Need new coffee maker

**pressman** · 11-02-2009, 10:15 PM

my krups crapped out and looking for a good maker, please help

**LinuxMintyFresh** · 11-02-2009, 10:34 PM

Do it the old fashioned way with a french press, or coffee siphon. Better brew without the newfangledness of those electric ones

**Saxmoore** · 11-03-2009, 12:12 AM

Ahhhhh....I went through this last year. I agree with Linux that a coffee press will give you a fantastic tasting cup of coffee. I did that for awhile after my last machine died, but I don't care for the cleanup. I'm not comfortable washing the grains down the pipes of my 60 year old house, hehe.

If you really want to drive yourself crazy because you like researching (like me), Coffee Geek is pretty helpful and they are pretty serious about their brew. Hmmmm....reminds me of another site I know

After I got tired of the press, I decided to go for a thermal carafe machine. I tried a Zojirushi that is known for heating water to the optimal temp for brewing. However, the coffee had a plastic taste and smell to it. I know that it was just from the manufacturing process, but it just never seemed to go away. Zojirushi sent me a package of their machine cleaner, which did not help. I tried vinegar, and even got desperate enough to run oxi-clean through it before i gave up.

After that, I tried a Saeco machine. It had the same plastic-y smell for awhile, but seemed to go away fairly quickly. I'm pretty happy with the Saeco now. My only complaint is that there is no small pot brewing function (like for 1-4 cups), and I'm the only coffee drinker in the house. I find that it has a sweet spot at 3 scoops of coffee and 2 cups of water, but I can't go less then that. Note of caution: you need to make sure that the lid is on correctly or you'll be cleaning up your sink. Also note that it is 8-cup max, as opposed to 12 on many other machines. I think the Saeco is also available at Target.

I'm quite satisfied with the Saeco. Oh, and the Zojirushi sat for a couple of months until it found it's way over to my mom's house where it now makes great coffee...without a plastic smell or taste to it

Perhaps it just needed time for outgassing.

One other idea...I got a Senseo for my desk at work that makes a decent cup of coffee, if you want to go for a pod machine. It's certainly better then what people make in the office kitchen.

**WhosYerBob** · 11-03-2009, 02:15 AM

I use a Saeco espresso maker every morning for my daily cappuccino fix.

**chainfire** · 11-03-2009, 04:04 AM

Originally Posted by Saxmoore

Ahhhhh....I went through this last year. I agree with Linux that a coffee press will give you a fantastic tasting cup of coffee. I did that for awhile after my last machine died, but I don't care for the cleanup. I'm not comfortable washing the grains down the pipes of my 60 year old house, hehe.

I hate washing to grains down the drain too, so I got a wire strainer at the dollar store and just catch them in that. Our only issue with french press is the fact that it doesn't keep any extra coffee warm very long.

I recommended the Melitta Manual Coffeemaker in another thread, and still stand behind it as a great coffee maker. No clock/timer, but better coffee than any electronic maker I've ever used.

**J.B. Books** · 11-03-2009, 04:57 AM

Technivorm MoccaMaster CD, it is top notch.

There's a bit of a holy grail in the brewed coffee world that not many manufacturers achieve - the ability of a consumer coffee machine to do the following:

* Introduce water at the proper (195-204F) temperatures to the bed of ground
coffee
* Fully saturate and extract from the bed of ground coffee
* Complete a 10 cup (1250ml) brew in under 8 minutes (which allows for an optimal 4
to 6 minute saturation time for the bulk of the brewed coffee)
* Ensure good even distribution of the brewed coffee in the finishing container
* Keep the coffee fresh after brewing for at least 1 hour.
It's a bit on the pricey side, about, $245.00, but it is a quality machine that will privde years of service.

**Midlander** · 11-03-2009, 05:02 AM

Originally Posted by J.B. Books

Technivorm MoccaMaster CD, it is top notch.

There's a bit of a holy grail in the brewed coffee world that not many manufacturers achieve - the ability of a consumer coffee machine to do the following:

* Introduce water at the proper (195-204F) temperatures to the bed of ground
coffee
* Fully saturate and extract from the bed of ground coffee
* Complete a 10 cup (1250ml) brew in under 8 minutes (which allows for an optimal 4
to 6 minute saturation time for the bulk of the brewed coffee)
* Ensure good even distribution of the brewed coffee in the finishing container
* Keep the coffee fresh after brewing for at least 1 hour.
It's a bit on the pricey side, about, $245.00, but it is a quality machine that will privde years of service.

I second this - the Technivorm machines are high quality and high class. I expect to have it for decades.

Although I'm mildly intrigued by Nespresso machines.

**pressman** · 11-03-2009, 07:00 AM

I would love a techivorm, but to much for me. I have a 100.00 dollar budget since i'm disabled.

**arcman** · 11-03-2009, 07:15 AM

Definitely try the french press if you haven't before.
Just make sure you grind your own beans, french presses take coarse grounds. If you don't own a grinder you can buy a cheap blade grinder, or you can go to market that sells them in bulk and grind up those beans in small quantity (don't want ground up coffee sitting around for long lest it go stale). Ultimately you want to put some cash aside for a decent burr grinder eventually, if you don't have one.

An electric kettle is nice too, it's faster and more energy effecient than heating up your water on the stove. If you're on a budget though it's not a requirement, a stovetop kettle will work fine.

**texbilly** · 11-03-2009, 07:22 AM

Thermal French Press to keep FP coffee warm. We have this Thermos/Nissan and it works great.

**bythbook** · 11-03-2009, 08:33 AM

I just captured a Capresso MT500 plus - I bought a repack for $100 + shipping - directly from the company: Jura-Capresso.

It has a thermal carafe - it's quite good. (I had an MT600 from Capresso that I think made better coffee - but it leaked and was huge & &&&&&&. Just poorly engineered, I think.)

Jura-Capresso initially messed up my order - they sent me a $1200 automatic espresso/cappacino (sp) maker instead of the coffee maker I wanted!

I sought to send the biggie back & get my coffee-maker. I was surprised (and a little disappointed, actually) that everyone (the family - and even the company!) seemed so surprised when I wanted to return the fancy-pants thingie to get what I ordered (and paid for)!

"But I wanted a coffee maker," I whined.

Finally, all worked out - monstrosity back to the maker, coffee maker on the counter....

And it makes good coffee, too.

**danek** · 11-03-2009, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by bythbook

"But I wanted a coffee maker," I whined.

Let me get this straight: You paid a hundred bucks for a coffee maker, the company mistakenly sent you a $1200 espresso machine, and you returned it because it was not what you wanted. Cool.

**bythbook** · 11-03-2009, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by danek

Let me get this straight: You paid a hundred bucks for a coffee maker, the company mistakenly sent you a $1200 espresso machine, and you returned it because it was not what you wanted. Cool.

hahahhaha

Yup. I didn't want it - and I didn't pay for it!

**J.B. Books** · 11-03-2009, 12:17 PM

You sir, are a true gentleman. Not many around these days.

**Hreafn** · 11-03-2009, 12:44 PM

just put the grounds in you lip like snuff.

**The Nid Hog** · 11-03-2009, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by bythbook

I just captured a Capresso MT500 plus - I bought a repack for $100 + shipping - directly from the company: Jura-Capresso.

It has a thermal carafe - it's quite good. (I had an MT600 from Capresso that I think made better coffee - but it leaked and was huge & &&&&&&. Just poorly engineered, I think.)

Jura-Capresso initially messed up my order - they sent me a $1200 automatic espresso/cappacino (sp) maker instead of the coffee maker I wanted!

I sought to send the biggie back & get my coffee-maker. I was surprised (and a little disappointed, actually) that everyone (the family - and even the company!) seemed so surprised when I wanted to return the fancy-pants thingie to get what I ordered (and paid for)!

"But I wanted a coffee maker," I whined.

Finally, all worked out - monstrosity back to the maker, coffee maker on the counter....

And it makes good coffee, too.

I'm really impressed to hear that--good job!

**Hreafn** · 11-04-2009, 06:54 AM

Get an old school perculator

**Jasonian** · 11-04-2009, 07:26 AM

I wouldn't suggest a percolator, honestly.

The function is inherently flawed. Extracting again and again, and reheating over and over is a sure way to make sure that your cup of coffee is bitterly disappointing.

**jlanger** · 11-04-2009, 05:40 PM

I've had two of these with fairly impressive results (the first one had a glass lined carafe that shattered on me after about 3 years of use)
Hamilton Beach also makes a filter set that can go with these, makes prep real easy (unless of course you already have filtered water.

I've heard of good results from some of the Cuisinart makers.

If I could afford it I'd get this though. I worked overnights at a foster home that had a non thermal carafe bunn, it was simply amazing. The lawyers room at the courtroom I frequent for work also has one which I've been impressed with but Bunn's are a bit expensive.