Which cofee machine to buy?

RCatR

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I'm a college student, and I'm addicted to coffee.
Lately I've been spending more money on Java than on parts/electronics/flashlights and I need to buy a more permenant solution
seeing as this is called the Cafe and all....


What brand of coffee machine should I buy? I'm looking to keep it under $30, but sitll be able to get a decently smooth, hot cup of tanalizing caffeine brewed up in my room whenever I feel the urge.
 

mbely2

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Really good machine cost a lot. Cheap machines doesn't make good cofee.
I think French Press may be the best solution; still you will need good beans and decent burr grinder.

Mark
 
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onthebeam

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The last time Consumer Reports rated machines, they found no correlation between price and qualilty. They top rated a $30 Braun. I can vouch for that as I've had my Braun for 19 years. It's still going strong.

For truly great coffee, grind your own beans and look for coffee that has been fresh roasted, preferably locallly. Commercial coffees, no matter the price, are usually roasted months before they reach the consumer. And, they best flavor is of course lost. The difference in recently roasted coffee is amazing. You can learn alot at coffeereviews.com

Enjoy that Java!
 

winny

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+1 on that. A grinder is the key to everything and if you pay nothing (assuming a new machine here), you get nothing. I don't know if coffee machines are cheaper in the US but you can hardly get one for $30 here at all.
However, you should probably not ask me. I spent $650 on my current espresso machine and $450 on my grinder, and they where both used... And by the way, I'm a student too... :broke:
 

Sigman

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...not another coffee thread? :ohgeez:

Another vote for a French Press!! If in a dorm and you can't cook in the room - microwave the water!

:thumbsup:
 

raggie33

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i still cant drink coffee id be hanging from the celing .pepsi and coke does the same thing but check out the good eats website he did a show on coffee
 

CM

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Get a good burr or gear type grinder (not the one that whirls and beats the beans into submission), and a french press which can be had for $40 or so. You don't need a fancy machine to make good coffee. Take it to the next level and roast your own--you'll never go back to starbucks again.
 

onthebeam

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Yes, that's right. You definitely want a burr grinder and not a blade grinder, which burns the coffee, so to speak. The Starbucks burr grinder is well worth the money but their coffees are not well respected in coffee circles, as they are almost always over roasted. If you do buy Starbucks coffees, try the Serena Organic, which rated a 90 on coffeereviews.com, or the Peaberry. I also have a high end Espresso machine, an excellent Saeco, but I never really use it. If you decide to go the high end Espresso route, you'll learn much at coffeegeek.com.

Any way, best to invest in a simple coffee maker--Krups and Braun are both very good, and a better grinder. Plus, beans that have only very recently been roasted. You'll be amazed that coffee could be so good!
 

Empath

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Unless you've got a lot of people waiting to grab a cup at the same time, focus on a means of making one cup at a time as you need it. Your choices are many, the new pod system, manual cone filtering, single cup Black and Decker, french press or what-have-you. I'm no coffee connoisseur, but even I can tell that coffee brewed more than 20 minutes before drinking is adversely affected.
 

CLHC

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What mbely2 said regarding the French Press! Doesn't "filter" out the oils and you simply cannot go wrong with that one. I love mine!

Hope you find what you're looking for and Enjoy!
 

nethiker

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I love my Melita electric perculator. No filters, just add coffee, water and plug in. There were a bunch of negative reviews at Amazon. I also had a problem with my first coffee maker not making the water hot enough after about a year and a half. Just bought another one. Never had problems with the plastic top. There's something about a good cup of perk coffee. It's not as fine and fancy as other methods, yet satisfying all the same.

I think it would be a great dorm rig.
 

nighthawk

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Go to nearby Target or Walmart, they have lots of less expensive coffee machines, suitable for college students.
 

Mike Painter

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CHC said:
What mbely2 said regarding the French Press! Doesn't "filter" out the oils and you simply cannot go wrong with that one. I love mine!

Hope you find what you're looking for and Enjoy!

Add my vote for the French press. Cheap to buy and cheap to maintain.

Just make sure you don't grind the beans to much. There should be "lumps" in the mix.
 

Diesel_Bomber

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+1 on the French Press.

If you've got to go with drip or similar, get the smallest coffee maker you can. Specifically, to get as short a brew-time as possible. After 2.5-3 minutes, you're pulling bitterness and nastiness out of the coffee grounds, and not any kind of flavor you want to taste. If you have to go for a full size coffee maker, let it brew for 2.5 minutes and turn it off. Usually you turn it off around the 1.75-2 minute mark and it'll stop dripping by 2.5 minutes. Dump out the grounds and put the basket back in, turn the pot back on and let it finish heating the rest of the water and diluting the good stuff in the pot.

Or, just drink the good stuff. :rock:


Cheers! :buddies:
 
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eluminator

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The best coffee maker you can buy costs $3. Just add a #2 cone filter and set it on your coffee mug. Other coffee makers may make coffee just as good but they are more work to clean, take up more room, and make a bigger dent in your wallet.



Of course if you are worried that absorbed oils will deprive your palate of an exquisite taste sensation, you can use a gold filter instead of paper for $11.



I use both methods and I can't tell the difference, but maybe you would. Getting rid of the used grounds is the biggest hassle, but I manage.
 

bruddamoke

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eluminator said:
The best coffee maker you can buy costs $3. Just add a #2 cone filter and set it on your coffee mug. Other coffee makers may make coffee just as good but they are more work to clean, take up more room, and make a bigger dent in your wallet.



Of course if you are worried that absorbed oils will deprive your palate of an exquisite taste sensation, you can use a gold filter instead of paper for $11.



I use both methods and I can't tell the difference, but maybe you would. Getting rid of the used grounds is the biggest hassle, but I manage.
I gotta second this method, its how I do single servings for myself. Very easy cleanup too, probably important for a college student. I've used a french press too, results are outstanding but the press itself is a pain to clean. Top quality coffee is also most important.
 

DieselDave

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A few months ago I bought a coffee maker with a built in grinder, I hate it. The time it takes to clean up the grinder every day makes it not worth the effort. I had 3 pounds of beans when I decided I had ground my last bean. I took all the beans back to the store and ground them there. I would buy convenience store coffee before I would grind beans again because I just don't think it's worth the time involved. I think there is far more flavor difference in the type coffee you buy than there is in pre-ground vs beans.
 
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