Choose a coffee maker
It is not surprising that Americans are spending more money on at-home coffee machines because they provide gourmet flavor for less.
This guide will help you choose a coffee machine that fits your needs, taste and lifestyle. It covers a range of topics including how to pick the right machine for you, what to look for in a machine and how to get the most out of your coffee maker.
What flavor of coffee do you prefer? Is it the taste of a mug of drip coffee or a small cup of robust espresso with aromatic crema?
Or, maybe you enjoy a strong coffee that has been brewed using a French press and that has a lot of flavourful oils in it? There is no one way to make the best cup of coffee. It depends on what you like and how much effort you want to put into making it.
The first thing you need to do is decide if you want a manual or automated device. To what degree do you want to participate in the process? If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to make your favorite beverage, push buttons may be the way to go. You can then take your beverage with you in a travel mug.
Coffee machines that only make one cup and drip coffee require very little preparation. Espresso machines typically require grinding fresh beans. However, the machine does the brewing work for you.
If you like to customize the taste of your coffee through the brewing process and don’t mind spending extra time to get it perfect, this is the coffee maker for you.
If you would like to enjoy the experience or impress guests, you may want to consider a manual device. If you’re a coffee expert, you can use manual methods to control the strength of your brew and the type of beans you use. You can also work with home-ground or store-bought beans.
You can make sure that the coffee grounds are extracted evenly by controlling the flow of hot water and adjusting the brewing time and water temperature to suit your preferences.
A few tools that are essential for making a quality cup of gourmet coffee are a gooseneck kettle, paper filters, food scale, grinder, thermometer and timer. These tools help you get the ratios, temperature and timing right.
Not sure which you prefer? We’ll show you some of the key differences between coffee makers so you can choose the best one for you.
1. Simple and convenient
An automatic single-serving coffee maker is a good choice if you need a quick caffeine fix on your way out the door.
This machine is very quick and convenient to use. You don’t have to measure, grind, pour over, or plunging required. To use the machine, add fresh water and the pod to the machine, place your mug beneath the spout, and press a button.
If you want your coffee to taste like it was made with a drip coffee machine, look for a coffee maker that uses K-cups. If you would like to have espresso that tastes good and is simple to make, you should consider getting an automated espresso machine. This way you can easily make espresso shots to take with you on the go, or to enjoy at home.
Most coffee makers can make lattes or cappuccinos, which will satisfy your craving for coffee from a specialty shop. Fast brews will get you on your way in just a few minutes.
These automated devices are good for people who live alone or with people who don’t drink coffee. Many coffee makers also have spouts that deliver hot water, or offer pods for other warm beverages, such as cider, hot chocolate and tea.
Certain devices are able to be used with reusable pods, allowing you to select your own beans.
If you want a coffee machine that can make both single servings and large carafes, consider getting a combination single cup and pot coffee maker.
Appliances that have more than one function can save you money and space.
If you’re looking for something quick and easy, a single cup coffee maker is a good choice. It’s simple to use, produces a good cup of coffee and has a lot of features. A combination machine that also brews drip coffee when needed would be ideal.
2. Easy brewing for a crowd
Drip coffee makers are popular because they make a simple cup of coffee with no added features.
You can adjust this machine to make coffee the way you like it by changing the bean type—choosing between light, medium and dark roasts, or opting for decaf.
Drip coffee machines have the advantage of being able to use store-bought ground coffee, which saves time.
Though the machine does most of the work for you, you still have to add water and coffee grounds. This process is much simpler than making coffee by hand, and can be done even when you’re tired or drowsy.
Prefer the taste of freshly ground whole beans? Some drip coffee machines even offer integrated grinding.
The coffee machine automates the process of making coffee by measuring and grinding the beans, pouring them into the filter, and brewing the coffee.
Drip coffee machines typically brew an entire pot of coffee, making them ideal for families or entertaining guests.
This coffee typically has 70-185 milligrams of caffeine per serving, depending on the bean type, brew setting, and size. You can make the drink taste however you want by adding your favorite sweetener and creamer.
Or, enjoy a strong brew iced in the summer for a cooler option. Many of these coffee makers come with a hot plate to keep extra coffee warm in between servings (or for family members who wake up at different times).
Some appliances come with thermal carafes that keep your coffee hot without additional heat, which can burn the coffee if left unattended.
Drip coffee machines are a good choice for coffee lovers who want an easy way to make coffee in the morning without any extras.
3. Semi–automatic coffee machines
The main features and components of semi-automatic coffee machines are these:
- Semi-automatic coffee machines meant for home use usually have one brew group, whereas café models can have up to three
- Barometer: some machines have one barometer that indicates pressure reached during coffee preparation (it should be around 9 bar), while other machines have a second barometer that shows boiler pressure as well. When the barometer reaches 1.1 bar, this indicates that the machine has already warmed up and can be used to make coffee
- Thermometer: if your coffee machine allows you to adjust water temperature, set it to 90–94°C. Luxury coffee machines enable you to change steam temperature as well — this means that you can adjust the strength used to blow steam through the steam wand
- Portafilter: ground coffee is put into it
- Steam wand (cappuccinatore): it’s used to froth milk
- Tamper: it’s used to press coffee that has been put into the portafilter
- Milk pitcher
You can usually find semi-automatic coffee machines in cafés and bars. Using these coffee machines, you can make real espresso.
You’ll need some knowledge and skills to brew coffee this way, but once you get the hang of it you’ll be able to make your drinks just how you like them.
A semi-automatic coffee machine is not as automatic as a fully automatic coffee machine because you have to put ground coffee into the portafilter yourself.
Coffee that is freshly ground will produce the best results, but if you are not an expert, pre-ground coffee will work just as well. Some coffee machines you can use at home offer the ability to make coffee from specific coffee capsules.
These types of coffee machines can froth milk with a steam wand, but it takes some practice to get the hang of it.
We recommend these coffee machines to people who want to be fully involved in the preparation process and be responsible for every detail of their favorite coffee.
In order to get good results, you shouldn’t buy the cheapest machine. The steam wands of domestic coffee machines are usually not as powerful as the ones included in more expensive machines or the ones that are used in bars.
Even if you have the necessary skills, the cheapest option may not be powerful enough for you.
Lelit coffee machines are a great option for those looking for an affordable and powerful machine. These machines are capable of brewing all of your favorite drinks.
4. Combination coffee machines
We have great news for those people who have already accepted that they need two coffee machines because they love espresso coffee, while their partner enjoys filter coffee.
One of the most spectacular aspects of the 21st century is the fact that the same solution can now work for people who have different needs. In this case, the solution is a coffee machine that can prepare both espresso and filter coffee.
Depending on the model of a coffee machine, its components and features may differ:
- Timer: it allows you to set the time for when you want to start brewing coffee. This function will come in handy if you want to enjoy a cup of coffee as soon as you wake up
- Automatic dispensing of coffee and water
- Possibility of adjusting coffee strength
- Automatic rinsing function: this function automatically rinses the system, but it’s worth pointing out that you’ll have to perform all of the other cleaning procedures (descaling, washing the system with the help of a solvent) yourself
- Steam wand: once you’ve perfected your skills, you’ll be able to prepare cappuccino or latte and even experiment with latte art
- Water filter, which protects the machine from limescale and softens the drink
- LCD display: you can monitor the coffee preparation process and easily change settings
5. Capsule coffee machines
The main features and components of capsule coffee machines are these:
- Capsules: the two most popular capsule systems were created by Dolce Gusto and Nespresso
- Pump: when buying a capsule coffee machine, pay attention to pump capacity
- Water tank: its capacity can vary from 0.5 to 1 l. Before buying a machine, ask yourself how large the water tank should be to satisfy your needs (choose based on the number of cups you drink daily). Also, consider the amount of space you have for the machine — the larger the water tank capacity, the more space the machine will take up
- Design: due to the growing popularity of capsule coffee machines, more and more different designs are available, so you can find an option that suits any home style
Capsule coffee machines are currently very popular. More and more people are choosing to make coffee at home using this method because it is a good value for money and produces a variety of coffee drinks.
There are two different types of coffee machines and capsule technologies: Dolce Gusto and Nespresso.
The first option is cheaper in terms of equipment because both ground coffee and instant coffee can be used in the capsules. There are also separate milk powder capsules for your milk-based beverages.
Dolce Gusto machines offer a wide variety of coffee drinks with additional flavors.
Nespresso machines are more expensive, use only ground coffee in their capsules, and machines that can make milk-based drinks use real milk.
The machines also use higher pressure, which helps to produce espresso coffee of extremely high quality.
Conclusion
We want to briefly tell you how to choose the category of coffee machine as well as how to pick the perfect coffee to go along with it.
What is more important to you, the beans used to make coffee or the coffee machine itself? The type of machine that you choose should be based on the type of beans that you prefer.
For example, those who love specialty, single-origin coffee will bring out the best qualities in their beans by using filter machines, while those who love strong coffee will benefit from appliances that use pressure.
If the machine itself is more important to you, make your choice based on your favorite drink (espresso, strong black coffee, lighter coffee, filter coffee, latte or a different milk-based beverage). When you have bought a machine, purchase coffee beans that will taste best with your machine.