The best home coffee makers are often overlooked. Somehow, drip coffeemakers became America's favorite machine. But the French Press, Electric Percolator and Espresso Coffee Machines all make a great cup of coffee. Try one of these machines when it's time for a new coffee pot.
French Press Coffeemaker
The French Press Coffeemaker is a glass pot with plunger-strainer in the lid. Put coffee in the dry glass carafe, top with hot water, stir and let sit at least four minutes. Then slowly press the plunger through the coffee until it reaches the bottom. The built-in strainer pushes all coffee to the bottom, leaving grind-free coffee in the top. The pot itself requires no electricity or gas, and hot water can be used directly from a spring-water dispenser that has a hot tap.
Pros:
- No boiling keeps coffee from tasting bitter
- Small lightweight pot is easy to clean
- Glass carafe does not affect coffee taste
- To try: Bodum French Press
Cons:
- Coffee does not stay hot. Brew, then pour into a thermos
- Glass carafes break easily. Use plastic or wooden utensils for stirring
Electric Percolator
Electric percolators are the classic 1950's coffee pot. A stove-top version is still available, but the electric percolator is the more popular style. Unlike drip coffeemakers where the water simply passes through coffee grinds, an electric percolator keeps water bubbling through coffee, creating a richer-tasting cup of coffee. Water goes in the pot, ground coffee in a metal basket inside, then the whole pot is plugged into an outlet. When it's finished brewing, a light comes on and a delicious cup of coffee is ready. Choose a coarse, rather than fine ground coffee.
Pros:
- Better flavor than from drip coffeemakers
- Unit is self-contained in the pot
- Stainless steel pot does not break as easily as glass
- No paper filter necessary
- Available in several sizes
- Coffee stays hot
- To try: Hamilton Beach Percolator
Cons:
- Electric element cannot get wet while washing
- Coffee can get bitter after extended time. Remove coffee basket while keeping warm
Espresso Coffee Machine
The espresso coffee machine is an Italian-style coffee pot that makes a delicious cup of coffee. It's a small pot that is generally designed for one cup, although larger versions are available. Water goes in the bottom cup, then is topped with a metal basket filled with coffee. Finally, the pot gets screwed on top of the bottom unit and the entire coffee pot is set over a flame until all of the water in the bottom has bubbled up through the coffee and into the pot.
Pros:
- No electricity needed
- Excellent cup of coffee
- Great for camping
- All parts easy to wash
- To try: Bialetti Espresso Maker
Cons:
- Only one cup at a time
- Must be used on a gas stove
- No automatic shutoff
Summary
All three of these coffee pots make an excellent cup of coffee, far superior to most drip coffeemakers. Try adding one, or all three, to the coffee pot already in use at home and start enjoying a better cup of morning coffee.
Trevy Thomas - After more than a decade of food writing, Trevy Thomas joined Suite 101 as Feature Writer for the Home Décor and Cookbooks ...
