What type of coffee makers to choose - how to do it correctly

When choosing a home coffee maker, you have to prioritize what is more important: saving time, ease of preparing a drink and maintaining the unit, or the ability to brew coffee according to a specific recipe with a predictable result. It also matters how many family members are waiting for their cup of coffee at the same time. Let's look at different types of coffee makers and their features.

Coffee makers without electric heating. Coffee makers that do not require an electrical connection:

• cezva (Turk);
• French press;
• pour over;
• Chemex;
• wicket;
• geyser coffee makers.

Cezva (Turkish)

Cezve (the name comes from the Turkish Cezve) is a thick-walled, conical-shaped container with a wide bottom and a narrow neck, on a long handle, made of copper, steel or ceramics. A mixture of ground coffee, sugar, various spices, salt (depending on the recipe) is poured with water and heated on a stove or in a tray with fine sand, without allowing it to boil.

For brewing in Turkish coffee, the finest grind coffee is used. This type of coffee maker produces Turkish or Arabic coffee best. Nowadays there is a large selection of such coffee makers in stores. Along with them, they sell models with electric heating, and there are also special ones designed for stoves with an induction operating principle.

Cezve

French press

This type of coffee maker is suitable for brewing not only coffee, but also tea or medicinal herbs. A French press is a glass, ceramic or stainless steel glass with a tight-fitting lid. A stainless steel mesh filter is inserted inside, mounted on a rod and equipped with a comfortable handle.

Ground coffee is poured into the bottom of a heated glass, poured with hot water and closed with a lid, after 2–2.5 minutes the drink is ready. The grounds are pressed with a filter, and the filtered liquid is poured into a preheated cup. In any cafe you can order tea or coffee from a French press and personally observe its preparation.

French press

Purover

The pour-over method of making coffee is compared to the tea ceremony in terms of entertainment. Medium grind coffee is used for brewing. You will need equipment from Hario: a pour-over funnel, into which a filter made of paper, fabric or fine metal mesh is placed and coffee is poured. Water is heated in a kettle with a long and narrow spout. In a thin stream, moving in a circle, pour coffee powder onto the filter. The finished drink is collected in a container on which a filter is installed.

Purover

Another type of pourover is Kalita Wave. Having passed through a corrugated filter placed in a container with transverse grooves, the drink acquires a richer taste and aroma than that obtained from Hario pourover.

Kalita Wave

Chemex

The method of brewing a Chemex is similar to a pour-over. In 1941, this idea came to the mind of an American chemist. He installed a glass funnel on the flask with spouts, and secured both parts with a leather strip. The hourglass-shaped decanter looks impressive, but is very fragile and easy to break.

Due to the fact that the filter fits tightly to the smooth walls of the funnel, the contact of hot water with ground coffee is short-lived. The drink turns out more watery and less aromatic than in pour over.

Chemex

The Arabica variety is most suitable for brewing coffee in Turkish coffee, French press, pour over and Chemex: the drink has a velvety taste, without unnecessary bitterness.

When were the first coffee makers invented, history of creation

This divine drink has been famous for its taste for many centuries; the Turkish method of brewing in a Turk is a whole coffee ceremony. There are a huge number of recipes for making coffee; every real barista has his own exclusive cooking method. But the modern pace of life dictates certain rules, so time is priceless. This is what prompted the inventors to take the first step towards creating a coffee making machine.

Modern coffee machines delight with their versatility, lightning speed, excellent taste and quality.

Drip coffee makers are considered the first ancestors of modern coffee machines. More than 200 years ago, an archbishop from France provided the world with a device for quickly preparing a coffee drink. The public liked this invention, and many followed Bellois' example. Every year, engineers presented a new modernized device. And modern coffee machines delight with their versatility, lightning speed, excellent taste and quality. Below we will analyze in detail the types of coffee makers, their descriptions, pros and cons.

Geyser coffee maker (coffee pot)

On store shelves there are long-familiar geyser coffee pots. The world owes their appearance to the Italian entrepreneur Alfonso Bialetti. The first geyser-type coffee pot, Bialetti Moka Express, model 1933, is still produced almost unchanged. This type of coffee maker, suitable for gas and wood stoves, has a traditional octagonal shape.

The coffee maker consists of three parts:

• the lower bowl is for water, the upper bowl is for collecting the finished drink, both have an octagonal shape;
• Between them, place a small perforated container for ground coffee with a narrow tube reaching to the bottom of the lower bowl.

Electric models differ from conventional ones intended for stoves only in that a heating element (heating element) is built into the bottom of the lower bowl.

Principle of operation. Under excess steam pressure, water from the lower part flows through the coffee filter into the upper bowl, where the finished drink is collected.

Water is poured into the lower bowl, made of food-grade aluminum and equipped with a bypass valve, just below the mark (below the valve). Pour medium-ground coffee into the intermediate container, lightly compact it with a tamper or a teaspoon so that the filter holes do not become clogged, and screw on the upper bowl. Some models have a glass window to monitor the progress of the process.

After almost all the water has passed through the filter, the finished product is collected in the upper bowl, then the drink is poured into cups. Coffee brewed in a geyser coffee maker is filtered and no sediment gets into the cup.

There are special models for induction cookers, for example, Bialetti Moka Induction, Bialetti Musa or Venus. When choosing, you need to pay attention that the lower bowl is made of a ferrimagnetic alloy (stainless steel) and has a flat bottom (at least 10–12 cm in diameter).

Geyser coffee maker

If the coffee pot is made entirely of aluminum and cannot heat up on an induction burner, it makes sense to purchase an adapter made of steel.

Advantages:

• the drink does not contain sediment;
• Not only coffee is brewed in a coffee maker: tea, medicinal herbs;
• Thanks to the design features of the coffee maker, the drink will not run away or burn.

Flaws:

• you always have to cook the same number of portions, even if so many are not needed: the filter must be loaded completely;
• It is not advisable to wash aluminum parts in the dishwasher: the metal will lose its protective oxide layer and lose its shine.

Products from Italian manufacturers are excellent in quality and design. When choosing a coffee maker for your home, you should focus on the number of cups of coffee that are prepared at the same time (one serving is 50–60 ml).

Characteristics and brands of geyser electric coffee makers

Brand	Power, W	Tank volume For water, ml	Number of servings, cup (50 ml)	Peculiarities
Bialetti MOKA EASY TIMER	365	120	3	Built-in timer; sound signal; maintaining the temperature of the drink for 30 minutes
EMKM 6 Alicia, Delonghi	450	250	Up to 5	Maintaining the temperature of the drink for 30 minutes; presence of auto shut-off function; swivel bottom Read also:  Horn for Vitek, Polaris, Bresko coffee maker, with sieve, VT151
Rommelsbacher EKO 376/G	350	300	Until 6	Availability of auto shut-off function; there is a compartment for the cord;
Bialetti Venus Elegance (Without electric heater)	—	450	9	Suitable for induction cookers; material – stainless steel; bottom diameter – 11.5 cm

conclusions

Some types of coffee machines can prepare an invigorating drink in a fully automatic mode, without requiring the participation of the owner, but require daily cleaning, others quickly prepare the drink, while paying a minimum of attention to themselves, but the cost of consumables sharply reduces the feasibility of using such a device. Another type, it would seem, is devoid of these shortcomings, but ties its owner to itself, not allowing it to move away from the stove until the coffee is brewed, otherwise there is a risk of staining everything around if the boiled drink runs away.

As we can see, not a single type of coffee machine is without its drawbacks, so everyone can choose the machine that suits their needs.

Drip (filtration) coffee maker

If you need to quickly prepare several cups of coffee at once for breakfast, the easiest option is to use an electric filter coffee maker.

The prototype of modern drip coffee makers appeared in 1800, since then the operating principle has remained the same. It is based on the method of preparing a flavored drink by straining hot water through a layer of ground coffee beans, invented by the Parisian Archbishop Jean-Baptiste de Bellois.

The design of the device changed over time, different materials and methods of heating water were used, new modifications of filters appeared, but the operating principle remained unchanged.

A removable funnel with a nylon filter is supplied with the coffee maker. It is not eternal, as many people think, but can withstand up to 60 brews. The “gold filter”, essentially the same nylon filter, but treated with a metallized titanium nitride coating, will last longer. Reusable filters do not require additional costs, but require constant cleaning.

There is an alternative option - disposable paper filters, invented by German housewife Melitta Benz. A blotter from a school notebook was used. The Melitta company for the production of coffee filters still exists, different standard sizes have appeared, and new paper processing technologies have been mastered. Disposable filters are practical and do not cause unnecessary trouble, but their purchase is an additional expense.

Principle of operation. Water, heated by the built-in element in the boiler almost to a boil (to a temperature of 85–95 ° C), slowly flows by gravity, drop by drop, into the filter with ground coffee. The hot extract from the coffee powder is poured through a filter into a flask standing on a heated platform. The result is a weak black coffee that Americano lovers will appreciate.

Instructions

1. Water is poured into the reservoir for the planned number of cups of the finished drink (100 ml per cup) in accordance with the capacity of the receiving flask.
2. Install a reusable (nylon) or disposable (paper) filter and add freshly ground coffee at the rate of 7–8 g (1–1.5 tsp) for each cup.
3. Turn on the device, and after 3-5 minutes the ready-made coffee will begin to flow into the receiving flask.

Advantages of a drip coffee maker:

• the presence of an anti-drip protective mechanism: if the flask is removed to pour the finished drink into a cup, the liquid does not flow out of the filter;
• heating the container for the finished drink thanks to the presence of a heating element built into the platform;
• the volume of finished coffee is limited only by the capacity of the flask;
• Easy maintenance: just throw away the disposable filter along with the used coffee powder, or shake out the contents of the reusable one and rinse it with water.

Flaws:

• ready-made coffee is not strong and has a strong aroma;
• You can make only one type of coffee - Americano;
• additional costs for the purchase of disposable filters.

When choosing a drip coffee maker, it is better to give preference to a model with low power: in the range of 600–800 W. The lower the power of the device, the more time it will take to filter, and this will have a positive effect on the taste of the drink.

Drip coffee maker

Characteristics and brands of drip coffee makers

Brand	power, kWt	Tank volume For water, l	Number of servings cup (50 ml)	beverages	Grinding degree	Peculiarities
Maxwell MW-1650	600	0,6	12	Americano	average	Maintaining the temperature of the drink for 30 minutes; presence of auto shut-off function; ready-to-drink dispenser for 2 cups; anti-drip system
Redmond SkyCoffee RCM-1508S	550	0,6	12			Maintaining the temperature of the drink for 30 minutes; presence of auto shut-off function; remote control via Bluetooth v4.0
Philips HD7434/20Daily Mini	720	0,6	12			Indication of switching on and water level; anti-drip system

Operating principle of French Press coffee makers

To prepare a portion of an aromatic coffee drink in a glass press, you will need an electric kettle for boiling water, ground coffee and a spoon for stirring.

The procedure is quite simple and includes 6 steps:

1. First you need to boil water. 2. Whole coffee beans need to be ground in a coffee grinder.

Tip: Under no circumstances should you use a coffee grinder with metal blades - only ceramic ones. Metal spoils the beans, and as a result the coffee is not as aromatic as we would like.

3. The ground powder is poured into a glass container. Approximate proportions: 1 teaspoon per cup of drink.

4. Next, boiling water is poured into the container. Volumes of water are taken depending on the number of servings.

5. In order for the drink to have a rich taste, you need to immediately stir it with a spoon and leave to brew for 3-5 minutes.

6. Now you need to carefully separate the grounds from the clean drink. To do this, you should slowly press your hand on the press so that the filter moves evenly along the walls of the flask.

If you are looking for a coffee grinder, read: How to choose a coffee grinder in 3 steps: a guide for coffee lovers

After this, hot coffee can be poured into cups and enjoy its unique taste.

Carob (holder) coffee makers

This common type of coffee maker goes by several names: espresso, carob, holder (holder - horn, portafilter).

The lucky owners of such equipment have the opportunity to pamper themselves and their friends with coffee drinks that are prepared on the basis of the canonical espresso: latte, cappuccino, macchiato, Viennese coffee.

Carob-type coffee makers are divided into 2 types:

• boiler rooms (pumpless), developing pressure within 2–4 bar;
• pump-type (in household cars a vibration pump is installed), capable of increasing the steam pressure to 15 bar.

To brew the right espresso, you need a coffee maker that operates under high pressure, so for connoisseurs of high-quality drink, the second option is more suitable.

An important element is the horn (portafilter): it is a holder equipped with a comfortable handle and a guide for the stream of the finished drink. More often there are models with two guides, this makes it possible to fill two cups at the same time.

Coffee maker holder

The holder contains a filter (with a diameter of 50–54 mm), into which a portion of the finest grind coffee is poured. The filter is manufactured in two versions: with a single or double bottom. Typically, the device is equipped with two different filters (for one- and two-cup portions of ground coffee), a measuring spoon, and a tamper for forming coffee tablets.

You can also buy special pods for carob machines - hermetically sealed bags of ground coffee and pressed into a tablet. The matching pods, marked ESE (Easy Serving Espresso), have a diameter of 44 mm and contain 7 g of coffee. The taste and aroma of a drink brewed from a tablet will not be as tempting as from freshly ground coffee, but the preparation process is easier and the cleanup is faster.

Tampered coffee

Coffee makers of this type have a water reservoir, and many models have a platform for heating cups.

To prepare milk drinks and coffee cocktails, coffee makers are equipped with a cappuccino maker - a device designed for frothing milk. They come in automatic and classic (panarello).

Inexpensive models of espresso machines usually have a mechanical cappuccino maker. To obtain milk foam, the nozzle is immersed in a jug (pitcher) with cold milk and whipped with steam.

An automated cappuccino maker is installed on expensive models: milk from any container into which the tube is lowered is drawn into the cappuccino maker. Inside it is mixed with steam and served directly into the cup, along with the coffee.

Operating principle of carob coffee makers

In boiler-type coffee makers, water is heated to 100 ºС and passes in the form of steam through a filter filled with ground coffee, which does not have the best effect on the taste of the finished product.

In pump coffee makers, water is heated to 90–95 ºС (the most suitable temperature for coffee extraction) and, under high pressure developed by a built-in pump (about 8 bar), is filtered through a layer of compressed coffee powder. The saturated extract condenses at the bottom of the filter and drains into a cup. The pressure indicator is about 15 bar, this is the limit value for pump-type machines.

Carob coffee maker

Instructions

1. Pour purified water into the tank. The capacity of the water container for different models varies from 200 ml to 1.5 liters.
2. Pour freshly ground coffee into the cone. For espresso, use finely ground espresso powder (7–8 g, or 1–1.5 tsp) and compact it with a tempera.
3. Place the portafilter on the seal of the distribution group and tighten the shutter tightly so that the horn does not break off under high water pressure (up to 8 bar).
4. Turn on the heating, when the indicator light indicates readiness, press the button (or turn the switch) and start dispensing the finished coffee into the cup.
5. If you need a drink with milk or whipped cream, it is prepared using a cappuccino maker.
6. Each time after brewing coffee, you need to shake out the spent tablet from the filter and wash it under running water.

Advantages:

• It takes 1–2 minutes to prepare one serving of coffee. The greater the electrical power of the device, the less time is required;
• Various coffee drinks are prepared based on espresso: latte, cappuccino and many others;
• saving coffee;
• the ability to use coffee in ESE format pods (if the strength of the drink is not important, but there is a desire to simplify the preparation process).

Flaws:

• Mostly fine grinding of espresso is suitable, you will need an electric burr grinder;
• A boiler (without a pump) machine brings water to a boil, which degrades the quality of the espresso.

Characteristics and brands of carob coffee makers

Brand	Power, W	Pressure, bar	Water tank volume, ml	Roasting degree	Grinding degree	Beverages	Peculiarities
DeLonghi EC 5 Boiler model	800	3,5	400	average	small	Espresso; cappuccino;	Manual cappuccino maker
Vitek VT-1519 BK	1050	15	1,5			Espresso; cappuccino; hot chocolate; Hot milk	Manual cappuccino maker: steam supply tube; "Fast steam" system; heating cups;

Briefly about the main thing

Knowing the operating principle of a coffee machine, it is easier for the user to decide on the model he needs. For example, capsule machines are relatively inexpensive and their range of drinks is quite extensive. But the capsules themselves are not cheap, and they are different for each car.

If you take carob coffee makers, the richness and taste of the finished drink will directly depend on the design of the device. The presence of a pump makes the coffee tastier and richer, but adds cost to the machine. If this point is important, you should look at a cheap French press or “geyser”.

After reading the article, as well as focusing on personal preferences and budget, purchasing the best coffee maker for your home or office will not be a problem.

Pod coffee makers

In addition to the above types of coffee makers, there are pod machines that work exclusively with filter bags produced by coffee maker manufacturers.

Coffee pods

The principle of operation is practically no different from carob pump coffee makers, with the difference that you cannot put unpackaged ground coffee into the pod’s horn.

Advantages:

• the drink turns out with the same taste, because the sealed packaging always contains the same amount of ground coffee and its aroma is preserved for a long time;
• Compared to an espresso coffee maker, the preparation process and maintenance are simpler and take less time.

Flaws:

• the variety of flavors of the finished drink is limited by the manufacturer’s range of filter bags suitable for a specific coffee maker;
• Coffee pods are much more expensive than coffee beans.
• For home use, a regular espresso coffee maker is more suitable: there are more opportunities for experimenting with recipes, and the cost of regularly purchasing beans or ground coffee is much less.

Coffee maker with built-in coffee grinder

The beans are ground in a coffee grinder. It is a reservoir with sharp blades. The number of blades is from 2 to 4.

The coffee grinder sets the degree and duration of grinding. The number of degrees depends on the quantity and quality of the blades and their sharpening.

Some models of coffee machines with coffee grinders allow you to adjust the amount of ground powder in portions.

There are models with a built-in coffee grinder that control the preparation of the drink remotely, from a smartphone or tablet. To do this, the grains are poured in, and the remaining parameters are set at a distance. The program will let you know when the drink is ready using a characteristic signal.

The vast majority of coffee makers with a built-in coffee grinder are designed according to the operating principle of geyser and carob coffee makers.

Capsule coffee makers (coffee machines)

Experience in selling pod coffee makers has shown that it is more profitable to sell consumables rather than devices. Manufacturing companies perfected this idea, and as a result, capsule coffee machines appeared on the world market. The cooking method was patented back in 1978. Since 1980, these devices and capsules for them have been produced by four well-known manufacturers: Nespresso, Cremesso, Tassimo and Dolce Gusto.

Sellers call this class of kitchen appliances coffee machines, due to the fact that their drink preparation process is even more automated than in pod coffee makers. All that remains is to manually place the capsule and pour water into the reservoir; some models have a compartment where the used coffee automatically goes in a beautiful package.

Smart machines have “learned” to read a barcode printed on sealed aluminum foil packaging and containing information about the method of brewing a specific type of capsule. Therefore, choosing a mode is reduced to pressing the “Start” button. The process of preparing morning coffee takes just a few seconds, and maintenance of the machine is kept to a minimum. For those who do not like to experiment with recipes and value predictable results, capsule coffee makers are ideal. They take up little space, are beautifully designed, fit well into a small kitchen, and their cost is even lower than traditional carob coffee makers.

Operating principle of capsule coffee makers

Extraction of aromatic substances using hot water under high pressure (built-in pump develops pressure from 15 bar). Fundamental changes affected only consumables. Capsules contain less ground coffee than pods, and their cost has increased significantly compared to the latter.

The variety of flavors of the finished drink has increased, and the buyer now has apparent freedom of choice. Before purchasing a capsule coffee machine, you should familiarize yourself with the range of each manufacturer and choose the appropriate option. Depending on the market situation, prices often change, costs rise, and switching to cheaper capsules from another brand is not always possible.

Nespresso coffee machines

The machines of this system are the brainchild of the Swiss company Nestle Nespresso SA; they appeared on the market in 1986, earlier than others. They are made by the famous companies DeLonghi and Krups.

Nespresso

Advantages:

• Consistently high build quality;
• compact, stylish design;
• a large assortment of coffee drinks: 26 types of capsules, including 6 decaffeinated;
• ready-made drinks from one type of capsule always have a familiar taste;
• the possibility of replacing original, rather expensive capsules with alternative ones. They are produced all over the world, and even domestic ones have appeared.
• Manufacturers claim that it is possible to brew regular ground coffee.

Flaws:

• Nespresso system machines are more expensive than similar ones;
• higher cost and limited sales of original capsules than competitors;
• making coffee with milk is provided only in expensive models with a cappuccino maker;
• There are no capsules with tea and chocolate in stock.

Cremesso coffee machines

Capsules for machines of this system are produced by the Swiss company Delica; coffee machines are sold under the same brand.

Cremesso

Advantages:

• stable taste of drinks, the manufacturing company controls the process of manufacturing capsules from growing and collecting raw materials to releasing finished products;
• stylish design;
• the pump develops high pressure (up to 19 bar);
• quick preparation process: it takes 15 seconds to warm up, 20–30 seconds to serve the finished drink;
• In addition to coffee, there is the possibility of brewing tea; there are 4 types of capsules in the assortment.

Flaws:

• the palette of coffee flavors is limited to classics and has only 11 types;
• machines and capsules of the Cremesso system are more difficult to find in stores;
• Only expensive car models have cappuccino makers.

Coffee machines of the Dolce Gusto system

This system was created in France by Nestle dolce gusto, RPC. Coffee machines and capsules are produced under the Krups brand. They are more affordable than products from the Swiss Nespresso system, but the quality and technical characteristics are significantly lower than those of the prototype.

Dolce Gusto

Advantages:

• the palette of flavors includes 25 different drinks, including coffee, tea and cocoa;
• the cost of capsules is lower than that of competitors;
• low price for coffee machines;
• cappuccino or latte are prepared even on machines with a minimum set of functions.

Flaws:

• the build quality of the devices leaves much to be desired;
• coffee content in capsules is only 6 grams;
• Dairy drink capsules contain milk powder, and the price of one cup is relatively high;
• The capsules from which mocha, cortado, and coffee with milk are prepared contain instant coffee instead of ground coffee with chemical additives: stabilizers and emulsifiers.

Tassimo coffee machines

The capsule coffee brewing system was developed by the American company Kraft Foods. It produces coffee machines together with the famous company Bosch.

Tassimo

The design of coffee machines has significant differences from other systems. Due to the fact that capsules for Tassimo are larger than analogues intended for other systems and are made in the form of disks, and the coffee powder in them is not compressed, the pressure developed by the built-in pump (3.3 bar) is sufficient to prepare high-quality espresso.

Tassimo machines are equipped with a Brita filter for softening and purifying water, so it is acceptable to use tap water, but bottled water is still the best option.

Advantages:

• an increased dose of coffee (capsules contain 9 grams) guarantees a rich taste and aroma;
• any, even the simplest model is suitable for preparing both classic and dairy drinks: cappuccino, latte, cocoa;
• relatively low prices for capsules and coffee machines.

Flaws:

• The range of capsules includes only 7 types of black coffee;
• you have to frequently wipe the barcode scanner;
• Quite expensive capsules for dairy drinks contain milk powder;
• in Jacobs Café au Lait (coffee with milk) capsules, natural coffee is replaced with instant coffee.

With all the advantages and obvious disadvantages, it is advisable to buy a Nespresso or Cremesso coffee machine for your home: they have a higher build quality. Experts recommend paying attention to the possibility of purchasing suitable capsules; the range of flavors and financial capabilities matter.