5 Coffee Machines To Have In Your Kitchen
Coffee makers come in many shapes, sizes and styles. But which is right for you? We’ve listed five popular coffee machines/coffee makers, explore their benefits, drawbacks and considerations to help you decide.
Nespresso Machine or Capsule Machine
Nespresso machines have made coffee capsules as popular as George Clooney. Like espresso machines, they use extreme pressure to rapidly extract maximum flavour from a capsule of ground coffee. Fully automated, it requires no dosing or grinding to provide a no mess no fuss experience. However, convenience comes at a high cost per cup. Capsules are limited to 15ml of espresso and end up costing three times as much as coffee beans.
French Press / Cafetiere / Plunger
The French press is an immersive brew method, meaning coffee is slowly brewed in hot water. It requires no stirring or pressure. After 4-5 minutes of brewing, simply plunge filter the brew. French Presses are easy to use, inexpensive and produce a mild and flavourful coffee. Drawbacks are length of brew time and they can be a nuisance to clean. Grinding too fine will result in excess bitterness and finer grinds finding their way into your cup.
Espresso Machine
If you prefer a rich and decadent cup of café quality coffee, you’ll need invest in a high-end espresso machine and learn how to use it. These machines use extreme pressure to force hot water through a compact puck of finely-ground coffee, producing a strong concentrated coffee known as espresso. Add frothed milk to make a cappuccino or latte or hot water, for an Americano. The benefits of espresso machines are the ability to produce café quality coffee and a full artisanal barista experience.
Drawbacks are they are not easy to perfect. Espresso machines are reserved for people who enjoy the ritual of making coffee as much as they do drink it. They’re also expensive to own, however the advent of manual espresso makers like the Picapresso, Nanopresso and Minipresso make it alot more affordable.
Aeropress
The AeroPress is the baristas choice of manual brew methods. It’s unique combination of immersion and pressure make delicious coffee every time, and in half the time of other brew methods. It’s inexpensive and uses less coffee than other brew methods. The only drawback being it’s limited to 1-2 cups per brew.
The Aeropress comes in two versions – Orignal Aeropress and the updated and Aeropress GO.
Moka Pot / Stove Top
If you enjoy a strong coffee, somewhere between espresso and filter, try the Moka pot or stove top. This traditional Italian method draws hot water through a bed of medium ground coffee to produce a strong and full-bodied flavour. It’s easy to use but takes 6 or so minutes to brew. For millions of enthusiasts around the world, it is worth the wait.
Choosing the right coffee maker |
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| Brew time | Grind | Easy to use | Cost | Strength | |
| French Press | 4 min | Course | Easy | Low | Medium |
| Espresso | 30 sec | Fine | Difficult | High | Very strong |
| Nespresso | 30 sec | Fine | Easy | High | Strong |
| AeroPress | 2 min | Medium/fine | Easy | Low | Medium-strong |
| Mocka Pot | 6 min | Medium/fine | Easy | Low | Strong |
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