Coffee Makers

22-rimfire

22-rimfire

Joined
Nov 20, 2005
Messages
19,385
I use a Mr. Coffee that I have had since the 1990's. You see so many on the market these days from a pretty low price to some really high prices for so called high end makers. I think it's time to consider a new coffee maker. My questions are:

Does it make any difference in terms of the taste of the coffee made?
Which one would you recommend under $100?
Do you use distilled water or straight tap water-well or chlorinated public water? Make any difference in flavor?

I think the freshness of the ground coffee makes more difference than any of these variables in terms of flavor.
 
I'm kinda looking for a new one too, something like a Mr Coffee drip maker but with an insulated pot instead of a burner that keeps 'cooking' the coffee.

We have the Krueger coffee makers at work. I don't recommend; a PITA, price per cup is very expensive, and the coffee from pods doesn't taste as good as fresh ground.

Do you use distilled water or straight tap water-well or chlorinated public water? Make any difference in flavor?
Click to expand...

I use straight tap water. Our chlorine levels are so low and the tap water here tastes great (cold water lakes at high elevation). I've stayed other places, hotels, where the tap water sucks and as a result the coffee sucks.
 
Don't use distilled water, bottled if anything other than tap water. Chlorine and chloramine will evaporate out over several hours, so often if you prep the maker before bed and set the timer the water will change flavor for the better.

My parents have one that does not have a carafe but more like a holding tank it brews into, then just put your cup under the spout and push the button. I'll have to look at it next time I'm there. I had one with an insulated carafe and it was a pain to clean, the opening was too small to get your hand and scrubber into. Even my miniature wife couldn't get her hand in it. It sure kept the coffee hot well, but after a while the build up and staining inside started to affect the flavor.


-Xander
 
You might want to take a look at Bunn home model brewers. They have a water tank inside that keeps the water hot at all times. When you pour the cold water in the top it pushes the hot water out into the funnel. No waiting for the water to heat up. They brew a full pot of coffee in less than 3 minutes. Good quality and just a few dollars more than your price limit at most retailers.
 
22-rimfire said:
Does it make any difference in terms of the taste of the coffee made?
Click to expand...
Obviously, the type of bean and the method used to grind it, will have the biggest effect on the potential flavor of the coffee. But, you can't fully extract that flavor without the right brewer. Short answer: Yes, the type of coffee brewer has a huge impact on the flavor of the coffee.

A regular drip machine isn't capable of extracting the full flavor of the grind. It just can't do it, imagine a little drip in the center of the basket, it's only saturating (extracting) the flavor from the center portion of the coffee grind. Whereas a brewer with a nozzle spray is capable of quickly drenching the entire basket of ground coffee, thereby ensuring maximum extraction, resulting in a fuller flavor.

22-rimfire said:
Which one would you recommend under $100?
Click to expand...
Any Bunn Coffee brewer will outperform typical drip grinders. Starting at around $99.00, an entry level Bunn will not disappoint. It's not going to have a goofy timer, nor will it have an iPad app or wifi connection.:rolleyes: But, what it will have is the ability to consistently brew a delicious cup of coffee.;)

I'd go with a Bunn 10 Cup Velocity Brewer, NHS model. MSRP is $129.99. No timer, but who cares, it brews an entire pot in less than 3 minutes. I had the previous model, but it died after 2 years & 11 months, just 1 month shy of being out of warranty. I contacted Bunn, they sent me a brand new upgraded NHS for just the cost of shipping. The Bunn we had before the NHS lasted 5 years, based upon 3-5 pots per day x 365 days x 5 years.

22-rimfire said:
Do you use distilled water or straight tap water-well or chlorinated public water? Make any difference in flavor?
Click to expand...
We tested regular tap water vs. filtered water, we couldn't tell a difference. I think once water reaches a near boiling point, it's pretty much all the same. Our tap water tastes terrible, the filter makes it taste very good, but we're unable to discern one from the other once it comes out of the brewer.
 
Mr. Coffee BVMX-SJX33GT

BVMC-SJX33GT-1.jpg


Consumer Reports liked it and I concur. $30 is the right price. Mr. Coffee DRD95 stainless steel thermal carafe is $17 (it only holds 8 cups).

Tap water vs. well water vs. bottled water depends on where you live. You can't use tap water in Chicago. I had relatives in Hamilton County, which is as rural as it gets in Illinois. Their well water was for washing only. In the 1990s they finally got water piped in from a county reservoir, and that water was as sweet as any bottled water.
 
check out the Swiss Gold. Easy simple fresh drip coffee every morning in a jiffy. Plus there's the extra swag when your cup has been dripped though gold.
 
I second the suggestion of a normal coffee maker with a thermal carafe. I have a Hamilton Beach one and it is much better than the old coffee makers I used to have that had a burner and "cooked" the coffee and made it taste horrible. The thermal carafe keeps it hot without the need for a burner.
 
I just bought another cheap coffee-maker (WalMart) to replace my older "other brand"...which had a small leak somewhere (I think...or I'm just messy).
This one makes the equivalent of two "standard" cups of coffee at a time, or one very large cup of 16 oz or so, but does it quickly, and can make it regular or bold.
I use tap water and ground coffee. I buy any of the normal brands of coffee, usually on a two-for-one sale at the grocery.
My "regular" coffee is always made fresh, and I think that the brew time is probably three or four minutes. Yes, the price is right. It seems that all of my neighbors have that expensive coffee-maker that is everywhere, but I don't like flavored coffee, and don't see the need to pay one hundred bucks (plus) for a coffee-maker.
My coffee is quickly made, economical, and tastes just fine. I probably drink at least six of these cups per day, up until about midnight.
http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/single-cup-coffee-makers.html[/ur
 
Last edited:
Hamilton Beach Brew Station, they are very well made and last a long time. For fancy coffee, a French Press works too, or even a Keurig machine (have and use all 3).
 
Im a Keurig user, im a fan of the speed of the brew. Plus they make so many different flavors so each cup can be different.
 
+1 on the Keurig... My wife bought one last year without telling me, and when I saw it I said, send the damn thing back. It's a waste of money...
Well.... It wasn't the first time I've been wrong :D I would probably be lost without it. We actually bought one for my parents for Christmas this year.

I still think the best coffee is made in an old percolator on a camp fire, or on a gas grill if you want to be civilized :D The wife wanted to get a smaller Keurig for our travel trailer, but I actually said no. If she put one in without me knowing about it, I wouldn't protest, but I'm still using my old percolator
 
I posted above earlier, about my new Hamilton Beach that I just bought from WalMart a short time ago, for about $30 or so. I just timed the brew time at 2 1/2 minutes. If you press the "BOLD" button, it probably takes four minutes or so.
It brews a very large cup, just measured at a FULL TWO CUPS which is just fine, as I do this six times or more per day.
 
You should try this thread..............

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1129121-Coffee

EVERY drip coffee maker is different. The water has to be a certain temp to get the most out of your coffee. If you are just a Foldgers/Maxwellhouse drinker then almost any maker will do. When you start to grind your own beans and look for higher levels of coffee then get the thermal carafe and adjustable strength. Most $30-$100 makers come standard with a water filter built in. I use Brita filtered water. A 1 gal filter pitcher is about $13 and it will greatly improve the flavor of your coffee and tea.

Coffee makers can get expensive- it all depends on what you want your end result to be! :D

Originally posted by Primitive Energy---

f19f9af4-c81f-447d-a5cd-ad26765765d8_zps58de934c.jpg
 
Last edited:
22-rimfire said:
I use a Mr. Coffee that I have had since the 1990's. You see so many on the market these days from a pretty low price to some really high prices for so called high end makers. I think it's time to consider a new coffee maker. My questions are:

Does it make any difference in terms of the taste of the coffee made?
Which one would you recommend under $100?
Do you use distilled water or straight tap water-well or chlorinated public water? Make any difference in flavor?

I think the freshness of the ground coffee makes more difference than any of these variables in terms of flavor.
Click to expand...

Taste is usually subjective and opinions will vary. With that said,

1. Yes the higher end ones can make your coffee taste better by using preinfusion, the way it saturates the grinds, temperature control, sometimes built in water filtration, type of filter, etc.

2. Depends on what your priority levels are. Type of brewer ( auto or manual, syphon, moka, aero, french press, etc.)? How much money do you want to spend ($100 for you but I mentioned it for other members)? Convenience (easy to difficult)? How much and how often do you plan on making coffee (capacity)? Features? How much control over the variables do you want (simple to complex)? Aesthetics/dimensions (classic or modern design and size)?

Auto drip brewers do not deliver the best results but they are fast, convenient, and there are many many auto brewers to choose from. SCAA certified will usually be of the best quality and consistency but probably more expensive. The best will have features like: Showering of the water delivery pattern ensuring complete saturation of the coffee bed, preinfusion mode, filter type, built in filtration, and temperature control features.

Mark Prince from Coffee Geek suggests for the Classic looking auto drip brewer, Capresso CM200 Auto Drip Coffee Maker for $70, Behmor Brazen Plus Auto Drip Coffee Brewer for $199, and the Bonavita BV1900TS Thermal Carafe Brewer for $180.

3. The SCCA standard says you usually want you your Ph level 7 neutral and your mineral content around 150 ppm. Do not use distilled water to make coffee as it has its mineral contents removed and can strip them from other sources such as you or the pot you used. The water can also taste flat and can mess up the flavor with whatever its mixed with. Some City's municipal water systems are great for coffee while others have too much chlorine and less than nominal ppm. You can check out your ppm with a free ppm meter from a zero water kit. I myself use bottled Crystal Geyser Alpine spring water.

4. The best variable in coffee is developing your mind and your palate. The best variable in coffee equipment will actually be your grinder. It is not the most glamours of toys but it will be a major factor on how your coffee can taste. To maximize your flavor fresh ground is always the best where preground can stale quickly.
 
I use a Bunn with the hot water tank. They run right around 100.00 and brews a pot in 3 min. I use tap water and the coffee is great out of it. I think it helps that the hot water tank holds the water for the next pot so it has time for the chlorine to evaporate from the water.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top