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Does the coffeemaker matter?

E

Edge17

Senior member
I've never been particularly choosy with coffee, since I usually just drink it at work. I'm considering buying one though, and was wondering if all coffee machines are the same, or if there are some differences, that produce better coffee?

I'm not talking about anything fancy, just regular coffee machines. (i.e. does money get you anything better than a stainless steel design)
 
I'm sure there all different. Different water temperatures, different pressures etc etc make different coffee's.
 
Not a whole lot of difference between cheap drip coffee machines. You could spend $200 and get a Technivorm brewer which gets the water up to 200°F which is what it should be (typical brew machines don't get the water hot enough). I'm not willing to spend that much so I just use a french press which cost me a whole $20. It's a little more work to clean out but it lets me control the water temperature and brew time. You could also get a melitta pour-over coffee maker.
 
Yes, it matters, as does the coffee itself (freshly-ground or pre-ground). In my opinion the best coffee you can make yourself, is with freshly ground beans in a french press. French presses can be very inexpensive... I'm talking like $7 from IKEA for a cheap one.
 
I agree with shoegazer. Technivorm is probably the best with respect to temperature regulation, and that's where most inexpensive coffee makers completely fail. You shouldn't underestimate the importance of having a proper (and consistent) temperature in a coffee maker.

I also don't care to blow $200+ on a Technivorm (though I have a $1500 espresso machine... go figure), and I instead use a press pot, vacuum pot or a Chemex. The Chemex is ridiculously simple, and produces a great cup of coffee that is only limited by your ability to acquire good beans with a fresh roast, a good grind and water at the proper temperature.

Can't get much cheaper than that. You will have to put forth an extra 15 seconds of time if you use a manual brewer, but it's well worth it.
 
Yeah pretty much any drip coffee machine is built the same way, a metal coil goes around the hot plate on the bottom and the water is fed to it by gravity, and then heated enough to expand into the drip nozzle. A check valve at the bottom of the reservoir keeps the hot water from going back into it.

Not sure what shoegazer is talking about with temperature, as all drip machines I have seen make steam which usually takes water that is higher than 200 degrees. Unless the bulk of the water is actually much cooler, and the steam is just from leftover water in the system.

Edit: Not sure if they make percolators anymore, but my mom had one and I thought it was some damn good coffee, but I rarely drink the stuff so I am no aficionado.
 
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