The Money Mustache Community
Other => Off Topic => Topic started by: happylife17 on August 17, 2017, 01:07:31 PM
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Just out of curiosity . . . what type of coffee gadgets do you use to make your coffee?
I keep seeing Nespresso and Keurig everywhere but I still have my cheap $24.99 coffee maker from Amazon. It's good for another 9 months (already broke once but it was under warranty) then I will have to get a new machine.
Decisions Decisions . . .
BTW quitting coffee is not an option for me. I've already tried and obviously did not work.
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Just a plain-jane $19 Mr. Coffee drip maker from Walmart. I think we've had it about three years.
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A chemex for pour-overs and a stainless steel insulated french press. We switched from automatic coffee makers a couple of years ago when my last one started to burn the coffee and I was tired of paying a fortune for a machine to do what I could do in the same amount of time. Bonus is a like the flavor of both of these better.
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I use a moka pot. Cheap, easy to clean and sturdy. Eventually after years of use it's necessary to change the rubber so it can keep the pressure. Other than that there's no maintenance and not many parts to break.
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Metal pour over cone
Hario Skeletor manual burr grinder
Fellow Stagg swanneck kettle
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I use a $5 Black Friday special coffee pot. I think it's Mr. Coffee brand. Hard to justify something fancier, although my brother uses freshly ground beans and a French press, and it's phenomenal. I have 3 kids to herd to school every morning, so efficiency is key for me.
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Bunn. It has been a tank. Got it for our wedding 10 yrs ago. I only run RO water in it though. Makes a pot of coffee in under 5 mins. First guy that says Keurig gets a free face punch!
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Bunn. It has been a tank. Got it for our wedding 10 yrs ago. I only run RO water in it though. Makes a pot of coffee in under 5 mins. First guy that says Keurig gets a free face punch!
Keurig
:)
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Mr. Coffee. I make it and drink it, and I never leave any left-over sitting on the hot plate.
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French press + simple blade-type grinder.
I like being able to easily make cold-brew overnight in the fridge. Very nice. Very efficient in the morning as well.
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Oh yes, we do have a burr grinder, a manual grinder for camping trips and a blade grinder that is predominately used as a spice grinder but could be used for coffee as well.
We joke that our blood type is mocca java and we need IV drips of coffee some days.
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traditional Phillips coffee machine, enough to make an espresso in the morning
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Stove-top espresso maker. I love it.
me too.
This one: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/30149839/
and this frother for lates
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/30301167/?query=frother
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We have a bottom-of-the-range Nespresso, a double-walled cafetiere, and a kettle for making instant coffee at home. We'll soon have a drip filter machine too, because I bought one for work and it never gets used there so I might as well bring it home.
I like coffee :-)
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Kettle and a pllunger, and when we have lost of guests, we crack out the drip machine.
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Most of the time I use a plunger (French press), but I've got one of the little stovetop espresso makers. Unfortunately said stovetop espresso maker is just a little too small to fit on the frame on top of the gas burner comfortably, so it doesn't get used often.
That, a cheap kettle from Woolies and a Sunbeam EM0480 grinder seem to work well.
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I own 2 French presses and a burr grinder.
Where do y'all get your beans?
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Where do y'all get your beans?
Pre-ground at the grocery store, usually whatever brand is on sale that week (though I suppose we go with one "tier" or so above the Folgers crowd). :D
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I get my beans (whole) in the bulk section of the grocery store when its on sale and freeze them. Then we grind fresh daily. We find that fresh grind has the biggest impact on flavor. Freezing doesn't seem to do too much damage to the flavor.
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I own 2 French presses and a burr grinder.
Where do y'all get your beans?
Sigh, sadly we had to take a budget approach to this. We used to get them fresh from a local roaster. I miss that. But, for half the cost, we now get the Yukon blend from Costco.
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Cuisinart. I was all about the Mr. Coffee pot for years and then one died and then the replacement died not too long after purchasing it. I was going to buy another Mr. Coffee until I read reviews that the pots were lasting only months and quality had declined greatly. I hope this pot lasts me many more years.
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We have a 20+ year old burr grinder (but I *really* can't taste the difference between burr and blade) and a $30 Mr. Coffee. My opinion is always that if the coffee tastes bad to you, that means you're not putting enough coffee in the pot.
We buy 2lb sacks of whole bean coffee at Sams. When we used to have a Costco nearby, we bought it there (and they roasted it in the store.)
As soon as it brews, we put it in a thermos so that it doesn't sit on the burner.
I find the one-cup-at-a-time brewing to be silly. It doesn't seem more convenient to me in any way. And if you buy the pods you end up spending something like $50 a lb on coffee.
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We have a 20+ year old burr grinder (but I *really* can't taste the difference between burr and blade) and a $30 Mr. Coffee. My opinion is always that if the coffee tastes bad to you, that means you're not putting enough coffee in the pot.
We buy 2lb sacks of whole bean coffee at Sams. When we used to have a Costco nearby, we bought it there (and they roasted it in the store.)
As soon as it brews, we put it in a thermos so that it doesn't sit on the burner.
I find the one-cup-at-a-time brewing to be silly. It doesn't seem more convenient to me in any way. And if you buy the pods you end up spending something like $50 a lb on coffee.
But I only drink one cup a day. Hard to make a just one cup from the normal drip brewing process. Our coffee consumption (not ingestion) and spend for it has dropped to about $2/day. Plus variety is the spice of life. Different strokes for different folks.
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beans: Amazon of course ;)
been enjoying:
"Italian Roast Espresso Artisan Blend Coffee" - really good, quite cheap
"San Francisco Bay Coffee, Fog Chaser"
"Lola Savannah Texas Pecan"
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We have a 20+ year old burr grinder (but I *really* can't taste the difference between burr and blade) and a $30 Mr. Coffee. My opinion is always that if the coffee tastes bad to you, that means you're not putting enough coffee in the pot.
We buy 2lb sacks of whole bean coffee at Sams. When we used to have a Costco nearby, we bought it there (and they roasted it in the store.)
As soon as it brews, we put it in a thermos so that it doesn't sit on the burner.
I find the one-cup-at-a-time brewing to be silly. It doesn't seem more convenient to me in any way. And if you buy the pods you end up spending something like $50 a lb on coffee.
But I only drink one cup a day. Hard to make a just one cup from the normal drip brewing process. Our coffee consumption (not ingestion) and spend for it has dropped to about $2/day. Plus variety is the spice of life. Different strokes for different folks.
FWIW: I've never found it hard to brew a single cup.
The drip process works exactly the same way as the pods... it's just hot water over coffee grounds.
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We have a 20+ year old burr grinder (but I *really* can't taste the difference between burr and blade) and a $30 Mr. Coffee. My opinion is always that if the coffee tastes bad to you, that means you're not putting enough coffee in the pot.
We buy 2lb sacks of whole bean coffee at Sams. When we used to have a Costco nearby, we bought it there (and they roasted it in the store.)
As soon as it brews, we put it in a thermos so that it doesn't sit on the burner.
I find the one-cup-at-a-time brewing to be silly. It doesn't seem more convenient to me in any way. And if you buy the pods you end up spending something like $50 a lb on coffee.
But I only drink one cup a day. Hard to make a just one cup from the normal drip brewing process. Our coffee consumption (not ingestion) and spend for it has dropped to about $2/day. Plus variety is the spice of life. Different strokes for different folks.
Well, I hope you have a reusable pod, otherwise I will facepunch anyone with a Keurig who throws away a plastic pod every time they need a hit. That is so incredibly wasteful, unnecessary, and horrible for the environment. I'm usually on team "good for you, not for me," but Keurigs are SO awful if you put even a second of thought into it that I'm surprised to hear anyone here defend using one. $2/day for one cup of coffee is also really expensive. A tall cup of drip at Starbucks is $2.09. You are barely beating the universally-maligned Starbucks habit. In comparison, I buy a 2 lb. bag of organic whole beans at Costco for ~$17. It lasts me at least a month and a half, usually closer to two months. So at a minimum, that's 45 days of coffee. $0.38 per day, marginally more if you divide out the cost of filters and the machine. Think about it.
Also, I've also never understood why people think it's hard to make a single cup of drip coffee--you just...learn how much you need for grinds, and put in the appropriate amount of water? Maybe buy a four-cup machine instead of an eight-cup if the minimum fill on your eight-cup is too high? Or explore the many alternative methods for easily producing a single cup of coffee, e.g., French press, pour-over, Chemex, etc.
For daily use, I have a Mr. Coffee with a timer. For weekends/fancy time, I have a French press. I have a blade grinder and buy whole beans from Costco.
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We have a 20+ year old burr grinder (but I *really* can't taste the difference between burr and blade) and a $30 Mr. Coffee. My opinion is always that if the coffee tastes bad to you, that means you're not putting enough coffee in the pot.
We buy 2lb sacks of whole bean coffee at Sams. When we used to have a Costco nearby, we bought it there (and they roasted it in the store.)
As soon as it brews, we put it in a thermos so that it doesn't sit on the burner.
I find the one-cup-at-a-time brewing to be silly. It doesn't seem more convenient to me in any way. And if you buy the pods you end up spending something like $50 a lb on coffee.
But I only drink one cup a day. Hard to make a just one cup from the normal drip brewing process. Our coffee consumption (not ingestion) and spend for it has dropped to about $2/day. Plus variety is the spice of life. Different strokes for different folks.
Well, I hope you have a reusable pod, otherwise I will facepunch anyone with a Keurig who throws away a plastic pod every time they need a hit. That is so incredibly wasteful, unnecessary, and horrible for the environment. I'm usually on team "good for you, not for me," but Keurigs are SO awful if you put even a second of thought into it that I'm surprised to hear anyone here defend using one. $2/day for one cup of coffee is also really expensive. A tall cup of drip at Starbucks is $2.09. You are barely beating the universally-maligned Starbucks habit. In comparison, I buy a 2 lb. bag of organic whole beans at Costco for ~$17. It lasts me at least a month and a half, usually closer to two months. So at a minimum, that's 45 days of coffee. $0.38 per day, marginally more if you divide out the cost of filters and the machine. Think about it.
Also, I've also never understood why people think it's hard to make a single cup of drip coffee--you just...learn how much you need for grinds, and put in the appropriate amount of water? Maybe buy a four-cup machine instead of an eight-cup if the minimum fill on your eight-cup is too high? Or explore the many alternative methods for easily producing a single cup of coffee, e.g., French press, pour-over, Chemex, etc.
For daily use, I have a Mr. Coffee with a timer. For weekends/fancy time, I have a French press. I have a blade grinder and buy whole beans from Costco.
My DW drinks 2-3 cups a day. Hence $2. It is actually < .38 cents.
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My DW drinks 2-3 cups a day. Hence $2. It is actually < .38 cents.
Cool, thanks for the clarification. You still get facepunches for killing the environment. Also, if your DW if drinking 2-3 cups a day, why do you need a single serving solution? Make a giant thing of cold-brew and you're all set for the day without contributing to mountains of unnecessary trash. Or learn to insert lukewarm coffee into the microwave and push the button that says "Add 30 seconds." Or buy a reusable K-Cup and grind beans at the grocery store if you really cannot survive any other way.
I know there are many things that are worse for the environment, but K-Cups are just so unnecessary because there are SO MANY ALTERNATIVES. Coffee production already has such a large environmental impact--using a Keurig is like adding that extra little bit of "fuck you, my personal convenience is more important than the future of our shared planet."
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My DW drinks 2-3 cups a day. Hence $2. It is actually < .38 cents.
Cool, thanks for the clarification. You still get facepunches for killing the environment. Also, if your DW if drinking 2-3 cups a day, why do you need a single serving solution? Make a giant thing of cold-brew and you're all set for the day without contributing to mountains of unnecessary trash. Or learn to insert lukewarm coffee into the microwave and push the button that says "Add 30 seconds." Or buy a reusable K-Cup and grind beans at the grocery store if you really cannot survive any other way.
I know there are many things that are worse for the environment, but K-Cups are just so unnecessary because there are SO MANY ALTERNATIVES. Coffee production already has such a large environmental impact--using a Keurig is li adding that extra little bit of "fuck you, my personal convenience is more important than the future of our shared planet."
Did I mention drip coffee sucks?
I ordered a french press and I'm thinking that is the solution that may work for us.
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Cuisinart. I was all about the Mr. Coffee pot for years and then one died and then the replacement died not too long after purchasing it. I was going to buy another Mr. Coffee until I read reviews that the pots were lasting only months and quality had declined greatly. I hope this pot lasts me many more years.
I've never had a Cuisinart, but I bought an expensive Capresso coffee maker back in 2008. ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ELBRGG/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0 )
About a year later, it failed. So in 2009, I bought a $13 Mr. Coffee 4-cup maker, and it's still working well today, with the original carafe and copper filter.
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Plain old Mr. Coffee bought for a few bucks.
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Did I mention drip coffee sucks?
I ordered a french press and I'm thinking that is the solution that may work for us.
It only sucks if you don't make it properly ;) Enjoy your press!
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Did I mention drip coffee sucks?
I ordered a french press and I'm thinking that is the solution that may work for us.
It only sucks if you don't make it properly ;) Enjoy your press!
No, I've made it properly. Start with great water, great coffee, perfect grind and it still doesn't measure up to other coffee producing processes.
JMHO.
YMMV.
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My DH loves our bialetti.
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A big noisy automatic delonghi machine. One button grinds beans and pours espresso coffee. Expensive compared to other options at $180 secondhand ($800 new). Before that we were camping and used a moka pot over a gas burner. Buy beans at supermarket for about $18 a kg.
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French Press, Peet's Beans.
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We have a Bialetti and an Areopress. Spelt both wrong I think, but we like both equally.
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Just bought a grinder and Kona French Press. Buying some beans today. :)
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Drip coffee can taste excellent when done right. I bought my 1964 Presto Super-Speed perk for $3 at a church sale almost 20 years ago. I brew a pot every morning before work, 5 times a week, and have done so for the past 15 years, then fill my equally old Thermos and carry it to work.
Grind wise, that works out to around a bag a month or some of my favorite brands (~$5 bag depending on who has a good sale). Works out to $0.25/day and folks are always surprised when I tell them how it was made.
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Do I win the contest here for most Mustachian setup? :-)
I buy ground coffee and don't own a grinder. I cold-brew without special equipment. Soak in an ice bucket I received as a gift circa 2006. Filter through a small mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter, a bit at a time. Store in already-lying-around pitcher.
Drip coffee can taste excellent when done right. I bought my 1964 Presto Super-Speed perk for $3 at a church sale almost 20 years ago. I brew a pot every morning before work, 5 times a week, and have done so for the past 15 years, then fill my equally old Thermos and carry it to work.
Grind wise, that works out to around a bag a month or some of my favorite brands (~$5 bag depending on who has a good sale). Works out to $0.25/day and folks are always surprised when I tell them how it was made.
Well, this person and I are tied. :-)
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After having a bunch of coffee makers and espresso machines, I just use a cheap bodum french press now.
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Well I tried out my new french press. I must say that was a damned good cup of joe. Easy cleanup, good coffee, doesn't take too long. Totally worth it. I actually found the process convenient. No more k-cups into the landfill. :)
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Well I tried out my new french press. I must say that was a damned good cup of joe. Easy cleanup, good coffee, doesn't take too long. Totally worth it. I actually found the process convenient. No more k-cups into the landfill. :)
YAY. This actually makes me incredibly happy. I know you're just one person, but it still... just so cool =) Good on you.
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Well I tried out my new french press. I must say that was a damned good cup of joe. Easy cleanup, good coffee, doesn't take too long. Totally worth it. I actually found the process convenient. No more k-cups into the landfill. :)
YAY. This actually makes me incredibly happy. I know you're just one person, but it still... just so cool =) Good on you.
The coffee was on sale and it was a store brand Columbian. $2 off. It was well balanced, no bitterness. smelled awesome (I stuck my nose in for about 30 seconds - ha!). I'm going to see how the usage goes, but I think I'll save money as well!
I'm embarrassed to admit that I was a huge supporter of GMCR (they bought Keurig in 2006). I tried the coffee when I was visiting a friend at his winery in 2005 and the coffee was so good, the process so easy and the choice of each person to pick what they wanted to drink that I became infatuated with it. I bought GMCR stock in 2007 for about $7/share and rode it up to $140 before selling out about 5 years later. Made a shit ton of money. Maybe I should give it away? Maybe not. I guess my value compass is adrift. :0.
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After trying a bunch of different ones, I like our ceramic pour-over with a paper filter. Makes one cup at a time (all I need), small and easy to store, easy cleanup. Bf and I have determined I tend to prefer the taste of paper-filtered coffee (takes out the 'brighter' notes that just taste unpleasantly sour to me), but they have reusable filters if that's not a concern. Cleanup is a bit harder though.
We use a french press or pour-over into the French press for a larger group.
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After trying a bunch of different ones, I like our ceramic pour-over with a paper filter. Makes one cup at a time (all I need), small and easy to store, easy cleanup. Bf and I have determined I tend to prefer the taste of paper-filtered coffee (takes out the 'brighter' notes that just taste unpleasantly sour to me), but they have reusable filters if that's not a concern. Cleanup is a bit harder though.
We use a french press or pour-over into the French press for a larger group.
I absolutely agree that filter vs no filter pour over cones taste very different. The metal cone we have (no filter, we tap out most then rinse, and periodically run it through the dishwasher if it "slows") tastes much more like a french press coffee than the filtered pour overs do.
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French press for the win :) so glad you're a convert, Cache Stache!
I'm visiting my mom this weekend and she has a primo setup...higher quality beans than I buy, a burr grinder, and a big ol' French press. Really enjoyed my cup this morning.
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Bunn. It has been a tank. Got it for our wedding 10 yrs ago. I only run RO water in it though. Makes a pot of coffee in under 5 mins. First guy that says Keurig gets a free face punch!
UHMMM Why? They are expensive, crappy machines, with poor environmental footprint and utilities usage... but not always...
I have a Kuerig that I got for free when someone did not like the way the pump was working. It spits and doesn't brew right, even after cleaning it out. I use my folgers grounds in a reusalbe cup. It doesn't make great coffee,though, but uses a lot less beans than the french press.
My new favorite, though, is this -- I was travelling and refused to pay the equivalent of $5 for a cup of coffee at a cafe table. So I used my travel cloths as a cup filter for the grocery store brand coffee beans. Amazing tasting coffee came from this (with cheap tea kettle). I was able to reuse the filter by washing it out, for up to 5 cups of coffee.
https://www.amazon.ca/Compressed-Tissue-500pcs-Handy-Restaurant/dp/B00ZIY9YG4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1503259037&sr=8-6&keywords=compressed+wipes (https://www.amazon.ca/Compressed-Tissue-500pcs-Handy-Restaurant/dp/B00ZIY9YG4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1503259037&sr=8-6&keywords=compressed+wipes) which are 10 cents each on aliexpress....
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After having a bunch of coffee makers and espresso machines, I just use a cheap bodum french press now.
I use a Bodum french press too. Although they're not exactly what I would call cheap, they are definitely much better quality than a €8 euro grocery store french press. I didn't actually pay for mine though. My mother received it as a gift 20 years ago but never really used it. I claimed it a long time ago. We have a small kitchen, so I like how it doesn't take up counter space like a regular machine. Plus, we broke the glass coffee pot a while back and Bodum sells replacement parts so we didn't have to throw away a perfectly good handle and press just because the pot broke.
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Coffee makers: Gaggia Espresso machine, French Press, Metal cone pour over, and a vacuum pot.
Beans: Roast my own or sometimes will buy some at grocery market if on sale for under $5 per pound.
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Thank you all for replying. It was interesting to read what my fellow Mustachians are using for their coffee fix.
I ended up splurging on a new gadget this weekend . . . a handheld milk frother for $6.99! It's a cheap and convenient way for me to get a "latte."
I also decided against the Keurig/Nespresso route simply because I drink way too much coffee and cannot justify spending $29 for 2 weeks worth of coffee plus all the environmental issues that go with the pods.
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Thank you all for replying. It was interesting to read what my fellow Mustachians are using for their coffee fix.
I ended up splurging on a new gadget this weekend . . . a handheld milk frother for $6.99! It's a cheap and convenient way for me to get a "latte."
I also decided against the Keurig/Nespresso route simply because I drink way too much coffee and cannot justify spending $29 for 2 weeks worth of coffee plus all the environmental issues that go with the pods.
I have one too (the manual type) and it took me some time to develop the skill but now I can make the perfect latte macchiato with a Tupperware milk frother and a Bodum French press that I both got for free. I have added a free manual coffee grinder to the collection this week and I can't wait to use it. I've heard from my mum that the organic coffee beans at Aldi are actually one of the best types of coffee on the market so I'll try those when I run out of ground coffee. She has a €1000 Jura machine that needs €100 maintenance at the shop.... to make exactly the same thing I'm making. I have to say though, that machine is super durable (she's had it for more than 10 years) and it doesn't cause any waste. You just pour in milk and beans, so if you really feel you really want a fancy machine that's
the best choice.
But for me, the french press / manual coffee grinder way isn't just the least expensive way, but also the most romantic. I really like the process. The only other thing I'd consider buying (or really, not buying, but accepting when someone offers me one for free) is a moka pot.
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Cone with filter paper - one cup cone over a mug for my one cup of regular coffee, then a bigger cone/carafe setup for my pot of decaf for the rest of the day. I reheat the decaf gently one cup at a time in the microwave, or just drink it cold in summer. Beans from President's Choice. Water from a well, put through a Britta filter. I've tried the reusable metal mesh filters, prefer the paper ones. Filter with grounds goes in the compost pile.
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Thank you all for replying. It was interesting to read what my fellow Mustachians are using for their coffee fix.
I ended up splurging on a new gadget this weekend . . . a handheld milk frother for $6.99! It's a cheap and convenient way for me to get a "latte."
I also decided against the Keurig/Nespresso route simply because I drink way too much coffee and cannot justify spending $29 for 2 weeks worth of coffee plus all the environmental issues that go with the pods.
I have one too (the manual type) and it took me some time to develop the skill but now I can make the perfect latte macchiato with a Tupperware milk frother and a Bodum French press that I both got for free. I have added a free manual coffee grinder to the collection this week and I can't wait to use it. I've heard from my mum that the organic coffee beans at Aldi are actually one of the best types of coffee on the market so I'll try those when I run out of ground coffee. She has a €1000 Jura machine that needs €100 maintenance at the shop.... to make exactly the same thing I'm making. I have to say though, that machine is super durable (she's had it for more than 10 years) and it doesn't cause any waste. You just pour in milk and beans, so if you really feel you really want a fancy machine that's
the best choice.
But for me, the french press / manual coffee grinder way isn't just the least expensive way, but also the most romantic. I really like the process. The only other thing I'd consider buying (or really, not buying, but accepting when someone offers me one for free) is a moka pot.
I want a moka pot too, I found one on Amazon for pretty cheap but I'm going to hold off until my coffee machine breaks again in 9 months.
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Chemex. I like the 1970s boho vibe of it. :p
And I'm sure my Peets Major Dickinson beans would taste better if I didn't pre-grind all at once, but I just can't be bothered to do it on a daily basis.
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At home, mostly weekends: simple secondhand DeLonghi espresso machine (US$25)
At work, weekdays: simple secondhand Chinese espresso machine (US$16)
At my boyfriend's, occasional weekends: bullet-shaped Moka pot from Rome (US$60)
Beans: some ground, some whole, whatever I've picked up while traveling in Vietnam, Europe, or China. When those are gone, I stock up on whatever's on sale from Illy, Lavazza, or CafeDirect. An occasional freshly-roasted splurge from Olympia Graeco-Egyptian coffee for weekends http://www.facebook.com/olympiagraecoegyptiancoffee
I don't put fancy things like milk or sugar in my coffee, just drink it straight and strong.
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I've been using the Clever Coffee Dripper Large (amazon) for a few months. It has a valve on the bottom that is closed when flat on the counter and only opens when it's over a cup, so you can steep for desired minutes then move to the cup. Perfect for one big cup and uses normal supermarket cone filters.
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At home: stovetop espresso maker (the first time I used it, I drank six espressi in half an hour then wondered why my heart was racing), one-cup French press, three-cup French press, electric grinder given to me as a gift by my MAIL.
At work: one-cup French press, three-cup French press (my work ones: I don't carry them to and from the office!)
I buy most of my coffee ground from Aldi or Lidl (although I have a small amount of what I think are expensive beans, gifted to me along with the grinder). I've become convinced that the 80/20 rule can be reformulated as "80% of the quality is 20% of the cost", and I'm disinclined to push myself any further along the coffee quality scale.
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A few weeks ago I ordered new Apuro pour-over coffee machine in the local internet store https://www.choice.co.nz/category/917/equipment/coffee-machines (https://www.choice.co.nz/category/917/equipment/coffee-machines) in Auckland, NZ. I must say I'm completely satisfied with my purchase. It has affordable price (430$) and quite convenient in use. Now I can brew the best cup of coffee at home.
I looked this up: "Pour-over machine supplied with one 1.8 litre glass jug. Independently controlled upper hotplate allows coffee to be kept warm whilst another jug dispenses for a constant supply, ideal for busy cafes, restaurants, bars and bistros." You bought a machine meant for a cafe? Tm Hortons makes fresh coffee every 20 minutes with machines like this, how is your coffee going to taste when it has been warming for a few hours?
And how is this better, since it is a pour-over machine, than buying a Melitta cone and carafe and doing your own pouring from a kettle?
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/melitta-reg-pour-over-coffee-makers-with-glass-carafe/104998/ (https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/melitta-reg-pour-over-coffee-makers-with-glass-carafe/104998/)
I have this, expect mine was $3 from a thrift store. Works great. If I have left-overs, they are fine gently warmed in a micro-wave, or drunk cold on a hot summer day.
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Yeah that Apuro...why? FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY DOLLARS and it doesn't steam milk or make espresso? I read over the specs and looked at the description, and I don't see how that price tag is justified. How did you decide this was the best coffee option available to you?
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A few weeks ago I ordered new Apuro pour-over coffee machine in the local internet store https://www.choice.co.nz/category/917/equipment/coffee-machines (https://www.choice.co.nz/category/917/equipment/coffee-machines) in Auckland, NZ. I must say I'm completely satisfied with my purchase. It has affordable price (430$) and quite convenient in use. Now I can brew the best cup of coffee at home.
$430 coffee gadget is affordable? I hope that's for a cafe or maybe very large office.
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I assume you grind the beans in your 800$ Vita-mix blender?
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I assume you grind the beans in your 800$ Vita-mix blender?
Lol
We have a Ninja Coffee bar that we got as a gift for a wedding shower. I would never buy one myself because they are like $200, but I would definitely pay $0 for one.
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re: making lattes at home.
I've read that you can do this pretty easily by shaking up 2% milk in a jam jar, throwing it into a microwave, and nuking it for a bit.
Anyone try this and have any good tips? I gave it a shot this weekend, and it worked better than I thought, but the milk foam was not quite as thick as I would have liked. More shaking? Keep it in the microwave for a longer time?
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re: making lattes at home.
I've read that you can do this pretty easily by shaking up 2% milk in a jam jar, throwing it into a microwave, and nuking it for a bit.
Anyone try this and have any good tips? I gave it a shot this weekend, and it worked better than I thought, but the milk foam was not quite as thick as I would have liked. More shaking? Keep it in the microwave for a longer time?
Interesting...I'll give this a try and report back tomorrow (granted I only have skim and almond milk at home, so that's going to play with the results a bit). From a former barista, that method isn't ever going to get you exactly what you're looking for in terms of the thick, silky foam you'd associate with a really great latte. Properly steamed milk is going to have much denser bubbles than you'd get from shaking liquid in a jar. The temperature also has a lot to do with it, and a microwave is going to give you the level of control that you'd need to nail the temperature. I'd be wary of nuking the milk for too long, since you can burn it and that really doesn't taste good. But this is undoubtedly an upgrade from dumping in fridge-cold milk!
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Sowden soft brew is our everyday coffee brewer and an aeropress for work.
Also have a gaggia classic espresso machine (bought used) 1950's caravel espresso machine (won in a raffle) and various grinders and sundries (most also bought used).
Yes, bit of a coffee geek.
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I used to use a Keurig.
I read somewhere that switching to instant coffee can save up to $200 a year, depending on how much coffee one drinks. It's cheaper than K-cups and drip coffee. K-cups also wind up in landfills.
So that's what I drink now. Instant. It took some getting used to, at first. I still get an occasional Starbuck's.
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I used to use a Keurig.
I read somewhere that switching to instant coffee can save up to $200 a year, depending on how much coffee one drinks. It's cheaper than K-cups and drip coffee. K-cups also wind up in landfills.
So that's what I drink now. Instant. It took some getting used to, at first. I still get an occasional Starbuck's.
Yeah, I always thought my instant would cost more than the Folgers.... but, no, it is still far cheaper. I switched up to the more expensive "Tasters Choice" . It is actually very good (all arabica) much, much better than basic ground coffee... and about the same as Folgers for cost... no need for filters. e.g. 50 cups for $4.77 for the fancy "Tasters Choice" and $5-6 for the can of Folgers Classic, (35-50 cups) if I get it on sale.
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I used to use a Keurig.
I read somewhere that switching to instant coffee can save up to $200 a year, depending on how much coffee one drinks. It's cheaper than K-cups and drip coffee. K-cups also wind up in landfills.
So that's what I drink now. Instant. It took some getting used to, at first. I still get an occasional Starbuck's.
Yeah, I always thought my instant would cost more than the Folgers.... but, no, it is still far cheaper. I switched up to the more expensive "Tasters Choice" . It is actually very good (all arabica) much, much better than basic ground coffee... and about the same as Folgers for cost... no need for filters. e.g. 50 cups for $4.77 for the fancy "Tasters Choice" and $5-6 for the can of Folgers Classic, (35-50 cups) if I get it on sale.
Interesting. I may have to pursue this route. I get cheapie ground coffee and am quite happy with it. I remember instant coffee having zero body and being very watery. I'll give it another shot though, as my old coffee rig ($10 Mr. Coffee) has given up the ghost. As for now, my current routine:
2 cup Pyrex measuring cup
Nuker
Filter holder thing with valve on bottom from Mr. Coffee.
1) Microwave 2 cups water for 6 minutes (or until 205 degrees Fahrenheit).
2) Spoon coffee grinds into water and stir. Let steep for 4 minutes.
3) Pour coffee mud through paper filter holder with valve (and paper filter) into coffee cup.
.
.
.
4) Profit.
If I didn't lose the dang metal filter basket, it'd be a tad bit quicker and less wasteful in eliminating the paper filter. As it is now, this cup a joe ain't half bad.
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re: making lattes at home.
I've read that you can do this pretty easily by shaking up 2% milk in a jam jar, throwing it into a microwave, and nuking it for a bit.
Anyone try this and have any good tips? I gave it a shot this weekend, and it worked better than I thought, but the milk foam was not quite as thick as I would have liked. More shaking? Keep it in the microwave for a longer time?
Interesting...I'll give this a try and report back tomorrow (granted I only have skim and almond milk at home, so that's going to play with the results a bit). From a former barista, that method isn't ever going to get you exactly what you're looking for in terms of the thick, silky foam you'd associate with a really great latte. Properly steamed milk is going to have much denser bubbles than you'd get from shaking liquid in a jar. The temperature also has a lot to do with it, and a microwave is going to give you the level of control that you'd need to nail the temperature. I'd be wary of nuking the milk for too long, since you can burn it and that really doesn't taste good. But this is undoubtedly an upgrade from dumping in fridge-cold milk!
I have a (gifted) tupperware manual milk foamer (like https://www.culy.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Melkopschuimer2.jpg but plastic). I pour the milk into the jug, put it in the microwave for about 20 seconds until it's nearly boiling, then foam the milk. Once you've found out how long it needs to stay in the microwave for to reach the right temperature, you can make a pretty decent latte at home. I make the coffee in a French press. Granted, my mum has a $1000+ Jura machine and her lattes taste a bit better. But all my coffee tools were gifts, which makes mine taste a bit sweeter.
My partner is frugal, but is an impulse buyer when it comes to gadgets. He's currently totally set on buying a super fancy coffee machine and I'm trying to talk him out of it. No, his coffee doesn't taste as good as coffee from a fancy coffee shop does. Mainly that's because he just doesn't know how to brew coffee. You can't just throw in a random amount of coffee and pray for the best. There's a certain connection between the amount of coffee in the pot and taste of the result. On top of that I don't want that big ugly thing taking up space in my tiny kitchen.
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Teaspoon, mug, electric kettle.
Instant coffee with milk is perfectly fine, we have no use for any unnecessary coffee gadgets.
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A plain old $25 drip coffee maker. Probably 10-years old. I use it on weekends when my wife is home.
Though on weekdays, when it's just me, I just "nuke" a cup of instant coffee.
I will occasionally buy expensive coffee, but for the day to day grind, I just need whatever will get caffeine into my system quickly.
And despite being a multimillionaire, I can't justify the cost of a Keurig, which, frankly, is no faster than my microwave with instant coffee. And a whole Hell of a lot more expensive. Plus, as an environmental engineer, the environmental cost does not appeal to me- Keurigs are very wasteful.
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I drink instant coffee too when I just want a quick coffee in the morning. I buy one of the fancier brands, €2 for a 250 gram jar that lasts me about a month. I tried the cheapest brand first, which is about €2 / 300 gram but that one was only drinkable with lots of sugar and cream in it. Of course a homemade latte is better and a superfancy latte is the best, but I'm perfectly content with "good enough". I think my ability to accept a "good enough" result will literally save me millions throughout my life.
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Well I would say that I can't do instant coffee, but since I have to do Keurig at work, I am pretty sure I am immune to the burnt coffee taste by now. I drink it black so I prefer fresh ground and not burnt but that really doesn't require expensive equipment, just some sort of manual coffee maker (automatics burn the coffee when their heating elements go on the fritz) a cheap coffee grinder and bulk whole beans. Technically, our bulk coffee sections around here all have onsite grinders you can use so the coffee grinder is even optional as long as you buy it in small batches. Coffee can be as cheap or as expensive as a person wants it to be.
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I have a Bezzera Strega espresso machine, Baratza Vario bur grinder, and a Behmor 1600 coffee roaster. For a grand total nearing $3K!
Hold your face-punches, hold your face-punches...
I feel like this is one of those interesting intersections of one Mustachian principle competing with another Mustachian principle. Is my setup inexpensive/frugal? Hell no! But does it bring me actual joy/is it money spent in line with my priorities? Absolutely. I love love love my morning cappuccino ritual. It's usually the thing I miss most when I'm away from home. I'm super into trying to produce high end latte art/micro-foam/rosettas at home. It's a challenge and it's a joy. In short, it's one of my "passions". I have used a number of lesser espresso machines that just couldn't perform the way this current setup does. So while I get thoroughly trounced by the other posters on this thread on the economic front, I don't for a second regret the roughly 3,000 employees currently tied up on my kitchen counter. They consistently bring me much joy and I am grateful.
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I have a Bezzera Strega espresso machine, Baratza Vario bur grinder, and a Behmor 1600 coffee roaster. For a grand total nearing $3K!
Hold your face-punches, hold your face-punches...
I feel like this is one of those interesting intersections of one Mustachian principle competing with another Mustachian principle. Is my setup inexpensive/frugal? Hell no! But does it bring me actual joy/is it money spent in line with my priorities? Absolutely. I love love love my morning cappuccino ritual. It's usually the thing I miss most when I'm away from home. I'm super into trying to produce high end latte art/micro-foam/rosettas at home. It's a challenge and it's a joy. In short, it's one of my "passions". I have used a number of lesser espresso machines that just couldn't perform the way this current setup does. So while I get thoroughly trounced by the other posters on this thread on the economic front, I don't for a second regret the roughly 3,000 employees currently tied up on my kitchen counter. They consistently bring me much joy and I am grateful.
As long as you truly appreciate it and have joy. After all, many people in the world truly like their jobs and would never quite before 65 years old (or later)... we are not to judge, but you might be in the wrong forum?
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For me it's usually Aeropress with an Able stainless "filter" for 2 cups per day. (Maybe a third cup if decaf.) Old school French press if I have guests.
My "go-to" coffee is Trades Joe's "Joe's Dark" whole bean. Second place is San Francisco Gourmet Coffee French Roast (2.5 lb bag from Costco). Dazbog Decaf Italian Roast is about the only decaf I like these days. My coffee snob friend was surprised that it had "high notes."
I like my countertops to be clutter and appliance free, but the grinder and electric tea kettle are definite exceptions.
Capresso burr grinder.
I was surprised to find an electric tea kettle really cuts down on energy waste. I live in a relatively small place, and the heat from a stove top kettle is significant on summer days. Additionally, I tend only to boil the recommended 2 cup minimum since I can easily discern the exact amount of water in the electric kettle.
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I was surprised to find an electric tea kettle really cuts down on energy waste. I live in a relatively small place, and the heat from a stove top kettle is significant on summer days. Additionally, I tend only to boil the recommended 2 cup minimum since I can easily discern the exact amount of water in the electric kettle.
You clearly live in a different part of the world than I do! When I'm away from home, I keep the heating at a really low level. When I get home I put on the kettle on the stove and the house feels instantly warmer. I ride my bike to and from work ( we don't have a car) so I'm warm already when I get home. Usually I can put off turning up the heat until at least an hour after I come home.
But you're right, a stovetop kettle really does make the house feel warmer.