Choose a Coffee Maker

October 10, 2017

There are many ways to brew coffee, and coffee experts agree some are more preferable than others. But it really comes down to personal taste, as some coffee drinkers enjoy stronger, thicker coffee, while others want a cup of coffee that is mild and clear. Before selecting a coffee maker, take a moment to review the different types of coffee brewing techniques.

Automatic Drip Coffee Makers

Make full pots of coffee easily and quickly with an automatic drip coffee maker and ground coffee beans. Drip coffee makers are popular for their convenience and ease of use. They consist of a water reservoir, a heating element, a filter basket, hot pad, and a carafe. Once the reservoir is filled and the coffee maker is turned on, the cold water travels through a tube from the reservoir to the heating element. The heated water is then siphoned through a rubber hose to a spray head, where it drips over the coffee grounds and down into the carafe. the carafe sits on a hot pad that keeps the coffee heated while it sits. In most cases, drip coffee makers distribute water evenly over ground beans to produce coffee with intense flavor.

Drip coffee makers come in a range of sizes, with cup capacities ranging from two cups to 12. Many auto-drip coffee makers feature programmable timers, which offer pre-set time and auto shut off abilities. These features come in handy for people want the coffee to be ready as soon as they wake up in the morning or who have a tendency to forget to turn the coffee pot off before leaving for the day.

For coffee drinkers who prefer to use fresh-ground beans, some drip coffee makers have built-in grinders. Some consumers feel these grinders don't give a fine enough ground and use a stand-alone coffee grinder instead.