Mmmmm. Coff-eeee

[Brown Study]

Idle thoughts on drip machines as I drown my broken-machine angst in coffee:

My coffee maker just died, and while pouring hot water into the filter myself (how quaint), I wondered whether it's possible to return to the stacked-glass-pot method of brewing coffee.

I didn't have a clue as to the method's real name, but I found it here (scroll down a bit). Once upon a time these things were as common as vacuum tubes — speaking of which. Three or four or more could be seen lined up in restaurants and coffee shops, if they didn't have these.

Maybe it's time they made a comeback. Drip machines don't seem to last much longer than three or four years. If I plug mine in now, it sounds like an idling steam locomotive, like the coffee maker is about to blow up.

There's something attractive about the physics of the old system. Nature abhors a coffeeless vacuum.

Well. I just found this.

 

[davetheblaze]

I only really drink it when I am out and have had to switch to decaf.

 

[jonnyd]

The reason people don't use them is that cleaning them is roughly as much work as getting the space shuttle ready for relaunch, except the shuttle isn't 90% glass so you don't need to be as careful.

:lol:

 

[KB3GZW]

Well I have always wanted one of those Vaccuum coffee pots(which is there actual name). I know Bodum makes an electric version(Here ) and they also make a stove version(Here). I like the look of the stove version but I like the electric capability. I am sorry to hear that about your coffee pot, I am making some in mine right now. It is going to go great with the pancakes that I just ate.

 

[eric]

when i need a cup of coffee, the last thing i want is complexity.
when i'm done having coffee, the last thing i want to do is clean the coffee maker.

this thing sounds like it would screw with both of these needs...

and why i use one of these:

 

[Brown Study]

I know Bodum makes an electric version(Here )

I'd really have to talk myself into spending $108 Cdn for a coffee maker. Probably would take an entire afternoon.

And I wonder if my five- or six-cup insulated mug would fit under the spout of the machine eric linked to.

This is as much fun as deciding on a new car.

 

[cwa107]

I'd really have to talk myself into spending $108 Cdn for a coffee maker. Probably would take an entire afternoon.

And I wonder if my five- or six-cup insulated mug would fit under the spout of the machine eric linked to.

This is as much fun as deciding on a new car.

Brown Study - I found it hard to spend more than $30 on a coffee maker. That is until I went through about half a dozen of them in my adult life. I finally broke down and bought a low-end Krups. Now, I've only had it for about 6 months, but I know of many who have had them for quite a long time (10 years +)

You do have to replace water filters and decalcify the machine periodically (it tells you when to do so), but it's well worth the money - especially if you can find it cheaply online. It might not be the easiest machine to program, but it does make great coffee.

 

[Brown Study]

Brown Study - I found it hard to spend more than $30 on a coffee maker. That is until I went through about half a dozen of them in my adult life.

That's my chief complaint. I kept the pots to two previous machines, just in case, but of course none fits another machine.

I finally broke down and bought a low-end Krups.

And it uses cone filters. Naturally, I just bought 100 the day before yesterday. The coffee gods are laughing.

 

[Stefan]

Man im a coffee junky. I can't stop drinking the stuff! I just use a funnel and filter papers and stick it over the cup - same as the drip machine thing but without the machine.

Makes the nicest coffee

 

[cwa107]

That's my chief complaint. I kept the pots to two previous machines, just in case, but of course none fits another machine.And it uses cone filters. Naturally, I just bought 100 the day before yesterday. The coffee gods are laughing.

I didn't bother to buy the optional permanent gold filter - I've just been using paper filters and they work fine. A friend of mine swears by the permanent filters and tells me that they're easy to clean, but personally, I'd rather just be able to throw it away. The less time spent cleaning the machine, the better.

Anyway, I have high hopes for this machine. Like I said, I've only owned it for about 6 months, but it still performs like new (and I use it at least once per day).

 

[iSebastianGrey]

Bah, Coffee! Tea is much more convenient. Boil the water, pour it over the bag, let it steep. Easy peasy. While I do like the occasional cup of joe, I find tea gives me a little bit more of a boost in the morning.

 

[mathogre]

Good lord I'm all over the place on this one.

Tea. Yes it's easy and quick. Mostly I drink that at work, as we have an instant hot water filter system. Pour the water, steep the tea, and voila a perfect cup.

One Cup Pod Machine. We have a Mellita one cup machine, and use both Mellita and Senseo pods. The coffee it brews is good, certainly acceptable if there's not alot of time. I clean the machine once a week.

Drip Coffee Maker. We have one, and it makes good coffee. When I want to have a few cups (six by their measure), I'll use that. I use two paper filters when I brew to cut bitterness. The parts (pot, cover, filter holder) go into the dishwasher.

Espresso Maker. This one's my baby. It's a Moka Express by Bialetti. US$18-20. I grind my beans when I want a pot (I would roast if I had the time but I don't). Sometimes I have it after dinner, sometimes at breakfast. Cleanup is water and paper towels.

 

[Brown Study]

Bah, Coffee! Tea is much more convenient.

Your "convenient" brought a chuckle because it brought to mind a big, bearded motorcycle guru I knew who rode a Norton. He went into a big production every time we stopped for "coffee" on rides.

He'd order two pots and two tall glasses of ice, and go through the rigmorole of making his own iced tea. It was his own, modified Japanese tea ceremony, and took just as long.

I like tea, so maybe I should try that again. I got into it for a while, myself.

 

[MacHeadCase]

The coffee maker we use is a stove top, the Vev Vigano Kontessa. We've had it for years and years and years. Beats having to run around for filters, pots that crack, putting demineralizing chemicals, etc.

 

[eric]

yeah, i'm into the tea as well. preferably english breakfast - loose or twinings in bags.

 

[baggss]

Ah Brown Study, a man after my own heart (so to speak).

Perhaps the ONLY method of coffee making I have not tried is the Vacuum pot you talked about above. The cup sitting in front of me came from a French Press, the beans are fresh ground and I roasted them myself only yesterday. The beans are one of my favorites, Jamaica Blue Mountain. The green bean I have found most exceptional is Peruvian Organic, although I have yet to roast my own Kona beans yet so I suspect that will become a favorite quickly.

Besides the French Press I have a Nice Grind and Brew by Cuisinart and a small Espresso Maker.

All require some level of preparation and cleanup, but the result is a consistently good cup of Coffee. The downside is that all of the prep and cleanup take a bit of time, so I only use any of them on Weekends or day off. I get my daily cup from a local Coffee Shop where the owner bothered to find out what I actually like and makes me a consistent cup each morning on my way to work.

 

[steven11]

While on me travels we used to make "cowboy drop" coffee. You wanna talk about a pain. We'd usually make it a gallon at a time. Boil water to a roll>simmer>add grounds(my buddy 'wingnut' used to grind the beans with a hammer but pre ground works best)>Cover(you do not touch the pot, you do not even look at the pot, if bumped it causes the grinds to drop pre maturely( and that is a sin) which makes a weak brew>20-47 minutes later you add a cup of cold H2O to drop the grinds to the bottom. You then have the task of pouring a gallon of hot coffee in a thermos. It is poured with tremendous care and is to be done only by the experienced and if screwd up punishable by flogging. WEAK COFFEE SUCKS. Yet more story time with Steven.... "Cowboy coffee" was only made in the woods because why would you do something like that in the civilized world?

Now I use a french press filtered H2O and organic beans. I use honey or stevia as sweetener and coconut milk or Baily's Irish Cream as creamer. I just brewed some so I'm off!!

 

[Tak]

Twinings Irish breakfast!

Trouble is, most people don't realize a good cup of tea needs BOILING water! Not boiled water, not hot water but BOILING water! As in boiling when it hits the CUP.

Putting your cup under the "hot" spigot of the office water cooler won't do it, nor will the sad little pot of hot water they bring to the table in the average American restaurant. "along with the paper wrapped bag of Lipton's or worse".

I always assumed Lipton's is the sort of thing they sweep up off the floor as waste where they package GOOD tea.

 

[Stefan]

Also, your not supposed to add the milk to boiling water because it de-natures and tastes odd.

Then again i never know if its milk first or water first with brewing tea. In my opinion - coffee in the morning tea in the afternoon. Ever so English

 

[Tak]

Also, your not supposed to add the milk to boiling water because it de-natures and tastes odd.

Then again i never know if its milk first or water first with brewing tea. In my opinion - coffee in the morning tea in the afternoon. Ever so English

No argument from me.