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[Union Carbine]

All of this is good advice. The pods are expensive per use, they taste like shit (marginal step above instant), etc. But, a lot of people love them because of the convenience. Personally, I think they're a fad that will fade out over time, a lot of people want a Keurig because everyone else has one.

I have heard good things about the Nespresso, FWIW.

If you do the math on the prices of the pods to figure out the price being paid for the coffee inside them, it's pretty crazy.

Unfortunately, I don't think pods are going away. The only thing we can hope for is that the technology improves and someone figures out the right way to bridge between the pods and regular coffee.

I don't know if you can get this coffee maker in the UK, or how much it would be there, but it is a very good one...

I've heard good things about that one. I've used the Moccamaster myself so I can vouch for its excellence but it is expensive. It may seem counter-intuitive that the more expensive machines ditch many of the user-friendly options and extras but the investment is in the core features: heating element and brew methodology.

the Bosch Tassimo machines are pretty good actually and I personally like Tassimo coffee. the pods are expensive though which is why I stick to my french press.

Haven't tried it so I can't comment. For me, I love being able to drop into some local shop and walk out with an interesting bag of coffee to try at home. By default, this can't be done with pod machines.

The big benefit of the pods, other than the ease of use, is the consistency-- you ought to get basically the same result every time with the same pod-- which is actually pretty hard to do with conventional coffee-making: grind settings, brew temperatures, etc. can require adjustments from coffee to coffee (some folks will even adjust within a given sample of coffee as the beans age). With espresso, I hate pulling a "sink shot" (ie. you pour it down the sink) when something along the way from grind to brew fails and produces something awful and then you have to figure out if it was just an anomaly or if something needs to be corrected in the process. I actually don't mind the tinkering much (outside of wasting coffee beans) but it's not for everyone. Some coffee brew methods are more or less prone to this than others-- I would guess espresso may be the harshest mistress in this regard.

In theory, this is a non-issue with pods, for better or worse. I say worse and better because, while you shouldn't get any stinkers (relatively speaking) with a pod, you won't get anything transcendent either (the "god shot" in espresso terms). The band of accomplishment with pods is limited in both directions, good and bad (again, speaking relatively), and they're totally outside the control of the brewer. You are at the mercy of the pod.

 

[Otheradam]

Sorry if this has been asked to death, but french press vs aeropress? I have heard french is much harder to clean and the taste difference is minimal. I'm thinking of grabbing one for christmas.

I recently switched from french press to aeropress after 10+ years of using a french press/sometimes moka express.

I have to say, I vastly prefer the aeropress. It's a way cleaner cup of coffee. You don't get all the sludge at the bottom of your cup like a french press. aeropress filters out all that crap that a french press isn't able to. I would never go back to a french press.

It's really not that much more work in the morning for me. Pour in water, wait 10 seconds and press. I find the components of an aeropress easier to clean also. Thinking about getting a chemex at some point but that would only be used on the weekends since it's so involved to make a cup of coffee from one.

 

[sharkmuncher]

I recently switched from french press to aeropress after 10+ years of using a french press/sometimes moka express.

I have to say, I vastly prefer the aeropress. It's a way cleaner cup of coffee. You don't get all the sludge at the bottom of your cup like a french press. aeropress filters out all that crap that a french press isn't able to. I would never go back to a french press.

It's really not that much more work in the morning for me. Pour in water, wait 10 seconds and press. I find the components of an aeropress easier to clean also. Thinking about getting a chemex at some point but that would only be used on the weekends since it's so involved to make a cup of coffee from one.

I followed kind of the same path and have since moved on to a Clever brewer. It's a pretty good split between the type of infusion you get from a french press and a cleaner cup that you usually get from pour-over. I tend to go back and forth between the Clever and the Aeropress, with the Aeropress making a more flavorful, but muddled cup and the Clever making a cleaner (but not Chemex clean) cup.

 

[Union Carbine]

Haven't tried aeropress but I've got a Clever, Chemex, and other pourovers currently and had a French press and they can all make excellent cups. I found the Clever maybe the easiest (most forgiving?) but my wife despises it for reasons that have nothing to do with coffee so I tend not to use it as often as I'd like.

 

[CrudeDiatribe]

Just got a second Aeropress, to leave at work, along with a Porlex Mini grinder. Enough with the shitty Kuereg machine that is somehow worse than the shitty huge drip machines it replaced.

*thumps desk*

 

[PhantomHound]

Just got a second Aeropress, to leave at work, along with a Porlex Mini grinder. Enough with the shitty Kuereg machine that is somehow worse than the shitty huge drip machines it replaced.

*thumps desk*

Here, here! My sister has one of these... I can't stand what comes out of it.

I usually run the chemex route. I'm a huge fan of drip coffee.

 

[pa22word]

So uh, can anyone tell me the benefits of a french press from a Moka express coffee machine? I posted earlier in the thread about it, but it seems no one saw it.

 

[Haly]

A moka pot will create a darker, more concentrated coffee although it's still not true espresso, despite the branding.

A french press is easier to use, and requires less micromanagement. But your brew will be a bit grainier because it doesn't filter so well. On the other hand, you can use a French Press to cold brew, something you can't do with a moka pot.

 

[PhantomHound]

So uh, can anyone tell me the benefits of a french press from a Moka express coffee machine? I posted earlier in the thread about it, but it seems no one saw it.

I really think it comes down to personal preference. Both methods produce a tasty cup of coffee.

 

[breadtruck]

Drip maker on weekends. On the weekdays I use the Mr. Coffee Keurig for a quick on-the-go cup.

I fully admit the keurig isnt as good... but its all about convenience in a short period of time (either that or I can wake up extra early, and that sure aint gonna happen!)

 

[andymcc]

I replaced my Keurig with a Nespresso maker I got for Christmas and, as far as pod coffee goes, I don't see it getting any better than this.

 

[AliasGreed]

I have one of these at work I bought when it was a Lightning Deal at Amazon at $40.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005BG7MK4/?tag=neogaf0e-20

It's amazing for quick lattes at work.

At home I have a Breville expresso machine which I use to make my own expresso with milk. Usually only use this one on weekends.

I also have this Breville Grinder to grind my own coffee to desired cut.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0043EWFAM/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[BraXzy]

Why does coffee have to be so complicated I can't decide which machine to get.

 

[andycapps]

Why does coffee have to be so complicated I can't decide which machine to get.

Ha, it gets much more complicated once you move beyond drip and Keurig style machines.

 

[Union Carbine]

Why does coffee have to be so complicated I can't decide which machine to get.

That Breville you linked before is probably fine unless you intend to get seriously into the craft. The moccamasters and similar are the top of the line for that type of machine.

To be honest, all things considered, the grinder is the most important single thing to get. Once you have a good grinder, the coffee world is your oyster.

 

[BraXzy]

That Breville you linked before is probably fine unless you intend to get seriously into the craft. The moccamasters and similar are the top of the line for that type of machine.

To be honest, all things considered, the grinder is the most important single thing to get. Once you have a good grinder, the coffee world is your oyster.

Breville? That doesn't ring a bell :3

I'd go for the big jug one if it wasn't for the fact my mum is obsessed with Cappuccino's :/

I might just get whichever and then say hey if this isn't quite what you're after feel free to return it and get the right thing.

 

[Nappuccino]

You have access to a Trader Joes? They have good coffee for reasonable prices.

Yes and no. There's one on my dad's way home from work, but it's about 2 hours from my current location. So he could bring some by next time he visits . . .

 

[Union Carbine]

Breville? That doesn't ring a bell :3

Whoops. On my phone. I thought it was a Breville... Maybe somebody else linked to it.

...I'd go for the big jug one if it wasn't for the fact my mum is obsessed with Cappuccino's :/

I might just get whichever and then say hey if this isn't quite what you're after feel free to return it and get the right thing.

I'd go with a Nespresso-- my mom loves hers-- it does espresso-like drinks and, with the milk frother-- can make something approximating a cappuccino that will probably be just fine for your mum.

 

[Union Carbine]

Anyone have any suggestions for a replacement coffee for Archer Farms Fair Trade Terra de Sol? I love the stuff, but my local store has gone to a small package and still charges 9 bucks for the thing. Something the same price or cheaper that's just as good would be amazing.

Have you tried Go Coffee Go? It's an online storefront with access to a ton of large and small roasters. They send the orders to the roasters who then roast and ship to you. Works like a charm.

 

[Nappuccino]

Have you tried Go Coffee Go? It's an online storefront with access to a ton of large and small roasters. They send the orders to the roasters who then roast and ship to you. Works like a charm.

I'll look into it, thanks!

 

[andycapps]

Yes and no. There's one on my dad's way home from work, but it's about 2 hours from my current location. So he could bring some by next time he visits . . .

Honestly, I've been impressed with everything I've gotten from there. Yeah, getting some freshly roasted beans is preferable, but typically those places you're paying about twice as much as from Trader Joes.

 

[UpperCaseN]

I've been on a Vietnamese Iced Coffee kick since I tried it for the first time maybe 8 months ago. If you don't know, it's strong coffee (espresso I guess? I admit I don't really know what espresso is) plus sweetened condensed milk. At first I was using espresso k-cups in the keurig which was meh. Then I was doing cold brew for a while but the recipes say you need to drink it within a week, so I was always concerned over letting it spoil. Plus I wasn't too fond of the amount of coffee grounds that goes into cold brew; the recipe I was following required 2/3rds cup of grounds and 2 cups water. This yielded like 2 iced coffees. I finally got myself two of the metal coffee filters that are traditionally used for it:

I made my first cup 2 hours ago and it was great. I went ahead and bought the coffee for it too; 1 website said Cafe Du Monde which is coffee plus chickory (I don't know what that is and I couldn't taste a difference either) and 1 Trung Nguyen (gourmet blend because the premium was like $10 more, screw that). To be honest it didn't taste too different from the cold brew but I was grateful for using less coffee grounds. Anyone else addicted to this?

 

[andycapps]

I've been on a Vietnamese Iced Coffee kick since I tried it for the first time maybe 8 months ago. If you don't know, it's strong coffee (espresso I guess? I admit I don't really know what espresso is) plus sweetened condensed milk. At first I was using espresso k-cups in the keurig which was meh. Then I was doing cold brew for a while but the recipes say you need to drink it within a week, so I was always concerned over letting it spoil. Plus I wasn't too fond of the amount of coffee grounds that goes into cold brew; the recipe I was following required 2/3rds cup of grounds and 2 cups water. This yielded like 2 iced coffees. I finally got myself two of the metal coffee filters that are traditionally used for it:

I made my first cup 2 hours ago and it was great. I went ahead and bought the coffee for it too; 1 website said Cafe Du Monde which is coffee plus chickory (I don't know what that is and I couldn't taste a difference either) and 1 Trung Nguyen (gourmet blend because the premium was like $10 more, screw that). To be honest it didn't taste too different from the cold brew but I was grateful for using less coffee grounds. Anyone else addicted to this?

Those are awesome but it's too much sugar for me to drink it regularly. Typically if I do something with sugar I'm making a Cafe Cubano.

 

[super-famicom]

I just had a cup of Trader Joe's Cosa Rican Tarrazu using a Kalita grinder my wife gave me and a Hario V60. It was wonderful. I know there's better beans besides Trader Joe's, but for the price it's not bad at all.

 

[kmax]

Nothing beats a hot, black cup of coffee in the morning.

 

[UpperCaseN]

Those are awesome but it's too much sugar for me to drink it regularly. Typically if I do something with sugar I'm making a Cafe Cubano.

They are super sweet, but that's why I like them. I'm worried about caffeine addiction so I limit my coffee/tea intake of any kind to once every 3 days on a regular basis. I don't drink soda at all, maybe like once every 4 months and that's only for a lack of alternatives.

unrelated, I also switched from Coffeemate flavored creamer (french vanilla or caramel) to just half and half plus soda syrup. It's found near the ice cream toppings but it's flavored syrup made for I don't even know what, desserts I guess. To be honest I still prefer the Coffeemate but my wife got apprehensive since they don't spoil for like months (year?) meaning preservatives and/or mystery dairy substitute

 

[BashNasty]

I just had a cup of Trader Joe's Cosa Rican Tarrazu using a Kalita grinder my wife gave me and a Hario V60. It was wonderful. I know there's better beans besides Trader Joe's, but for the price it's not bad at all.

I'm actually drinking that exact coffee right now made from a relatively cheap burr grinder and a Bodum french press. I agree, I've had better coffee, but for the price it's great.

 

[Union Carbine]

Love Vietnamese coffee:

I don't make it myself much though I get it when my wife and I eat Vietnamese.

A couple more gratuitous coffee images:

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

Honestly, I've been impressed with everything I've gotten from there. Yeah, getting some freshly roasted beans is preferable, but typically those places you're paying about twice as much as from Trader Joes.

The one time I got Trader Joes I was really unimpressed. I prefer a more medium roast and theirs are really dark.

 

[Union Carbine]

The one time I got Trader Joes I was really unimpressed. I prefer a more medium roast and theirs are really dark.

Does TJ post the roast dates on their coffee?

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

Does TJ post the roast dates on their coffee?

No since it's mass produced coffee.

 

[Union Carbine]

No since it's mass produced coffee.

Oh. I won't buy any coffee, other than maybe some Italian brands, that don't post roasted dates. Nothing good can come from starting with stale beans.

 

[CrudeDiatribe]

I usually run the chemex route. I'm a huge fan of drip coffee.

I have had some great drip; the drip I was whining about was crappy cheap industrial institutional coffee.

Good beans and good grind and drip is great.

Anyone ever put cardamom in with their coffee? My parents put a few cardamom seeds in with their beans in the grinder.

 

[Union Carbine]

Found an episode of Good Eats about espresso on my DVR (couldn't find a free video, transcript here: http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season10/espresso/espressyourself.htm). There's a few details I'd quibble with but overall it's got a lot of good information.

 

[luso]

Any one with this one or equivalent? Any review for this brand and same level price machines?

I'm not a frequent drinker (1 expresso a day or so) so a too high investment it's not worthy imo. This model can handle both ground coffee and pods. I was looking at ground only machines but this seems nice because of both possibilities. At the moment I just use a grinder + small Bialetti maker. But my main concern is if it can make a good expresso from ground coffee regardless (podsis a sort of "backup" plan).

A cheaper alternative (grinded coffee only) would be this one, I can get it at $100

 

[Union Carbine]

Any one with this one or equivalent? Any review for this brand and same level price machines?

I'm not a frequent drinker (1 expresso a day or so) so a too high investment it's not worthy imo. This model can handle both ground coffee and pods. I was looking at ground only machines but this seems nice because of both possibilities. At the moment I just use a grinder + small Bialetti maker. But my main concern is if it can make a good expresso from ground coffee regardless (podsis a sort of "backup" plan).

A cheaper alternative (grinded coffee only) would be this one, I can get it at $100

Not familiar with those but here's some general info that might help:

The most important things for an espresso machine are the pressure and the water temperature. The machine needs to produce 9 bars to properly brew espresso-- not really more or less, it should pretty much hit 9 bars on a pull. Those machines advertise 15 bars so I guess that means they can get to 9 bars but I don't know what the extra pressure is for. 9 is the magic number. For temperature, the water needs to get to between 195F and 205F-- it could be defined even narrower than that but that's the right ballpark (I usually stick to 200F). The machine needs to get the water to that temperature and hold it there. If you can get machine with a distinct boiler, as opposed to a single water receptacle, that's the way to go.

Many of these machines have pressurized portafilters and other gimmicks to "enhance" crema-- ignore them. The "enhanced" crema isn't genuine and will just serve to fool your eyes, not your tastebuds. If you can take a look at the technical specs, look for the pressure the machine produces, the water temperatures it can maintain, and if it has a boiler. Those are the big bullet points to look for.

 

[Putyouinmyoven]

I finally bought a drip over summer after living on instant. Probably the best purchase I have ever made; setting it to come on when I'm about the leave the the house so I can jam it in my keepcup is just the bomb diggity.

 

[luso]

Not familiar with those but here's some general info that might help:

The most important things for an espresso machine are the pressure and the water temperature. The machine needs to produce 9 bars to properly brew espresso-- not really more or less, it should pretty much hit 9 bars on a pull. Those machines advertise 15 bars so I guess that means they can get to 9 bars but I don't know what the extra pressure is for. 9 is the magic number. For temperature, the water needs to get to between 195F and 205F-- it could be defined even narrower than that but that's the right ballpark (I usually stick to 200F). The machine needs to get the water to that temperature and hold it there. If you can get machine with a distinct boiler, as opposed to a single water receptacle, that's the way to go.

Many of these machines have pressurized portafilters and other gimmicks to "enhance" crema-- ignore them. The "enhanced" crema isn't genuine and will just serve to fool your eyes, not your tastebuds. If you can take a look at the technical specs, look for the pressure the machine produces, the water temperatures it can maintain, and if it has a boiler. Those are the big bullet points to look for.

Thanks for the tips. About the particular cream thing, I understand true crema probably with higher end machines (so it means a more expensive one). Unless there's one with up to that price limite (I can get that Delonghi for $230) that can do that naturally.

The cheaper alternative I mentioned earlier also can use ESE pods after all.

 

[Union Carbine]

The cheaper alternative I mentioned earlier also can use ESE pods after all.

Realistically, if you think you're going to use it mostly for pods, go for it. Can you try one with a return policy to see if you're satisfied with it?

 

[luso]

Not really, pods are an extra, but it seems many machines support them, I prefer something primary for ground coffee.

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

Not really, pods are an extra, but it seems many machines support them, I prefer something primary for ground coffee.

Does it have to be espresso? You can make concentrated drinks with an Aeropress and Moka pot.

 

[Union Carbine]

Does it have to be espresso? You can make concentrated drinks with an Aeropress and Moka pot.

Yep. If you forgoe espresso for the moment, you can get a lot more bang for your buck. It won't be espresso but it'll get you started. Your biggest investment should really be in your grinder anyway.

 

[munroe]

My sister got me an aeropress for Christmas and the flavour and intensity of the coffee is fantastic. Though my method for using it differs slightly from the given instructions, I use the upside down method to allow the water to absorb more of that coffee goodness

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

My sister got me an aeropress for Christmas and the flavour and intensity of the coffee is fantastic. Though my method for using it differs slightly from the given instructions, I use the upside down method to allow the water to absorb more of that coffee goodness

I've done regular and inverted and have noticed zero difference in the result. There is minimal water loss when doing it the normal way. At least not enough to warrant the danger of flipping the Aeropress over.

 

[CrudeDiatribe]

I use the upside down method to allow the water to absorb more of that coffee goodness

Why would the orientation of the thing have any bearing on the water's ability to dissolve things? The vacuum that can be created with the plunger is pretty good. I know some people discard the weak coffee-water at the bottom of their cup before pressing, though. I just leave it since I'm topping the cup up with water or frothed milk.

Like TarpitCarnivore I really haven't noticed a difference if everything else is the same, and I have knocked the AeroPress apart flipping it once, which was quite enough for me.

Additionally, per the designer of the AeroPress, the rubber part of the plunger is not designed to have boiling or near-boiling water against it, so you will apparently harden it much faster (but it's less than $5 to replace, so don't let it stop you).

 

[otapnam]

Been using a hario drip system for awhile now. Love it. Love the ease of cleaning by tossing the paper filter and washing the ceramic filter thing.



I just added a 8 cup chemex to my baby registry. Does anyone know if it's difficult to wash ?

 

[Union Carbine]

I just added a 8 cup chemex to my baby registry. Does anyone know if it's difficult to wash ?

It's hard to get into the bottom half without some sort of cleaning swizzle stick but, ultimately, it's not hard.

 

[Easystride]

Anyone have any suggestions for a replacement coffee for Archer Farms Fair Trade Terra de Sol? I love the stuff, but my local store has gone to a small package and still charges 9 bucks for the thing. Something the same price or cheaper that's just as good would be amazing.

I buy my coffee beans from Costco. A 2 pound bag of beans cost like $9.99, and (in my opinion) it taste great. I've tried stuff from local roasters, but I just don't think it is worth the price. It's like $14.99 for a 12 oz. bag of coffee.

 

[Macam]

Been using a hario drip system for awhile now. Love it. Love the ease of cleaning by tossing the paper filter and washing the ceramic filter thing.

I just added a 8 cup chemex to my baby registry. Does anyone know if it's difficult to wash ?

It's stupidly easy to clean; just, as noted, get a long stemmed brush/'cleaning swizzle stick' or whatever those things are called for when you need to do a more thorough cleaning. (you probably already have one).

After pouring, I usually dump the filter into my compost bin, fill it a bit with water, swirl it around, dump the water, and let it air dry upside down.

 

[Union Carbine]

For the Chemex, I also like the Kone reusable filter.