Drip coffee makers: How to choose, use, and maintain a coffee maker

Having broken more than my fair share of coffee makers (including drip coffee makers, French press, coffee cones, etc.) over the years, it seems I'm on the search again for a replacement again.

So before I buy yet another one, I would like to share some of the information I have gained in owning, cleaning (and breaking) so many drip coffee machines over the years. You can read more information about actually making coffee in a drip coffee machine here.

Now read on to discover some of the features and advice to buy and care for your coffee makers. Let's hope you can avoid my mistakes!

What are drip coffee makers?

Developed from Melitta's own paper filter technology, drip coffee makers are electric coffee machines that heat cold water from a tank and pump it through coffee grounds held in a filter basket. Then they drip the brewed coffee into a jug, where the precious liquid is kept warm.

They are one of the most popular and convenient ways to make coffee for people who are too busy to stand over the coffee machine. Used properly, they can make a decent cup of coffee. If you are used to making your coffee in a traditional drip filter unit, and having to stand over it as the water drips slowly into the jug, you will certainly appreciate the improvement and automation an electric drip coffee maker brings!

What does it look like?

When you open your new coffee machine, you will see three or four items packed in the box. First you will see the large all-in-one unit that combines the water storage, heating and dripping mechanisms, filter basket and electric plate.

You will also find a glass jug (be careful!) that is used to collect to the coffee and measure the water. It should have guide marks on the side to help measure your water more accurately.

If you are using a gold filter or a paper filter, you should find either of these in the box. I naturally prefer the gold filter, simply because there is no paper to throw away (a little less garbage each time!). And you will also find a plug unit that connects to the wall.

Once you remove the packing, putting it together should be pretty easy. Do read the instruction manual to find out what you can't do with your drip coffee makers: for example, don't immerse it in water, don't put milk through the machine, don't drop the machine, etc.

How does it work?

The drip coffee maker allows cold water to pass from the water tank through the heating element where heat is applied to the water. The pressure and heat generated by the heating element pushes the newly heated water into a drip nozzle that sits above the coffee powder basket.

The water is dripped onto the coffee grounds in the basket. Once there is enough water in the basket, the grounds won't soak up any more water. Rather the water will filter through the grounds and drip on the jug below. The resulting liquid will have picked up the flavors of the beans to create the distinctive brew.

Although I use a small machine which makes about 4 cups of coffee at a time, bigger machines are also as efficient. The coffee, once collected in the jug, will remain hot as the jug sits on a hot plate that warms both the glass jug and the coffee.

Choosing Your Drip Coffee Makers

It's always difficult to choose your machine: you never get to try it out in the store before you take it home. So how do you choose?

I'd suggest the following tips:

• 1. Choose a well-known brand unless you find a coffee machine with unique features;
• 2. Examine the quality of manufacture to see if there are any weak points in the design;
• 3. Make sure the glass jug is decent quality: if it's too thin, it will break the first time you tap it unexpectedly. Or choose one with a metal thermal jug.
• 4. How many cups do you want to brew? Choose one that suits your size.
• 5. Check out consumer reviews on your favorite online site before buying.
• 6. If you can, buy one with a thermal pot to keep the coffee warm without spoiling.
• 7. If you look in the basket of the machine, check that the filter unit is removable. This will make cleaning and changing the basket easier for you.

Tips for your drip coffee maker

1. Don't be afraid to use too much coffee, it's easier to make strong coffee palatable than throw away a cup of colored water.

2. Clean your coffee maker each and every time.

3. Grind your beans just before use to maintain the best flavor.

4. Don't let your coffee sit too long on the hotplate. It tends to spoil the brew as the coffee becomes 'stewed'. This can happen quickly, too. I wouldn't suggest more than five minutes on the hotplate.

5. If you make too much coffee, keep it in a thermos where there is no direct heat.

6. Always use fresh unchilled water. Fresh water will have the best flavor. I tried to use spring water, and found no appreciable difference versus tap water.

7. Never use hot or boiling water in the filter: it's far too hot, and will COOK the coffee. You will end up throwing the coffee away.

8. Lightly rinse your gold filter, do not press the sides or scrub as both of these actions will tear or break your filter surface.

To read more about how to make drip coffee in your coffee maker, you can read the article Drip Coffee: Using a Drip Coffee Machine or Filter Coffee Makers: Tips, Tricks and Todos”.

I do think that the drip coffee machine really offers the most convenient "I-need-my-coffee-in-a-hurry" method... it doesn't need someone standing over it and can auto-run with an inbuilt timer, if you need it. It's flexible, too: you can use a variety of coffee beans, roasts and flavors, in your machine. And last of all, the machines are quite affordable. So put this in your kitchen! You won't be sorry.

And finally...

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

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