an article about how damaging the spent plastic pods are for the environment.  I was browsing in Cost Plus World Market in Palm Springs and stumbled upon an AeroPress.  I bought it to use in our RV, but I like it so much that I now use it at home exclusively.  It's fast, easy to clean, and makes great coffee.  I'm still perfecting the technique, which puts the artisan in the cup.  ;D

Re: OT: Coffee Maker - murky - 04-10-2018

(04-08-2018, 09:58 AM)martyup link Wrote:So I got fed up with pod brewing after reading an article about how damaging the spent plastic pods are for the environment.  I was browsing in Cost Plus World Market in Palm Springs and stumbled upon an AeroPress.  I bought it to use in our RV, but I like it so much that I now use it at home exclusively.  It's fast, easy to clean, and makes great coffee.  I'm still perfecting the technique, which puts the artisan in the cup.  ;D

The Aeropress is great.  That's what I used before transitioning to espresso.