Coffee Maker Guide
Which type of coffee maker should you choose?
There are different types of coffee makers on the market to suit everyone's different coffee needs. Coffee is definitely not a straightforward drink - everyone prefers their coffee made differently. For example; some people like nothing better than a nice cup of steaming hot strong black coffee while others can think of nothing worse and would prefer a nice milky cup. Below is a brief guide to the different types of coffee makers you can buy online.
Cafetieres
Cafetieres are also know as french presses, press pots and bodums. They consist of a glass or clear palstic jug incorporating a metal wire and plunger. The plunger is attached to the lid and has a wire nylon or mesh filter which pushes down the coffee.
Cafetieres are good for controlling the strength of your coffee as you can add as much or as little as you like. They are also very cheap and easy to use.
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Filter Coffee Makers
Filter coffee makers use a method called 'drip brewing'. This involves pouring water over roasted ground coffee which is contained in a filter. Water seeps through the coffee, absorbing it's oils and essences along the way. It passes into the bottom of the filter and then drips through into a collecting vessel such as a carafe or a pot. There are two different types of filters you can use, either a metal filter or a paper filter. While a metal filter is obviously cheaper as they do not need replacing like the paper ones they can be quite fiddly to clean making the paper filters a more convenient and hygienic option.
Recently becoming a lot more popular are the 'pod' systems like the Braun Tassimo pictured. Each pod makes one cup and you simply through it away when you are finished, saving a lot of mess.
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Espresso Makers
Espresso Makers make very strong coffee! There are two different types you can buy on the market - a pressure machine and a pump machine with the latter being more expensive.
In Pressure machines water is boiled in a chamber which then produces a build up of pressure and steam. The pressure then forces the boiling water through to the coffee and the steam is used to produce the froth that goes on top. The problem with pressure macine espresso makers is that the water is heated to boiling point when the optimum temperature to make an authentic cup of coffee is between 85-92°.
In Pump machines water is heated to the optimum temperature for coffee. The pump then forces the water through the coffee at the correct bar pressure which is more intense than the pressure machines which results in a higher quality and better tasting cup of coffee.
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