A Coffee Maker Creates a Stylish Kitchen

There’s no doubt that a coffee maker creates a stylish kitchen. For most people, it feels like the kitchen isn’t complete without a coffee maker gracing the countertop. Across the world, drinking coffee is seen as relaxing, enjoyable and the perfect way to socialize with friends and family. Since coffee makers are used on a daily basis, they are almost always kept on the countertop, within easy reach, and for all to see. With an array of programmable features, LED lighting and sophisticated carafes, it’s easy to find a coffee maker that fits the design and style of your kitchen.

Coffee makers come in all different shapes and sizes. Some are large and have a square-shaped house, while others are small and rounded in design. Because so many coffee pots have neat features such as built-in grinders and the option to brew a single cup or full pot of coffee, many of the newer models are larger in size. This is actually quite the opposite of other appliances that are offering smaller footprints, but most people agree that the larger design of their coffee maker affords them more brewing options.

With contemporary designs being most popular, you can expect more than just black and white coffee pots with glass carafes to choose from. Some coffee machines are made in bright, bold colors such as red or pink, while others have stainless steel carafes with insulated layers for keeping the coffee warm. Many of today’s coffee pots also sport a European flair, so you can expect to find interesting features such as stainless steel housing and sleek curvature.

You’ll also notice that many of today’s coffee makers are not just for making coffee. Some can serve up delicious cups of espresso or foamy cappuccino all from one machine. This allows you to entertain with a combination of popular coffee drinks from the convenience of your countertop. And with black, stainless steel and brushed nickel being most popular, you can integrate a stunning coffee machine into your kitchen, while keeping it consistent with the rest of your appliances.

Modern-day kitchens are built around efficiency, so you’ll find such perks as double ovens and programmable features on all appliances. Your coffee maker will keep consistent with these features and help you to be most efficient around the kitchen, as you brew your pot of coffee in the morning or late afternoon. Of course, you’ll want to make sure that the machine has the proper footprint for your kitchen, so don’t be afraid to get the measurements before making the final purchase.

Coffee Beans or Granules

Coffee beans are the full seeds of coffee plants, while coffee granules are already ground up. There is some debate over which is better, and both have their advantages. Coffee granules are what the majority of coffee drinkers buy, as they’re most convenient and easily found on the shelves of any supermarket. Yet when it comes to taste, most agree that coffee beans offer the full, rich flavor that is well deserved.

For the most part, the only advantage to coffee granules is that they are convenient. You can choose from an array of flavors and strengths, so it’s easy to match your preferences with a coffee of your choice. There are some drawbacks to using coffee granules however, as ground coffee lacks freshness. Although the cans come vacuum sealed, they have already lost a lot of their freshness, as the bean oils evaporate once the beans are ground up. When you brew a cup of coffee, you’ll probably notice that it goes stale if you don’t drink it right away.

For many people, they haven’t had the luxury of drinking freshly ground coffee beans, so they don’t know what they’re missing. If you want the freshest coffee that is bursting with flavor, coffee beans are your answer. You will need to know how to work with these beans though. You’ll want to ground the beans right before you use them, as this will retain their freshness. You can also choose from different grind finenesses, as some coffee drinkers like the grinds to be coarse, while others like them fine. And there’s no reason to stay consistent either. Maybe you’ll prefer a coarser grind one day, and a find grind the next day.

In order to grind the coffee beans, you will need to have a coffee grinder. It will be an extra piece of equipment lying around, but you can purchase a coffee machine that has a built-in grinder to avoid this problem. Grinding up the beans and cleaning out the grinder will be your only extra chores, but the taste will be well worth the convenience you’ll be trading. Fortunately, grinding up coffee beans only takes a few minutes, so you won't have to adjust your morning routine by much.

Although coffee connoisseurs will argue over which is better – coffee beans or granules – coffee beans come out on top in terms of flavor and freshness. However, if convenience is what you’re looking for, coffee granules are still the best option. You can always give freshly ground coffee beans a try to see if they're worth the extra effort!

How Coffee Makers Have Advanced

Most of us take our coffee machines for granted, not realizing how much they’ve advanced over the years. The features that are built into coffee machines today are designed for efficiency and convenience, but they weren’t always there. In fact, coffee used to be brewed without a sophisticated machine; instead, roasted and ground coffee beans were placed in a pot and cooked on the stove with a bit of water. Drip brewing came along over 125 years ago and used a type of coffee pot that had two levels. The user knew the coffee was done when it achieved a certain aroma.

Through the years, updated designs of coffee machines have been added to the market such as percolators, French presses and electric drip coffee makers. Since the twentieth century however, coffee makers have had overwhelming similarities, as it was important to meet certain standards of temperature and brewing time. Where coffee machines were once made from metal, they started being replaced with composite materials and plastics. Today’s machines sport unique designs and bright colors that keep consistent with modern-day appliances.

There’s no doubt that today’s coffee appliances are more attractive and stylish in design, but it’s more than just the aesthetic appeal that has changed over the years. Coffee makers have a range of features that give more power and control to the user, while allowing for a variety of brew strengths, temperatures and types of coffee. And instead of relying on a reusable filter that needs to be cleaned, coffee machines use paper filters that are tossed away with each use, keeping the pot cleaner.

Most of the advancements that are included on today’s coffee pots are designed for convenience instead of the quality of the brewing. In addition to handy timers and programmable options, you can pour yourself a cup of coffee mid-cycle, make one cup or a whole pot or experiment with pod coffees that come in an abundance of flavors that allow you to make single servings. Modern-day coffee pots also include auto shut-off features, thermostat controls, programmable features, timers and LED displays. Another practical feature is the built-in switches that stop water from dripping into the coffee pot after the brewing is done as older models used to do.

It’s apparent that there have been many advancements since coffee makers were first introduced hundreds of years ago. While today’s coffee makers certainly brew up delicious cups of coffee at the perfect temperature and strength, it’s the convenient and efficient features that complete modern-day coffee appliances. As a result, you get the best tasting coffee to date.

Must-Have Coffee Machine Accessories

Sure, you can make great tasting coffee with any regular coffee pot, but there are must-have accessories that everyone should have to complement their coffee maker. These handy gadgets allow you to do more, extend your coffee palette and mimic some of your favorite drinks from the local coffee shop for less. Let’s take a look at these must-have accessories that everyone in the family will love.

Coffee Grinder: If you ever want to drink freshly ground coffee beans, you will need a coffee grinder. Everyone agrees that for the small amount of convenience you trade, freshly ground beans are simply the freshest and most flavorful. Coffee grinders can be purchased separately and can even grind up other ingredients such as nuts or spices. You can also purchase a coffee pot with a built-in grinder.

Milk Frother: Who said that you needed to buy an expensive cup of coffee just to get that frothy top? With a handheld milk frother, you can have that creamy texture just by mixing the frother in the milk until you reach the desired consistency.

Coffee Filters: Paper filters are cleanest and easiest to use, just be sure that you purchase quality ones that won’t flop over and allow coffee grinds to drip into the coffee. Gold-tone coffee filters offer a rich, more robust flavor of coffee, as they let the natural oils through. They’re not disposable though, so you’ll need to clean them regularly.

Coffee Scoop: Whether it’s a simple measuring spoon or a very specific coffee scoop, you’ll want to choose something to measure the coffee - and stick to it. Even though most coffees recommend six ounces of water to every tablespoon, you can find the perfect combination using the scoop of your choice – and you can trust someone else to make your coffee.

Coffee Mug/Thermos: You need something to drink that coffee out of, so be sure that you have your favorite mug for at home and your favorite thermos for on the go. Coffee drinkers agree that coffee tastes better when you drink it out of something you love, so consider comfort, ergonomics and overall appearance when shopping for your next coffee mug.

Pod Holder: If you have a coffee machine that takes coffee pods, you know all too well that the different flavors of pods can add up quickly. Purchase an inexpensive pod holder than fits on the counter or in the pantry. These holders keep everything neatly stored away so that you can take an at-a-glance inventory of your coffee flavors.

Standard Coffee of Espresso

There’s nothing better than being able to brew delicious cups of coffee at home. If you’re in the market for a new coffee maker, you may be wondering if you should stick to the basics or invest in an espresso machine. There are advantages to both machines and really, the decision should be made based on what you drink most: Coffee or specialty drinks. Let’s review the advantages so that you can make the best decision for your coffee drinking style.

A standard coffee maker is ideal for people that like to drink coffee and not much else. These machines have come a long way in recent years, with options to brew one cup or 12 and including handy timers and digital control panels. With the pause ‘n serve feature, you can pour yourself a cup of coffee mid-cycle, and the new pod coffee machines allow you to brew different flavors in single servings.

Espresso makers are more elite than coffee makers, with options to make espressos, cappuccinos or lattes, as well as drip coffee. Since a specialty cup of coffee can cost as much as $5, you save a lot of money just by having this machine in the home. You can experiment all you want with different beverages and have a reason to entertain. Espresso machines offer a range of fun features such as frothers, thermostats and chambers that mix milk and steam.

There are several advantages to choosing a simple coffee maker. Coffee makers are more economically priced and simpler to use, so you’re not overburdened with features you’ll never use. And if you choose to purchase a standard coffee maker that focuses on brewing great coffee instead of features, there’s less to break. Coffee makers are also cheaper and easier to maintain, and they are smaller in size, being ideal for compact spaces. Coffee makers also focus on programmable features, whereas espresso machines need a bit more involvement from the brewer.

If you enjoy drinking specialty coffee drinks, you’ll get the most use out of an espresso machine. These machines are a great choice, as they allow you to brew your standard coffee drinks, as well as make the creamy lattes and cappuccinos that you love. While the machines do cost more, you save on not having to buy coffee drinks, and you can experiment with different flavors, temperatures and frothy blends. These machines are larger however, so make sure you have the space on your countertop.

The bottom line: If you enjoy drinking coffee only, stick to the affordable, hassle-free coffee maker. Otherwise, extend the boundaries and go for a fun espresso machine where the possibilities are endless.

Tips for Cleaning Your Coffee Maker

When you first bring your coffee maker home, you never imagine it could get so – dirty! But it does, and then you’re left cleaning it. Fortunately, cleaning the machine is an easy task, and with a few helpful tips, you can actually prolong the life of your coffee maker and have better tasting coffee as a result.

To clean a coffee machine, start by removing the coffee filter and then adding vinegar to the water reservoir. Pour the vinegar in until the reservoir is about one-quarter filled, and then add water until completely filled. Turn the coffee machine on and let it run until it’s cooled, which is usually about ten minutes.

Run the vinegar and water through another cycle and let the machine cool for another ten minutes. To complete the process, run a cycle of just water through the coffee machine and thoroughly wash the carafe and filter basket with soap and water. Make sure you don’t spray any chemicals or other cleaners onto the carafe; just warm, soapy water will do the trick.

You may read information about using lemon or baking soda, but vinegar is the best solution for the job. If you haven’t cleaned your coffee maker in a while, you may need to continue rinsing the machine out with vinegar and water in order to remove the foul taste. If you keep up with the cleaning cycles every couple of months, you won’t run into bad tasting coffee or a dirty machine.

This cleaning cycle should be done every two to three months in order to keep your coffee machine running at its top performance and producing fresh tasting coffee. Cleaning the machine with vinegar will remove buildup and impurities and will ultimately help improve the taste and quality of the coffee. Furthermore, when water drips from the coffee machine and allows bacteria to breed, you inadvertently drink these bacteria, which can be harmful to your health.

Not only do you want to clean the inside of your coffee maker, but also the outside. To keep the appliance looking its best, use a microfiber cloth that will remove debris, dust and excess coffee grounds. Microfiber clothes are ideal because they won’t scratch the surface of the machine.

Now that your machine is clean, be sure to use distilled or spring water instead of tap water that has many more impurities. Paper filters are cleaner and tossed away with each use, unlike permanent filters that are difficult to keep clean. And finally, if you notice a certain type of coffee causing buildup, switch to a new brand and give the machine a thorough clean.

Types of Coffee

Have you ever wondered what types of coffee drinks you can make with your coffee machine? Here are a few of our favorites, and with the right ingredients, the possibilities are endless!

Baltimore – This coffee drink has equal amounts of caffeinated and decaffeinated brewed coffee.

Black Eye – This strong cup of dripped coffee has a double shot of espresso added.

Café au lait – A strong or bold flavored coffee that is mixed with scalded milk.

Café mélange – This black coffee is topped or mixed with whipped cream and is very popular in the Netherlands, Amsterdam and Switzerland.

Decaf – Coffee made from decaffeinated beans.

Green Eye – Dripped coffee with a triple shot of espresso, also known as “Triple Death”.

Half-calf – Coffee made from half decaffeinated beans and half caffeinated beans.

Iced Coffee – Just like regular coffee, except in a cold, iced form.

Irish Coffee – This sweet coffee drink blends in whiskey and cream and is often sweetened using sugar.

Liqueur Coffee – Regularly brewed coffee that has a shot of liqueur added to it. Liqueur options include vodka, whiskey, brandy or gin, among others.

Mary Turner Coffee – Drip coffee that has three sweeteners and a soft amount of milk added.

Mazagran – This cold coffee beverage is made from a regular cup of coffee that has lemon and ice added. The coffee is strong and robust and served in a tall glass, with sugar, water or rum being added.

Red Eye – Dripped coffee served with a single shot of espresso.

In addition to the various types of coffee drinks that you can make with your coffee maker, there are also different types of roasts to choose from. Some coffee drinkers prefer one type of roast, while others like to switch it up. These roasts can be found at any supermarket and are available in fresh coffee beans or granules. They include:

American Roast: Beans are medium-roasted; not too heavy, not too light.

French Roast/Dark French Roast: Heavily-roasted beans that produce a strong coffee and have a deep chocolate brown appearance.

Italian Roast: Strongly flavored and generally used for espresso drinks. Beans are brownish black and glossy.

European Roast: Two-thirds heavy-roasted beans blended with one-third regular-roasted beans.

Viennese Roast: One-third heavy-roasted beans blended with two-thirds regular-roasted beans.

Instant Coffee: This heat-dried brewed coffee is made in a powder form.

Freeze-Dried Coffee: This brewed coffee was once frozen into slush before the water evaporated.