Coffee maker

[Guest Steelharp]

Guys, I had an old '50's short percolator coffee pot that I've used for years. It gave up the ghost a while back. I am getting really tired of having to stick my coffee cup in the microwave to heat it up when it comes out of these new drip makers. They just can't make a HOT cup of coffee. Does anybody still make a good old fashioned perker, or is there a dripper that can make hot coffee instead of lukewarm?

[Marswolf]

I know what you mean Mikey. My old Black & Decker under cupboard coffee maker gave up the ghost and I replaced it with one with the thermal pot rather a pot heater. If you are there when it stops brewing, you can get out one cup of hot coffee. After that it's microwave reheat time.

Yeah, they still make the brewers with the heating element, but I like the hang up makers for space reasons.

[Guest wTiger]

IMO, i would stay away from these fancy new deals that "grind the beans" and brew the coffee in the same machine. they cost a premium and when you are done you have fifty pieces to get clean. I have a friend who got one for xmas a couple of years back and he curses the thing every morning. I have a good old MR COFFEE, with a french press as a BUcm... My wife and I actually ran out of filters one early morning, good to have the back up.

[Marswolf]

Roasted beans start to oxidize immediately. The flavor starts going "off" immediately. That's why you get coffee in vacuum sealed or nitrogen injected bags.

Freshly ground coffee is better, but you need to keep oxidation down by freezing the beans once they are roasted and just grind the ones you need for that batch of coffee.

Having said that...I buy Luzianne coffee and keep it in a jar on the counter top.

[Guest Steelharp]

Mars, if you've seen them, where can I find an old fashioned perc?

[The Rabbi]

Coffee percolator: bad ju-ju.

Try a French press instead. Or as we call them in our house "Freedom Press."

[Guest Steelharp]

What's a "French press?" Sounds expensive and oddly sexual...

[molonlabetn]

What's a "French press?" Sounds expensive and oddly sexual...

Isn't that where you use a liberal European newspaper as a filter?

[The Rabbi]

Only if you're a pervert who makes money by moving his fingers across a g-string.

A French Press is a device where you pour the coffee and water into the pitcher. The you put the lid on and push down gradually on a filter, trapping the grounds in the bottom of the pot.

http://www.amazon.com/BonJour-3-Cup-Unbreakable-French-Press/dp/B0001K1878/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1199716573&sr=8-5

[Guest Steelharp]

It's a G# string, thank you very much...

Now, the press thing... is it for one serving at a time, or a pot to draw from? (I really think I'd rather stick with a bad ju-ju perk, though; that thing made the best coffee...)

Stupid me... I just saw the link... sorry, Bill. Looks different, to say the least...

[Guest Steelharp]

I'm having a really hard time visualizing how that thing works. The grounds go in the bottom of the bottom part, or the bottom of the top part? How do you keep grounds out of the cup as you pour?

[Guest wTiger]

I stand corrected, "USA press" Makes the best damb coffee in the world!

[Mike.357]

Steelharp, I don;t drink that vile concoction so maybe I am wrong,

But isn't this what you are looking for?

http://www.fantes.com/percolators.htm

http://www.fantes.com/percolators.htm#electric

[The Rabbi]

I'm having a really hard time visualizing how that thing works. The grounds go in the bottom of the bottom part, or the bottom of the top part? How do you keep grounds out of the cup as you pour?

There is no bottom or top part. There is a carafe. You pour both coffee and water into it. The top has a plunger with a screen at the bottom. The screen/filter filters out the coffee grounds and traps them at the bottom. You can get them almost any size you want.

[saintsfanbrian]

We have one of these:

http://www.target.com/Hamilton-Beach-10-Cup-Brewstation-47374/dp/B000R4J96K/sr=1-4/qid=1199718361/ref=sr_1_4/601-9350311-4844925?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k%3ABrewstation&page=1

I wouldn't say the last cup is as good as the first but considering the heating element is right there at the bottom where you coffee is coming out it is pretty dang hot for every cup after the first.

P.S. I have spent many years running my fingers over a G string. Also an A, 2 E's, a D and a B.

[Guest bkelm18]

I'm having a really hard time visualizing how that thing works. The grounds go in the bottom of the bottom part, or the bottom of the top part? How do you keep grounds out of the cup as you pour?

http://coffeegeek.com/guides/presspot

That's a tutorial on how to use a French Press. It's a bit more involved than a drip maker or percolator but it makes a damn good cup of coffee. It uses larger coffee grounds than a drip maker so the water absorbs more flavor.

[Marswolf]

Mike, Lowes has drip pots with the heaters. You should be able to find them in a bunch of places.

For example:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=259175-63607-DR13&lpage=none

I bought a book about coffee and tea back in the 70s. I'm sure it's still around here somewhere. The point it made was that tea should be infused (soaked in hot water) and that coffee should be brewed (hot water flows through it).

I think I've had about every type of coffee maker made - percolator, vacuum maker, French press, espresso, Turkish pot and pressure, automatic and manual drip.

For normal coffee, I think the manual drip is best but a lot of trouble. Remember I said I drink Luzianne. Coffee is something to do while I wake up. Yes, I can appreciate good coffee, but you can't get it here. So the automatic drip pot comes in second place in my view and I can get it started in the morning with just the push of a button.

[Guest Steelharp]

Mars, that's what the kids bought us for Christmas, only it's a Durabrand? That style of coffee maker just doesn't get it hot enough; I have to stick it in the microwave for 45 secs to get it up to snuff. Mike.357, that's what I'm looking for.

[dralarms]

Buy a BUNN, coffee in 3 min and hot enough to burn your mouth when it comes out. I got 1 many years ago and that's all I will use now. No need for a timer either since you get your coffee in 3 min.

[Guest triggertime]

Durabrand? That's a Walmart trade-name label.

I wouldn't waste money on a drip coffee maker. I've bought several brands over the years that stop working about 6 months after purchase. Get a french press from Target.

[Marswolf]

Well, looking over websites, it looks like the French Press coffee infusers are currently de rigueur. I guess the old wisdom that infusion is bad and brewing good are out of style.

I know French Presses were popular in snobby restaurants in London 20 years ago. But would you really trust the English to tell you how to make good food and drink?

I used to roast my own coffee to perfection, grind it and make my coffee from freshly heated water brought to just under the boiling point properly dripped into a cone brewer. Over the years I've found other things to be of more interest, so these days I buy pre-ground coffee and just use an automatic drip coffee maker and punch the button when I get out of bed.

It may not be as good as my old foo-foo way of making coffee, but it requires a lot less effort and does just fine at waking me up in the morning.

[Guest db99wj]

I got an 11 year old Mr. Coffee maker. It has a knob to adjust the heat plate temp. Will not only heat the coffee, but will make it hot enough to scald you. It has a timer so I can make it the night before and it will be ready when I get up in the morning (very helpful for those early mornings I have to hit the road) Quality is.....well not the best, but does ok. I bought some Starbucks Sumatra (asia pacific origin).....good stuff if you like extra bold coffee.

[Guest flyfishtn]

Freshly ground coffee is better, but you need to keep oxidation down by freezing the beans once they are roasted and just grind the ones you need for that batch of coffee.

You should never freeze your beans as it will dehydrate them. Keep them in cool, dark place in an airtight container until ready to grind.

Good second point, only grind what you need.

[Guest flyfishtn]

French Press, IMO, is the best taste for coffee, you get the true flavor of the coffee. There are no many drip machines that heat the coffee to the proper temp. The ones that do are generally restaurant grade.

[saintsfanbrian]

Well, looking over websites, it looks like the French Press coffee infusers are currently de rigueur. I guess the old wisdom that infusion is bad and brewing good are out of style.

I know French Presses were popular in snobby restaurants in London 20 years ago. But would you really trust the English to tell you how to make good food and drink?

I used to roast my own coffee to perfection, grind it and make my coffee from freshly heated water brought to just under the boiling point properly dripped into a cone brewer. Over the years I've found other things to be of more interest, so these days I buy pre-ground coffee and just use an automatic drip coffee maker and punch the button when I get out of bed.

It may not be as good as my old foo-foo way of making coffee, but it requires a lot less effort and does just fine at waking me up in the morning.

Did you melt the tip of an arctic glacier in order to get your water too? Or maybe go out to one of the clear mountain springs in your area.