Coffee drinkers - help!

[elise1mds]

I need help picking a coffee pot for DH. His birthday is at the end of the month. I was going to get him a Netflix membership, but now the coffee maker is on the fritz - the internal thermostat is apparently fried, so it's taking either 30 minutes to brew OR going way to fast and overflowing - and coffee is much more crucial to him than movies. He HAS to have at least one mug each morning, and his mug is more like a small tureen.

 

I had contemplated getting a Keurig so I could make tea or hot cocoa in addition to coffee, but it's not cost-effective or practical since DH would need to make at least two K-cups to fill his mug, and he likes to grind his own beans anyway.

 

Anyone have a favorite or dream coffee pot they'd like to share? Let's pretend I don't have a budget. I do, but I can always enlist other family members to chip in if need be, so the sky's the limit for cost.

[plain jane]

My ultimate choice in coffee maker would be this one, from Starbucks, since we're talking no budget. :D If I wanted to be REALLY extravagant, I'd go for this one, but I think it would work out cheaper to just buy a coffee from Starbucks every day instead. ;)

 

The coffee machine I have in reality is this one. We've had it for over a year and have been really happy with it. I like that the stainless pot acts a bit like a thermos and keeps the coffee warm for hours. I've used it at least once a day for over year now and we've never had any issues with it. The grinding is a bit loud, but most grinders are and I like that I don't have to be the one doing the grinding then scooping into the pot. I can even program it the night before to start at a certain time in the morning and wake up to glorious coffee. Yum. :) Another nice thing is it's come down a lot in price.

Edited January 13, 2011 by plain jane

[PiCO]

Is he the only one drinking coffee? If so, I have one similar to this, and I really like it. It's 4- 6 oz cups, so that's 24 oz. Fills my tureen!

 

I especially like the stainless steel carafe. I've had it for years and haven't broken it yet. ;)

[Janna]

The coffee machine I have in reality is this one. We've had it for over a year and have been really happy with it. I like that the stainless pot acts a bit like a thermos and keeps the coffee warm for hours. I've used it at least once a day for over year now and we've never had any issues with it. The grinding is a bit loud, but most grinders are and I like that I don't have to be the one doing the grinding then scooping into the pot. I can even program it the night before to start at a certain time in the morning and wake up to glorious coffee. Yum. :) Another nice thing is it's come down a lot in price.

 

:lol: This is the one that I was going to recommend NOT getting, LOL! I am so glad you're loving it, though! I had the one identical to this, but with the clear carafe, not the stainless. It ended up literally catching on fire, so I exchanged it for the one you have, thinking I would like the stainless carafe to keep the coffee warm. But, I didn't like that I couldn't tell how much coffee was in the carafe because it didn't have a gauge. I also thought it poured excruciatingly slow, but when taking the lid off, it splashed all over. Not to mention that cleaning the inside of the carafe was impossible because the opening was smaller than my hand. It just wasn't a good fit for me. But to hear someone has it and likes it makes me happy for you.

[plain jane]

:lol: This is the one that I was going to recommend NOT getting, LOL! I am so glad you're loving it, though! I had the one identical to this, but with the clear carafe, not the stainless. It ended up literally catching on fire, so I exchanged it for the one you have, thinking I would like the stainless carafe to keep the coffee warm. But, I didn't like that I couldn't tell how much coffee was in the carafe because it didn't have a gauge. I also thought it poured excruciatingly slow, but when taking the lid off, it splashed all over. Not to mention that cleaning the inside of the carafe was impossible because the opening was smaller than my hand. It just wasn't a good fit for me. But to hear someone has it and likes it makes me happy for you.

 

:lol::lol:

 

I will agree about cleaning the carafe- it's a real pain. :glare: I actually have to have dd do it, but she's happy to help. :)

 

You're right, it does pour slowly but I've not had an issue with spillage when the lid is off. You do need to take the lid off to pour the last cup or so of coffee, but it's not been an issue for me since I have to take the lid off to clean it at then end anyways. :)

 

I'm sorry you didn't end up liking it, it's fairly pricey to not enjoy. :(

 

The one down side that I came back to post is that you can't control the grind of the beans. Since the OP's dh likes to grind his own, he may not like not having control over this. For me, I prefer the taste of fresh ground beans and not having to do the extra work is just fine by me.

[Cinder]

Not fancy, but we have this Cuisinart. Prior to this we had the Mr Coffee with the thermal carafe, something like this one. I didn't like that the carafe leaked--probably got a lemon carafe. The other problem I had with it was it was hard to clean the lid--there were crevices where coffee could get into but you couldn't open up to clean. I much prefer the Cuisinart. It heats the water to a hotter temp and it uses the Melitta-style filter, which I think makes better coffee.

[LoveBaby]

The coffee machine I have in reality is this one. We've had it for over a year and have been really happy with it. I like that the stainless pot acts a bit like a thermos and keeps the coffee warm for hours. I've used it at least once a day for over year now and we've never had any issues with it. The grinding is a bit loud, but most grinders are and I like that I don't have to be the one doing the grinding then scooping into the pot. I can even program it the night before to start at a certain time in the morning and wake up to glorious coffee. Yum. :) Another nice thing is it's come down a lot in price.

 

We have the same one!!

 

We've had it for about a year and really like it!

[Janna]

 

I had contemplated getting a Keurig so I could make tea or hot cocoa in addition to coffee, but it's not cost-effective or practical since DH would need to make at least two K-cups to fill his mug, and he likes to grind his own beans anyway.

 

Anyone have a favorite or dream coffee pot they'd like to share?

 

After having a coffee pot catch on fire this fall, and then not liking the one I exchanged it for, I ended up with this one. I have to say that I was really hesitant about buying it, thinking like you - it's going to be expensive with all of the K-cups. But I broke down and got it and I absolutely love it.

 

I have not used but 1 K-cup so far. I really like a particular coffee that does not come in a K-cup. Fortunately, it comes with a "My K-cup" in which you fill with your own grinds. This is what I use every day. It is therefore, no more expensive than any other coffee pot. BUT, I'm getting a fresh cup every time. No grinds at the bottom like you would with a pot.

 

When we have guests, I will have K-cups out for their usage, which has been nice.

[plain jane]

After having a coffee pot catch on fire this fall, and then not liking the one I exchanged it for, I ended up with this one. I have to say that I was really hesitant about buying it, thinking like you - it's going to be expensive with all of the K-cups. But I broke down and got it and I absolutely love it.

 

I have not used but 1 K-cup so far. I really like a particular coffee that does not come in a K-cup. Fortunately, it comes with a "My K-cup" in which you fill with your own grinds. This is what I use every day. It is therefore, no more expensive than any other coffee pot. BUT, I'm getting a fresh cup every time. No grinds at the bottom like you would with a pot.

 

When we have guests, I will have K-cups out for their usage, which has been nice.

 

Ooooo. That's an attractive looking coffee maker!! :drool5: I'm sure it would look great on my counter! I'll have to tell dh about it.

[Janna]

Ooooo. That's an attractive looking coffee maker!! :drool5: I'm sure it would look great on my counter! I'll have to tell dh about it.

 

But you love yours and it's working so well for you, remember? :lol:

[kalanamak]

For straightforward, I'd get this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DCC-1200-Central-Coffeemaker-Stainless/dp/B00005IBX9/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1294896409&sr=1-4

 

My sister has one, for years, and I love using it when I visit.

[SonshineLearner]

Starbucks sells their machines refurbished, too. That's how I bought my espresso maker half price... with half the guarantee :) It works fine... years later. With refurbished, I got the stainless... :) (all colors, at least at the time, were the same price... when refurbished :)

[teamturner]

If your dh really likes coffee, perhaps he would like to roast his own. My dh has made buying green coffee beans and roasting them himself into a great hobby that I even enjoy! Then he brews coffee every day in a vacuum brewer. He gets all of his products from Sweet Marias, although I see they are out of the roaster he has. I found one here and it's cheaper than the other site. He does order all his green beans from Sweet Marias.

 

The coffee every morning at our house IS SO GOOD!! :D

[Janna]

If your dh really likes coffee, perhaps he would like to roast his own. My dh has made buying green coffee beans and roasting them himself into a great hobby that I even enjoy! Then he brews coffee every day in a vacuum brewer. He gets all of his products from Sweet Marias, although I see they are out of the roaster he has. I found one here and it's cheaper than the other site. He does order all his green beans from Sweet Marias.

 

The coffee every morning at our house IS SO GOOD!! :D

 

Wow! How fun would that be!? I bet your house smells really good! :drool:

[Truscifi]

For straightforward, I'd get this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DCC-1200-Central-Coffeemaker-Stainless/dp/B00005IBX9/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1294896409&sr=1-4

 

My sister has one, for years, and I love using it when I visit.

 

This is what we have. We got it on recommendation from my parents, grandparents, and two aunts. They were right, it's great.

[oldskool]

For straightforward, I'd get this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DCC-1200-Central-Coffeemaker-Stainless/dp/B00005IBX9/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1294896409&sr=1-4

 

My sister has one, for years, and I love using it when I visit.

 

 

This is the same one I have had for years. I love it and would get another one if/when it breaks. Have used it daily for at least 5 years and have not had a problem.

 

Lesley

[Tap]

We have a Capresso 440. It is a great pot! It brews FAST and gets the water very hot to get a great flavor. I like having a carafe that is not on a burner. Dh often makes coffee several hours before I get up and it is still very hot when I get to it.

 

I am not crazy about the lid pouring slow, so I just give it a spin and take it off when I am pouring my coffee. It doesn't bother dh a bit and honestly it only takes a second or two more that an open carafe. This feature does help to keep the coffee hot by not letting the aroma and heat out, so it does have its purpose.

[Margo out of lurking]

I had no idea. Dh and I are daily coffee drinkers, usually two pots. We ended up buying each other coffee makers for Christmas, and the most expensive one was $30. That's the one we returned.

 

Wow!

 

(We seriously need more food smilies here!)

[elise1mds]

WOW! I am in love with all the options! Looks like I'm going to have to do some comparison shopping and then pick. He only grinds his own beans because the machine doesn't do it for him, and quite honestly if we could get the vacuum container that holds the beans AND the grinder off my kitchen counter, I would rejoice. So that machine holds a lot of merit for me. ;) I also like the one(s) that promise(s) to make a decent smaller pot of coffee. I'm not a huge coffee drinker, but I'll have a cup now and then with enough creamer to make it not taste like coffee any more, and DS likes a cup now and then, too. So if we could just make a small pot when DH is out of town, that'd be perfect. Having a long-lasting machine would also be a bonus. This is the third machine we've had since we've moved into this house, and that was only eight years ago.

 

Much to ponder... much to ponder... still happy to take more suggestions, too. THANK YOU!

[Mommee & Baba]

This is the one we have...and we love it..

 

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-47665-BrewStation-Coffeemaker/dp/B000GHLMI6/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1294930247&sr=1-1

 

However we're looking to replace it with a KitchenAid but only because of the brand name and dh insists on me having all KA in the kitchen....:tongue_smilie:

[Spy Car]

Personally, I would by-pass a "machine" and instead purchase French Press. You can get then in a variety of sizes. They make outstanding coffee. They are ecologically sound. They are elegant looking. They will free your counter space. And they are simple and efficient to use.

 

http://www.bodumusa.com/shop/line.asp?MD=1&GID=3&LID=10&HID=1932&CHK=&SLT=&mscssid=3L8Q6PKKV02D9P8AMEU8SVJQ2KMWA6S0

 

Bill (serious coffee drinker)

[SonshineLearner]

Bill is right about a french press being simple... and it's elegant :) I use to use the small ones that I won from working at a kitchen store.... If my mom hadn't given them away... I still might :) My mom was trying to help me... declutter :)

[mykdsmomy]

I found this one last night :

 

http://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-80R08-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso/dp/B000GXZ2GS/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1294935658&sr=1-1

 

It has great reviews too. I am currently looking for a good espresso maker so this thread has me doing more research ;)

[athomemom]

I don't know to the linky thingys... sorry. We have a Krups Coffee maker. This is an updated version of ours. This is the only coffee maker we've purchased in almost 16 years of marriage. It makes a great cup of coffee! My hubby had a Krups already when we got married. It carried him through grad school...but finally gave out 3 or 4 years ago.

 

http://www.krups.com/All+Products/espresso-machines/coffee-espresso-combi-machines/Products/XP1500/XP1500.htm

[teamturner]

Ha! He does it in the garage because it is really loud and I don't really want my house to constantly smell like coffee. :D And sometimes if he over roasts it, it smells like burnt coffee.

[Truscifi]

Personally, I would by-pass a "machine" and instead purchase French Press. You can get then in a variety of sizes. They make outstanding coffee. They are ecologically sound. They are elegant looking. They will free your counter space. And they are simple and efficient to use.

 

http://www.bodumusa.com/shop/line.asp?MD=1&GID=3&LID=10&HID=1932&CHK=&SLT=&mscssid=3L8Q6PKKV02D9P8AMEU8SVJQ2KMWA6S0

 

Bill (serious coffee drinker)

 

This is going to be our next purchase in the coffee world. We are researching now so I'm :bigear: if anyone else has thoughts on a good French Press.

[Holly in FL]

Since he likes to grind his beans...have you considered a French Press? This is the only thing we use to make coffee.

 

~Holly

[~Jo]

We have always had a Bunn....well for the last 20 years....and we are on our 2nd. The first one lasted about 15 years. Here is the link to the one we have now. It makes EXCELLENT coffee fast. I also make small pots of coffee throughout the day because I only drink freshly made coffee. So I make just enough to fill my cup. It works great.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16896132021&cm_re=bunn_coffee_maker-_-96-132-021-_-Product

[MangoMama]

We grind our own beans and use a french press. That's all we've used for years.

 

We happen to always get ours from Starbucks. At first, all we could find were the presses with a glass carafe (which we hated because it seemed like we ended up breaking the glass about every 2 years or so). But when our last one broke and we had to get another one, we found a stainless steel thermal carafe. We really like it!

 

http://www.starbucksstore.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=120920

[Spy Car]

This is going to be our next purchase in the coffee world. We are researching now so I'm :bigear: if anyone else has thoughts on a good French Press.

 

I have several, including a vintage (because I'm old and bought it new :tongue_smilie:) Chambord from the pre-Bodum era. I would stick with these Bodum Chambord French Presses. They are elegantly designed and finished. and they are the originals.

 

The "Bodum" logo on the glass is less tres chic that the old Chambord mark, but I'm on replacement glass now myself, and can live :D

 

The good thing is the glass can be replaced if broken (it happens). And the screen filter can also be replaced (but these last for years).

 

I happen to prefer the ones with a nickel plated top screw (rather than black plastic) but that is just me being picky (not a deal breaker).

 

The elegance of the Bodum Chamords adds a touch of class to coffee drinking. And since they last a life-time (not counting the occasional need to replace a broken carafe) it is a good investment, besides they are reasonable priced in any case.

 

That's my 2 cents.

 

Bill

[jvenice]

I like my cuisinart with the grinding feature. It is nice to have the option of fresh ground coffee. I wish I had gotten the thermal coffee pot. Sometimes you can luck up and find one in a Costco or Sam's.

[Spy Car]

Then he brews coffee every day in a vacuum brewer.

 

Coffee from a vacuum brewer is so interesting. It is on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of containing sediment from a French Press, yet while being elegantly "clean" has all the nice essential oils intact (like the French Press, and unlike paper-filtered coffee).

 

These make a very unique cup of coffee.

 

Bill

[Ravin]

I'd get him the keurig, and one of the reusable filters for it so he can still grind his own coffee. How big is his mug? Our keurig fills a tall (beer pint) mug. There are actually 4 different size settings on it.

[elise1mds]

We have a French press; it sits in the back of one of my cabinets and never gets used. I periodically remind him of its existence, and he refuses to let me get rid of it, but he never uses it. I set it on the counter for a week once, next to his regular coffee pot, just to see what he'd do with it, and the answer was a resounding 'nothing.' One day I'll make it disappear and give it to someone who will appreciate it. And then he'll want to use it. :D

 

Ravin, his mug is about a pint, I'd say. I've never actually checked its capacity. I'll check into it. *I* would certainly enjoy having a Keurig, especially when he's out of town.

 

Love all the links! You guys are wonderful!

[Spy Car]

We have a French press; it sits in the back of one of my cabinets and never gets used. I periodically remind him of its existence, and he refuses to let me get rid of it, but he never uses it. I set it on the counter for a week once, next to his regular coffee pot, just to see what he'd do with it, and the answer was a resounding 'nothing.' One day I'll make it disappear and give it to someone who will appreciate it. And then he'll want to use it. :D

 

 

You don't make the man's coffee? :001_huh:

 

That is the one (and only) division of labor in our household that is NON-NEGOTIABLE. It's in the marriage contract, I think :tongue_smilie:

 

Bill (knuckle-dragger :D)

[elise1mds]

You don't make the man's coffee? :001_huh:

 

That is the one (and only) division of labor in our household that is NON-NEGOTIABLE. It's in the marriage contract, I think :tongue_smilie:

 

Bill (knuckle-dragger :D)

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA :lol: No. I do not do the coffee. I do, however, make him his favorite desserts on a regular basis, including a triple-layer mocha Heath torte for every birthday (and sometimes Father's Day), pavlova for Valentine's Day, cranberry nut bread for his own special Christmas breakfast, etc. He's well-spoiled and knows it. :lol: