How To Choose The Best Coffee Machine

By: Deon Melchior


There are many coffee machines on the market nowadays and that can make for a difficult choice when you go to buy one. First think about what type of coffee you prefer to drink: traditional coffee, specialty drinks or other varieties. If you like weaker coffee, go for a standard machine. For flavored grounds better choose a traditional pot. The standard coffee machine will allow you to prepare a wide variety of drinks. Drip machines heat the water and then drip the water through the grounds. This way, the flavor from the grounds place in the filter is extracted through the action of dripping water. There are fast machines, like Bunn coffee makers, that can make a cup of coffee in three minutes. If you are in a hurry and you cannot wait for the first cup of coffee, buy a model with pause and pour features. Other models include timers, which allow for programming the coffee maker to brew the coffee just before you wake up.

These coffee makers are easy and convenient to use. If you are a heavy coffee drinker or you are serving more people with coffee, you can brew an entire pot for everyone.

How To Make Specialty Drinks

Expresso makers are the right choice if you are interested in drinking specialty drinks. They cost more money than the standard ones, but the coffee brewed is of superior quality. It also takes more time for making the specialty drinks and you get only one or two cups of coffee. So they are not reliable when you are serving a crowd. There are many types of coffee makers: semi automatic, automatic and super automatics.

The Semi Automatic coffee maker

If you choose a semi automatic coffee maker, most of the job will be done by you. You must grind the beans and start and stop the brewing process manually. But they are less expensive, so they are a first choice for many coffee drinkers.

The Automatic Machine

All you have to do when using an automatic coffee maker is to load the portafilter with ground beans and set the water level for your desired drink. Everything else is done by the machine. This model includes a milk frother attachment, which allows for making cappucinos and lattes. Some have a built in grinder, but many people say that it is better to use a separate grinder for obtaining a superior quality in your drinks. Grinders have levels of adjustment so you can choose the consistency of the beans, but with automatic machines, you can choose to do not grind at all as they are pod compatible. It may be convenient, but some consider that the taste is of lower quality.

The Super Automatic Coffee Maker

Super automatic machines are the most expensive coffee makers on the market. But the cost is related to the high quality of the drinks they produce. You will have to do almost nothing when using a super automatic coffee maker. Just put the beans in it and the machine will take care of the rest. It grinds the beans, tamps them into the filter and prepares the coffee you want. These models come with fully programmable features. You choose the strength, the texture of the beans, the water level, the temperature and the quantity. It is best to use distilled water in order to keep your coffee maker clean and able to prepare high quality drinks. You must refill the reservoir regularly and you must empty the waste box frequently. Some super automatic machines come with additional features, like cup warmers and water dispensers.

How To Clean And Maintain Your Coffee Machine

In order to function properly, any coffee machine, traditional, standard or specialty maker, needs cleaning and maintaining. The water use for making coffee leaves deposits on the walls of the reservoir. If they are not removed, your machine may break sooner than you expect. Use vinegar to clean it properly. If you want to protect your coffee maker, consider using distilled water, which is pure and does not leave scales. Some models, like semi automatic and automatic machines, must be cleaned regularly in all the areas. Read the instructions to know how to clean them right. For those having a removable brew group, take it out and rinse it once a week. There are non removable models that are self cleaning.

The expensive, super automatic expresso machines and some automatic models use self cleaning. They are more convenient than the others as you can program them how often to clean themselves.


Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com