battlemaiden Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 No sleep-deprived-temporarily-single-homeschooling-parent-of-seven should go without her coffee. And it needs to be good coffee. I'm willing to spend $- I don't get out much, this is my entertainment. :D Thanks for your help. Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 They really do make a superior cup of coffee. Once I tried it, I swore I'd never go back. Definitely a richer cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 If you mean coffee maker, I suggest a Bunn. Three minutes to a pot of coffee! If you mean coffee itself, I'm no help; I buy my coffee at Aldi. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretchen in NJ Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 They really do make a superior cup of coffee. Once I tried it, I swore I'd never go back. Definitely a richer cup. :iagree: We have this one. http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/e086/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C16%7C%7C%7C0%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Ccoffee%20press&cm%5Fsrc=SCH It keeps the coffee hot longer. dh loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaNY Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 They really do make a superior cup of coffee. Once I tried it, I swore I'd never go back. Definitely a richer cup. Yes! We stayed at a B&B in Ireland, and they used a French Press. The day we got back from Ireland, we went out and bought one. We don't use anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 We like our espresso machine. It's a Sunbeam cafe series, double head block or something equally garbled :rofl: But it does make an excellent cup. We also have a french press but a well brewed cup from a good espresso machine beats it hands down. A poorly brewed cup from an espresso machine does not beat the french press. So a bit of trial and error is required to get it absolutely perfect. The other thing is the beans. Ideally they should be freshly roasted, so supermarket beans are out. A good local roaster is what you need. If the beans are shiny they are starting to get old and the coffee will be of a lesser quality. Grind the beans yourself, as once they are ground they don't last as long. (we also have a Sunbeam Cafe Press grinder, thing cost a bomb but it's adjustable so you can change the grind depending on the age of the bean and the type of brew you are making) Preground coffee from the supermarket is not the start of a good cup of coffee. Our next adventure is going to be roasting our own. I know people who do it, but again it's very much trial and error to get it right. The other thing is that if you drink your coffee with milk you will likely be able to be less fussy than those of us who drink it black. Milk hides some of the imperfections. Ah coffee. It's an addiction. And if I don't have my one morning cup I get a stonking headache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet in Toronto Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I like French press coffee, but realistically, with four coffee drinkers in the house filling travel mugs, we need a filter (drip) system and love our thermal carafe. It's a Cuisinart coffee maker that I got at Linens and Things a few years ago. When looking at filter coffee makers, the cone-shaped filter brews the best coffee. The thermal carafe is great because you don't get the cooked coffee taste from sitting on a hot pad. My carafe keeps coffee warm all morning. I have heard not-so-great things about the grind and brew systems (the steam causes the grinder mechanism to clog up) but they may have changed the design. WE have a separated burr grinder that we use every morning to get freshly ground beans. Good luck with your search! Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamapjama Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I buy T.A.N. Organic Fair Trade Coffee from a local shop here in the Ethopian blend and it is SO good! I need a new coffee maker though. Somehow we are on our third carafe this summer! My mom broke the first one drying it, and the second had a crack on the drying rack. I apparently need a stainless steel carafe :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momzilla333 Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I vote for french press too. You'll never go back!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I think I want a Keurig. I love a one-cup brewing system. Right now I have a Senseo (which I really do like), but my travel mug doesn't fit under the spout, which is a pain, because when I'm trying to fill a travel mug I'm usually running late. I noticed last night that another part had broken on dh's Home Cafe system (he keeps it on his nightstand and brews a cup of coffee when his alarm goes off), so I told him maybe for Christmas he can get me a Keurig and have my Senseo. But, I digress. Alphabet Pam & *anj* both highly recommend the Keurig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 A French press is *lovely,* but it takes a little more time. I'd rec a carafe to go w/ it, so you can make more while keeping the first pot hot. As far as *kind,* if price isn't an issue, Starbuck's new Pike Place blend is my favorite. Dh worked there for the last yr or so, so I've tried it all. I like smooth & rich & strong, but nothing tropical or fruity, like many of their coffees tend to be. Between the coffee & the press, if this is your entertainment, I think it will qualify for a side of bubble bath. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I just had a thread like this a bit ago. :) I decided to buy the Faberware Percolator that was recommended here. I needed something fast and something that would keep coffee warm. Also it needed to be easy for DH who fumbles in the morning. Putting together the perc is about his limit in the a.m. :tongue_smilie: That stainless steel french press looks nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 No sleep-deprived-temporarily-single-homeschooling-parent-of-seven should go without her coffee. And it needs to be good coffee. I'm willing to spend $- I don't get out much, this is my entertainment. :D Thanks for your help. Jo My BFF who owns her own chain of coffee shops and roasts her own beans recommends the Bodum electric coffee pot, though it appears it might have been discontinued? I can't find one online to link you. (Slight panic here... what shall I do when I finally burn mine out??) It's the one that boils the water in the pot, and then sucks it up through a tube into the container that holds the coffee grounds, brews for a specific amount of time, and then releases the coffee back into the pot; leaving the grounds up in the upper container. It looks weird and it's fun to watch. :001_smile: Her second recommendation is the French Press. You NEED one of these anyway, because what if the electricity goes out? There is no need to suffer from instant coffee. If you can boil water and have a bag of coffee... you can have a great brew with a French Press. (You're in Hawaii? You must have a patio grill, right? Must have emergency water boiling apparatus ready to go at all times in case of power outages. I have a whole back-up plan, just in case there is no power right when I need my coffee. Good coffee is that important!!) ;) My grill has one of those side burners just for this reason. :tongue_smilie: Neither of the Bodum pots I mentioned use any paper filters, which is good or maybe bad. Less waste is good, and the oils from the coffee end up in your cup which can be good... or bad if you have a sensitive stomach. You can adjust the grind to help with this too... we use a fairly course grind and end up with less "sludge" that way. In Hawaii you probably have access to some pretty good coffee. I am no bean gourmet (I get mine from either Costco or Trader Joes, and I grind it right there at the store with their cool grinding machines)... but I do recall enjoying Kona when we lived on Oahu. We used the French Press all the time back then, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 We are long-time 'set the timer at night and have immediate morning coffee' people here...but there is something so appealing about a French Press. Can someone here give me the rundown on exactly what effort it takes each morning to go from grinding beans to drinking your cup of coffee? I get chills thinking about all that time passing while we are waiting. :D Ginger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 If you mean coffee maker, I suggest a Bunn. Three minutes to a pot of coffee! If you mean coffee itself, I'm no help; I buy my coffee at Aldi. :D I'll second a Bunn. We've had Bunns for over 20 years. They last, and we drink a lot of coffee. (I'm a decaf gal at this point, or half caf in the morning) We're on our third Bunn. I've always liked Folger's coffee best. We've tried expensive brands, grinding our own beans, etc., but I always go back to Folgers. Black Silk is my favorite. I mix it with Folger's decaf. I'm boring, but at least I know what I like. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 We are long-time 'set the timer at night and have immediate morning coffee' people here...but there is something so appealing about a French Press. Can someone here give me the rundown on exactly what effort it takes each morning to go from grinding beans to drinking your cup of coffee? I get chills thinking about all that time passing while we are waiting. :DGinger Second this... all the raving about French presses has my mouth watering! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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