Coffee Makers - Choosing

Coffee Makers - Tips for choosing

Coffee machines have come a long way. From yesterday's cowboy pots boiling coffee over the coals to today's sleek gourmet brewers, there's a machine to fit every taste, every lifestyle, every budget and every counter space. So where do you begin finding the machine of your dreams?

- Tips for choosing 1

Before you head for the appliance aisle at your favorite store, do a little homework. Consider what kind of coffee you prefer, how often you drink coffee, how much space you have for a coffee machine, how much you can afford to spend on a maker. These are the issues involved in deciding whether to purchase an espresso or a non-espresso maker.
Espresso or No Espresso

Espresso coffee machines are fancy. They cost more than other coffee machines (some cost thousands of dollars) and make a variety of coffee types including cappuccino and lattes. Espresso machines often make only one cup of coffee at a time and require cleaning after each cup. The coffee is stronger than that brewed by other means.

True coffee aficionados often prefer to use the espresso coffee machine, especially the super automated models that do everything from grinding the coffee to pouring it into the cup.

- Tips for choosing 2


Typical coffee drinkers who prefer to have a pot of coffee available at all times and aren't interested in lattes or other versions of coffee tend to prefer non-espresso coffee machines. Non-espresso coffee machines work well for people who like to start the coffee brewing and go on about their usual activities while it brews. They buy coffee already ground and don't bother with beans or grinding.

For coffee drinkers needing large quantities of coffee, non-espresso is the way to go. Large percolator type coffee urns can be used to make more than a hundred cups of coffee at one time.

They also prefer returning to the coffee pot time after time and refilling their coffee cup over making only a cup at a time. Non-espresso type coffee machines are much less expensive than espresso machines.

Non-Espresso

These coffee machines are available in drip, French press and combination models. Drip machines often make 6 to 10 cups of coffee at a time. For those who need a lesser quantity, it's better to buy a model that makes 4 cups (or less) at a time. Drip coffee makers are inexpensive and easy to use.

There are pod coffee makers available which use single serving pods to brew coffee. Pod coffee machines can be inexpensive but the coffee itself costs more than standard cans of pre-ground coffee.
French Press coffee makers are great for a few cups of coffee at a time. Combination coffee machines featuring both espresso and non-espresso makers in one machine are also available. These machines give coffee drinkers the best of both worlds.

Espresso

Espresso coffee machines come in semi-automatic, fully automatic and super automatic models. These machines make fewer cups at a time and may require more time and attention that a standard drip coffee maker.

The more automated an espresso maker is, the more features it will offer. Some take care of everything from grinding the coffee beans to filling the cup with coffee and ejecting the used coffee grounds.

The more features the espresso maker offers, the higher the price tag attached to it. These coffee machines can cost anywhere from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars.

The first decision to be made in choosing is the need to determine whether an espresso coffee machine or a non-espresso coffee machine is needed. Coffee preferences, budget and quantity of coffee to be made are factors that affect the decision making process. Return from Coffee Makers - Choosing - to About Coffee Makers