Coffee makers have been around, not surprisingly, almost as long as coffee. The original coffee brewer was the Turkish Ibrik, a copper container with a long handle and a grooved tongue. Still used in the Middle East, it produces a very strong brew since it does no filtering.
If really strong coffee is not really your thing, then you may be interested in some of the more modern automatic coffee makers. When deciding which coffee maker to buy there are few things you need to consider…
The largest selection of automatic coffee makers these days is, of course, the inexpensive drip model. Pour water in the top, it’s heated by an electric coil, the water passes through the coffee grounds and into a glass pot sitting on a heating plate.
However, these are just the basic features. There are many more options available which you might find nice to have.
Some of the machines available today have so many controls and options they look like the control centre of a spaceship, not a coffee maker! Many of them have display screens which give you details on temperatire, brewing time etc.
If you have ever been in the unfortunate position of having coffee pouring all over your kitchen bench because you forgot to shut off the coffee machine or you could not wait until the coffee finished brewing and you removed the glass pot just to take a quick cup of coffee, only to have the coffee drip all over the hote plate, then you will understand the importance of the Auto shut-off feature. Basically as soon as you remove the coffee pot from the hot plate the machine stops brewing the coffee. This may not be one of the most fancy options but it is certainly one of the most useful!
Today you can control every aspect of your brewing experience. Many modern machines let you select the strength of the coffee you desire, along with what time you want the brew to start, so it can be ready when you wake-up, presuming you remember to set it up the night before!
Everyone loves the smell of coffee, and it is very comforting to come down into your kitchen on a dark, cold morning and smell the fresh brewing coffee as well as seeing the little illuminated display telling you your coffee is ready.
Cleaning has been made better, too, by the development of coffee ‘pods’ - small pre-measured paper containers of coffee through which the water flows. They have the added blessing of providing good filtering for grounds. Once the brewing is complete you just pop them out (after they’ve cooled!) and toss them into the waste basket. Essential for the busy - and averse to cleaning up - coffee drinker.
Many of today’s coffee machines come with water filters. This can be very useful if you live in the city and your water is not of the best quality. The added feature of the water filter may make your coffee machine a little more expensive but what price do you put on the perfect cup of coffee.
Although traditional coffee filter styles are still popular, machines with pods are becoming more available. Some people question what effect the pods have on the enviroment and also if they alter the quality of the coffee. Only you can decide.
Choosing your coffee machine may feel like an impossible choice due to the vast array available. But once you have finally chosen you will be able to relax and enjoy the perfect cup of coffee at any time.
