Having recently graduated from instant coffee and currently being stuck with using using tea infuser to make coffee I’d like to know what to look for when doing research on coffee machines
If location is relevant I’m in Queensland, Australia
Had a delonghi ec580 and sage grinder and now have a lelit victoria with timeless 64s and hario v60.
Just get a plastic hario v60, cheap gooseneck and a good hand or powered grinder. V60 delivers effortless, delicious coffee every time with the hoffman technique. Espresso is a money pit that is not worth it unless you really fucking love pure espresso.
For drip coffee makers, most are pretty similar. The main differences come down to capacity and a few convenience features. If you’re open to trying other methods, you might also enjoy pour-over, cold brew, or French press. The Hario V60 is a great option for pour-over, offering more control over flavor and brew time.
If you’re into espresso, just keep in mind that good espresso machines can get pricey. Look for one with consistent pressure (around 9 bars), a quality grinder, and a solid build. Manual espresso machines offer the most control, while automatic ones are more beginner-friendly.
For drip machines, there is one that really stands out, the Mocca Master. It’s so much better than any other drop machine it’s insane.
That said, get a burr grinder (old ones are totally okay, as long as they have burrs, not those “knifes”) that will bring much better coffee than any machine or expensive system can.
The Mocca Master:
The fellow Aiden is now a real competitor but with some fuss factor involved.
I agree, if you want a coffee “machine” this is one of life’s easier decisions. Buy or start saving up for a moccamaster. I don’t think you should seriously consider the Aiden without at least starting with the simpler moccamaster.
I like the Aeropress. Simple and versatile.
Second this. Get an aeropress, a burr grinder that can go down to espresso fine grind (or find a local roaster that will roast and grind your beans to your liking), a thermometer, and a scale.
Skip the machines that can break down and are expensive to replace or hard to clean.
Edit: If you decide to go with the aeropress, I’d recommend getting one of these flow control caps. A lot of recipes for the ‘inverted method’ of brewing deal with balancing the aeropress upside down and messing around with hot coffee sludge. Just get one of these instead of doing anything inverted and risking burning yourself or spilling hot coffee sludge everywhere.
https://aeropress.com/products/aeropress-flow-control-filter-cap
I’ve tried every way to make coffee at home and aeropress is my favorite (over moka pot, french press, pour over, Mr Coffee, espresso, nespresso, keurig, turkish, etc)
That’s a really slippery slope! I’m also in Queensland, and have been in various states of the coffee journey for nearly 20 years.
My current setup, that really works well for me, is a delonghi dedica ec685m and a smeg CFG01 grinder.
I also import beans from a mates coffee plantation in PNG.
I love the coffee I brew, and it only took me 14 years to get to this point!!
My point is, experiment, go slow. Bean quality is probably more important than most other things.
With drip machines the trick is finding one that gets the water hot enough for proper extraction. Most of them do not. As mentioned elsewhere in the thread, the Mocca Master is the gold standard here, but it’s expensive.
Of course, the easiest way to get boiling water is with a kettle, and if you can forego the convenience of a drip machine there are a bunch of brewing methods where you supply the water. The French press, the Aeropress and the Hairo V60 pour-over are popular options.The main thing, though, if you’re serious about the flavor of your coffee, is to grind your own beans.
And make sure those beans have a recent roast date. A lot of coffee bags sold in grocery stores near me don’t even post their roast date.
If you like coffee from a local shop, see if they’ll sell you a bag.
There are many devices for making single or double cups of coffee. I think the aeropress and v60 are great options.
It should be orange and say Moccamaster on the side.
My CDT grand says otherwise 😄
Assuming that you’re looking for filter coffee, the Specialty Coffee Association and European Coffee Brewing Center both have certification programs for home coffee makers. None of these machines should be a barrier to getting a great cup of coffee, so you can comfortably focus on picking a machine based on price/aesthetic/convenience features from either of these lists. Even if you don’t want anything from these lists, looking at their guidelines will be helpful in knowing what to look for when selecting a machine. Naturally, the lists are nonexhaustive and only feature machines that have paid for the certification testing.
If you’re interested in manual brewers, some of the more accessible brewers would be the Clever Dripper, Ceado Hoop, Aeropress, or the Hario Switch. None of these brewers gets much benefit from using a gooseneck kettle, so you won’t need to jump too far down the rabbit hole.
Big ups for the Clever Dripper!
Depends on you budget. Personally, I feel like the Clever Dripper and the Hario Switch are the best choices for making good coffee for someone just starting out.
Don’t buy any of the pod based coffee machines, they’re comparatively cheap up front, but they’ll cost you more in the long run and give you a much more limited selection of the kinds of coffee you can have.
I’d say if you want to push a button and get a coffee, look into bean-to-cup machines. If you don’t mind doing a few bits a traditional style espresso machine is going to give you a load of flexibility, and can generally be a bit cheaper than a bean-to-cup (though they can also get much more expensive!).
If you don’t mind it being fully manual, perhaps look into pour-over or aeropress kit. Definitely a much cheaper step than buying a machine, and lots to learn from using those methods
