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Coffee Machine

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly brewing coffee to wake you up in the mornings is there, well, except the taste of it I suppose. Some of us like at least 2 cups to get our brains functioning, some need 3 or 4 (my other half) and some just need a continuous stream throughout the day until it’s a civilized enough hour to start on the wine (not telling you who that is). A house without a coffee machine is a bit like a car without a starter motor I suppose, it would make getting started very difficult, in fact, impossible.

Choosing a Coffee Machine

We may have one thing in common in the mornings – coffee, but that’s as far as it goes, we are all individuals in our taste for the perfect cup of coffee aren’t we, and those clever coffee machine manufacturers know all about it. Some like it hot and sweet, some like it frothy with chocolate shavings, and some just like it strong enough to stand a spoon up in. With this in mind, whenever you’re in the market to buy a new coffee machine, for yourself or for someone else, then you do need to think about how they like to drink their coffee.

• Cafetiere Coffee Machines – these aren’t really coffee machines, well, they don’t plug in or anything, but they still make great coffee (and sound pretty posh too – anything French sounds posh don’t you think). They’re a glass container which has a wire filter which is attached to a plunger, you can make as much or as little filter coffee as you like (well, if it’s big enough you can) so they’re brilliant if you just want a quick couple of cups. They also look very chic (there were go again, in French) on the dining table when you’re trying to impress your friends. Cafetiere coffee machines are available in a wide range of sizes, some make enough coffee for 12 cups – but then again, they haven’t seen the size of my cup have they?
• Filter Coffee Machines – these use the dripping water method, not unlike chinese water torture if you’re feeling a little worse for wear in the mornings, but once the coffee is ready all is soon forgiven. Again they are available in lots of different shapes and sizes, and they don’t cost the earth either. That reminds me, do you hear water? I must call the plumber to fix the leak.
• Espresso and Cappuccino Coffee Machines – did you know that an espresso (strong, dark, makes your teeth curl) coffee is actually the base for cappuccinos and lattes (milky, frothy, leave a white moustache) – well if you didn’t know that now you do. Anyway, enough of this chit-chat, coffee machines which make espresso and cappuccino coffees can work in different ways – basically pump or pressure. Pumps generally cost more than pressure coffee machines, and the steam in pressure coffee machines can be used to make the milk all frothy.

The Perfect Coffee for your Coffee Machine

Of course, whatever kind of coffee you like, and whatever type of coffee machine you have, there’s one other very important ingredient – the coffee beans. You can buy them ready to use, but for that freshly ground taste your much better to buy the beans, and then you’ll need a coffee grinder or a coffee mill. If you’re going to grind your own coffee, then remember this:- grind it coarsely for your cafetiere, or extra fine for your espresso machine. There you are, now you’re a coffee expert. Right, I think it’s time for another cup.