Coffee makers have been popular things ever since coffee was discovered. The Ibrik from Turkey was the original coffee brewer. It was a long-handled copper container with grooved tongue. It is still popular in the Middle East. The brew produced by it is very strong because no filtering takes place.
If you believe coffee is meant to be enjoyed as a beverage rather than eaten as coffee grounds, a wide variety of types are available from the plain to the esoteric. Here are a few things to look for...
Most people these days use the inexpensive drip model of coffee maker. Pour water in the top, it's heated by an electric coil, the water has to move via the coffee grounds to a glass pot placed on a heating plate.
But beyond these basics, there are a few features it's handy to have.
Controls have been increasing in number so much so that a lot of coffee makers look more like a stereo. You have LCD screens displaying the temperature, the time, a timer, the time to brew, and several more esoteric infobits.
A control over the desired extent of the brew is a minimum, and more control is also preferred. For forgetful people, the auto shutoff is a boon. In these hectic days people don't have the time to wait while the brewing process moves towards its completion, and that results in the pot being removed before the water has completely drained. In the bygone lazy days, the coffee would go on dripping, landing on the heating plate. This problem is solved by the automatic shutoff.
Then there are the illuminated displays. Consider those semi dark beginnings of the day when the light switch seems elusive and besides, you need the coffee to open your eyes well.
Cleaning has also been made easier by coffee 'pods'. These paper coffee containers are pre-measured - you just have to let the water flow through them. With these, you also have the added benefit of having a good filtering for your grounds. When the brewing is done you just pop them out (after they've cooled!) and toss them into the waste basket. Essential for the busy - and opposed to cleaning up - coffee drinker.
You also get water filters with many models, and you will appreciate these more if you live in a city, where it is difficult to say from taste if the drinking water is from the community swimming pool or not. You may find the filters a bit expensive but then a great cup of coffee is priceless.
Some makers even come with in-built bean grinders. However, I prefer doing that in a separate device for easier clean up. I have yet to come across one, but I think I would actually welcome an integrated brewer/grinder/roaster.
But that is probably stretching the imagination a bit too tight, in my opinion. Sometimes the best way to go is the oft-trodden path of old. Maybe the wise people from Turkey were right. Maybe my coffee can do with a little more perk...
About the Author:
John Bakers repeatedly produces detailed articles on questions about coffee grinder recommendations. You might find out more about his comments on coffee grinder and coffee grinder recommendations here.
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