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Making a good cup of coffee can be surprisingly tech-heavy. That’s why you see and hear all those machines whirring around behind the counter at your local coffee shop. But those machines and specialized gadgets aren’t exclusively the domain of businesses. You can have all of them ready to go in your kitchen every morning, and they don’t cost as much as you think they do.
In this article: Krups GX204 Coffee Grinder, Cosori Electric Kettle and Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer.
Coffee makers
Before you go down the rabbit hole of machines to improve your coffee, you need to understand the basic devices that turn ground beans into liquid energy.
- Single-serve coffee makers use pods filled with ground beans. You insert the pod, press the power button and watch as hot water pours through the pod and into your cup. The only way to improve on this is to use a reusable pod filled with coffee you grind yourself rather than the usual prepackaged pods.
- Drip coffee makers and single-serve makers are essentially identical, but drip makers have a “pod” space big enough to hold the grounds to make a dozen cups at once. Again, these are more about convenience than top-quality coffee.
- Espresso coffee makers are where things suddenly get complicated, though the reward is entirely worth it. With these, you can make most of the drinks you get at shops, such as lattes, cappuccinos and americanos. You likely don’t need much else if you have one of these.
- Pour-over coffee makers are really just glorified funnels large enough to hold a filter and some grounds. However, this means it’s essential that your grounds are perfect. This is something other coffee tech devices can achieve.
- French press coffee makers are generally considered the best way to make a cup of plain black coffee, though it’s labor- and time-intensive. Like pour-over makers, it’s crucial to have the best possible grounds, or you’re just wasting your energy.
Coffee tech to improve your favorite drink
There are a variety of gadgets that can help you make the world’s best cup of coffee.
- Grinder: This is the number one most important piece of gear you can have. Grinding your own beans opens up the world of coffee to you and ensures that the flavor of the beans you choose is at its peak for every cup.
- Kettle: Using a kettle with makers such as French presses and pour-overs means you’ll never again have a cup that’s too hot or too cold.
- Mug warmer: If you want to ensure your coffee stays at that temperature, pair it with a mug warmer.
- Vacuum canister: Coffee beans eventually grow stale, but you can help them last longer by storing them in a vacuum-sealed canister.
- Milk steamer or frother: A big part of high-end espresso makers is their built-in steamer and/or frother. A steamer uses steam to heat and bubble the milk, while a frother introduces plenty of air to make it frothy and airy. Some devices can do both.
Best coffee makers
Keurig K-Elite Single-Serve Coffee Maker
Keurig is among the best when it comes to single-serve coffee makers, and the range of options this one affords is tough to beat. It comes in brushed gold, brushed silver and brushed slate.
Sold by Amazon
This drip coffee maker is among the simplest you can find. You just need to fill it with water and grounds, then press a single button. It comes in 5- or 10-cup capacities.
Sold by Amazon
Breville Barista Express Espresso Coffee Maker
This espresso coffee maker does everything you could want, from having a milk steamer to having a bean hopper that grinds only the beans you need for each cup.
Sold by Amazon
Melitta Pour-Over Coffee Maker
This pour-over maker exemplifies the “just a fancy funnel” archetype of the category. It has helpful ridges on the interior to keep the filter in place and is dishwasher-safe.
Sold by Amazon
Bodum French Press Coffee Maker
Part of the joy of using a French press is watching the grounds get all their flavor squeezed out of them, and this transparent maker allows for that. It’s also dishwasher-safe.
Sold by Amazon
Best coffee tech
This grinder eliminates complications by putting its control under a single button. Hold to grind finely or pulse to grind to preference. It can hold enough grounds for 12 cups of coffee.
Sold by Amazon
Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill
This grinder has 18 choices for how finely to grind your beans and can hold enough ground coffee to make 32 cups. It comes in five colors, including stainless steel and black.
Sold by Amazon
This kettle has five temperatures to choose from: 170, 180, 195, 205 and 212 degrees. It also has a hold temperature setting, so you can use it when you’re ready.
Sold by Amazon
This kettle is simpler, having only an on or off button. It automatically shuts down once it reaches the temperature to avoid wasting energy, and if empty it won’t turn on at all for safety.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
This mug warmer is large enough to hold all but the largest mugs, yet small enough to fit in a bag for easy travel. The surface is easy to wipe clean if there are spills.
Sold by Amazon
Tightpac America, Inc. Coffeevac
This vacuum-sealed container can hold up to 16 ounces of beans, whole or ground, and allows your beans to release their stored gases. It comes in 10 designs.
Sold by Amazon
Secura Milk Frother and Steamer
This three-in-one device can heat milk for drinking, froth cold milk and steam hot milk. It comes in 8.4- or 16.9-liquid-ounce capacities and in either stainless steel or black.
Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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