Choosing a coffee maker

The apocalypse for all coffee drinkers recently happened to me — my coffee maker died. After saving it from a garage sale and performing electrical surgery, only to keep it a fire hazard, I was forced to put it out of its misery. It was given a proper burial; I tossed it in the trashcan. Now how was I going to make coffee in the convenience of my home? Finding a new coffee maker is no easy task, especially when there are so many options.

The single serve coffee maker

Single serve coffee makers are perfect for someone who just wants one cup of coffee delivered quickly. Keurig is the most popular brand by far, but Starbucks, Tassimo and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) also have their own single serve machines. Each brand has their own brand of cup exclusively for their machines, which can be hard to find. Cuisinart and Mr. Coffee carry cheaper versions of the costly Keurig machines, and theirs are compatible with the K-cups. Practically every store carries K-cups and the variety of flavors is impressive.

The K-cups are pricey and create a lot of plastic waste. For those who would like to save a few bucks, and the environment, you can look for pods to fill up with your own coffee grounds. Keurig makes one called the My-K-Cup, but I’ve found it makes pretty watery coffee and is a hassle because you have to take apart the Keurig to insert the pod. Other options are the Solofill cup and EZ fill cup. Both do not require you to take apart the Keurig and only the EZ fill cup requires a paper filter.

The drip brew coffee maker

The drip brew coffee maker is your parent’s classic coffee maker that takes eons to make coffee. These normally use paper filters, but some models do not require them. It is simple to use and perfect for someone who drinks a few cups themselves or needs to serve coffee to others. The quality of the drip brew coffee maker, however, can be very important for the quality of your coffee. A cheap one from a garage sale, for example, will not heat the water to as high of a temperature as a more expensive one will. This can cause your coffee to be weak. If you simply want something that makes coffee and will cost you less than $15, a cheap drip coffee maker is the way to go.

All drip brew coffee makers do the same process to your coffee regardless of price. However, more expensive coffee makers have nifty features that increase the quality of your coffee and efficiency of making it. Also, newer models have buttons to set the temperature of the water and the strength of the brew. They also can be programmed to start brewing the coffee at specific times, making getting out of bed and off to class actually possible. All these features can be included in coffee makers that are more than $20, which is nice for college kids on a budget. If you love convenience and a strong quality to your coffee, a more expensive drip is the way to go.

The carafe-free coffee maker

Some of the newest models by Hamilton Beach and Cuisinart combine the convenience of a single serve coffee maker with the brewing power of drip brew coffee makers. These hybrid devices come with the same programmable tools as expensive drip coffee makers, but have no carafe, keeping your coffee heated in a compartment inside the coffee maker. Place your cup below the spout, press a button and warm coffee is instantly in your cup while more awaits inside the maker.

Make sure to check where the spout or coffee is located because some models of the Hamilton Beach makers have a spout that is too close to the wall of the device, which causes coffee to splash everywhere. Cleaning out the coffee reservoir can also be a hassle because it will never fully drain. For someone who drinks a lot of coffee and wishes to leave it for a short time, this is the perfect type of coffee maker. If you will never drink a whole pot of coffee and only want 1-4 cups at a time, the carafe-free coffee maker is a nuisance.