Coffee Maker Recommendations

[GoingMyWay]

Oh, and I have a Nespresso, too.  That's my option for when I need caffeine fast.  [emoji6]

You can't beat the Nespresso for speed or convenience.

Really for drip coffee, you can get by with a $20 Krups blade grinder.  Do a medium grind and invert it (holding the top on) a couple of times while grinding.  Not the perfect grind but after spending $250 on the machine, it’s easier on wallet and it will be fine.  You could also use it later to grind spices.  You can use a blender, food processor, or mini food processor if you have one for spices already.  Your Technivorm’s doing the heavy lifting with temp and time.  You can close the brew basket until water has covered the grinds, stir it up so all grinds are infused, then open it.  Later if you get really into coffee more, splurge on the more expensive grinders.  It’s more important to have coffee ground fresh right before brewing even if it’s not perfect.  One drawback is you might have to grind two batches to get enough coffee for a full pot on the technivorm.  I use 2/3 cup of beans before grinding for a full batch with my technivorm (10 cup).  Unless you have extra money you need to get rid of!

I have a Blendtec Blender and a food processor that I could use.  Needing to clean that everyday seems like a pain though.  I don't know if the grounds might get "contaminated" with any flavors or aromas left in the blender carafe or food processor bowl.  I suppose the grind is most important when making espresso as it needs to be a really consistently fine almost powder.

Also you could check what Costco has in the way of a cheap burr grinder.  Costco by me was roasting their own beans.  Had a huge automated roaster in the a couple of stores.  But they seem to be scaling back on roasting their own beans now.  Still worth checking if you have a Costco near you.

I see Costco is selling a Capresso grinder online for $89.99.  That seems like a good price.

My exwife is an entomologist working on coffee crops (coffee berry borer). Best coffee I’ve had was a crop she grew for research and processed one year.  We picked the beans,  processed them, roasted them. This was on Oahu.  Better than any Kona or Kau coffee I’ve ever had.  Next year was just ok.  You never know since there are so many variables in the whole chain.

Wow that's really cool - you got to do the whole coffee life-cycle.  I tried Kona coffee when I was in Hawaii 10 years ago.  That coffee was waaay too strong for me.  I tried the infamous luwak coffee when I was in Bali last year.  That was pretty good, but I seem to recall it being rather bitter.

I took my new Moccamaster on its maiden voyage this morning.  I used LavAzza Classico Medium Roast preground coffee.  It was on sale at the grocery store.  No idea how good or bad this coffee is, but I recognized the LavAzza brand.  I followed the Moccamaster instructions and used 7 scoops for 40 oz of water.  I was able to drink about 2 cups of coffee straight black.  I think this is the first time that I've ever been able to drink a full cup of coffee without milk or cream.  My stomach is hurting a little bit now so I think it's probably not the best idea for me to drink coffee black.  I know my former coworker was telling me that he buys low acid coffee from some coffee roaster online.

I loved the smell of the coffee when I first opened the bag.  I haven't smelled that aroma in a long time.  I was a little disappointed that the air wasn't perfumed from the brewing coffee like I had experienced with my old drip brewer.  All in all it's pretty good.  I suppose my experience would be all the better if I got some better beans and ground them fresh.

My wife took a cup of coffee with her to work.  She added half and half and sugar to hers.  She said it's "not bad."  I guess it didn't wow her socks off.

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[rljatl]

That is what happens when people overhype something.  I told a friend of mine about a place that had the best hotdogs ever.  His expectations were so high that he was disappointed after trying the hotdogs.

How much better could they be and still be hotdogs?  Same with coffee.  How good can a cup of coffee be and still be coffee (especially after adding cream and sugar)?

Another friend loved sushi.  He always dunked evey piece in a mix of wasabi and soy sauce.  My argument was that every piece of sushi he ate tasted the same because he dunked every piece in the same wasabi/soy sauce mixture.

He later read an article that confirmed the same thing.  That green paste is not even real wasabi.

 

[GoingMyWay]

Good point.  I always say - lower your expectations and you will never be disappointed.

Mmm, sushi.  I do love me some sushi!

 

[adcolor]

I should have read through to the end. Congrats on your maker. We've used the Bonavita 1800 (replaced by the 1900). One button, nothing else.  Just makes coffee.  Insulated carafe.  The newer model is way cheaper than the old one.  Insulated carafe is ok, but with two different coffees to brew (unleaded vs leaded) we also bought a thermos (vacuum glass) carafe. 

The real issue is that the cone filter seam requires folding it over.  Not a big deal, but an RTFM detail.  Maybe that's an issue for other brands too.  No idea. It is definitely better coffee than the previous Krups we had (wasn't bad -- this was definitely better).

Not connoisseur enough to require the

 

[southrider]

Sushi? They call that stuff bait where I'm from..............

 

[bertv]

Lavazza, being Italian, is almost always a darker roast — more suitable for espresso. You should check out a real coffee shop where knowledgable people will quiz you on your expectations and preferences; that way you will get to taste stuff that is more to your liking.

That’s the way I discovered my favourite of the last few years (Ethiopian bio, small coöps).

 

[GoingMyWay]

Just buy a bag at Starbucks.  Don't be fooled by the bags of say Starbucks sold in grocery stores or target that have a cheaper price,  they are smaller than the ones you get at the store,  price per unit the stuff in the stores is the same price to just a little cheaper.  Starbucks will grind it up, it's pretty much their default mode as many people have them grind it.  But their is a catch.  If you tell them "medium grind" they will come back and ask you what filter type you have.  Their machine uses filter symbols, say "fine, medium, course".  Of course those values are not based on an absolute either.  But the problem is if you say own a poor over like a Chemex and say "cone" in response, they then grind it up on cone which is a fine setting, and now basically the bag is worthless.  So yes, they grind coffee no issue, but you might not get the grind you wanted or your machine manufacture tells you to use.  On the other hand they might just nail it just the way your machine needs it and your good to go.

And no, I would never use the grocery store one.  It probably has never been cleaned since the store was opened and who knows what has been thru it.  It's only real purpose it to atomize some coffee into the air to make that area of the store smell really good.

If you haven't brewed coffee, you might want to get small bags of various brands early on till you find what you like.  Keep in mind some stuff is ok when you buy it someplace (say a cup of Duncan Donuts coffee from the store), but when you buy the beans and make it at home it can end up awful.

Wow I didn't know specifying the grind could also be so complicated.  I was at a grocery store last night and couldn't even find a coffee grinder - at least it wasn't on the coffee aisle or in the front of the store.  I'll steer clear of ones in store should I find a store that even has one.  How small of a bag are you talking?  I thought the bag I bought was about as small as you can get.  I actually thought about buying a small bag of ground Dunkin Donuts Coffee from the grocery store, but I chose LavAzza instead.  I figured it wouldn't be as good as the actual cup you buy from Dunkin Donuts.  I researched the Dunkin Donuts K Cups a while back and found out they don't use the same coffee at all, I think someone said Maxwell House or someone like that actually makes the K Cups.  I also learned that Dunkin Donuts uses light cream and not half and half.

I've tried the Lavazza, wasn't impressed, which to others point, you can get let down. I think between the name, and the packaging and so forth I expected more.  I like black coffee, so I general stick to Starbucks Italian roast.  I also am good with Blondes, but for some reason medium roast just haven't been working for me.  Don't cave to contaminating the sacred liquid yet. Just try other coffee first.  The great thing with sticking to straight black coffee is the lack of nutrition, it's super healthy.

Fortunately I didn't have super high hopes for the LavAzza.  It just seemed more "premium" than Maxwell House or Folgers.  I am actually a little afraid to buy Starbucks beans.  Their drip coffee really bothers my stomach for whatever reason, but I can drink a Starbuck's latte which is made from espresso no problem.  I know exactly what you mean.  When I first started drinking coffee I used cream and sugar.  I realized that drinking 2 cups+ a day of cream and sugar can't be good for me so I stopped using sugar.  At one point I switched from half and half to milk.  I also tried coconut milk half and half when my cholesterol reading was high one time.  I eventually just went back to regular half and half.  It would be really awesome if I were able to drink my coffee black.  I would never have to worry about running out of half and half again and it would be healthier.  My grandparents always drank their coffee black but my parents always needed cream.  I always get a kick out of watching old tv shows like I Love Lucy or The Andy Griffith Show and seeing them always drink their coffee black.  Maybe just a little sugar, but always black.

Sushi? They call that stuff bait where I'm from..............

LOL!

Lavazza, being Italian, is almost always a darker roast — more suitable for espresso. You should check out a real coffee shop where knowledgable people will quiz you on your expectations and preferences; that way you will get to taste stuff that is more to your liking.

That’s the way I discovered my favourite of the last few years (Ethiopian bio, small coöps).

I did notice it was Italian and questioned how good that would be for drip coffee.  I also saw Illy coffee at the grocery store - is that also more known for espresso?  I've seen the cans and signs ("we proudly serve Illy cofffee" or something like that) at some local bakeries.

I might fail the quiz  [wink].

 

[RKA]

You can get 1/2 lb bags to try in some places.  Below is a link to a guilty pleasure every time I stroll through the village in NYC.  Talk to them and explain the sensitivity to acidity and have them give you a selection of small bags to try.  And if you visit NYC, there is nothing like the smell of 25 or 30 full burlap sacks of coffee out on the floor and something brewing in the background.  It’s heaven!

https://portorico.com/store/

 

[GoingMyWay]

Thanks for that recommendation.  I will try that Blonde Roast ("Flat Bottom" grind for drip) from Starbucks when I finish the LavAzza.

 

[Gregor]

Late to the party, but: Get a french press.

Inexpensive (both in initial expense and per use), relieable, makes good tasting coffee and works as long as you have access to hot water (whatever source, might be a campfire). Available in different sizes, down to one cup per press in case you're not a heavy coffee addict.

Given no gravity assisted encounter with the floor (for the models made out of glass) it'll likely outlast any electric thingy.

 

[GoingMyWay]

Good points, but I tried some French press coffee once and I didn't like it. It was very strong and I think there were some grounds in my cup. I might be misremembering the grounds being in my cup though.

 

[Gregor]

Good points, but I tried some French press coffee once and I didn't like it. It was very strong and I think there were some grounds in my cup. I might be misremembering the grounds being in my cup though.

Strength of the resulting brew depends on the ratio between amount of ground coffee and water.
Grounds in the cup with a french press stem from pressing too greedy (seal at the wall fails with too much pressure), but should you ever have been exposed to polish style coffee (put ground coffee into cup, add boiling water, stir and wait for the coffee to settle - sounds *bah* but actually tastes good) the few grounds that might escape in a french press shouldn't be an issue

 

[Michael Kellough]

Polish coffee sounds like Texas coffee. The only difference is you drop a few bits of egg shell into the Texas coffee, which is supposed to make the coffee grounds fall out of suspension faster.

 

[Dane]

GoingmyWay- Glad you landed on the Moccamaster, it's a great machine. Sorry that your first go round didn't blow your mind- but I think the quality of the coffee is to blame.  Just like your Festool track saw isn't going to improve the outcome if you are using Chinese birch plywood from Home Depot, even the best coffee maker can't do a lot with commodity grade beans.  Supermarket coffee is problematic- you have no idea how long it's been sitting around, the major players, Starbucks, Lavazza, etc, long ago shifte to commodity grade beans and now just torch the crap out of the beans to flatted out the flavor and make a consistent, albeit subpar, product.  That's why it's called Charbucks these days.

I, like you, went around the bend with researching and trying out a lot of different iterations of coffee and coffee makers about 10 years ago.  All I really wanted was a decent drip coffee that was on par with what I was getting at the local, high-quality, coffee shop.  All coffee snobs are brewing a medium body, low acid coffee these days that should go easy on your stomach- my wife has similar issues and our coffee is fine with her.  I finally landed on it and thought I would give you what I wish I had- a formula for good coffee.  There are so many differences that grind, ratio of coffee to water and bean type make.

To start off, I strongly disagree that you can get by with a blade grinder- it just doesn't do the job.  Consistent particle size is key- any dust muddies the brew and blades have no ability to dial in the particle size- they just blast it. If you are going to make espresso, then you really need a very high-end machine, but we are talking about a decent drip here.  So, the Barattza Vituoso is the most cost-effective grinder that you can get that will get you great quality medium bodied drip brew.  For convenience, you can grind an entire weeks worth of beans and store the ground coffee in the freezer with minimal loss in quality.  As an alternative, you can go to a local coffee shop that roasts beans daily and have them grind the bag for drip- ask for a medium body brew.  Assuming that you are going to get a grinder- here is what will get you great results with the Moccamaster:

Coffee: Blue Bottle Beta Blend- order it online.  We live in the middle of nowhere and we get bi-weekly deliveries of Beta Blend that makes this whole thing so convenient- they have a subscription service that saves a couple of bucks a bag.

Ratio: Grind 60 Grams of coffee and fill water to #8 on the Moccamaster

Grind: Set the Barattaza Virtuoso to setting #19

Brew and Enjoy.

Once you land on something that works for you you can iterate, but getting to good right off the bat is helpful.  This formula will get you there.  Everyone who drinks our coffee comments on how good it is.

Good luck

 

[NL-mikkla]

[member=3078]Dane[/member], I now want a cup of your coffee

Anywa, I have the Cuisinart DBM8U grinder for over 10 years.
Super machine, still does what it needs to do with (too) little maintenance from my side it just keeps on going.
No opininon on the drippers

 

[GoingMyWay]

Strength of the resulting brew depends on the ratio between amount of ground coffee and water.
Grounds in the cup with a french press stem from pressing too greedy (seal at the wall fails with too much pressure), but should you ever have been exposed to polish style coffee (put ground coffee into cup, add boiling water, stir and wait for the coffee to settle - sounds *bah* but actually tastes good) the few grounds that might escape in a french press shouldn't be an issue

That's true - I don't know what ratio or what kind of coffee he even used.  I just know it was too strong for my liking and I didn't like it.  He really liked his french press at the time.  I actually got him a portable french press travel mug for a present once.  He's now upgraded and I think he only uses his Rocky Rancilio espresso maker.

I'm a big baby when it comes to foreign matter in my mouth.  There'd occasionally be a stray coffee ground or 2 from my Keurig brewed cup that would bother me.  I don't eat crab cakes because I always find little bits of shell and I end up spitting out my whole mouth full.

Polish coffee sounds like Texas coffee. The only difference is you drop a few bits of egg shell into the Texas coffee, which is supposed to make the coffee grounds fall out of suspension faster.

I saw a video online of someone from making coffee with just coffee grounds, water, and egg or egg shells.  I think she might have cracked the whole egg in there.  Seemed like an interesting technique.

GoingmyWay- Glad you landed on the Moccamaster, it's a great machine. Sorry that your first go round didn't blow your mind- but I think the quality of the coffee is to blame.  Just like your Festool track saw isn't going to improve the outcome if you are using Chinese birch plywood from Home Depot, even the best coffee maker can't do a lot with commodity grade beans.  Supermarket coffee is problematic- you have no idea how long it's been sitting around, the major players, Starbucks, Lavazza, etc, long ago shifte to commodity grade beans and now just torch the crap out of the beans to flatted out the flavor and make a consistent, albeit subpar, product.  That's why it's called Charbucks these days.

I, like you, went around the bend with researching and trying out a lot of different iterations of coffee and coffee makers about 10 years ago.  All I really wanted was a decent drip coffee that was on par with what I was getting at the local, high-quality, coffee shop.  All coffee snobs are brewing a medium body, low acid coffee these days that should go easy on your stomach- my wife has similar issues and our coffee is fine with her.  I finally landed on it and thought I would give you what I wish I had- a formula for good coffee.  There are so many differences that grind, ratio of coffee to water and bean type make.

To start off, I strongly disagree that you can get by with a blade grinder- it just doesn't do the job.  Consistent particle size is key- any dust muddies the brew and blades have no ability to dial in the particle size- they just blast it. If you are going to make espresso, then you really need a very high-end machine, but we are talking about a decent drip here.  So, the Barattza Vituoso is the most cost-effective grinder that you can get that will get you great quality medium bodied drip brew.  For convenience, you can grind an entire weeks worth of beans and store the ground coffee in the freezer with minimal loss in quality.  As an alternative, you can go to a local coffee shop that roasts beans daily and have them grind the bag for drip- ask for a medium body brew.  Assuming that you are going to get a grinder- here is what will get you great results with the Moccamaster:

Coffee: Blue Bottle Beta Blend- order it online.  We live in the middle of nowhere and we get bi-weekly deliveries of Beta Blend that makes this whole thing so convenient- they have a subscription service that saves a couple of bucks a bag.

Ratio: Grind 60 Grams of coffee and fill water to #8 on the Moccamaster

Grind: Set the Barattaza Virtuoso to setting #19

Brew and Enjoy.

Once you land on something that works for you you can iterate, but getting to good right off the bat is helpful.  This formula will get you there.  Everyone who drinks our coffee comments on how good it is.

Good luck

Thanks for that coffee brand recommendation and your exact formula on how to make it.  I'm leaning toward buying that coffee and the grinder to try it out.

[member=3078]Dane[/member], I now want a cup of your coffee

Anywa, I have the Cuisinart DBM8U grinder for over 10 years.
Super machine, still does what it needs to do with (too) little maintenance from my side it just keeps on going.
No opininon on the drippers

His description really does make me want to go out and try his recommended coffee using his instructions.  Sounds like a great cup!

The Williams-Sonoma Outlet sells the Cuisinart CBM-18 Grinder for $79.96 after the discount, but before tax.  I'm not sure how that grinder is different from the grinder that you recommended, but it sounds like a good price to me.

 

[NL-mikkla]

The Cuisinart CBM-18 looks like an updated version of mine.
And because mine is over 10 years old I can imagine it's updated by now.
Price is somewhat similair to what I paid for it.

 

[GoingMyWay]

An updated model would make sense.  I'll have to do some comparison research to see if a more expensive grinder is really worth it.  I wonder if noise is also a consideration or maybe not really?

 

[NL-mikkla]

Good point! That certainly is a downside of mine, it makes a fair bit of noise. here's a compairison vidoe, I have the one on the right.

 

[GoingMyWay]

Thanks for sharing that link.  The CBM-18 looks pretty fancy with the display screen.

I just did a quick google search on Cuisinart Grinders and the main complaint seems to be that the grind isn't super consistent and you end up with a lot of fine grounds that will clog the filter.

It seems like the Baratza Virtuoso might be the way to go even though it's pretty pricey.