Coffee anyone?

[paintballdad]

Well since this is the CAFE, i thought i'd ask my fellow CPF'ers about coffeemakers.

I'm not a coffee fanatic but do enjoy a cup of well brewed coffee. I'm like most folks and use just a plain drip coffemaker in the $20 range. I do like coffee from Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf etc but find them overpriced. I was satisfied with my plain jane coffeemaker, but then discovered cup at a time coffemakers. I had one of the pod types but they no longer manufacture the coffee pods for my brand. Had Thanksgiving dinner at my brother's place and he had one of the Keurig brewers, very nice and it did brew a very good cup of coffee (ended up having 3 cups!).

So, i'm looking for some input from the CPF coffee afficionados out there. The two brands in the running are the Tassimo and Keurig. Anybody out there use these? My brother likes his Keurig a lot and he highly recommends it. Anybody use the Tassimo? Let's hear some feedback. TIA

 

[bullfrog]

Big big addict here!

I'm a traditionalist and don't use coffee makers - I swear by grinding my own beans and then using a french press for the perfect cup :thumbsup: I even have a lexan travel press that I bring with me.

Bodum makes very very nice presses and you can pick up any grinder.

The beans I buy from a local specialty brew shop - I'm a sucker for earthy and smokey tones. I usually buy a few different beans and mix 'em for the best taste

 

[HoopleHead]

Same, grind our own beans using a nice burr grinder and then use a french press, or the Aeropress. The Aeropress is surprisingly good, especially for quick cups.

Around here, Blue Bottle Coffee (microroasters of organic and shade grown coffee) is the bomb.

 

[Wattnot]

Flashaholics have other obsessions too. . .

For me it starts with buying green (unroasted) coffee beans online. Then I roast them in a hot air roaster (there are far better methods but the roasters cost more than an M6). Then I grind them in a $180 grinder, tamp them with a $35 tamper and make espresso (or Cafe Americanos or whatever) in an $1100 Expobar Office Control coffee maker. Cafe Americano (and Cafe Crema) is essentially a couple of espresso shots diluted with hot water and that's what I drink daily. Of course I can make all of the "froo froo Starbucks" menu items as well and often called upon to do so by company.

It's well worth it and has paid for itself several times over.

 

[paintballdad]

Damn, so you guys are telling me that i don't need a fancy electronic gadget to make a good cup of coffee, that this $25 press will outdo a $150 Keurig?

Well, what the hell am i suppose to do with the $125 i'm gonna save! Why did you have to go and burst my bubble on another fine gadget.

In all seriousness, thanks for the heads up. Just looked it up and seems that amazon sells the Aeropress. Might just give this a whirl, what do i have to lose?

 

[Flying Turtle]

When I'm not being lazy and drinking instant I'll grind up some beans and use a French press. I'm too cheap for single cup coffee makers. Those premeasured packets must be pretty expensive.

Geoff

 

[paintballdad]

When I'm not being lazy and drinking instant I'll grind up some beans and use a French press. I'm too cheap for single cup coffee makers. Those premeasured packets must be pretty expensive.

Geoff

Yeah, the K cups for the Keurig usually run $10 for a pack of 18 but amazon has them for about $23 for 2 boxes of 25. It can get expensive.

 

[bullfrog]

Yeah, the K cups for the Keurig usually run $10 for a pack of 18 but amazon has them for about $23 for 2 boxes of 25. It can get expensive.

With the K cups, what happens if you like it stronger or weaker? Do you just buy a stronger/weaker flavor?

 

[paintballdad]

You can adjust the strenght buy dialing in the serving size. Smaller cup size=stronger coffee. Depending on the model you can have as many as 7 cup sizes to choose from.

 

[xucchini]

I got a cheap grinder from Starbucks and this

http://www.evasolo.com/products-cafesolo.html

Works well & easy to clean up.

 

[Culhain]

Big big addict here!

I'm a traditionalist and don't use coffee makers -

LOL, and I thought I was a traditionalist by grinding grocery store coffee and brewing with a stove top percolator just like my grandparents.

 

[chaoss]

Same, grind our own beans using a nice burr grinder and then use a french press, or the Aeropress. The Aeropress is surprisingly good, especially for quick cups.

Around here, Blue Bottle Coffee (microroasters of organic and shade grown coffee) is the bomb.

BIG +1 on the Aero, easy to use, clean and what a cup .

 

[Blue72]

Big Coffee Geek HERE!!!

I too buy green coffee beans and roast them. I have a Rancilio Rocky Grinder And a Rancilio Silvia espresso machine.

You do not need a fancy drip coffee maker because all of them brew (except for a select few) at the wrong temperature.

You are better off getting freshly roasted coffee (that is less than two weeks old) or better yet roast your own and get a good grinder.

A french press is great but it is not for everyone, If you like drip coffee then you might want to try a vacuum pot

 

[paintballdad]

Big Coffee Geek HERE!!!

I too buy green coffee beans and roast them. I have a Rancilio Rocky Grinder And a Rancilio Silvia espresso machine.

You do not need a fancy drip coffee maker because all of them brew (except for a select few) at the wrong temperature.

You are better off getting freshly roasted coffee (that is less than two weeks old) or better yet roast your own and get a good grinder.

A french press is great but it is not for everyone, If you like drip coffee then you might want to try a vacuum pot

Wasn't aware that there's so much science involved in brewing a good cup of coffee. I don't think i'm ready to roast coffee beans just yet, i do enjoy cooking and have toasted spices before but not sure how involved coffee roasting will be.

What is the right temp to brew good coffee? The Keurig has adjustable brewing temp of 187 to 192 degrees F. I thought the Keurig might be a good system since it uses single use K cups which means the coffee grounds stay fresh.

I need more enlightenment regarding coffee. Hope i didn't open up a can of worms.

 

[LuxLuthor]

It's all right there.

 

[Blue72]

The Keurig makes really subpar coffee. I think the only reason it is popular is because people like gadgets.

Roasting coffee takes just five minutes.If you do not want to home roast find a coffee roaster who carries fresh beans with a roast date or even mail order it off the Internet. If you are not going to pursue fresh roasted coffee. Then you might as well forget about it because even a $15,000 La Marzocco is not going to make the coffee that has been sitting in a store taste good.

LuxLuther supplied a great website you can really overwhelm yourself with knowledge there.

But in all reality I have taken a cheap $9 Walmart sunbeam coffeemaker and made great coffee just using fresh coffee beans.

Coffee is a lot like wine, you can have all the neat toys but if the wine is bad nothing is going to make it taste better.

 

[Blue72]

All this talk is giving me the coffee craving. Time to turn the machine on!!

 

[Wattnot]

An ever better site for buying these fancy machines at reasonable prices (except for the roasting stuff, they don't have that) is www.wholelattelove.com.

 

[csshih]

I go with tea.

 

[Hitthespot]

Flashaholics have other obsessions too. . .

For me it starts with buying green (unroasted) coffee beans online. Then I roast them in a hot air roaster (there are far better methods but the roasters cost more than an M6). Then I grind them in a $180 grinder, tamp them with a $35 tamper and make espresso (or Cafe Americanos or whatever) in an $1100 Expobar Office Control coffee maker. Cafe Americano (and Cafe Crema) is essentially a couple of espresso shots diluted with hot water and that's what I drink daily. Of course I can make all of the "froo froo Starbucks" menu items as well and often called upon to do so by company.

It's well worth it and has paid for itself several times over.

Oh yea like this is better than my Mr. Coffee and Foldgers.

Just kidding. My wife and I are also suckers for grinding the premium beans. Nothing beats a great cup of gourmet coffee. I find my coffee press makes a little bit better cup of coffee but it is such a hastle over the Bunn.

I'm glad I'm not in your class Wattnot. It takes too long to make a pot of coffee now.

lol

Bill