Drinking
coffee is a luxurious art form. There are coffee aficionados that
are so skilled in the art of coffee tasting, they can tell you where
the bean was grown, what conditions were present as it grew, what
time of year the beans were picked, how long the beans were roasted,
when the roasted beans were ground, and who brewed the coffee that
day. For most of us, however, drinking coffee boils down to one
thing & the experience. The rich aroma that hits your nostrils
when you first open the package, the sound of the scoop pushing
through the grounds, the ‘drip-drip' of the coffee as
it brews, and the rich flavor of the coffee itself when it first
touches the tongue.
Coffee
is a sensuous brew that demands the right tools to make it. For
the uninitiated or for the inexperienced, finding the right coffee
maker can be quite a challenge. Even for the experienced coffee
connoisseur, finding a coffee maker that makes coffee the way you
like it is much like finding shoes that don't hurt your feet.
It can be a difficult task, so to help simplify the process a little,
here are a few tips to help you choose which coffee maker is right
for you:
Automatic
Drip-
This type of coffee maker is the most popular kind for day to day
use. It can process every type of coffee ground, from very fine
to very coarse. It is also extremely fast, producing a full pot
of coffee in only 6-10 minutes depending on the size of the carafe.
Automatic drip makers come in a variety of sizes, from the small
4 cup makers, great for a dorm room or small apartment, to the 12
cup mammoth brewer, great for a large family or heavy coffee drinker.
Percolator-
These coffee makers may seem like relics of the past, but they still
offer one of the best full bodied cups of coffee you will ever experience.
They process fine to regular coffee grounds by passing boiling water
from the bottom of the percolator, through a tube, into the coffee
grounds at the top. It takes twice as long to make percolator coffee
as it does automatic drip coffee, but trust me when I say, it is
well worth the wait. Nothing beats a steaming cup of percolator
coffee on a cold Winter day.
Espresso
Machine-
Best known for its big kick in a small cup, true espresso can only
be made in one of these special machines. It requires the finest
coffee grounds. The machine pumps 1.5 ounces of water through the
highly packed coffee grounds, producing a decidedly concentrated
shot of coffee, great for a quick boost. Nothing will get you going
faster in the morning than this little machine and its rich, black
brew.
French
Press-
Step into the cafés of Paris with the French press coffee
maker. The ultimate one cup coffee maker, these simple machines
make a powerful, full bodied cup of coffee very quickly, which is
great if you are in a hurry. Presses act by forcing hot water (not
quiet boiling) through very fine coffee grounds, maximizing the
extraction of the coffee oils and flavor. These cups are meant to
be drunk immediately, so sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
A
few things to keep in mind with a true French press & the water
is heated in a separate pot, not in the press itself, so put on
a kettle of water before preparing the press. Also, press use is
not for the faint of heart. Expect to find grounds in the bottom
of your cup, so although it is good to the last drop, you might
want to skip it if you hate the grit on your tongue.
One
Cup Automatic-
There is nothing more beautiful than fixing a cup of coffee just
when you want it. Whether you are on the go or just wanting a cup
of coffee without the hassle of making a whole pot, one cup coffee
makers allow the freedom to make it one cup at a time. There are
numerous styles on the market, from single serve coffee ground-filled
filters to fancier coffee ‘syrup' models. There are no
limits to the flavor options available, and the makers themselves
can fit anywhere. Brew a perfect cup of coffee every time with the
flavor sealed coffee packets. These machines are perfect when the
coffee craving hits you because in less than a minute, your flawless
cup of coffee is ready for you to enjoy.
No
matter what you hope to gain from a cup of coffee, I promise there
is a coffee maker just right for you. If you have the room, try
several different varieties of coffee makers as you sample the coffee
experience from every perspective. Coffee is a sweet nectar deserving
the finest equipment to process and prepare it. Take a deep breath
and plunge into the first cup on your brand new machine.
