Posts from — February 2008

Are you one of them? You know…the Pod People? Do you enjoy coffee in single-serving doses in prepackaged little containers that have the filter and grounds all rolled up in one? This form of coffee, the Pod, and accompanying Pod coffee makers, is taking the coffee world by storm. But how did a single dose of such a social substance become so popular?

‘Fight Club’ Made Me Do It

The 1999 movie ‘Fight Club’ revolved heavily around the theme of isolation. When the protagonist first starts addressing us, the audience, he goes on a rant about single servings and how they have permeated every aspect of our culture. Single-serving dinners, single serving silverware, even, he points out, single serving friends. What would he think of the Pod and its coffee makers, churning out single dose one after another?

Statistically, the Right Coffee

Many people complain that they’re short on time. These days, life really does seem too busy to take coffee beans, grind them, peel off a filter (sometimes a thirty-second process in itself), throw the powder in filter with the basket, and flick the switch. Enter Pod coffee makers for the busy single drinker. It’s coffee to match the average age of marriage going up to 28 and the divorce rate keeping relatively stable at 50%.

Is It Any Good?

Pod Coffee, like the many pod coffee makers, comes in a variety of forms. The original producer, Senseo, was known for using a medium to high brand of coffee. Since a judge ruled that the term “pod” could be used as an industry trade word, any range of quality is possible. Make yourself a single serving sometime and try ‘em all.

Cut Down On Mess

Consider also the way that pod coffee makers, with its individually wrapped pods ready to go anytime, could revolutionize break rooms across the country. No longer will people be depending on 8 cups of lukewarm coffee to get their company through the day. Instead, employees can just pop a pod and get on with it. Coffee doesn’t sit on the warmer and burn. Cleanup is simple. Dump. Grab. Go.

Don’t Ever Change, Pod Coffee Maker

So, what’s next for individual coffee drinkers in this country? Will there be more emphasis on producing coffee in small, quality amounts? Think of a world without the “Venti”. Then again, maybe pods and Starbucks coffee, with their individually packed accoutrements, are on to the future of coffee drinking. Unmarried, divorced, whatever…if you don’t have time to make a pot of coffee, maybe there’s not room for much else?

For some people, Starbucks coffee shops have set a new standard for what they crave in the form of espresso. As some already know, espresso is made by forcing hot water through tightly packed coffee grounds and it typically has a significantly higher caffeine content than regularly brewed coffee. In order to duplicate the flavor of the drinks they get at their local shop, some die-hard espresso lovers are buying a Starbucks espresso machine to use at home.

For some espresso aficionados, the name makes all the difference while some others may offer a different opinion. However, the typical Starbucks espresso machine maintains tight controls over water temperature and the size of the basket holding the grounds to help the home barista make a perfect shot of espresso each and every time they use their new Starbucks espresso machine. While the machine plays an important role in espresso production, so does the quality of the beans used and how they are ground.

Coffee grinds used in Starbucks espresso machines are much more fine than those used in tradition drip brewing or percolators. Of course those that own a machine from their favorite coffee shop will usually insist on using the same quality beans in hopes of replicating the same familiar taste in their espresso.

Standards The Same For Home Espresso Machines

When the company put its name on the different models of Starbucks espresso machines, they had to be certain that the same exacting standards were in place to produce the same quality and taste of the shot. With the machines adhering to the same standards as the equipment used in the restaurants, it is likely the flavor of the finished product will be nearly the same.

With the different models on the market, there is a Starbucks espresso machine for the beginner who only wants the occasional home brewed shot as well as fully automatic units that set the stage for a host or hostess offering the perfect shot to their guests. Adding steam or frothed milk can also be part of the brewing process with some models of the Starbucks espresso machine.

Although many people believe that only espresso made the old fashioned way as it was in Europe where it all started, the availability of a Starbucks espresso machine for home use makes it much more likely that more people will be able to enjoy a similar flavor at home as they would inside a Starbucks coffee shop.

Mmmmm…coffee. Sometimes it feels like the only thing helping us make the transition from half-awake ghoul to normal person with the ability to smile at the start of a new day. Once you are into coffee, it’s hard to stop. The good news is, coffee is full of antioxidants. That, and a little extra effort is all it takes to make a good cup of coffee great. You can do that with a French press coffee maker!

Coarser Grind, Finer Coffee

French Press coffee is made from a courser grind of beans. It’s one step coarser than percolated coffee, and two steps away from ultra-fine espresso. The grounds should be the size of small grains of gravel. Unlike a percolator, a French press coffee maker type is generally favored by connoisseurs who know their coffee because of a French Press’s ability to produce coffee with a taste full of richness.

Look complicated? It isn’t

Making French Press coffee is a breeze. In fact, I picked up a French Press coffee maker originally because I thought automatic percolators were too difficult! You just need to trust yourself a little. Take the carafe (the pitcher) of a Press kit and throw in some grounds, a layer about an inch thick. Pour in some boiling hot water and let sit until grounds rise to thetop. Stir it, let sit another minute, and plunge!

The plunger, usually a mesh made of wire or nylone, separates the coffee grounds from the water. After you have plunged, do not add more coffee! This will ruin your coffee and make it “sandy” with clumps. The French press coffee maker has been fine tuned to reveal a delicious, muddy brew that goes down easily.

French press coffee makers are found all over the world, and have different names all over. They’re called “press pots,” “coffee presses,” “coffee plungers” or “cafetieres” in British English. It was, however, popularized by the French, who seem to prefer electric percolators these days. If you’re in South Africa and request a “French Press” they will give you a quite a stinkeye until you say “plunger coffee, please!”

French press coffee makers are very popular. They make a coffee superior to most drip machines, they don’t require much work to clean (a few rinses with soap and water usually does the trick). They are extremely portable, and green, too. They can be powered with no electricity with a little hot water and someone to push the plunger…and you’re ready to enjoy!

The process of choosing a filter coffee maker is not necessarily as easy as it sounds. With all the different makes and models out there today it can often get intimidating and even frustrating just trying to decide on a particular one. With a few helpful tips however, you will understand more about the selection available to you and be able to decide on the right filter coffee maker for you.

Buglatti Vulvano 3-Cup Coffee Maker

One filter coffee maker that should definitely be considered here is the Bulgatti Vulvano 3-Cup coffee maker. Right away you know that you are getting a superbly made coffee maker because the Bugatti Company creates products of only the highest quality.

Then you take a closer look at this coffee maker and can do not but agree. The body of this 3-cup espresso maker is made of cast aluminum and the handle and knob are made in poliamide to give more resistance.

Cuisinart Coffee Maker

Another filter coffee maker that you may want to consider is the Cuisinart coffee maker. With this filter coffee maker you can set the timer and wake up to delicious freshly ground then filtered coffee.

It automatically grinds coffee before brewing, is fully programmable and use friendly, will also use ground coffee, offers commercial quality brewing, double-wall insulated carafe with vacuum sealed lid that will help to keep the coffee fresh for hours, built in water filter, and a robust and durable brushes stainless steel housing.

A di Alessi Espresso Coffee Maker

The final filter coffee maker to be discussed here is the A di Alessi espresso coffee maker. This is a divine coffee maker that brews up to three times at a ray, and one that should definitely be considered here.

When you are trying to make the decision on a coffee maker, it is important that you take the time to find one that is going to offer you all the features and components that you are looking for. If you are going to be serving several people coffee with it for instance you are going to want to get a larger coffee maker.

Just make sure that it is a coffee maker you are going to want to use for years to come, and always be sure to find out what type of warranties and return policies are available so that if anything does go wrong with your coffee maker you will be able to return or exchange it.