Filter Coffee Machine

Looking to get a filter coffee machine, bored of instant. I have heard mixed reviews of the “pod” type? Thoughts please.

I’ve had coffee from all the pod machines on the market. Krups Dolce Gusto, Tassimo , and Senseo. They all do filter as well as latte, chocolate etc. Senseo is just filter so thereby cheaper, and tassimo does tea that the others don’t. I’m not just biased cos I’ve got the krups one, but it is far superior especially on the ‘additions’ the water is also hotter, The tassimo is always tepid. Hot choc from Tassimo is watery and bitter, the krups one is creamy and frothy. The pods are pricey – you couldn’t really replace every cup you have it would be exorbitant. If you are planning on buying wait for a bit – they were all on offer over xmas for around £70 they are now back up to £130. They will do a reduction again no doubt…they are good and a nice thing to have but they arent worth £130…

• 3 year guarantee
• Automatic Bean to Cup Filter Coffee Machine
• Unique grind & brew system automatically grinds fresh coffee before brewing
• Fully programmable with automatic start timer
• 1-4 cup quantity selector
• Grind off feature for use with pre-ground coffee
• Gold-tone filter for commercial quality brewing
• Double-wall insulated carafe with vacuum-sealed lid ensures freshly a brewed flavour for hours
• 10 Cup capacity
• Brew pause function
• Charcoal water filter

The Cuisinart is a durable and robust grind and brew coffee maker.  If you are a little more adventerous in with your coffee, this machine will not only allow you to experiment with your choice of beans, but you will also be able to blend your own coffees.

The Pros

• You have the facility to use coffee beans as well as filter coffee.
• The hot plate keeps the coffee properly warm without stewing
• Produces consistently good coffee (but don’t follow the suggested measures of coffee beans as this does tend to produce a weaker brew)
• Has a level of complexity that will pleease those who want to feel they’re progressing on the coffee journey, but with just a good read of the manual you are well on your way to brewing lovely coffee.

The Cons

• This is a blade grinder and not a burr.  This is my mine drawback with this machine.  To find out more about blade vs burr, read my post here
• Cleaning is not straight forward (see handy tips below), but I don’t mind this.  The extra effort just means my expertise is increasing.
• The grinder is a little noisy

Handy Tips

• Cleaning is more time consuming than with many other filter coffee machines. Each time you use the unit, you need to clean and dry the grinder (drying it is very important), clean three filter components (inlcuding the gold mesh filter itself), and rinse out the carafe. This may sound fiddily, but in actual fact it only takes a couple of minutes and is well worth the little effort.
• Yes it may be noisy – but how many of us sleep in the kitchen!

Whether you buy this machine or not will really depend on what your priorities are.  If you want a straightforward filter coffee machine that takes pre-ground coffee and needs little in the way of cleaning effort then look else where (there’s plenty of these reviewed on this site). 

However, if you want a machine that that will allow you to explore a new world of coffee beans and experiment with your own blends (but don’t mind the little extra effort), then this machine could be the one for you.

For more information on this machine and pricing, please click here.

Often when choosing the best coffee maker to buy, it means deciding whether you want a filter coffee machine with a separate grinder or a combined grind and brew coffee makers.  At the flick of a switch, the latter will take you from the roasted bean to great coffee in no time at all.

With a grind and brew machine, you need to put the coffee beans in a grinder compartment and then select the coarseness of the grind.  The great benefit of this is that there is no need for a separate grinding appliance.  Also, an all in one machine means you won’t make the mess you can make when trying to transfer the ground coffee from separate machines.

Before buying a grind and brew coffee maker, it is important to realise that the grinder section can be a little trickier than cleaning a stand alone grinder. Also, some of the built in grinders don’t hold enough beans to make a full pot of coffee, so you will need to check this out.

The general view is that a grinder with a burr rather than a blade, although the blade option is cheaper and blades are more common than burrs.  If you opt for a burr grinder, try to choose a conical burr grinder as this will give you more of a consistent powder.  Burr grinders also benefit from being much quieter than the blade options.

Prices for grind and brew machines do vary, but it is important that you are aware some machines market themselves as grind and brew coffee makers, when in fact they are 2 separate machines bolted together.

If you decide to invest in a better machine, you should expect to get a built in burr grinder, water filler, programmable settings, and even a thermal carafe.  You should also expect great design, to just add a little extra to the great coffee brew.

Which comes first the quality of the bean or the quality of the grinder?  I believe that if you start with a poor quality bean you will end up with a poor powder no matter how good the grinder.  But if you have a poor grinder you are almost certain not to get the best out of your beans regardless of their quality.

The biggest advantage of a grind and brew coffee machine is that you don’t need to purchase a separate maker and a stand along grinder. The other advantage is that you don’t need to worry about transferring the ground beans into your coffee maker from the stand alone grinder (the mess I have made sometimes is amazing!). 

Getting the powder right: blades or burr?

The goal with coffee beans is to get a fine consistent powder.  Grind and brew coffee makers will either have a blade or burr mechanism for grinding the beans.  The general view is that a burr mechanism will provide a better and more consistent grind.  A blade mechanism will tend to cut the beans and not ‘grind’ them.

Experts say that the best grinder is a conical burr grinder. That applies to buying a separate, stand alone grinder or a grinder built into your automatic maker.

Why might you buy a machine with a blade grinder? A very good question – there are 2 reasons. First, the cost is going to be less, and secondly there are very few burr grinders built into makers.

Most built-in grinders are the lower cost but noisier and less effective blade grinder type.

What about the brewing?

Grind and brew coffee makers will have a water reservoir, a filter and a pot for collecting the coffee.  The brewer will also have a thermostat to heat the water to the perfect temperature.

What about the water?

Something that many people forget about is the affect water can have on the end quality of the coffee.  Depending on your area, tap water can contain various minerals and chemicals which can affect the end taste.

Filter the water yourself is one answer, although there are units which do provide the convenience which provide filters such as charcoal to eliminate the odours and minerals from the water. 

What about cleaning?

Before buying a grind and brew coffee maker, it is important to be aware that cleaning the built in grinder can be a little trickier than cleaning a stand alone grinder, but once you get the hang of it it is no problem at all. 

The end result

Many grind and brew coffee makers have timers, so that much needed coffee is ready just before you are ready to enjoy it – absolutely great first thing in the morning and a truly great way to start the day.