If you look in many homes you are likely to find a filter coffee machine (also known as drip brew coffee machines).  These machines can vary in complexity, price, performance and style.  

Depending on what you want from your machine will greatly influence the type of machine you end up buying.  An entry level machine can cost as little as £20-£40 or you can spend a couple of hundred for a decent filter coffee machine.

As an example of a decent entry level filter coffee machine take a look at the De’Longhi ICM60 filter coffee machine or the Russell Hobbs 13915 coffee maker.

Both of these are great prices which also makes them really affordable Christmas presents.

Now if you really want to see what your money can buy for a higher end model have a look at this Krups Combi Espresso XP200040 Cappuccino and Filter Coffee Machine. 

When looking at these models it is pretty clear that the main difference with the Krups is clearly the range of functions it offers.

Many of the common household brands have been around for many years now and this means that parts should be easy to get hold of.  Then again, some people may feel that if all they’re after is an entry level machine, buying new model instead of repairing it is the easiest option.  The affordability and the ease of use have ensured that the filter coffee machine will not go out of fashion easily.

How Easy is it to Use a Filter Coffee Machine

A filter coffee machine is essentially works with a water container, the water heats up and is poured over the ground coffee powder.  The coffee then drips into the carafe.

The common paper filters that many a filter coffee machine uses have been around for a long while and still work well. There have been improvements in their quality over the years but many machines will use non-disposable metal filters for a filter coffee machine.

There are also machines with plastic permanent filters.  The great benefit of the metal or plastic filters is that they do not need to be constantly replaced and are really easy to clean.  These filters also prove really cost effective for people who only want one cup of coffee.

I hope you enjoyed this read my friends.  Best wishes.

OK so you have bought your filter coffee machine and everything is going great – you’re brewing great coffee.  But how do you make sure you always produce great coffee?  These very simple tips will help keep your filter coffee machine producing quality brews time after time after time.

Buying coffee

Little and often is the rule of thumb. Coffee loses its freshness very quickly.

Storing coffee

It’s recommended you store your coffee beans or grounds in a glass, airtight container, away from bright sunlight which can reduce freshness. For consumption within one week, room temperature is fine. For two weeks to a month, keep your coffee in the fridge. This prevents the chemical reactions that produce stale beans and lifeless coffee.

But the burning question that you have how; that is emblazened across your brain, that keeps you awake at night tossing and turning; that has made you forget your own mothers birthday ……………… what the hell can I do with with all those paper filters that are sat in cupboard!

Here’s some ideas for spare filters (who knows you may carry on buying them:

• Use to clean windows and mirrors as they don’t have any lint and won’t streak;
• Apply shoe polish with them;
  
• When storing crockery, place a filter between plates to protect them;
• Cover dishes in the microwave to prevent food splattering inside the microwave;
  
• Push the wooden stick of a ice lolly through the filter to catch drips;
• Serve hot dogs, popcorn, tacos and other messy foods;
• Place a filter in an iron skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust;
• When re-potting plants, place one in the bottom to keep soil from coming out of the drainage holes;
• Protect Christmas ornaments when your storing them;
• Put potpourri in them and tie them up with ribbon or cotton and use as drawer and closet sachets;
• Use as a rest for spoons/cooking utensils when cooking;
• Tie herbs in the filter and use a bouquet garrni for soups and stews;
• Use for childrens crafts – angels, butterflies and flowers (or wherever else your imagination can conjure up!);
• Soak coffee filters in water with food coloring to create colorful craft papers for scrapbooking;
• They’re ideal to stop bleeding from razor nicks when shaving;
• Use them absorb the fat from fried foods;
• Has the cork broken into your wine? Use a the filter to, well, to filter it;
• Pop baking soda into the filter and put it into shoes or a closet to get rid of and prevent nasty odors;
• Use the cone-style filters to pour in oil and other liquids into your car’s engine, safely;
• Use a filter to clean up liquid spills because unlike a paper towel, they won’t leave behind any lint;
• Got a wobbly table or chair? Use a folded up coffee filter under the leg to even it out;
• What about tumble drier sheets – have you run out? Pop some drops of fabric softener on a filter, rub sides of the together, and put in the dryer with your laundry to help prevent static and make your clothes smell fresh.
  

Well there you have loads of extra uses for those spare paper filters.  Oh, almost forgot, if you have a filter coffee machine with a plastic filter – why not use a paper filter in the basket to prevent a mess and make great coffee!

• 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.

If you’re a seasoned filtered coffee drinker, if you know the difference between your arabicas and robusta’s, then this machine is probably not for you. But if you are new to filtered coffee and are looking for a cheap filter coffee machine to begin your journey with then this could be for you.

The Pros

• Easy to use
• Makes surprisingly good coffee!
• A hot plate that actually works – you’ll be amazed at hom many don’t

The Cons

• There is no getting away from the fact that there is a plasticy smell with this machine.  Too many reviews mention this, but there are no reports of the smell tainting the taste of the coffee.
• When pouring water into the water tank you may need to use a tea towel or something to stop water dripping.  But this is only a minor inconveinience.

Overall Verdict      4/5

So, this machine is not going to set the coffee world on fire, but it is so reasonably priced that it it may just light the touchpaper for someone’s new journey into the joy of filtered coffee.

If you want to find out more, click here.

Technorati Tags: De'Longhi:, Filter coffee machine

In the form of caffeine we probably drink the most psychoactive substance in the world today.  It is not only found in coffee, but also in wide range of other products  including soft drinks, tea, chocolate, energy drinks and medicines.

As far as coffee is concerned, whether you get your coffee from a filter coffee machine, a grind and brew coffee maker, or anespresso machine, one thing that is guarenteed is that you will also be getting some caffeine.

I have always been confused about some of the health effects associated with coffee, so I thought I would look into this myself. All the information I looked at was published research articles and not the ‘pop scintific facts’ you can find.  Here is a brief resume of the health effects I found:

• There are no adverse effects associated with moderate caffeine consumption (approx. 400mg/day)[1]

• Very high doses of caffiene have been linked with increases in anxiety levels, but this is not often seen within the normal range of caffiene levels.[5]

• Normal consumption of coffee has been shown to improve performance of vigilance type tasks (those that require added prolonged concentration) and simple tasks which benefit from a high level of alertness.[6]

• Coffee improves performance of artificial tasks and simulations of industrial work and driving.  It has been suggested that coffee may be of benefit in safety-critical situations and may improve working efficiency.[7]

• High doses of caffeine in the late evening will increase the time taken for some individuals to go to sleep.[8]

• There is some  evidence to suggest a weak relationship between coffee consumption and an increase in blood pressure.[9]

•  According to an analysis of a range of studies that looked at the risk of coronary heart disease and coffee consumption, it concluded that there is no evidence that coffee consumption increases the risk of coronary heart disease.[10]

• There have been no significant associations found between coffee drinking and the incidence of cancer of the bladder[11]

• There is some evidence to suggest that heavy coffee drinkers (when compared with non-drinkers) were less likely to contract Parkinson’s Disease later in life[12]

• In addition to the above, a longitudinal study found that moderate coffee drinkers had a reduced risk of developing Dementia[13]

So what does all this mean?  From the above studies, consuming normal quantities of coffee doesn’t pose a risk to our health.  But this does beg the questiion – “What is a normal quantity?”

It is probably best to think about this in terms of the recommended quantities of caffeine.  The list below provides the quantities of caffeine that can be expected in a range of coffees and tea:

There does not seem to be a definitive answer the ‘normal’ quantities of caffeine.  Many countries do not provide such a recommendation (that I could find), however there is some consensus around the following figures:

• For women of childbearing age, a maximum daily intake of no more than 300mg,
• For the rest of the general healthy population healthy adults, a daily intake of no more than 400mg.

Not surprisingly, the biggest ‘wallop’ comes from an espresso.  3 x 1oz espressos gives you about the same, if not more caffeine than coffee from your filter coffee machine.

With many areas of life, you will always be able to find a study, or report that says this is bad for you, no it is good for you.  In my view the main thing to remember is that the key to preventing harm lies in moderation.  Even moderation should be taken in moderation from time to time!

I think that many people are aware of the caffiene in thier coffees, but it is worth considering just how much you could be drinking.  I hope that this article may just give some others further insight.

De Longi have a reputation for great coffee makers and this is well deserved especially for the price.  Their machines are great value and the Treviso is no exception. But then again you probably already know this.

The Pros

• This is a fantastically priced machine which brings affordable espressos to a wide range of people
• Relatively simple to use, but operator skill is required (this is half the fun!)
• Very easy to clean
• thia quote from the review site says it all  “I am a fully trained barista and have been for 3 years so deal with top of the range industrial machines all the time. For a domestic machine this is the best i have had or used!”

The Cons

• This isn’t a machine designed for tall mugs – the flatter rounded ones will easily fit under the spout
• Can be a bit noisy whilst the pump is in operation – but this is only for 20-30 seconds
• There have been some reports that this can be a messy machine, but I do think that some if not all of this can be corrected with greater operator skill.

Top Tips

• In order to get a great crema it is best to use a fine powder and as always you should compact it.
• Another tip is to make sure you ‘pre charge’ the machine.  Switch on and wait until red light comes on. Do a ‘blank’ espresso … filter bowl attached and pouring into the cup UNTIL the red light goes off. Everything gets fully warmed and the water is primed. Remove filter bowl and full with coffee. Tamp down. By this time the red light has gone on and you are ready to reapply filter bowl and pour your espresso.

If you want a machine that you can just flick a switch and get great coffee this machine is perhaps not the best machine for you.  However, if you want to begin to develop your espresso skills and have great coffee as well this may just be the machine you have been looking for.

Click hereto find out more about this machine.

A  couple of the machines have already been reviewed on this site:

• The Bosch Tassimo filter coffee machine; and,
• The Krups Gusto (the Duck)

So if you are intrested in a very affordable Nespresso machine, have a look at these 2 first.  However, if you want have a look at some alternative machines (trust me some of these are fantastic) then keep an eye on the site.