Best Coffeemakers: Five Simple Ways to Make Great Coffee

If you are not sure what the best coffeemakers, it's really not surprising! There are so many choices of coffeemakers out on the marketplace, it's hard to know which really is the best one for you!

Over the years I have used most of these methods for making coffee, and I can honestly say, I like and have used these regularly (not the percolator, though) at some point in my coffee drinking life! I've enjoyed each of these but have found that there are strengths and considerations in each of these:

• the French Press,
• the Drip Coffee Maker,
• the Moka Pot,
• the Percolator (no story yet!), and;
• the Espresso Machines.

You can click to read more about the best coffeemakers or just keep reading the summaries right here!

What are the best coffeemakers?

I purchased a coffee machine some time ago, and it hasn't turned out to be best coffeemaker by any stretch of the imagination. So I often fall back on some of the more popular kinds of machines that are available. Of course, you can just go straight on and read the tips on choosing your ideal coffee maker before find out my recommendations.

The French Press (or Cafetiere)

The French Press is really a popular choice for many people. It is inexpensive and requires only a little effort and some care, but the coffee is strong and delicious. The press consists of a glass jar with a plunger fitted with a mesh filter. There's a lid on top to keep the heat.

After adding the coffee to the jar, just pour in hot water, cover with the lid and wait a few minutes. Then you can push the plunger to 'strain' the coffee and voila!, great coffee. This method makes a strong, rich, great tasting cup.

Because the French press is easy to maintain, easy to clean, and relatively inexpensive, it's a good choice as one of the best coffeemakers for people in a hurry or simply wanting to make a limited supply of coffee.

The only downside I can see is that the jug is mostly made of glass, and quite easy to get broken. Handling of the pot requires some care, though modern presses can be put in dishwashers. Choosing a decent quality of glass in the jug becomes important, if you can buy with some form of strengthened glass.

The drip coffee maker

Most people are familiar with the drip coffee maker, which heat the water and drip the water at an ideal temperature through filter grounds placed under the dripper. The coffee is collected in a jug and kept warm on the hotplate. They are simple to operate and convenient, coming in a variety of sizes capable of making from one to twelve cups.

The drawbacks are: if the coffee sits more than a half hour on the hotplate, it becomes undrinkable; cheaper units suffer manufacturing issues, such as unstable water temperatures, uneven filtering, poor jug quality; and the machines do need regular cleaning, esp. if you live in a soft water area.

Modern drip coffee makers are some of the best coffeemakers because of innovations. Some come with an insulated carafe instead of a warmer, which improves the life and flavor of the coffee.

You can also get them with built in bean grinders, a variety of electronic features such as timers or you can opt for the basic model with no frills.

The Moka Pot

The moka pot is an increasingly popular way to brew coffee in the US. It's a steel (or aluminum) jug that brews hot water. The water is then passed through coffee grinds at a higher pressure, creating a cup of coffee similar to an espresso maker might make. Thus, many people call it a stovetop espresso coffee maker.

I do have one: it's a little fussy to make the coffee as the unit needs to be assembled before use and separated for cleaning. It's also fussier about what kind of coffee and how it is ground.

Some coffees don't seem to come out well in this coffee maker. But if you get the blend of beans and grind right, this will make fantastic coffee. This can easily be one of the best coffeemakers, because of the quality of the espresso it produces.

The Coffee Percolator

Since the percolator warms the water by passing it through the heat pump several times. The heated water then enters the filter basket holding the ground coffee. Unlike the Moka Pot, the coffee is then sent back into the main chamber of the pot.

Each time the water/coffee is circulated, the brew strengthens as it gains heat and filtration. This results in a coffee that can taste bitter from being overheated or even boiled. I wouldn't usually recommend a percolator among the best coffee makers though many other coffee lovers would.

I personally haven't used a percolator, but due to concerns about overheating the water, over extracting the coffee, and degrading the delicate flavors with re-extraction and excessive exposure to heat, I'd be choosing to make coffee with an other machine. Of course, you're always welcome to try to change my mind!

The Espresso Machine

Photo courtesy of Photos8.

In recent years, with improvements in technology and price decreases, espresso machines have moved from the coffee bar to the kitchen work surface.

Many stores sell affordable home espresso machines but you will need to try the different machines to find one that makes coffee you like. It's also fussy about the grind of the coffee and the kind of beans you use.

While espresso machines can create great espresso, not every machine that is marketed as such will deliver. Consumer complaints note that the water isn't heated properly or that the machines don't create enough pressure for the espresso to gain real body.

So I would recommend you spend more than the minimum price to get a decent coffee machine. If it's not in your budget to buy a decent machine, then buy one of the other types of coffee makers.

And finally...

Wherever you are, remember "Only Coffee Beans Make Great Coffee"! And enjoy that cup of coffee!

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