Reddit mentions: The best disposable coffee filters
We found 546 Reddit comments discussing the best disposable coffee filters. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 80 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker - Quickly Makes Delicious Coffee Without Bitterness - 1 to 3 Cups Per Pressing
- Popular with coffee enthusiasts worldwide, the patented AeroPress Original is a new kind of coffee press that uses a rapid, total immersion brewing process to make smooth, delicious, full flavored coffee without bitterness and with low acidity.
- Good-bye French Press! The rapid brewing AeroPress Original avoids the bitterness and high acidity created by the long steep time required by the French press. Plus, the AeroPress paper Micro-filter eliminates grit and means clean up takes seconds.
- Versatile: Easily makes 1 to 3 cups of American coffee per pressing in about a minute. Unlike a French press, it can also make cold brew (in just two minutes!) or espresso style coffee for use in lattes, cappuccinos and other espresso based drinks.
- Perfect for home kitchen use, the AeroPress Original is lightweight, compact, portable and durable, making it also ideal for traveling, camping, backpacking, boating and more!
- Includes the AeroPress press, funnel, scoop, stirrer, 350 paper mMicro-filters and a filter holder. Phthalate free and BPA free. Mug not included. Assembled measurements: 9 1/2" h X 4" w X 4" d
Features:
Specs:
Color | Gray |
Height | 11.75 Inches |
Length | 4.75 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 1 to 4 Cup |
Weight | 0.4 Pounds |
Width | 4.5 Inches |
2. AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker with Tote Bag - Quickly Makes Delicious Coffee Without Bitterness - 1 to 3 Cups Per Press
Popular with coffee enthusiasts worldwide, the patented AeroPress is a new kind of coffee press that uses a rapid, total immersion brewing process to make smooth, delicious, full flavored coffee without bitterness and with low acidity.Good-bye French Press! The rapid brewing AeroPress avoids the bit...
Specs:
Color | Clear Smoke Tint |
Height | 11.02 Inches |
Length | 5.12 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | September 2014 |
Size | 1 EA |
Weight | 0.4 Pounds |
Width | 5.12 Inches |
3. Hario V60 Paper Coffee Filters, Size 02, 100 Count, Natural - Tabbed
- Hario V60 cone shaped disposable paper filters for pour over drippers. Each filter is single-use, made of 100% unbleached paper pulp
- Our pour over cone coffee filters produce clean, flavorful, sediment-free coffee
- Contains 100 disposable natural size 02 paper filters
- Designed to fit cone-shaped, Size 02 pour over coffee drippers
- Size 02 capacity is 1-4 cups
Features:
Specs:
Color | Natural |
Height | 24 Inches |
Length | 21 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | October 2018 |
Size | Size 02 |
Weight | 0.31 Pounds |
Width | 14 Inches |
4. Hario V60 Paper Coffee Filters, Size 02, 100 Count, White
Hario V60 cone shaped disposable paper filters for pour-over brewersEach filter is for single time useContains 100 disposable white size 02 paper filtersCapacity of Size 02 is 1-4 cupsDesigned in Japan to fit the cone shaped Size 02 dripper
Specs:
Color | White |
Height | 24 Inches |
Length | 21 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | Size 02 |
Weight | 0.22 Pounds |
Width | 14 Inches |
5. Melitta Cone Coffee Filter #2 100 Count- Natural Brown
Melitta #622752 100CT #2 BRN Filter MELITTACountry of origin : United States
Specs:
Color | Brown/Coffee |
Height | 6.75 Inches |
Length | 2.25 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 1 Box |
Weight | 0.34 Pounds |
Width | 4.25 Inches |
6. Kalita 22199 Wave Filters, 185, Pack of 100, White (Japan Import)
Good filter for drip and brewery.
Specs:
Color | White |
Height | 12 Inches |
Length | 8 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 0.31 Pounds |
Width | 14 Inches |
7. CHEMEX Classic Coffee Filters, Squares, 100 ct - Exclusive Packaging
Step 1: Fold the CHEMEX filter in half. Then fold in half again, bringing the two corners together. Place your finger between the 3rd and 4th layer and open into a funnel.Step 2: Place the funnel in the top portion of the CHEMEX coffeemaker, with 3 layers on the groove side. The groove is an air ven...
Specs:
Color | Clear |
Height | 6.25 inches |
Length | 6.25 inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 5-13 Cup |
Weight | 1.2 Pounds |
Width | 4.5 inches |
8. Melitta #4 Cone Coffee Filters, Natural Brown, 100 Count
- Cone Coffee Filters: These fit all 8 to 12 cup electric drip coffeemakers with flat bottom basket style filter holders; Our filters trap more bitter oils and impurities for a better cup of coffee
- Advanced Design: Our coffee filters feature Microfine Flavor Enhancing perforations that allow the full coffee flavor to filter through and a double crimped filter design to help protect against bursting
- Number One Coffee Filter Brand in the World: Our cone, basket and single serve filters are all designed to brew rich, flavorful coffee; They are all compostable and made of high quality paper that won't tear for mess-free brewing
- Optimal Brewing: Our products are designed to provide optimal extraction resulting in a rich and flavoful cup of coffee which is never bitter
- Join the Pursuit for Better Coffee: Melitta is dedicated to providing the ultimate coffee experience with our premium coffee filters, coffee pods, pour-over brewers, coffee makers and premium coffees
Features:
Specs:
Color | Natural Brown No 4 |
Height | 8 Inches |
Length | 5.25 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | June 2006 |
Size | 100 Count (Pack of 1) |
Weight | 0.02 Pounds |
Width | 2.25 Inches |
9. AeroPress Replacement Filter Pack - Microfilters For The AeroPress Coffee And Espresso Maker - 350 count
Designed for use with the AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker, the paper microfilters prevent grounds from entering your cup, unlike with French press coffee brewers.The AeroPress coffee and expresso maker is a new kind of coffee press that uses a rapid, total immersion brewing process to make smoot...
Specs:
Color | 85276000817 |
Height | 0.2 Inches |
Length | 2.6 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | October 2018 |
Size | 350-ct. |
Weight | 0.0881875 Pounds |
Width | 1.57 Inches |
10. Hario V60 Disposable Paper Coffee Filters, 100 Count, Size 02, Natural, Untabbed
Hario V60 cone shaped disposable paper filters for pour-over brewersEach filter is for single time useContains 100 disposable natrual tabbed size 02 paper filtersCapacity of Size 02 is 1-4 cupsDesigned in Japan to fit the cone shaped Size 02 dripper
Specs:
Color | Natural |
Height | 2.8 Inches |
Length | 5.67 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | Size 02 |
Weight | 0.272932280356 Pounds |
Width | 5.31 Inches |
11. Melitta #2 Cone Coffee Filters, White, 100 Count
ADVANCED DESIGN: Our cone coffee filters feature Microfine Flavor Enhancing perforations that allow the full coffee flavor to filter through & a double crimped filter design to help protect against bursting.QUALITY FILTERS: Our cone, basket and single serve filters are all designed to brew rich, fla...
Specs:
Color | White No 2 |
Height | 6.81 Inches |
Length | 2.2 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | June 2006 |
Size | 100 Count (Pack of 1) |
Weight | 0.2 Pounds |
Width | 4.21 Inches |
12. CHEMEX Bonded Filter - Natural Square - 100 ct - Exclusive Packaging
- Step 1: Fold the CHEMEX filter in half. Then fold in half again, bringing the two corners together. Place your finger between the 3rd and 4th layer and open into a funnel.
- Step 2: Place the funnel in the top portion of the CHEMEX coffeemaker, with 3 layers on the groove side. The groove is an air vent (and also the pouring spout) and allows air to escape from the lower portion of the coffeemaker, letting the coffee filter
- Step 3: Put coffee in the filter paper cone. Use one heaping tablespoon per cup of coffee (adjust to personal taste if needed after first brew). Refer to brewing instructions for remaining steps.
- THICKER: 20-30% thicker than the competition, specialty fiber filter design keep bitter elements, oils, and grounds in their place (and out of your cup)
- Fits all CHEMEX Coffeemakers except CM-1, CM-1C, CM-1GH
Features:
Specs:
Color | Original version |
Height | 6 inches |
Length | 6 inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 100 Count |
Weight | 0.38 Pounds |
Width | 4.5 inches |
13. EZ-Cup Filters by Perfect Pod - 1 Pack (50 Filters)
EZ-Cup Filters by Perfect Pod - 11 Pack (550 Filters)
Specs:
Color | Multicolor |
Height | 4 Inches |
Length | 5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | STD |
Weight | 0.1 Pounds |
Width | 2 Inches |
14. BUNN GOURMET504 Commercial Coffee Filters, 1.5 Gallon Brewer (Pack of 500)
- High-quality, heavyweight paper
- Taller, stronger sides to help avoid overflow of grounds
- Paper stock produced using an elemental chlorine-free (ECF) bleaching method.
Features:
Specs:
Height | 9.75 Inches |
Length | 11.75 Inches |
Number of items | 500 |
Size | 500 CT |
Weight | 5 Pounds |
Width | 9.75 Inches |
15. Disposable Filters Compatible with Keurig Brewers- 300 Replacement Single Serve Paper Filters Compatible with Regular and Reusable K Cups- Use Your Own Coffee
- Compatible with Solofill, EZ-Cup, My K-Cup, EkoBrew, Simple Cups, Disposacups, etc
- No Mess - Fully Disposable Single Serve Filters Compatible with K-Cups
- Use Simple Cup Filters Your way with your own choice of coffee
- Save money - Environmentally friendly
- Compatible with k cups and reusable k cups!
Features:
Specs:
Color | White |
Height | 5 Inches |
Length | 6 Inches |
Size | 300 |
Weight | 0.03 Pounds |
Width | 4 Inches |
16. 50 pieces/bag Hanging Ear Drip Coffee Filter Paper Bag Eco-friendly Material Drip Type Portable Coffee Paper Filter
- Hanging Ear Coffee Bag Portable Drip Coffee Filter
- Unique filter hook design, simple and convenient
- Firmer, crepe textured paper for superior coffee filtration
- Bonded without the use of any glues or chemicals, and certified dioxin-free
- Package included:50pcs Disposable Coffee Filters
Features:
17. Melitta #4 Cone Coffee Filters, White, 100 Count
- Fits Melitta, Krups, Braun, Oster and other coffeemakers that use these sizes
- 100% chlorine free
- Double crimped filter design will not burst
- Micro fine flavor enhancing perforations allow the full coffee flavor to filter through for a richer more flavorful cup of coffee
Features:
Specs:
Color | Brown |
Height | 5.25 Inches |
Length | 2.12 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 100 Count (Pack of 1) |
Weight | 0.5 Pounds |
Width | 8 Inches |
18. Kalita Wave Filter 185 [Dripper 185 / for 2~4 Persons] 50x3-bo
- coffee
- kalita
- Kalita
- filtar
Features:
Specs:
Color | Brown |
19. Chemex Bonded Filter - Natural Square - 100 ct - Exclusive Packaging
- Step 1: Place the funnel in the top portion of the CHEMEX coffeemaker, with 3 layers on the groove side. The groove is an air vent (and also the pouring spout) and allows air to escape from the lower portion of the coffeemaker, letting the coffee filter
- Step 2: Put coffee in the filter paper cone. Use one heaping tablespoon per cup of coffee (adjust to personal taste if needed after first brew). Refer to brewing instructions for remaining steps.
- THICKER: 20-30 percent thicker than the competition, specialty fiber filter design keep bitter elements, oils, and grounds in their place (and out of your cup)
- Fits all CHEMEX Coffeemakers except CM-1, CM-1C, CM-1GH
Features:
Specs:
Color | No Color |
Height | 1 Inches |
Length | 12.99 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 100 count |
Weight | 1 Pounds |
Width | 6 Inches |
20. Filtropa 8640 4 Paper Coffee Filters (White, 100 Count)
- You will receive (1) box of 100 #4 paper filters
- Paper approved by the International Food and Drug Administration
- Bonded without the use of any glues or chemicals, and certified dioxin-free
- For cone shaped brewers
- Made in Holland
Features:
Specs:
Color | White |
Height | 4 Inches |
Length | 20 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | #4 |
Weight | 0.06172943336 Pounds |
Width | 13.2 Inches |
🎓 Reddit experts on disposable coffee filters
The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where disposable coffee filters are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
Well this is gonna get kinda long and will only scratch the surface but I'll break down the pros and cons of some of the most popular entry-level gear in as un-confusing of a way as I can. First up, let's look at grinders.
First off, you want a burr grinder, particularly a conical burr grinder because those blender-y blade grinders they sell at wal-mart for $5 don't get any kind of a consistent grind. Varying sizes in a grind means varying levels of extraction in the cup and that means off flavors. Because burr grinders are more expensive, hand crank conical burr grinders are commonly recommended to beginners because of their lower price point compared to similar quality electrics. They're cheap and work well but do have some drawbacks beyond the extra effort involved in grinding. First, most of them don't have actual grind settings and you adjust the grind size by twisting a wheel until it looks as fine/coarse as you want it to. If you use different brew methods and switch grind size a lot, this can be a bit of a pain. Second, most hand grinders aren't ideal for french press because of the way the burrs are stabilized; they'll give fantastic fine/medium grinds but the coarse grind is a tad inconsistent. That said, I use a hand grinder for french press all the time and am relatively happy with the results. A few common ones are:
The Hario Skerton. I personally have one and love it. As I said, not perfect for french press but it's a durable daily driver that never lets me down and can do an espresso grind damn near as well as a $300 baratza
The hario mini is essentially the same grinder in a different, smaller package. Perfect for travel
The porlex JP-30 is a tad more expensive but has grind settings that, while unmarked, do "click" into place making adjusting grind coarseness a bit easier
If you wanted to go the electric route, I've seen refurbished Baratza encore grinders for around $100. This will give you a mediocre espresso grind but a perfect and much easier drip and french press grind
Next up: preparation methods
French presses use a metal mesh filter, which gives you all of the oils in the cup and lets a tiny bit of really fine coffee solids through, which gives the cup a rich, full-bodied, velvety character They're also very easy to use as there's pretty much one accepted way to brew in them. And here's Philly's own Todd Carmichael demonstrating it. As far as which one to buy, they're all pretty much the same: a glass tube with a stick in it and some mesh on the end of the stick. I like my sterlingpro a lot but the bodum chambord is hugely popular and looks just as nice. Even a cheapo will do the job just as well, though, even if it doesn't look as nice.
pourovers do essentially the same thing as a drip coffee machine just with a lot more input from you, which is good because all but the most ludicrously expensive drip machines are very inconsistent and don't work as well as just doing it your own damn self. With a pourover, you're going to use a kettle or measuring cup with a spout to pour the water over the grounds in a set amount of time (3-4 minutes depending on the grind size) and usually in a very specific manner. Because these use a paper filter, there are no oils or insoluble solids in the cup so the coffee is clearer, tastes cleaner and usually a bit brighter than french press coffee. Popular models include the Hario v60 which is one of the more finicky models. If you decide on one of these, be sure to use a gooseneck kettle like Mr. Carmichael was using in the french press video above. Slightly more forgiving are the kalita wave and the melitta both of which would work fine with a normal kettle so long as it has some type of pour spout. If you want something with very thick filters, so as to produce a very clear cup, and also looks very nice, the chemex is a beautiful thing that produces great coffee, has a built-in carafe, and can make more than one cup at a time. Really more of a replacement for a large-volume drip machine than most pourovers.
The Aeropress is an absurdly popular, extremely versatile, and very well priced coffee brewer which is essentially a huge syringe with a paper filter instead of a needle. There's a thousand recipes online with different ways to use it, all of which produce a different cup.
Also worth noting is that you may want a kettle with temperature control, coffee should be brewed at 195-205F, so knowing what temp your water is helps reduce a lot of the headaches of cooling off boiled water for a vague amount of time. This bonavita is a little on the pricey side but has temp control and a gooseneck, which is always useful
> I really want to learn to make good coffee at home so that my wife is happy to wake up in the morning. Plus, I'd like to save some money instead of going to Starbucks every morning. I don't personally like coffee (I wish I did. Closest I came to enjoying coffee was drinking a caramel brulée latte from Starbucks last Christmas) but I find the craft of it absolutely fascinating. And I'm really interested in learning to get my wife's perfect cup of coffee down to a science. (And if I learn to enjoy coffee, all the better)
So I started down this exact path about 8 or 9 years ago for my gal as well. I also had no interest in coffee but enjoyed the convergence of art & science.
Anyway the following is what I ended up with [and what I paid].
You can be patient like I did and buy over time to get things on sale but after owning each item for multiple years now I can wholeheartedly recommend each component.
All in a buddy was using a Keurig for the past few years and when it broke he reached out to me for the same thing. He bought everything but the scale (it was almost $70 when he was buying) and his wife is in LOVE with the setup. The neat thing is once you get the grinder and scale your options to multiple brewing methods opens up. Then with the water kettle you can then use it all for the Aeroporess, Kalita Wave, Chemex, V60, Clever Dripper (ETC) brewing methods.
Anyway once you have good enough gear you can then start trying finding local roasters and different beans. We have tried a few local joints and just recently found a few beans roasted fresh that are substantially better than anything we were purchasing in grocery stores. Alternatively there are SO many online stores to try (and a biweekly friday thread on r/coffee for what beans people are currently trying).
Compared to the $5+ a drink at starbucks we make great coffee at home for typically less than $1 a cup and it takes less than 5 minutes all in, including cleanup.
There are some very affordable burr grinders out there, and it's worth the investment. You'll use it pretty much everyday. Hand grinders can be very cheap, and work great. Hario Skerton is a popular choice (I've seen it around for cheaper, but this is at least what's on amazon). Plenty of options, all varying in price. There's a pretty decent burr grinder from Kona I've used before, which I got for like $20.
But manual grinding can take some time. And if you're like me, and you want some quick coffee in the morning, then it's worth investing in an electric. There are some pretty decent electric burr grinders out there. You really don't have to pay a fortune. Here are a few cheap options:
Capresso Infinity
Bodum Bistro
Baratza Encore
But you can get far snobbier than just grind...
What kind of water are you using? Hopefully filtered, not tap. And definitely not distilled, since you want some of those minerals for flavor. Now, if you want to get even fancier, try using these mineral packets. I think each packet mixes in with 1 gallon of distilled water. I haven't tried it myself (I just use a brita) but I've heard good things. The quality of water makes a huge difference. This was the first "eureka" moment for me, when I moved from tap to filtered.
Next, how are you making your coffee? There are some great, cheap equipment out there. In this sub, here are some pretty cheap and popular choices:
Aeropress
Chemex
Pour-over
French press
We're getting pretty deep in the rabbit hole, right? Not yet! How about measuring the weight of the coffee? Consistency is important. You need the same, proper coffee-to-water ratio for the best cup. You can find people debating over the best scales, some costing hundreds. I'd just get a cheap one if I were you. You can find some decent cheap ones from like $10 to $30. If you want the best bang for your buck, look into American Weigh Scales.
I guess I can mention temperature of water as well. You can get thermometers or even electric kettles with built-in thermometers (like this). I think temperature matters so much more for tea than coffee, but it's something you need to keep in mind for coffee as well.
Here's probably the most important thing, in my opinion: where are you getting your coffee? What is the roast date? Unless you're buying your coffee directly from the roaster, you're probably not buying freshly roasted beans. It makes a world of difference. Try finding a local roaster and getting your beans from them, freshly roasted.
I'm sure there's plenty of other ways you can splurge money on coffee, but I'll let you figure it out!
(edited to fix the links)
That grinder will possibly give you issues with pour over. V60 is really picky too, and you will probably want a gooseneck kettle to use with it to make it much easier to get a good cup. The potential issue with that grinder (or similarly priced ones, which are all knock-offs of another hand grinder) is that it might give you a really inconsistent grind with a lot of fines, which could cause your pour over brew times to vary wildly and take far too long (ruining your coffee).
How much coffee do you want to make at once? If only one cup, here's what I recommend:
If you want a larger amount of coffee (though you might find making your own coffee with fresh beans gives you more of a kick of caffeine than a cup from McD), then pour over is a good way to go, but will probably require more and better equipment in order for it to not suck. The V60 is the pickiest pour over about grind consistency. I don't make large batches, so maybe someone else can chime in with recommendations for devices that might handle a lower quality grind. But no matter what, a better grinder will improve both your ability to make pour over, and the taste of the coffee. If you want to stick with pour over, here's what I recommend for equipment in order for it to not be hard and get coffee that doesn't suck out of it:
And I would recommend going with white/bleached filters instead of the natural/brown ones. The nat/brown ones always have a strong paper taste you can't really get rid of.
Hey man, let me hit you with my personal coffee journey. It worked super well for me, and it starts pretty entry-level. I highly recommend.
So, first and foremost, you need to start with pourover. Here's a pretty cheap starter set. Then you'll also need a kitchen scale, here's one of the smallest, most accurate ones I've found.
I'd also recommend getting an automatic burr grinder, which isn't exactly entry level, so it could be a secondary purchase if you find that you really want to get ball-deep into coffee. I started off with the Infinity Grinder, which worked well for me until I got an espresso machine (more on that later). But for pourover and most other methods (aeropress, coffee maker, even shit like siphon coffee, it's perfectly fine). Having an electric grinder is just going to make your life easier overall. But if you don't want to jump right into that, you could use the grinder included in the set I listed (I've never used it - it's probably not great, but I'm sure it'll work).
And that's all you need to make one god damn good cup of coffee. I've spent thousands of dollars on coffee equipment over the years, but for me, the best way to brew a simple cup of coffee is using a pourover method. And it's incredibly fun!
Now, once you've got a few months of pourover under your belt, it may be time to move onto other methods of brewing. Grab yourself an Aeropress. Aeropress effectively is the midpoint between normal coffee and espresso. It absolutely does not make real espresso, regardless of what anyone tells you, but that doesn't mean what it makes isn't super delicious. Plus it lets you start experimenting with the closest thing you'll be able to get to cappuccinos, and other fun things like flavored lattes when you have company over and want to impress them with some tasty java.
The Aeropress is fantastic, and it's ridiculously easy to clean. It's a nice way to be able to travel with a decent coffee maker, too.
Then, once you've got a couple years of delicious coffee down, it's time to get into the big leagues. Espresso.
Holy fuck dude. Espresso is complicated, and you really have to throw away everything you thought you knew about coffee. I know how pretentious that sounds, but it's super true. What I went with was a Crossland CC1, which was mainly because I got it for cheap on Craigslist for $400. But, warning, the Infinity Grinder will not grind accurate enough for espresso. For that you'll need something like a Baratza Hario or Sette 270 (I went with the Sette 270).
Anyway, that's waaaaaaaaay in your future. I'd highly recommend just starting off with pourover and some great beans (check locally, or order from Intelligentsia).
Enjoy your journey, bro. It's a great world out there.
This won't be 100% relevant but I already have it typed so I'mma just copy paste it here and make some notes at the end:
>Well here's the thing about coffee, it's finicky stuff. Much moreso than most Americans would give it credit for. Automatic machines like you have can deliver quality coffee, but unless the one you have cost $200 or more, it won't really be up to the task of making cafe quality coffee. If you want coffee of the same quality (or even better) you'd find at a cafe, you're going to have to know a couple things. Don't worry, I'll tl;dr this with a few specifics at the end, but right now I'm going to go over the things that affect how coffee tastes:
>Bean quality: probably the most esoteric and taste-dependent part of coffee, it's not much worth getting into grading, processing, etc, just suffice it to say that folger's is definitely not using top-rate beans and they're mixing robusta (high caffeine, very bitter) in with arabica (moderate caffeine, much better flavor), whereas a decent coffee shop is using 100% arabica
>Freshness: Coffee goes stale quick and the flavors dull within about three weeks, a month tops after roasting. Those mass market beans are months old by the time you get them off the shelf. The good news is that there's almost definitely a roaster near you who sells decent beans that are nice and fresh roasted. The bad news is that the cheapest decent coffee you'll find is ~$10/lb most places.
>Grind: piggybacking on my last point, coffee, even when sealed in those cans, goes stale VERY fast after being ground (like, within an hour), so buy whole bean and grind it yourself right before brewing
>Grind consistency: if the grind isn't uniform, the coffee won't extract evenly and will taste off. The normal blade grinders you think of when you think "coffee grinder" won't work, you'll need a burr grinder, whether hand crank or electric. Doesn't have to be fancy but it does have to be a burr grinder
>Brew ratio: coffee will optimally be brewed (for most methods) with 16 or 17g of water (a fat tablespoon) for each gram of coffee. You can guestimate it but digital kitchen scales that read in grams can be had for dirt cheap on amazon. IME people who don't know about brewing coffee tend to use way too little coffee for the amount they brew. This extracts too much from the grounds and makes it watery and bitter
>Brew time: each method has its own ideal brew time but for most, like pourover or french press, ~4 minutes is optimal
>Water temperature: Coffee should ideally be brewed between 195-205Fthis is where the vast majority of home drip machines fail, the reason that /r/coffee approved drip machines start off at like $200 is that they have big, heavy copper heaters that can reach ideal brew temp, most drip machines have crummy weak heating coils that end up brewing at lower temperatures and making the coffee taste flat and sour.
>#TL;DR
I know this seems overwhelming, so I'll give you a nice, easy starter kit and instructions how to use it to get you started. And I know you said your bank account was getting crushed, so I'll make this nice and wallet-friendly
>For a grinder, go with either this manual one which has the advantage of being really cheap and producing decent grinds, but will take some effort to grind your coffee (2-3 minutes) and setting the grind size can be a pain, or if you want to spend a little bit more and get an electric, go for this one, it's not the greatest in the world but for a starting point it works ok and it's darn cheap.
>You can either keep brewing with your auto drip or, if you're still not satisfied, get a french press. They're crazy easy to use (weigh coffee, put in press. Place press on scale and tare. Pour in water. wait four minutes. drink), and they can be had for damn cheap
>Then find someone who roasts coffee near you, get some beans, and enjoy!
>Anyway sorry to bombard you with the wall of text but coffee's a complicated thing and we're hobbyists (and snobs) around here. Hope that helps! Feel free to ask more questions
>EDIT: forgot to add in Todd Carmichael's awesome instruction video for the french press.
If you're brewing for one, though, I'd look at the Aeropress, the learning curve is a bit steeper than FP but it makes wicked good coffee, is extremely versatile, and (my favorite part) cleanup is super quick and easy. And if you're willing to shell out a little more for a grinder take a peek at the Baratza encore.
EDIT: link to the aeropress and just one of many, many recipes for it. I actually used that recipe just last night and it came out fantastic. Might make myself one right now, actually...
Hey there. I'll give you a little summary of what I think most people on here will tell you in response to your questions.
Books: Blue Bottle ,Coffee Comprehensive and Uncommon Grounds are all good books to cover most of coffee and its processes.
This Capresso Infinity is considered a pretty decent burr grinder for the price. It will not do espresso but will be good enough for most other coffee brewing methods.
Getting a set up that is acceptable for "real" espresso is kind of expensive. A Gaggia classic is considered the bare minimum espresso machine for a "real" espresso. A Baratza Virtuoso is considered bare minimum for a decent espresso grinder. Now, you can (and many people do) find these items used, which obviously reduces the cost greatly. But depending on your area, finding these items up on craigslist or similar sites can be pretty rare.
I'm not from Rhode Island, but googling local roasters will provide some results. As for online ordering, tonx, blue bottle and stumptown are favorites around here for their price and quality. Beans are broken down on what region they came from, how they were processed and how dark they are roasted. Each region has different flavor profiles in their beans. African beans are known for being more fruity than other beans, for example. A little warning, most people on this subreddit believe Starbuck's espresso roast coffee to be too dark. However, many of Starbuck's light/Medium roast coffees have been reviewed as pretty decent. Most websites that sell the beans will list a flavor profile of the beans. The basic saying on this subreddit is that if you have crappy beans, no matter what, your coffee will be crappy. If you are going to overspend anywhere in the process, overspend on quality beans.
The espresso machines that you will be using at starbucks are machines that will basically produce espresso at the push of a button. They will grind, tamp and extract the espresso without any input from you. You should just know right off the bat that there is a whole other world to espresso making that is the exact opposite, with people grinding the beans to the right size, tamping by hand, and extracting shots with a lever that controls pressure. Neither way is right or wrong, you should just know that there are many different types of espresso machines and baristas.
I'll share a little bit of advise, take from it what you will. I was an ambitious college student coffee drinker just like you. I asked for a Breville espresso machine as my first real coffee making device (even before a grinder, how silly of me). I just wanted an espresso machine because that was all I was getting from these coffee shops. Since then I've gotten a nice grinder, a melitta pour over, french press, gooseneck kettle, aeropress, V60, moka pot, and chemex. I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't turned on my espresso machine in over a year. There is so much more to coffee than espresso. There are so many methods to brew coffee that are cheaper, more complex and more interesting. If I had a chance to do it all over again, I'd buy the burr grinder I linked, and an Aeropress or any french press (Starbucks sells some pretty nice ones. You could get one with an employee discount) and just learn to love coffee on its own, without frothed milk and flavorings.
There is a ton of info on this subreddit if you stick around for awhile. Questions like yours are posted all the time and answered by very knowledgable people. Your enthusiasm for coffee is extremely exciting to see. Please don't let any of my advise subtract from your enthusiasm. Everyone takes a different path while exploring coffee. That's part of the excitement. You will learn a lot at Starbucks and you will learn a lot if you stay here. Enjoy your stay.
To answer your question, the strength of your coffee is mostly influenced by how much coffee you're using versus how much water. For a strong cup with your Keurig, go with the setting with the smallest amount of water. The Keurig is by no means the "best" method to make coffee, but it will make coffee. If you decide to get a manual brewer (French press, Aeropress, Kalita Wave, etc.) the brew time has some leeway, but I'd recommend just using more coffee than trying to push the recommended brew time too far. Coffee can/should be strong without being bitter, and keeping the water and coffee together too long will create bitterness.
What follows is everything you need to know about making great coffee. Warning, this may be overwhelming:
and 2) Those are your best bet. Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, you can get an automatic blade grinder if you might have an issue with manual grinding/don't want to drop a lot of money. I will mention that darker roasts are easier to grind manually so there's less worry for your wrist. The problem with blade grinders is you get a bunch of differently sized bits, which makes it more difficult to get consistency and figure out a grind size/brew time you like.I would recommend a French press (1 2 3 4) or Aeropress for someone just getting into coffee. They're much more forgiving than pour-over methods, meaning you're less likely to make a bitter cup. They each have their own drawbacks, too. An Aeropress is easier to clean up, but can only make one cup at a time. A French press takes more time to clean, but can make about 3 cups at a time. (By cups I mean a standard 12-ounce mug.) Definitely get a grinder, too (see above). A scale (1 and 2) is optional but recommended. For beans, seek out a local roaster/coffee shop, but there are tons of online options available, too.
Welcome to the wonderful (and sometimes crazy) world of coffee!
You're getting a lot of suggestions for a French press, but I'd recommend an Aeropress instead. Don't get me wrong, the French press makes good coffee, but for me it makes way too much and inevitably you get some grounds in your cup. If you're only going for a single cup and want something a little bit more espresso-esque without the grounds in your mug, the Aeropress is great. Combine that with a nice little burr grinder and a good electric kettle to boil your water (which your DH can use to make cocoa or Crio-Bru) and you're set. It's also nice because it's small and doesn't take up the kind of counter space that a Keurig does, so it also travels well (and it's plastic so you don't have to worry about it breaking in your luggage).
If you do go the Aerporess route throw out the instructions they send you and use the inverted method. I like my coffee a bit stronger and tend to do closer to 1:13 coffee to water ratio. I'd also recommend using a kitchen scale (which you can also use to make yourself a better cook in general, if that's your thing) as you'll get a more consistent cup that way.
Unless you have quite a bit of money and counter space to shell out for a quality machine, don't waste your time with any of the home "espresso" machines. Most of them can't actually get the pressure necessary to make a proper espresso and will either give you something you can make similarly with the Aeropress or French press or they come with pods with pre-ground, coffee, which is shit. The extra time to make a good cup "by hand" rather than using one of the automated machines is well worth the effort.
Regardless of the method you go for, whether you get a French press, an Aeropress, a Chemex pour-over, or a Mr. Coffee drip machine take the extra step of grinding your own beans at home. Coffee beans start losing their flavor as soon as they are roasted, but that can be mitigated by storing them in a cool place in an airtight container out of sunlight and grinding right before brewing. I buy my coffee in bulk at Costco and then vacuum pack my beans into about 1-2 weeks worth packages, but I'm pretentious. Most people will say get a burr grinder, and I tend to agree, but America's Test Kitchen tested to see if you could get a good cup with a blade grinder and it turns out you can (thought they only tested with a really high quality drip coffee maker and no other methods, so it isn't safe to extrapolate their results to other brewing methods).
Happy drinking!
Edit: Apparently I didn't finish a sentence.
I started getting into coffee nearly a year and a half ago, and here is what I did to start:
I bought
Now, bear in mind that I knew that I loved coffee before I invested all this money into it; you should obviously really consider your situation and really get into "good" coffee before splurging on all of this equipment. I now have a French press, a moka pot, and am going to invest in an Aeropress soon, but I still prefer the pour-over method to any other coffee that I've had, thus why I recommend you go that route. It can take some definite getting used to and has a bit of a learning curve, but it is easily worth the effort (tutorial videos will help immensely.
Keep in mind, you needn't buy exactly what I did. Shop around, see what you like and what is in your price range. I will say this, however: if you do go the pour-over method, go for the V60 or the Chemex, they are both easily the best on the market, and the same goes for the Buono kettle, though if necessary you can purchase a different kettle, just so long as it is a gooseneck (which is required to finely control the flow of water).
Many other people will tell you to go with a French press. This is good advice as it has a very slight learning curve in comparison to pretty much every other method (besides maybe the Aeropress, depending on who you talk to): it is literally grinding the coffee coarsely and letting it sit in water for X-amount of time. It also does not take filters, is easy to clean, and is a relatively cheap initial investment (~$20). I like the Brazil model that Bodum makes.
No matter which method you choose to brew with, there are three things that you should not underestimate the importance of (and thus should not skimp on):
Best of luck. There's a lot of good knowledge on this sub, on this sub's How to Coffee: A Primer, and on the Internet in general. Check it all out, pick your path, and enjoy the ride!
After much experimentation, you have a few options:
Many places off-campus & within a reasonable walk serve coffee, but I don't know of any other notable options.
At home, I use an incredibly inexpensive coffee maker: Aerobie Aeropress, with a Hario Hand Mill, both of which are highly-recommended by /r/coffee. I haven't been able to find an amazing place to buy unground coffee beans near campus yet, and I tend to buy beans when in Toronto.
Hope this helps.
Linking OP's problem here...
Chances are 9/10 that the CPU is not "busy", but instead bumping up against a mutex lock. Welcome to the world of high-performance ZFS, where pushing forward the state-of-the-art is often a game of mutex whac-a-mole!
Here's the relevant CPU note from the post:
> did a perf top and it shows most of the kernel time spent in _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore in z_wr_int_4 and osq_lock in z_wr_iss.
Seeing "lock" in the name of any kernel process is often a helpful clue. So let's do some research: what is "z_wr_iss"? What is "osq_lock"?
I decided to pull down the OpenZFS source code and learn by searching/reading. Lots more reading than I can outline here.
txgsync: ~/devel$ git clone https://github.com/openzfs/openzfs.git
txgsync: ~/devel$ cd openzfs/
txgsync: ~/devel/openzfs$ grep -ri z_wr_iss
txgsync: ~/devel/openzfs$ grep -ri osq_lock
Well, that was a bust. It's not in the upstream OpenZFS code. What about the zfsonlinux code?
txgsync: ~/devel$ git clone https://github.com/zfsonlinux/zfs.git
txgsync: ~/devel$ cd zfs
txgsync: ~/devel/zfs$ grep -ri z_wr_iss
txgsync: ~/devel/zfs$ grep -ri osq_lock
Still no joy. OK, time for the big search: is it in the Linux kernel source code?
txgsync: ~/devel$ cd linux-4.4-rc8/
txgsync: ~/devel/linux-4.4-rc8$ grep -ri osq_lock
Time for a cup of coffee; even on a pair of fast, read-optimized SSDs, digging through millions of lines of code with "grep" takes several minutes.
include/linux/osq_lock.h:#ifndef LINUX_OSQ_LOCK_H
include/linux/osq_lock.h:#define LINUX_OSQ_LOCK_H
include/linux/osq_lock.h:#define OSQ_LOCK_UNLOCKED { ATOMIC_INIT(OSQ_UNLOCKED_VAL) }
include/linux/osq_lock.h:static inline void osq_lock_init(struct optimistic_spin_queue lock)
include/linux/osq_lock.h:extern bool osq_lock(struct optimistic_spin_queue lock);
include/linux/rwsem.h:#include <linux/osq_lock.h>
include/linux/rwsem.h:#define __RWSEM_OPT_INIT(lockname) , .osq = OSQ_LOCK_UNLOCKED, .owner = NULL
include/linux/mutex.h:#include <linux/osq_lock.h>
kernel/locking/Makefile:obj-$(CONFIG_LOCK_SPIN_ON_OWNER) += osq_lock.o
kernel/locking/rwsem-xadd.c:#include <linux/osq_lock.h>
kernel/locking/rwsem-xadd.c: osq_lock_init(&sem->osq);
kernel/locking/rwsem-xadd.c: if (!osq_lock(&sem->osq))
kernel/locking/mutex.c:#include <linux/osq_lock.h>
kernel/locking/mutex.c: osq_lock_init(&lock->osq);
kernel/locking/mutex.c: if (!osq_lock(&lock->osq))
kernel/locking/osq_lock.c:#include <linux/osq_lock.h>
kernel/locking/osq_lock.c:bool osq_lock(struct optimistic_spin_queue lock)
For those who don't read C well -- and I number myself among that distinguished group! -- here's a super-quick primer: if you see a file with ".h" at the end of the name, that's a "Header" file. Basically, it defines variables that are used elsewhere in the code. It's really useful to look at headers, because often they have helpful comments to tell you what the purpose of the variable is. If you see a file with ".c" at the end, that's the code that does the work rather than just defining stuff.
It's z_wr_iss that's driving the mutex lock; there's a good chance I can ignore the locking code itself (which is probably fine; at least I hope it is, because ZFS on Linux is probably easier to push through a fix than core kernel IO locking semantics) if I can figure out why we're competing over the lock (which is the actual problem). Back to grep...
txgsync: ~/devel/linux-4.4-rc8$ grep -ri z_wr_iss
MOAR COFFEE! This takes forever. Next hobby project: grok up my source code trees in ~devel; grep takes way too long.
...
...
And the search came up empty. Hmm. Maybe _iss is a structure that's created only when it's running, and doesn't actually exist in the code? I probably should understand what I'm pecking at a little better. Let's go back to the ZFS On Linux code:
mbarnson@txgsync: ~/devel/zfs$ grep -r z_wr
module/zfs/zio.c: "z_null", "z_rd", "z_wr", "z_fr", "z_cl", "z_ioctl"
Another clue! We've figured out the Linux Kernel name of the mutex we're stuck on, and that z_wr is a structure in "zio.c". Now this code looks pretty familiar to me. Let's go dive into the ZFS On Linux code and see why z_wr might be hung up on a mutex lock of type "_iss".
txgsync: ~/devel/zfs$ cd module/zfs/
txgsync: ~/devel/zfs/module/zfs$ vi zio.c
z_wr is a type of IO descriptor:
/
const char zio_type_name[ZIO_TYPES] = {
"z_null", "z_rd", "z_wr", "z_fr", "z_cl", "z_ioctl"
};
What about that z_wr_iss thing? And competition with z_wr_int_4? I've gotta leave that unanswered for now, because it's Saturday and I have a lawn to mow.
It seems there are a few obvious -- if tentative -- conclusions:
It's just a hypothesis, but I think it may have some legs and needs to be ruled out before other causes can be ruled in.
I was willing to dive into this a bit because I'm in the midst of some similar tests myself, and am also puzzled why the IO performance of Solaris zones so far out-strips ZFSoL under Xen; even after reading Brendan Gregg's explanation of Zones vs. KVM vs. Xen I obviously don't quite "get it" yet. I probably need to spend more time with my hands in the guts of things to know what I'm talking about.
TL;DR: You're probably tripping over a Linux kernel mutex lock that is waiting on a Xen ring buffer polling cycle; this might not have much to do with ZFS per se. Debugging Xen I/O scheduling is hard. Please file a bug.
ADDENDUM: The Oracle Cloud storage is mostly on the ZFS Storage Appliances. Why not buy a big IaaS instance from Oracle instead and know that it's ZFS under the hood at the base of the stack? The storage back-end systems have 1.5TB RAM, abundant L2ARC, huge & fast SSD SLOG, and lots of 10K drives as the backing store. We've carefully engineered our storage back-ends for huge IOPS. We're doubling-down on that approach with Solaris Zones and Docker in the Cloud with Oracle OpenStack for Solaris and Linux this year, and actively disrupting ourselves to make your life better. I administer the architecture & performance of this storage for a living, so if you're not happy with performance in the Oracle Cloud, your problem is right in my wheelhouse.
Disclaimer: I'm an Oracle employee. My opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Oracle or its affiliates.
Hey there! I am also from Ohio! I'll give you two answers.
Cheapest possible way to get into it is a whirly blade grinder and a french press. No filters needed, just fresh ground coffee made rather quickly and easily. This was my first ever coffee set up, and really got me into drinking better coffee. If you tell me what city in Ohio you are closest to I will give you a recommendation on a local roaster to get beans from. Buying locally from a reputable roaster will be the best option for quality beans for a good price.
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The other answer, is to buy nice or buy twice. After using the above set up for a few months I was hooked and decided to upgrade everything. So I will send you some options for the cheapest way to make specialty level coffee. For this I would look at a nicer grinder and a pour over. While hand grinders are great, almost everyone upgrades to an electric one. The linked options there are my favorite for the money. The electric model from baratza can be found refurbished on their website from time to time for addtional savings.
The next thing you'll need is a pour over and a kettle to pour with. I recommend a Chemexhere as they are good for serving one to three cups comfortably. I recommended a glass handle chemex because they are beautiful, but wood necked models are a little cheaper. I would get the white square filters with it as they impart less papery flavor. As for a kettle you have a ton of options. I am going to link a budget electric kettle as I find the stovetop models to be more of a hassle.
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As for healthy sweeteners, brewing it well I hope you won't need them as much, which would be the healthiest. But whole milk and stevia in the raw are your best healthy fixins.
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Hope this is helpful! Happy brewing and welcome to the fam!
$150 is a good amount really, much more generous than other people who are like "I have $30, how do I make cafe-grade espresso at home???"
My list for you:
I won't explain WHY these are really good kits for getting started with, you can just search on this sub and there will be hundreds of articles on that.
And I should stress again, good beans are important. As a Starbucks Barista I am 100% coughing up to the fact that most of our coffee's are charcoal. Use them if you like them, but if you can get something better then you should really be doing so.
First off, there are guides for this already which is why people are not responding. They are in the side bar and I linked them again here:
How To Coffee: A Primer
Coffee Gear Suggestions by Price
Now on to my own advice. I am also relatively new to coffee so my advice is based on researching how to get started over the last couple of months
Give us a budget, but under $100 puts you here:
This guy is great, and clearly very kind. On a side note: Grind is good for fine tuning, but you can go too fine and too coarse with any given brewing method. Going too fine can yield over-extracted coffee, which will taste (among a wide variety of possible over-extracted flavors) bitter. Under extraction with too coarse of grind will be obvious- your coffee is weak and watery, possibly with a grassy taste.
If you do have a coffee shop/roastery in your town, make some face to face friends to talk shop with (the employees, if they aren't asses). Having friends with coffee interests makes coffee way more fun. Like most hobbies, a social aspect adds a lot of depth and increases the steepness of your learning curve.
Lastly, I highly recommend the aeropress as a starting method. It's just as easy and cheap as a french press, and I find the result is much more wonderful. I recognize that others might disagree, but disagreements are part of the fun of it. Good luck, and like AVgvstvs_Caesar, feel free to PM me with questions.
/u/AmNotLost covered the basics really well. I would recommend the Baratza Encore (you can sometimes find them refurbished on their website here).
The method of brewing depends on how you like your coffee. If you like a more big-bodied mouthfeel and are okay with some sediment in your coffee I would recommend a French Press. You can pick them up almost anywhere.
If you like a cleaner cup with more brightness and less sediment I would go with something that uses a paper filter. The Aeropress or Kalita Wave are my recommendations for this (important note: the Aeropress comes with filters, the Kalita Wave does not. You can buy them here).
Next: water. Use fresh, filtered water about 30-45 seconds off the boil to brew with. Water between 195F and 205F is recommended to brew with, and this should put you somewhere in that range.
Use fresh roasted coffee from a local roaster. If you're in even a semi-major city this shouldn't be too tough. If not, you may want to try ordering online. I have plenty of recommendations if you want. In fact, let me know and I can send you a bit of coffee for free to get you started.
Finally, and this cannot be stressed enough, drink what you like.
We here in /r/coffee typically gravitate toward more modern light roasted coffees. I definitely do myself. But if you try a bunch of coffees and still like the taste of medium/dark/burnt to a crisp coffee, then keep drinking it.
I hope this helps and is not too intimidating. Don't hesitate to reach out with questions or anything! I love helping people find the perfect cup of coffee. It is literally my job to do so.
Alright, I'll lay out two set ups for two different price points.
Cheap Set Up
Hario Skerton This is the most basic entry level grinder possible, grinds enough for one person pretty easily, and gets "good enough results for a poor college student
Aeropress You can make full cups of coffee or pseudo-espresso that you can mix with milk for a pseudo, its easy to clean, and probably the most forgiving coffee making tool.
And then any kettle and any scale. Look for cheap on both, were going for cheap here, and were not doing rocket science, should be another 25-30 total for both of these, which lands you just under $100 total for this set up. You don't need to bother roasting beans yourselves, and if you're in a college town theres probably a local roaster around that you can get good quality roasted beans from and be happy with. For cold brew just throw grounds and water in jar in you fridge for a day in a 8:1 ratio, then strain the goop the next day for a solid cold brew concentrate
The pricier beginner college set up
Baratza Encore. If you can afford this, then get it. The things great, does everything but espresso grind really well, and because its not manual its doesn't take that long and it doesn't require any real effort on your part. I love mine, but the $140 price tag could be steep (I wouldn't have bought it when I was in college, I was poor as shit).
Brew Methods: I still recommend at least an Aeropress, but pair it with a 1LFrench press too for when you want to make a lot of coffee at once, or coffee for friends. you can also make cold brew in a French press instead of a jar, and you can use it to strain it out. Also, if you really want to make the closest thing to espresso that you can without blowing $300 dollars, get a 3-cup moka pot. You can find a cheap one at your Ross or Home Goods equivalent.
For kettle, you can get a variable temp one if you want to spend the money, people recommend the Bonavita Variable Temp Gooseneck but I still just use my cheap 15 dollar kettle and am doing fine.
As far as scales go, I still just say find a cheap scale that works well enough.
Bits and Bobs
Hand held Milk Frother for frother hot milk for lattes. Sounds like something you would like.
So I'm breaking in a Baratza Virtuoso (Refurb), and have noticed a few things with the beans I'm grinding Saint Frank Decaf. Hario V60-02 with tabbed filters. I've ordered the 'originals' just to see if it makes a difference.
Looking at the Tetsu Katsuya method, the ideal pour completion time is around 3:30 seconds. I've seen other suggestions in the 2-3 minute range for completion.
I'm grinding at a 30 on my Virtuoso, and with the Katsuya method and 20g of beans it takes about 4:30 before everything drips through. What I'm tasting is a little too sour/acidic. Maybe the coffee compass is biasing me, but I'm pretty sure I'm under extracting.
Some of the better pours I've had with this coffee took 4 to 6 minutes to complete (60 bloom, 70 pour, then two 95g pours for a total of 320g water to 18-20g beans). Trying to grind coarser to get finished at 3:30 results in water going through so fast during the beginning stages I don't think the bloom is actually happening.
Maybe it's just the beans - I've read on Home Barista to really not let the 'finish' time get your goat, and do what tastes best. Which I think I'm going to do from now on.
One thing that did sort of bother me is that increasing coarseness does not always seem to correspond to a reduced finish time. Maybe the steps are just that small, but going from a 25 to a 30 should result in a linear reduction in finish time. I feel like I've seen timings all over the map. I need to start over, but I can't shake the feeling that maybe these beans (or the virtuoso?) are producing a lot of fines that clog up the brew towards the middle/end pours. If someone has any insight into this, it would be super helpful.
I haven't yet stripped down the virtuoso to check the adjustment screws. I'm hoping to avoid that. Part of me is wondering whether this particular bean might be better suited for another brew method, like french press - I'm assuming the presence of fines would be less of an issue, but that's just a guess.
Hey there! I used to be a coffee heretic and then I started roasting. You can't stick with your old ways and expect consistently incredible results when you're trying to produce something incredible.
With that said, you aren't really a heretic. You just have your preference, and it is different than the rest of us. Sure, buzz words like Starbucks and $20 krups grinder are like poison to some ears, but that's not an issue. At least, if you are happy with it then it isn't.
But if you are wanting to stretch yourself in terms of coffee you'll need to look into different options. I don't know what your budget is, so I'm not going to push the $150 grinder on you. But many people around here like the Hario Slim for being small and effective. You may also see the Aeropress promoted around here. It is a popular item around here as well.
Now, in terms of coffee, there are options for you to get quality coffee online. Roasters like Chromatic Coffee offer free shipping to US customers. They are one of my personal favorites. And you may be surprised what a quick google search of your area can find. I'm in a big city that wasn't exactly known for its coffee, but when I searched on Google I found that there are 6 roasters within an hour of my house.
Man that was awesome! Ali and No name you guys slayyy me with everything. I love hearing you guys together. I laughed non stop through this.
/u/bourbon_neat! You're hilarious. Your voice is so very good. Deep. And generally authoritative. <3
I would recommend buckwheat instead of rice/quinoa/cous cous etc.
Bread. All kinds of bread! It's really filling and gives you lots of energy to burn. One time I got a whole 16 oz focaccia round with cheddar cheese and jalapenos and that had to be one of the best things I ever brought into the backcountry. Anyway, bagels/breads with cheese/vegetable toppings are great.
I really like to strain and wash cans of beans(black or dark red kidney), add seasoning (I like any combination of cumin, black pepper, garlic salt, smoked paprika, chili powder) and put it into plastic bags. It's really easy to pack out a plastic bag and it goes really well with buckwheat. Just cook the buckwheat (just as you would cook rice 1 cup water to half a cup of buckwheat as a rule of thumb) and just before all the water is gone add the beans and spices and a little more water and cook for a few more minutes. Probably my favorite backcountry meal.
Nuts(Raw unsalted almonds), dried fruit(craisins), chocolate(dark)... best mid hike snack! Super cheap at costco too! If you don't have a costco card just find someone who does, give them some money and they can get you a gift card then you get in for free! (don't forget to high five!)
Anything that you just add boiling water too is super easy as well, trader joe's has some asian food like this. As long as it's easy to crunch up the packaging and pack it out then it's worth it imo.
The protein bars are a great replacement/back up for sure. I never get beef jerky because it's so expensive (if you look at it per pound) but that's got to be one of the most satisfying backcountry foods (I would assume).
BONUS ^BONUS ^^BONUS Get an AEROPRESS and bring some coffee... thank me later!
...oh man I could go on and on and on... I'll stop here for now
You'll be in for a big, but pleasant, shock if you're going from instant coffee to something freshly and properly brewed. I say go for it - it's one of my favorite brewing devices for sure. Preground coffee will due for now, but if you want the full experience, I'd highly recommend a burr grinder as well. Alternatively, if you're more interested in brewing just one quick cup at a time, I'd recommend an Aeropress. The Chemex brews multiple cups at once and is slower, whereas the Aeropress does one at a time and is very fast. Both devices are inexpensive, simple to use, easy to clean, and will produce great coffee.
I love that your first cup of coffee linked you strongly-enough to the coffee community that you're already saying "we". :-)
Welcome to the
cultclub!I became a coffee snob accidentally, since with each improvement I'd make to my coffee, I could no longer even stomach what I'd enjoyed before. So beware of that . . . That said, my advice would be:
1b. A blade grinder will have been be a waste of $15 when you finally replace it (and you will). Go for a Hario Slim for your first grinder, because even when you upgrade, you'll still use it for travel, work, etc.
My recommended starter kit:
For under $40 shipped, you'll have a setup with minimal sunk cost if you decide manual coffee isn't for you, will make coffee every bit as good (imho) as more beautiful systems, and won't be obsolete if and when you upgrade (since it'll still give you wonderful coffee at work or on the road).
PS. See my essay on my descent into coffee-snobbery I contributed to an online writing community I used to participate in regularly.
PPS. If you meet the Coffee Buddha in the cafe, kill him.
Hello! Happy birthday to your father! As a fellow coffee drinker, why not get him a fancy coffee machine? It isn't too complicated so it's something he could use every day, but it'll make a damn good cup of coffee -- which, I've found as I get older, I enjoy great tasting food and drink more and more and material objects less and less. Maybe that's just because I REALLY love food haha.
http://www.amazon.ca/Aerobie-83R01-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1427734256&amp;sr=8-9&amp;keywords=chemex
Free shipping :D
For the best actual quality of beans, roasting and brewing technique, I have to go with Portola Coffee Lab.
http://www.portolacoffeelab.com/
It's not exactly the best "coffee shop" feel, but the actual coffee is so damn good. Highly recommend the siphon brew method... not many other places have it available. Also the cold brew is really good too (it's not the same thing as iced coffee). Also there's a beer & waffle place around the corner which is amazing (and heart attack inducing).
Keen is also SUPER good and a lot less pretentious.
I drink a lot of damn coffee. If you want to make coffee yourself at home, I highly recommend an Aeropress
I recommend an Aeropress. It's $25, makes the best homemade coffee according to many coffee enthusiasts, is fast, and unbelievably easy to clean up. It sounds too good to be true, but it's really true. I'm such a huge fan of mine that I insist on showing it to my friends so that they'll consider buying one.
Here's the subreddit
And here's a video showing how it works
Make sure to ignore the instuctions and use the inverted method as soon as you feel brave enough. It makes a massive difference for the better.
I would recommend you get an Aeropress over a french press. These are the reasons:
If I was off to college again this would be my first choice. Good luck with college. Remember it's not all about the studies and having fun is important. Cheers.
The Hario Slim is the grinder I use every day. And the Aeropress that I brew my coffee in. Amazon even links them all together in the "commonly bought together" thingus for $65.
Admittedly, $65 sounds like a lot to lay out for anything new. That said, it's very hard to screw up and the Hario/Aeropress duo are, I've found, quite reliable. Mine gets daily use.
A French Press, while terribly fancy, may be more work than you're willing to invest to start yourself off. The Aeropress, conversely, is simple to use, simple to clean up, and well supported by we coffee snobs.
The next thing you'd need are beans. Beans you can get lots of places. Something to be aware of, the reason we prefer going from the bean directly rather than just buying pre-ground is because once you grind the bean you really ought to use it with in a day or two. That tub of Maxwell House was ground up months before you ever opened it. It suffocated long ago and died.
There are numerous roasters that you can order from online with a pound of beans ranging from $13-17 or thereabouts. This is for beans that were usually roasted two or three days before they arrive at your house.
Personally, and not to seem like a shill, but I get my beans from SW Roasting, a fellow redditor. Their sampler pack of beans from multiple continents can be a great introduction and they offer a truly personal service.
If even that seems like a little much for a beginner, I've found the single origin beans on offer from Target's Archer Farms brand aren't terrible. They're cheap, around $9. They're not as freshly roasted as you'd get from one of the online roasters but they're still good.
Admittedly, the initial outlay might seem daunting but you will have set yourself well on your way to coffee snobbery with the rest of us. After that, it's just $15-20 a month for beans depending on how much you drink.
And, really, worlds beyond instant. Go ahead, get the things I mentioned or any of the other options my fellows have suggested. Then, make that instant coffee in a mug you threw in the microwave. Drink it black. Spit it out because you love your tastebuds and wish to apologize to them. Brew some good beans you ground yourself and taste a significant, staggering difference.
USE SUNSCREEN. Wear a hat. Wear sunglasses, bring extras. Bring several pairs of comfortable shoes, flip flops or worn out shoes are going to be a bad time. Carry extra socks with you, amazing how refreshing it is to change your socks in the middle of the day.
Earplugs are a must, for loud music areas and for trying to sleep.
Bring a larger tent than you think you need. Room is nice. also bring a luggage lock - a small combo lock that can fit through your zippers and make it a bit more secure (but lock real valuables in your car.)
In addition to your tent, bring a 10x10 canopy like this to shade your tent or the area in front of your tent. It will keep the sun off of your skin while chilling, and if used over your tent can cool it off inside.
Get some solar powered lights to put in or around your camp. Find a way to put the solar charger outside, outside lights can help you find your tent, light the interior on under the canopy I suggested, and makes it look pretty cool.
If you are worried about juicing your phone, clip one of these to your backpack as you walk around all day. A good one can keep your phone topped off pretty well. Get one per phone, they aren't that heavy. Beats having to visit charging stations.
I posted elsewhere about using a camping stove, these are really good - make sure to get some JetFuel for each one. Bring old pots and pans, a kettle to make hot water, and butter cooking spray is the bomb to keep things fairly non-stick. To make coffee, use a simple pour over device with cone shaped paper filters. Bring reusable cups for each person.
Bring bags for garbage. Try to reduce the amount of plastic you throw away.
If you don't want to pay for showers, bring one of these camp showers. I also bring another 5-gallon container to refill your bag and for washing dishes etc, and a folding wagon to carry it in because I'm too old to struggle.
No problem!
The Aeropress is a single Brand -- Aerobie (makers of the famous flying disc, oddly enough). There's a few different packaging options, but anything like this will be perfect. If you've got any local coffee-focused cafes you might be able to buy one there.
French presses come in all sorts of different brands, and really it doesn't matter all that much. Ikea makes cheap ones that people seem fine with, but Bodum seems to be the "standard". I used to have the Bodum Brazil, I believe, and it served my needs perfectly.
The Aeropress is a single-cup coffee maker (as in 6-8oz), whereas a french press is capable of making a lot more depending on its size. They're both great, simple ways to make great coffee.
As several have already said: don't use cheesecloth to cover your vessel!
I use coffee filters on top of all my vessels... I've even bought some REALLY large ones -- 23" for my 5 gallon crock, and they work GREAT!
But for your size vessel, these work well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NEWA3Y/ I use these on all my 1-gallon vessels and SCOBY hotel, as well as on my 2.5 gallon vessel. Your jar is ~8.5 inches in diameter and these are 13.75 inches, so it gives you lots of overhang to make putting on an elastic band easier.
Here are the large ones on my 5 gallon crock, and the ones I recommended for you above on my Anchor Hocking 2.5 gallon jar: http://imgur.com/gMLnFei
Don't worry, even if you stop brewing, they'll never go to waste -- they make GREAT disposable towels for cleaning glass, especially on your car! It's like a disposable version of a microfiber cloth.
I keep a stack of them in my van with a bottle of Invisible Glass, for when I want to clean my windows on the road, and m'lady grabs them all the time to do the windows in the house.
And as far as holding them on... I got over using rubber bands REALLY quick. They were a pain. I grabbed a jar of these (https://www.harborfreight.com/set-of-20-10-inch-mini-stretch-cords-93672.html) locally at Harbor Freight for $7 and had more than enough for holding filters on many vessels.
I like them so much I get a second jar, and I use them to hold on all my heat maps and temperature probes on to, and don't have to use tape and clean up residue later. You can see them being used this way in the above linked photo.
Good luck!
buy these filters
for this they essentially do the same function as the kcup.
but in all honesty man, unless the keurig is your only option, think about investing in a different system. I got myself a nice chemex and a decent (hand operated) burr grinder, and couldn't be happier. I know it seems like a big jump, but honestly, you'll enjoy your coffee exponentially more.
In the meanwhile, grind your own beans for the keurig and let it open up the world of coffee to you. Get some legit beans and figure out what kinds of taste you like. I've been loving me some yirgacheffe that goes really well with my chemex.
I've got a pretty high quality dorm setup that is approved. Here are your options:
Option 1:
Hario ETL Certified Kettle
Hario V60
Filters
Hario Skim Grinder
Total: $119
Option 2:
Aeropress
Proctor-Silex Water Kettle
Hario Skim Grinder
Total: $66
Currently, I'm using the first setup. The v60 is a great pourover method. You'll be having the best coffee on campus. However, since it requires the gooseneck kettle it runs a greater price. Last year, I had option. The aeropress is a kick-ass coffee maker, and you can get by with the way cheaper water heater since pour method has no factor on the brew. Either way, you'd have the small hand grinder which is cheap, easy to clean, and does a fantastic job.
Either of these will make a solid cup, better than anything you'll find in a keurig.
We can help you out a little better if you had some sort of budget. When I was 13 I got about $5-10 a week from my parents but I knew others that received more or even nothing at all. I'll try to aim for what a typical intro to coffee setup would look like.
So with any method you use the first and most important step is the beans. They should ideally be whole bean and roasted semi-recently (a couple days to weeks ago). This is going to be a reoccurring purchase for you/your parents depending on how often you drink coffee. Price could be anywhere from $7/lb to $15/lb.
Setup 1: You can buy the $8 reusable keurig pod and grind your own coffee. With this method you could get away with using a regular bladed grinder probably. Or you can step it up a bit and buy $25 this hand grinder that gets recommended on here a lot. I have it, it worked pretty well when I was first getting into coffee. You just grinder your beans, fill the pod, and use as normal. Cost for parts: $8-$34
Setup 2: If you get the same $25 hand grinder you can then get either a $24 french press (give a more oily cup, there will always be particulates in your mug, you can also make ~8 cups of coffee with this method) or you can go with the very often recommended, and my current favorite way to make a quick cup, the $26 aeropress. This only makes 1-2 cups at a time but it's hard to make a bad cup with it. Cost of parts: ~$50
You should look of reviews for both the french press and aeropress methods on here or online to figure out what meets your needs better. If these are still to expensive then you can try goodwills or garage sells.
His french press, grinder, and kettle are certainly sufficient for what he's doing. There are certainly upgrades for the grinder (such as this) and the kettle (such as this), but for what he's doing, it's not likely to make much difference.
Others have suggested different brewing methods, which would be nice, but this depends on preference, of course. The Aeropress is probably the best option for someone looking to expand their horizons from the french press.
Given his equipment, the biggest difference is going to come from the beans. I personally have not tried coffee subscription services (such as Tonx), but it sounds like a really neat idea and I've heard generally positive things. Periodically, you get shipments of different kinds of coffee, so you can try new beans.
I like dark roasts, and prefer African coffee beans if I get a choice in it, they have a nice deep and spicy flavor. I get them as whole roasted beans from a coffee shop in town, which roasts them fresh every couple of days. If you are looking to get into it, you can just search for coffee roasters in your area, and if there really aren't any I'd look for roasters who sell single origin beans online. In a pinch, Starbuck's single origin beans are good too, just really expensive for what they are.
I use a hand mill grinder, a gooseneck kettle, and a Chemex coffee maker and filters. It sounds like a lot, but all that together is still cheaper than a decent drip machine. You grind the beans with the grinder (I use 3 heaping tbps of grounds), bring the water to a boil and then let it sit for a minute (letting it come down just a little in temp keeps the coffee from being acidic, the gooseneck also helps with that). Pour a little on the grounds in the filter, and let it sit for about 30 seconds wet to bloom. Then pour the rest and just let it drip through.
The chemex makes the smoothest, best tasting coffee I've ever had, and I've tried quite a few different methods. If you like it stronger, a french press might be better for you.
Stuff:
Chemex Coffee Maker
Filters
Hand Mill Grinder
Goose Neck Kettle
Start with:
Those three things will be enough to start making some great cups of coffee
Head over here if you want more responses!
For beans, please support your local coffee shop or roaster rather than buying Caribou or Starbucks. A lot of folks work their butts off selecting and roasting the best possible beans, and it's really special to be a part of that process as the consumer in my opinion. I do understand that it can be hard if you're from a town with limited options.
I know this can all be a bit confusing if you're used to brewing pots of coffee at a time. If you have any other questions, hit me up!
I almost missed it! I've got a few upgrade from my last post! Here is my gear.
From left to right:
What's next you ask? Well with my neck paycheck, I'm buying the following:
Any recommendations for other gear? Specifically, scale recs?
Edit: Added Amazon links for anyone interested.
Well, knowing your budget would be important, but trying to be cost sensitive, I found a refurbished Baratza Encore for $99, and the brew method many suggest for entry level is the aeropress which is on amazon for about $30. If that's still too steep a price, you can always start off with a decent hand grinder like the Hario Mini Mill which is also about $30 on amazon. The hand grinder is more cost effective, but obviously takes more time and effort than the electric. All of this is fairly good entry level equipment, and you can always trade up grinders, and try new brew methods further down the road if you so desire.
Moka pots are definitely close enough for government work. If there's crema, I'm in. The AeroPress will get you even closer to the real deal, though! (And it doesn't splatter coffee all over my countertop like my $5 Moka with a loose lid ;_;).
ninja science edit for the interested: espresso is made by using air pressure to push boiling water through a "puck" of grounds. This forces a lot of solids and oils out of the grounds that you don't normally get with drip coffee, making it taste richer and stronger. Commercial espresso machines typically generate about 9 Bar of pressure. A Moka pot can generate about 1.5 Bar by forcing the water in the bottom reservoir to boil up through a tube into the grounds chamber, then up through another tube into the "pot" on top. The AeroPress, which uses a manually-operated plunger to generate the pressure, can get up to about 6.5 Bar, much closer to the real deal. All of these options are "real" espresso, but they're the McDonald's to an espresso machine's grassfed sous-vide burger. Still, ain't nothin' at all wrong with that when you just want to drink some damn espresso!
tl;dr - Like espresso? Get an AeroPress and have your life changed.
e: Also like someone else said, a latte-style drink made with drip coffee is called a cafe au lait ("coffee with milk," creative huh?). That's a perfectly valid alternative to espresso for drinks like this where most of the flavor comes from the sugar and flavoring, but you'll have to use a lot more coffee to get the same taste which will affect the texture and the taste to some extent. Still, nothin' wrong with that either, I ain't no coffee snob. Just an ex-barista who loves me some coffee and wants everyone else to too. =)
You should check out an Aeropress before making your decision. Those are super simple to use, they make great coffee, and they're easier to clean than a French press. Also, if you use a French press with finely ground coffee you'll get sludge in the bottom of every cup, which is pretty gross. To really make good French press coffee requires a decent burr grinder that will set you back at least another $100.
Amazon link if you want to check it out
But I have all sorts of coffee making equipment (French Press, Drip machine, multiple pour-over cones, a Chemex, a vacuum pot...) and the Aeropress is seriously great. It makes great coffee and is probably the fastest of all the methods.
A cheap gooseneck kettle and a plastic Hario V60. You will need filters too.
If you want to spend a little more this set has it all.
Keep in mind that a scale is extremely helpful too. If you don’t want to spend the money on a grinder, which everyone is going to recommend, just get pre-ground, quality coffee. I recommend HappyMug online. Happy Mug makes great coffee and will grind it for you before shipping. They also have an awesome little timer for $5 that is helpful at first If you’re using your phone for recipes and stuff.
Here's the thing..
Gooseneck kettle will last you forever and it is an absolute staple if you're going to invest in this hobby/truly enjoy this ritual.
I like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSVV60-Buono-Pouring-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1501770513&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hario+gooseneck+kettle
I also would recommend a scale that can weigh out by the .1 gram (or even more fine). Also a timer is important.
I like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Drip-Scale-Timer/dp/B009GPJMOU/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1501770540&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=hario+food+scale
Kalita wave is very forgiving, great to learn on, and makes a wonderful cup of coffee. I use Kalita Wave each morning and Chemex on weekends.
Kalita Wave: https://www.amazon.com/Kalita-05033-Wave-185-Drippers/dp/B000X1AM0Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1501770620&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=kalita+wave
Kalita Wave Filters: https://www.amazon.com/Kalita-22199-Filters-White-Japan/dp/B00BJBOITS/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1501770637&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=kalita+wave+filters
Good luck buddy!
If you're like me (poor college student), you can pick up an aeropress and a french press and make a decent latte. Many of us here own aeropresses as coffee makers, but I believe it is actually marketed as an espresso maker. It will make an ok espresso, but for a starving college student it's great. The french press can be used to froth warm milk.
Plus, even if you aren't satisfied with the quality, you have two great coffee making devices now! Just grab some fresh beans and join us!
EDIT: I didn't even think about a moka pot! That's better advice.
The Aeropress Coffee Maker I learned about these from a friend who is a coffee pro in our overly caffeinated city and they come highly recommended by all the fancy schmancy baristas around here. I am obsessed with mine, it makes "espresso" (really just very concentrated coffee, but it tastes great) and you can use it to do drip-style coffee or make it into lattes, etc. It comes out delicious, I haven't had a bitter cup since I switched! I gave one to my mom last year and it was such a successful gift pretty much everyone on my list is getting one this year!
Grinder
>Capresso Infinity - $89
>
>or
>
>Hario Mini Mill Slim - $30 - If you don't mind hand-grinding your beans
Coffee Maker
>Aeropress - $23 - Balanced flavour, easy cleanup
>
>or
>
>Hario v60 - $19 - If you enjoy the process of preparing your coffee, and enjoy a brighter (more acidity) cup of coffee.
>
>or
>
>A french press - $20 and up - If you want to make more coffee at a time than the Aeropress, don't mind a "thicker" (more coffee particulate and oils in the cup) coffee, and are not opposed to having a little bit more clean-up.
You'll need a kettle for any of these brew methods; a programmable/temperature controlled kettle like this one ($95) is ideal for manual brew methods, but any kettle (and a thermometer if you'd like to get fussy) will do just fine.
Personally I would get the Capresso and the Aeropress if I were you. It's a very balanced and forgiving brew method that can make coffee a few different ways (eg. paper filter for a "brighter" cup, metal for a thicker one). Set aside the rest of your budget and find a good coffee roaster near you!
Large Clever Dripper is my vote, the ease and larger cups of a french press, but paper filter to make it a cleaner cup and much easier cleanup. The aeropress is fine, but the small cup size is slightly annoying as you have to make a concentrate and water down if you want larger, though it is faster. There's also the cheap test if you want, to get a $5 Melitta dripper with #2 filters that are sold at almost every major grocery store, a lot of times cheaper than you can get online. This is what I use most days now over the Clever/Aeropress/Chemex, I make about 14oz cups.
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It's better to grind right before brewing, but if it's down to like a $10 blade grinder or ground 4 days prior by a big Commercial grinder, the commercial will be better as it's much more consistent. if you want to try before investing in a grinder, go to your local nice coffee shop and when you buy a bag have them grind it for you on their big shop grinder.
I just recently got the V60 for myself and I love it. I'm not by any means a perfectionist when it comes to my techniques, but I can most definitely notice the difference between this and my old brew methods (French Press / Drip).
I got the all glass setup with an all stainless steel electric kettle. It doesn't have variable temp, but I can guess well enough. I was going to go with a metal filter but decided against it. Natural filter papers are fine IMO.
Cleanup requires you to simply ditch the filter with grounds and then follow that up by rinsing out the containers. Not bad at all. In regards to your worry about knocking your current setup over, this setup (dripper and pot), are just set one on top of another. Just be weary of that as well.
Links if you're interested:
Hope this helps!
>Trying to get into coffee at home, looking for shops that offer gear, like a grinder, French press, and kettles, stuff like that.
You're better off ordering online. Get a burr hand grinder. Electric grinders can burn the beans and you can control how course the grinds are with the hand grinder.
Get an Aeropress for espresso. Or can also be used to make regular coffee. This is better than a french press, imo.
By hand grinding fresh beans and perfecting using the aeropress, you can't achieve a better cup of coffee at home.
Well, unlike pc gaming (all aiming towards max fps) coffee is and always will be preference
For example, do you want a machine that does everything? Or are you interested in aeropress / French press?
And after you decide HOW you want to make the coffee you then decide WHAT coffee you like. And now this is the hard part because every coffee tastes different.
And that means order different types and brands till you find one you like.
Just remember you will also need to decide how you like your coffee. Cream / sugar / etx.
Here's what I have:
aeropress: https://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1491729730&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=aeropress
-
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder:https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Conical-Grinder-CoastLine-Digital/dp/B018SW3QPW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1491729701&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Baratza+Encore+Electric+Burr+Coffee+Grinder
-
coffee:https://www.freshroastedcoffee.com/
i'd buy from them directly cause they will roast before shipping but they don't deliver to me. so I just buy from amazon. here is my favorite flavor (current, it changes from time to time) https://www.amazon.com/Nebula-Whole-Coffee-Fresh-Roasted/dp/B00CS67CH8/ref=pd_nav_hcs_bia_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=ZQFRDKX6HMPG7Q1TG6YH
-
under $300
also, for cream i don't use milk i use powdered cream (nestle coffee mate). I find it waters down the coffee (and reduces heat because it's cold) I love hot coffee.
and for sugar I use Brown sugar. Adds a much better flavor then white sugar. but it's all preference
Replying to confirm that I make the best coffee I've ever had with a skerton and v60. Here's my entire set up. These aren't necessarily the best in their class, but they do me well.
-Digital scale (or anything that measures in grams)
-Gooseneck kettle (they make ones that are electric, as well)
-Flow restrictor for kettle (not required, it's just what I have)
-Hario skerton burr grinder
-OE mod for skerton (not required. again, it's just what I have)
-Hario v60 02 (I have the clear plastic one)
-Gerber Pure water (available at Walmart, any "spring water" is what I recommend. My tap water smells of chlorine, so even Britta water is gonna be a bit better than my tap water. You want water that's not too hard, nor too soft. So don't use distilled or RO water or "mineral" water.)
-Digital timer (not required, but I like to time things)
-Hario filters (there's a couple different kinds, try any you want. Mine are the white without the "tabs")
-I'm not linking my mugs/servers. But whatever one(s) you use, I recommend preheating them.
(Edit to add: I have other methods of making coffee. This is just my personal overall favorite.)
V60 Personally I'd get the glass or ceramic one, but they are a bit more.
Filters
Gooseneck kettle with thermometer Warning, I don't have this personally, but it does have good reviews. There are a number of gooseneck kettles on amazon to choose from.
There's a Hario Skerton for $15 used in excellent condition right now
Total=$55.38 Slightly more if you miss out on the Skerton. Beans extra of course. You could make do with whatever kettle you currently have but the gooseneck makes things exponentially easier. Something you could always save for though.
IDK what you're looking for taste wise for beans, but I like Red Bird for reasonably priced coffees that are extremely tasty.
Just something to mention because I see you add coffee in secondary. I recently brewed 12 shots of espresso and used that espresso as the base for my "priming syrup" for half a batch I was experimenting with (I bottled the rest normally, with the simple syrup method). The result has been a fresh, full espresso flavor—even given the fact that it was added to an already powerful imperial stout.
So, assuming you're interested in avoiding secondary even when using coffee, you could give it a shot. I personally secondary all of my beers, but the great thing about "priming" with espresso is you can have whatever process you want up until you bottle and you still get a nice rich coffee flavor.
Oh, and I used one of these to make the espresso. Incredibly handy for a quick latte here and there as well.
Wait...what is your budget? Are you willing to spend £150?? If so, we could probably put together a great beginners setup for your boyfriend.
I'm thinking:
Aeropress
And Baratza Encore but that's a little over 150. Instead of an Aeropress, a Clever would work, too, but you would also need #4 filters.
Actually, if you want to give him a lot of options for 150, you can get him the Aeropress (23), Clever (18), #4 filters (4), Hario Hand Burr Grinder (22), and a Mocha Pot (23) for a grand total of ~90 quid. I'd also add a .1 gram digital scale for 15 extra. So 105 for quite a good introductory setup for coffee (and I'm assuming you have a kettle for boiling water).
What electric kettle do you have? Does it have variable temperature controls and/or a gooseneck spout?
The main ways to improve your setup are a better grinder, better coffee beans, and possibly a better kettle (I'd say, in that order). The other thing to think about is trying out some other brew methods, at least so you can learn about the differences and find out what your preferences are.
If I had your setup and up to $200 available to improve it, I think I'd look for a refurbished Baratza Encore ($99), a $10 - $15 electric scale accurate to within 0.1g, a clear plastic Hario V60 for $6 (along with filters for another $6). That's around $125, leaving extra to try out some nicer coffee beans. For example, Happy Mug has good quality coffee for $11 - $13 per pound plus $3 shipping.
About a year and half ago I went from 0-60 with this setup:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSV-Buono-Drip-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Dripper-V60-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM/ref=pd_sim_k_6
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-White-Filters-Brewer/dp/B001U7EOYA/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1349906139&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=hario+v60+filters
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1349906080&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=hario+hand+grinder
http://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Multifunction-Kitchen-Elegant/dp/B004164SRA/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1349906101&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=kitchen+scale
Here is a video I found about how it all works:
http://vimeo.com/34182806
The big thing is to use FRESH roasted beans (we're talking ~3 weeks old or less). If you are buying beans that don't have a date on em, try again. Hopefully there is a coffee shop around you that will sell their own roast (usually comes in a 12oz package). If not you can try the grocery store or order online (http://ceremonycoffee.com/ is a good start), it really depends on the city you live in.
I had always liked the aroma and taste of coffee in other things (ice cream specifically) but it wasn't until I got into beer that I really started to appreciate it. Hopefully this finds you well, feel free to send a message my way if you have any specific questions!
I like sleep and other stuff
like anime, manga, Dota 2, Starcraft 2, medicine, hiking, food, ice cream, more ice cream, lots of ice cream, and i like to wet shave. Item that best describes me is the aeropress. Because I'm very moderate and often have a combination of the best of both worlds. Aeropress is a inbetween of a French press and a Pour over when it comes to making coffee. So it produces a pretty distinctive flavor. Like me!
If you're looking to brew a single cup at a time then you might consider getting an Aeropress. They run like $30 on Amazon. They work kind of like a French press, but they're much easier to clean and maintain. They make excellent coffee, and you can get a steel filter if you don't like the disposable paper ones.
Being to cheap for $100+ for a grinder, I picked up a hand grinder. It does well enough for me, and I got the grinder, Aeropress, and steel filter for under a bill.
Oh I'm talking Seattle's Best from a bag at the grocery store. I've had it in Seattle and it tastes better at home IMO. The stuff that is roasted locally is by far better than anything you're going to find that's mass distributed. Turkish coffee IS AMAZING. The grind is the bitch on that one. A lot of home grinders just don't go that fine. I use a Bialetti moka pot for home espresso which turns out lovely. My friend has an aeropress for backpacking, she also just happens to use it every day. It's pretty nifty.
https://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK
Regarding coffee in the freezer, when you put things in the freezer, unless they were previously flash frozen, it does crappy things to the moisture in the objects being frozen. Coffee beans aren't perfectly desiccated and they can get freezer burn as well as get funky taste from moisture condensing on the inside of the package before freezing. Unless you're trying for some reason to keep it for years, you should store it in a cool, dark place in an airtight as possible container and use it within a week of unsealing/roasting depending on how close to roasting you were able to purchase it.
Many folks concur that the grind can make or break a brew (with good beans, of course). For this purpose, burr grinders (which use two cones fitted together to break up the beans to evenly sized pieces) are much better than blade grinders (which just chop up the beans unevenly, like a blender).
For under $70, your best bet is likely the Hario Skerton hand grinder, or their Slim Mill grinder. This would leave you plenty of cash for a french press— most brands will be perfectly fine, Bodum included.
If you wanted to go a different route, the Aeropress is a popular option. Compared to a french press, there are less leftover coffee grinds in your cup and it tends to taste cleaner, but it's a little more finicky in the brewing process. People often dilute Aeropress brews, like an americano.
Check out the side bar for more recs. Cheers to the rabbit hole.
I personally would get the following way sooner if I was building my kitchen all over again.
Also if there is a place you can get bulk spices near by I would go there for your spices, because if you havent already noticed spices are pricey at your local megamart.
Lavatools Thermowand - Same form factor as the much more expensive thermopen but at 1/3 the price.
Lodge cast iron skillet - great for searing meats or as a good starting pan.
OXO Bench Scraper - Makes prep work much easier and safer as you don't use your knife to scrape your food off the cutting board.
Immersion Blenders - When you dont want to use your big blender or want to blend something in your pot or pan.
Stainless Steel Cookware - Has a little bit of a learning curve but is great after the fact.
Aeropress - Life is too short to make shitty coffee.
Edit: added a thermometer/spelling
I have a process with an Aeropress that's pretty cool. If you don't have one and love good coffee I would check it out, even if you won't make oil with it!
Make sure the abv is ground up fine. Then put as much as you have/can fit in the Aeropress (use the inverted method - youtube it). Cover with just enough iso so the iso level is right above the ground abv. Stir virgorously for 30s with the attachment that comes with the aeropress. Let it sit for ~15s, then press onto a plate/pyrex/whatever you're going to scrape off of. Let the iso evaporate and scrape with a razor!
For personal coffee, I like the aeropress ($25 on Amazon.)
http://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK
It takes a little more attention than an automatic coffee machine, but is quite quick and easy to clean (especially if you have an electric kettle.)
More importantly, it makes superb coffee. I keep one at work despite (or because) of the fact there is a fancy Keurig available.
Aeropress
Mini Mill
You can also get a thermometer and scale, to help with consistency a little, but there are rules of thumb that make them unnecessary IMHO. At least for my humble pallet.
I started with that setup, and have since upgraded to an expensive electric grinder and expensive electric kettle, but they really only help with speed. $50 gets you everything you need, so to me it's a great place to start. Use the rest to buy great beans.
Is your goal French press specifically (as in, the coarse grind and long brew time that results in that characteristic slightly-grainy taste) - or is it more generally non-shitty coffee from an automatic machine?
The mechanics of French press make it hard to automate, so I'm not terribly surprised there's not a lot of robotic presses out there. If your goal is just good coffee without a long manual process, the best option I'm aware of are the automatic "pour-over" machines:
https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KCM0802OB-Coffee-Brewer-Black/dp/B00OQJ7X8S/
https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1902DW-Coffee-Brewer-Silver/dp/B0752CKQHW/
https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Barista-Brain-Coffee-Maker/dp/B00YEYKK8U/
There's also "fully automated" espresso machines. A lot of them even include a grinder, so in theory you can press 1 button and get a latte or americano or whatever a few minutes later. They tend to be $$$ and use up a lot of counter space, though.
My personal setup is fairly manual - an electric kettle and an Aeropress. The electric kettle is way easier than a kettle on the stove - the one I linked has variable temp controls, so you can set it to heat up to 80 C and hold there. Doesn't need constant monitoring the way a teakettle on a burner does, and you'll get much better results with not-quite-boiling water. And the Aeropress makes fucking great coffee, without the PITA of cleaning a French press.
Ok, no-one has given the right answer yet, which is clearly, unequivocally, the Aeropress. I've been through many different machines for making coffee, and this one is better than every single other previous device by a factor of at least 10. French press was the previous best alternative, and even it's not even close.
It's fast and simple to use, simple to clean, and produces the best tasting coffee you can possibly imagine. And it's only $25! You can't go wrong. Trust me.
* Edit: Fixed link
Don't bother with chain coffee. Get yourself an Aeropress. This is the easiest method I've found to get a GREAT cup of coffee. Your grinder, if you're just beginning, doesn't matter. Get a cheap $20 blade grinder. Get some quality beans of a light-to-mild roast from your grocery's whole-bean coffee.
Using the aeropress' scoop, get 1 and one half scoop's full of whole beans and throw them in your grinder. Grind them for 10-15 seconds until they're all ground but not looking like dust. Assemble the aeropress with the filter and screen on (should be self explanatory) and position it on top of your cup. Dump your grounds in, and fill it up to the 4 position with boiling water. Start stirring with the included paddle. While you're stirring water will come out the bottom, keep stirring until it goes down to the 3, and fill back up to 4 with boiling water again. Keep stirring. When it goes down to between 2 and 3, position the plunger and press the coffee out.
This all takes about 2 minutes and makes great coffee alone. You may not be ready for black coffee yet, that's fine. Toss this in a bullet blender with a tablespoon of coconut oil and a little cream and blend it. That, my friend, is (almost) bulletproof coffee, and it's fucking amazing.
it is a nice device. i use that and cold brew on a regular basis. another fun contraption, the aero press http://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1406593005&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=aero+press
another "somewhat espresso" device. you typically let the coffee and water sit for a minute, then you press down with lots of your bodyweight to push it through the filter over 40 seconds or so. i'm a big guy, and it still takes me about 30 seconds if i lean on it with my body. i couldn't tell you which one is "better", but the aero press might be better if you just want to make one cup at a time. the bialetti is better for making 2 cups at a time or so (or one super "lead in your pencil" cup).
If I was in your situation, I'd purchase:
Remember, good beans are vital to a good cup, so make sure to stop by your local artisan roaster for a pound of fresh coffee beans. Once you become more invested in coffee, you'll probably want to try more brew methods like Chemex, V60 (pourover), french press, and maybe even espresso. Best of luck!
>I guess my expectations are high because of the tight bond this community shows.
Yeah, I totally get that! I find cigar people, even IRL, are friendlier than most.
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By "drip method" are you talking about an auto-drip machine? Because if so, I highly recommend exploring a manual pourover set-up. I prefer the Hario V60, but many others like Chemex or something like the Clever Dripper (a combination pour-over and immersion brewer) instead. The cheapest option for trying your hand at a pourover is the plastic Melitta brewer, often available at your local grocery store for $2-$3, some standard #2 filters, and an electric (or stovetop) water boiler with a decent spout for slow, steady pouring. It's funny that you mention a (french) press pot and moka pots don't give you a full enough flavour, though, because those are typically two of the more full-flavoured methods. I suspect your water:coffee ratio or grind size/consistency might be causing a weak (under-extracted) brew.
In my opinion, though, whilst brew method makes a difference in your cup, I'd say bean freshness and grind make more of a difference than anything. I'd much rather have fresh beans recently ground at a proper size and consistency brewed in a $10 Mr. Coffee than stale pre-ground or poorly ground beans in a professionally-poured manual brewer.
In the end, if you find a manual brewer is too much hassle, the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) does test and maintain a list of certified auto-brewers that meet the temp/brew time requirements.
*Ninja-Edit: Here's a good starter on grind size and how to adjust for flavour.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018RY8H0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Got mine for around S$50, shipping inclusive. One of the best purchases from Amazon. Shipped directly to Singapore without any minimum amount.
Have a great brewing and coffee time with the amazing Aeropress! =D
first of all, fresh beans will get you the most flavor. Go to your local cafe of roaster and ask them to grind some beans for you in a brew that you liked. you can even go to higher end grocery stores for this. places like kroger/walmart/etc have beans that have been sitting on the shelves for months, and in warehouses for God knows how long.
second, there's many methods to brew. If you like a large volume with good flavor, nothing wrong with a drip machine. A well-done pour-over will extract more flavors, but takes longer and requires more gear and money.
Aeropress is the cheapest, quickest, and best option for flavor (IMO) that you can buy and learn in 5 minutes. It makes wonderful coffee, but in smaller amounts so it might not be ideal if you want something to sip on.
All of this depends on your budget, check out /r/coffee for more detail on gear and different brewing methods
Have you heard of/tried an Aeropress? Small device, extremely high quality coffee, easy to clean, only $26. They love them over at /r/coffee.
That said, /r/coffee also have great respect for the pour-over method, though there are higher quality pour-over devices (porcelain or Chemex).
I made a video on this with the almost exact same title a few months back, but it was more focused on the "lazy" aspect haha. But I don't think you need to spend $100 for personal (single cup) use, you can get an Aeropress for $25, a
Hario Skerton for ~$40 OR a Hario Mini Mill for ~$30, and
a scale that measures grams for $10 (American Weigh Systems makes cheap digital scales)
All on Amazon-- but the scale is really only important until you get enough practice, and you'll start to eyeball everything. That's basically all you need other than the coffee. Specialty coffee is tough to get under $20/bag, maybe cheaper with a subscription. With the coffee, it's less than $100, albeit not by much.
For what it's worth even if you don't use specialty/single origin coffee, you can still get better coffee out of an Aeropress and a Skerton using fresh ground whole bean bulk coffee from say, Wholefoods, than you could with a Mr. Coffee machine and some Folgers.
Completely agree with /u/milehighmischief 's comment though, if you're using old or burned coffee, you're gonna have a bad time.
It depends what you're looking for and what your budget is. Personally, I make my coffee with an AeroPress, which makes a beautiful, clean-tasting cup of coffee. I actually use a super fancy grain grinder leftover from the prepping days of Mormonism. Be sure that no matter what grinder you get that it's a burr grinder, not a blade grinder. A blade will give you inconsistent sizes which will lead to over- or under-extraction of the beans. If you want something relatively inexpensive but still good, you should get a manual grinder. The Hario Skerton or Mini Mill is a good place to start. But it really depends on your budget what you should get. Electric, you might go with the Baratza Encore. You might make your way over to /r/coffee for a better answer, but that's my advice.
Depends on where you're located. Peet's Major Dickason blend is well-regarded, and Trader Joe's has some nice selections. Get whole beans because the pre-ground stuff loses its flavor quickly. Burr grinders are ideal. You can get a good mechanical one for a reasonable price. Then you can prepare the fresh grounds with something like an Aeropress, though pour-over drippers have been gaining in popularity and are simpler to use.
Sure!
This is the popcorn popper I'm using to roast (not pictured)
This is the Sweet Maria's sampler pack (4 lbs of green coffee for roasting). Mine specifically came with these four coffees:
Now on to the equipment:
Bonavita BV3825ST 1-Liter Stovetop Kettle
American Weigh Black Blade Digital Pocket Scale, 1000 by 0.1 G
Taylor Classic Instant-Read Pocket Thermometer
Chemex Coffee Maker 8 Cup Classic
Chemex Coffee Filters - 100 Chemex Bonded Unbleached Filter Squares FSU-100
Hario MSS-1B Mini Mill Slim Coffee Grinder
I also have a bodum french press and an aeropress. The scale is big enough to measure coffee, but not big enough to brew on, so keep that in mind if you are thinking about getting one, but it was pretty cheap and I don't mind pre-measuring the coffee and water rather than doing it while i brew. I also have already had some issues with the thermometer head rotating, throwing off the measurement, but it's not really a huge deal because it's easy to rotate it back and I usually just bring water to a boil and then let it drop 10 degrees regardless of what the temp actually says. Overall, loving all my new goodies!
Get this and these filters for doing pourover.
You might also want this grinder, unless you want to have your local shop grind for you as well, which they will. Tell them you're grinding for pourover so they'll know how coarse.
If you decide to also get the presspot, you'll need to grind differently for that, which is why I recommend buying the grinder also. Not to mention, it's super helpful to be able to grind your own, so you can dial in your brews. Additionally, whole beans stay fresh longer than ground coffee. You'll definitely notice a difference between fresh ground and the very end of a bag of ground coffee.
All you need other than that is a way to heat water, and some beans. Do you have a kettle of some sort? Stovetop or electric will work. You want to avoid using your keurig to make hot water, as it doesn't get hot enough.
Yes, I understand that there are 2 product codes. By 3rd party, I meant that the filters were fulfilled by a 3rd party (i.e. not shipped by Amazon from an Amazon warehouse). When I ordered from Amazon, I was not able to find a clarifying differentiation between the two. When ordering the V60 02 100pack on Amazon, I've received both the tabbed, and non-tabbed. When Amazon was the 1st party vendor/shipper, I received non-tabbed. When ordering from Japan_to_Global_shop (fullfilled by amazon) I received tabbed filters.
This looks pretty awesome, thanks for sharing. I did a search as discovered that you can buy just the paper filters too:
https://www.amazon.com/pieces-Hanging-Eco-friendly-Material-Portable/dp/B01HYUNTAQ/ref=pd_sbs_325_12?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B01HYUNTAQ&amp;pd_rd_r=PPMHYCBJPXD4RRRM647V&amp;pd_rd_w=4gL38&amp;pd_rd_wg=r6zHd&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=PPMHYCBJPXD4RRRM647V
This way you could use your favorite coffee on the trail.
Here's a couple of links for it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AeroPress
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0047BIWSK
http://aerobie.com/products/aeropress.htm
I don't know what insta-folgers is unless you mean a freeze dried crystal coffee. I've used folgers coffee bags but it was a long time ago and before the aeropress. The taste of instant coffee is much different than fresh coffee brewed from beans. It may take a little while to get used to drinking it vs. Instant. I've never used instant coffee with the aeropress, but I don't see why you couldn't.
I can tell you that I have a French press, conventional drip coffee maker, keurig and the aeropress, and I use the aeropress every day. It makes an excellent cup of coffee.
Edited to add: about the deposits on mugs, coffee pots, etc. An easy way to remove them is to put a large amount of salt and a little vinegar in the cup or whatever and use the salt to scrub the deposits off the cup. If they're really bad, it may take soaking in the salt/vinegar solution to remove them. The salt/vinegar solution should be like a paste. Just keep scrubbing and add more salt or vinegar as necessary.
Lots of good suggestions here. The meal plans are a huge ripoff compared to cooking for yourself. In addition to the dorm fridge and microwave that everyone seems to have I would recommend getting a small freezer, an electric kettle and a slow cooker/crock pot.The kettle is great for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and ramen in a hurry. A ten lb bag of chicken leg quarters can often be found for under ten bucks. Throw half a bag in to the crockpot (and the other half in the freezer) and you have a meal for yourself and a few friends.
For speed + quality of coffee, you can't really beat an Aeropress. Start boiling water (the smallest possible volume)(from the hot tap if you're in a real hurry), then get everything else ready. You can probably have finished coffee in less than 5 minutes.
If dealing with plungers and cylinders is just too much to face at 6 am, maybe a Clever Dripper. It has to steep for a few minutes, so it will take longer, but will also make excellent coffee with easy cleanup.
These will both give you better results than making a small volume in a regular drip machine.
I've had bodum glass break repeatedly on me... cheap fix, but annoying.
Perhaps one of the ones intended for camping, GSI makes a few nice ones.
But! I'd recommend skipping the french press and getting either an Aeropress or a handled Chemex.
The chemex is glass, but well made... the aeropress is plastic, but also well made. I have a chemex from the 60s, so they're lifetime items if handled well. Plus it makes better coffee, imho.
I bought a $500 espresso machine and it sits unused in a closet. What we're saying is that good home espresso machines are very expensive.
Now, if you want espresso like coffee, you might try a Vietnamese Coffee Maker.
You can try an aeropress, which I don't particularly care for, but makes small, strong coffees.
Now, I've heard good things about the mypressi, but haven't had a chance to try one. This is probably the cheapest decent espresso shot puller you can find.
For a true espresso machine, /r/coffee recommends the Baby Gaggia. I haven't tried this one, either.
A good device for making great coffee is an Aeropress - it's really portable, doesn't need power and is about thirty bucks. If she doesn't have one, might be a good buy.
A nice desk lamp perhaps? You can get some cool, unique ones from Etsy, refurbished vintage and inventive ultra-modern ones. Something to write under into the wee small hours.
If you like good coffee, let me recommend an Aeropress. It is cheap, fast, easy to clean, portable and most importantly makes better tasting coffee than machines costing hundreds of dollars.
Can I recommend using an Aeropress?
In my opinion it's better tasting than a french press and its super easy to clean; just twist off the cap, push the finished puck of grinds out into the garbage, then rinse with water, disassemble and leave to dry.
Edit: Cheaper links for press, and filters
Since I'm a coffee nerd as well, if you're looking to get into coffee for god sakes save for a good grinder. Visit /r/coffee and browse around.
Minimum setup for decent coffee IMHO for a beginner
Grinder: https://www.amazon.com/Porlex-JP-30-Stainless-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0002JZCF2/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1499788564&amp;sr=8-12&amp;keywords=hand+coffee+grinder
Kalita Wave for Pour-over: https://www.amazon.com/Kalita-05033-Wave-185-Drippers/dp/B000X1AM0Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1499788582&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=kalita+wave
Goose neck kettle: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSVV60-Buono-Pouring-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1499788593&amp;sr=8-7&amp;keywords=gooseneck+kettle
Alternatively to the wave,
Aeropress - https://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1499788632&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=aeropress
Clever - https://www.amazon.com/Clever-Coffee-Dripper-Large-Ounces/dp/B00EOM5RN0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1499788656&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=clever+coffee+dripper
Personal notes:
I've used all 3 types of coffee makers above and I still prefer my Kalita wave/v60. If I'm pressed for time and don't really want to think, the Clever.
Aeropress gives you a lot of freedom on the taste of your coffee, so I recommend that. There is also no need for a lot of additional equipment with it unless you want to get info coffee more in the future. Quality of your coffee is equally as important as your method, so you don't have to break your bank, but try to get your hands on locally roasted single origin beans. (Best result is if you can buy your own grinder to make the freshest coffee, but if your budget doesn't allow for that, then ground coffee will do).
Aeropress - $35
Electric grinder - $37 (decent, takes no time at all)
Hario Skerton hand grinder (more reliable, takes some time, don't cheap out on the $15 dollar amazon version if you want a decent grind) - $39
If you go this route I also recommend looking at the World Aeropress Championship recipes and following in their lead to emulate a world-class cuppa joe.
If you care about not producing heaps of garbage from capsules you could get an aeropress:
https://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-Maker-Bitterness/dp/B0047BIWSK
I absolutely love mine:
- cheap
- take it everywhere you need it, even camping and traveling
- can get a metal filter and you won't even need new filters
- can also make normal coffee
- with a bit of experimenting you can make your espresso exactly how you want it to be
- doesn't take up space in the kitchen
- easy to clean
Downsides:
- needs a bit of experimenting
- can get annoying if you make for multiple people
- need to find good coffee beans
Had french presses, pad machines and Nespresso machines, and those metal cans to put over the stove. Can't imagine to switch back to any of those.
Instant is the fastest; Starbucks Via is pretty good, could be too strong for some. It's annoying that it only comes in single packets (in London you can buy tins of it).
Espresso is fast. A handheld espresso like the MiniPresso can make it very quickly. However, it only makes one shot at a time, so to make 4 doubles it takes quite a bit of time to reset for each shot.
Aeropress is likewise fast, but again suffers from the ability to make large amounts at once.
A larger French press can make a decent amount of coffee at once, needing to steep for about 3-4 minutes, and resets pretty quickly. The GSI Java Press comes in a 50oz and is made of Lexan (or was, not sure what it the BPA free is made of now). I've got a couple of older ones and they work well enough.
Or cowboy coffee and a fine strainer.
Just be careful, because French-pressed coffee has the ability to raise your cholesterol if you're not careful, because it's not passing through a paper filter. Source
I use something called an AeroPress, which is basically like the best of both worlds (drip vs. press). Love this thing and never looked back.
Excellent - thanks for that link. My turn to share, related to coffee - get an AeroPress on Amazon. It will change your life as relates to coffee. Flavors you never knew existed will reveal themselves to you as in a dream. It's a game-changer, especially if you haven't historically been a fan of black coffee. I don't have anything to do with Aero other than that I've used it for several years and love it.
I think someone else on this thread gave a better answer on why the Kalita is better than I could. Basically, it's easier to get a more even extraction based on the design (flat bottom, 3 small holes) which leads to a more consistent cup. V60 has a more demanding pour regimen that, if not done the exact same way every time, can end up tasting different.
Here are some links:
Kalita Wave 185
Kalita Wave 185 filters
Kettle that I bought and I'm happy with
I forgot to mention that the Kalita uses proprietary filters. Something about the ridges is supposed to maintain heat and give better extraction since the coffee doesn't touch the walls? I think I read something about that somewhere.
How does she prepare her coffee? For bolder cups, I recommend the Aeropress, which is a cheap way to make a terrific cup of coffee.
Coffee wise, medium to dark roasts produce the "strong" taste most people identify with, so you can head over to a third-wave online retailer to get a solid bag of coffee. I recommend (with some selections):
College student here, this is my cheap yet effective setup that I just got for Christmas
Aeropress $22
Hario Slim grinder $23
[Basic electric kettle] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DEQDF7C/ref=twister_B00DEQDEXW?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1) $15
American Weigh scale $9
Basic thermometer $9
Grand total: $78, still less than a Keurig!
Happy Mug sells beans for $14/pound shipped. At 17g of beans a cup, you can make almost 27 cups of coffee with a pound of beans. This comes to about 52 cents for a cup of coffee, which is comparable to cheaper K cups.
Also, as a former dark roast addict I suggest you start a little more towards a medium roast. I got a lighter roast with my first bag of beans after walking into a local roaster and grabbing what was available. The sweetness took a little while to get used to (I didn't know coffee could actually be so sweet!) but it really accentuates the differences between great coffee and "common" coffee.
This! but only if you want to greatly improve the quality of your life.
For Me these candies are amazing, might want to look into some yourself too!
DARK SIDE!
random aside: i'm such a potterhead (had a pottermore beta 1st weekend) i can't believe i missed this whole sorting scenario etc ad nauseum here. a member of /r/ravenclaw (well before i was sorted ravenclaw pottermore tyvm). I feel so silly. Oh well, heat exhaustion, lots of work sleeping sleeping. never mind all that.
The best blueberry muffins I've ever had. I mean, c'mon, alton brown batches go quickly, and you can build up quite a few of them fairly quickly, i'm tasked with making them at family affairs once I show up. I'm sorry, but I tried to find the thing i wanted most for closer to 20 dollars, but you did throw the ~ My coffee needs a step up and wife has forbidden me from buying new coffee gear since i do pretty well with the press we have, but then there's this. Cheers if i sound delirous it's operating on just a few hours sleep. but seriously, the muffins will slay dragons of sweet tooth. They're so pretty too.
I've been doing some infusions, and have learned a couple interesting things:
I purchased a Spirits Hydromoter to see what my final ABVs were on my different infusions. The numbers I got were lower than expected, and on the pineapple infusion, it read zero! I talked with a local craft distiller, and it's the natural sugars from the fruits (apparently pineapple adds a lot!) throwing off the hydrometer reading, since the sugar in the liquid changes how far the gauge sinks.
If in doubt about your final product, just store it in the fridge.
I did most of mine with 100 proof New Amsterdam vodka, but from now on I'm going to be starting with 151 proof NGS, or even 190 proof Everclear to have a more shelf stable product in the end.
> Well, I have an idea for now. I travel for a living, and spend a lot of time in hotels. I'm going to be building a cooking kit for my car that just sits in the truck for times like this.
Nice! Apologies for sounding like a fanatic, but if you're looking to replace the coffee maker at some point I couldn't recommend an Aeropress any more highly: https://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-AeroPress-Coffee-Maker-Tote/dp/B0018RY8H0
I bring it with me along with a small bag of beans and a small hand grinder whenever I travel. No electric required -- if you have hot water (ideally, close to boiling in a kettle), you have some really fantastic fresh coffee.
I don't know your situation so I am wary of contradicting your medical professionals, but you could check out the aeropress, it is supposed to make less acidic coffee that bothers your stomach less. Coffee doesn't bother my stomach anyway, so I can't say if the aeropress is actually better in that regard, but it makes a great cup of coffee that might be easier on your stomach.
Seeing that the dorm space is definitely a temporary thing, I'd highly recommend a Hario V60 pour-over setup.
You can use an electric kettle for the water, the filters are inexpensive for the Hario but you might have to buy online since you can't really find them anywhere in physical retail. [Amazon has them here.] (http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Count-Coffee-Filter-Natural/dp/B001O0R46I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1415319722&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hario+v60+filters)
If you like the Hario V60, you can still use it for a quick cup of drip after you're out of the dorm. I've always found that it gets the best of the flavors out of the grounds every time.
May I introduce you to the Aeropress? Sure, you have to heat the water, yourself, and it's better to use fresh ground coffee (which would require a grinder, as well), but you could use preground coffee if you don't want to invest in a grinder. Either way, it will produce a damn good single cup of coffee.
And, yes, I understand that the benefit of the Keurig is for someone who is either too lazy or too pressed for time to make good coffee.
I'm not sure what hie current brewing method is or his time frames for drinking coffee, but I'd recommend getting him an Aeropress! Seriously, when I started out with the Aeropress I just bought preground Millstone cofffee, and it made it a thousand times better. If you can, find a local roaster (for freshness) and grind it there (maybe) before giving it to him.
The rest of /r/coffee can chime in about whether it would be better for him to use a blade grinder right before he makes it, or a burr grinder in store way before he makes it, as I'm not sure.
Someone has already mentioned the collapsible pour-over from REI, which is what I would recommend along with another option: The Aeropress.
If you really like good coffee, you likely already know about the aeropress. It makes a good, concentrated, faux-spresso drink using a little water and coffee. Since it's made of plastic, it's ultralight. It does have a couple of pieces, but you don't really need all of them if you plan well.
Hope this helps!
Honestly you should go to your local Goodwill and get one for around $5 since you don't need anything special. but this one says it will make the best coffee/expresso you ever tasted. Caffeine is good for you.
Get an [aeropress] (http://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1375298290&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=aero-press) and a [Hario Mini Mill] (http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1375298338&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hario+mini+mill). Virtually unbreakable and much easier to clean than a french press, and makes some great coffee. Make sure you can access a hot water kettle or something.
That's a pretty terrible grinder. Coffee snobs won't like it.
In this price range, for a coffee geek, you're better off getting them a nice cup, like this or a manual grinder like this. An AeroPress would be amazing as well.
If you want to not worry about breakage, forget the French press and find yourself an aeropress! They make really amazing coffee, and are practically shatterproof (I like to bring mine camping, since it's super lightweight as well!)
http://www.amazon.ca/Aerobie-83R01-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1415980487&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=aeropress+coffee
I would recommend the aeropress. It has replaced my drip coffee maker. It takes as much time and attention as a drip machine, and produces phenomenal coffee. Also super easy clean up.
http://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1450115521&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=aeropress
Wave 185 can fit 50g of grinds which yields about 700g of coffee. That's two large mugs of coffee he can make. You can get chemexs that are huge that make a shitton more though.
/u/greggers89 About the filters being expensive - it's $18 for 150 filters, that's $18 every 3-5 months depending how often you brew. That's really a nominal expense. Go for it! I have a friend that switched from the Melita and loves it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003WMBEFI?cache=ff2674069dadfb8ce51b7abf61bf4da0&amp;pi=SX200_QL40&amp;qid=1408623996&amp;sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
Not gonna get much kcup or similar love here. They are common for this use but make overpriced weak bad coffee. Have to mention it as it is the mass market solution.
French press is good work kit, but can be messy http://amzn.com/B000KEM4TQ
Aeropress (http://amzn.com/B0047BIWSK) is my work setup.
I used an electric moka pot at work for a while but it was awful loud for a cube, easy though, and moka is somewhere between coffee and espresso. Good conversation piece also. http://amzn.com/B000TDDVL8
Grinder also? Highly recommended to grind right before brew, http://amzn.com/B001804CLY
Good luck!
I got the Aerobie Aeropress coffee maker for my brother who has similar tastes and loves coffee. I've heard it makes a great cup of coffee and is kinda fun to use.
> I maintain a coffee maker and a rice cooker, exclusively.
Dude same here. I use my rice cooker to do so many things, and it's awesome. I also have a toaster oven, though, since I can't toast bread or make pizza bagels in a rice cooker (as much as I'd like to). And of course coffee is a necessity. I have an aeropress and a Hario coffee grinder and I love them both.
As a heavy coffee drinker; I recently got the AeroPress Coffee Maker and Love it. Tack on some good coffee and I think it would make an excellent present.
To go with a frugal theme, get an Aeropress. Seriously, it's awesome. You'll need a grinder capable of a fine grind as well, but this thing makes some of the best coffee I've ever had.
It doesn't take much. You can get an Aeropress, a small hand-powered ceramic burr grinder, and some fresh whole beans. You'll make an excellent cup with this setup.
Or just go to a nice coffee shop and try a proper cup (Aeropress, Chemex, pourover or something) to see if you like it.
Hey there - I'm a regular at /r/coffee--definitely join our sub. There are quite a few ways you can modify and up your coffee game.
In regards to your post--there could be a few things:
Also - maybe you can add a sweetener to help with the bitterness.
Beginner's Kit around here is pretty much going to be a grinder, scale, and Aeropress.
For a grinder, unless you want to jump into the depths of coffee, I'd probably suggest a Porlex, or either a Hario Mini Mill or Skerton.
For a beginner's scale, you can use whatever you have on hand, if you already own one. If you need one, American Weighs are highly recommended.
And the Aeropress! Despite all of the gear I've picked up, I still come back to this method. It's clean, simple, and fast.
But don't forget the fresh coffee. That's going to make the biggest difference.
http://www.amazon.com/EZ-Cup-Filter-Perfect-Pod-Filters/dp/B002YPIM40/ref=pd_sbs_gro_4
This seems like a good fix. You could probably fill this thing up very easily, and use whatever kind of good fresh coffee you want. Also, the paper filters would be a lot better for the environment than those plastic little capsules.
However, I have never used a keurig or these things, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
They're great. More of an "entry-level" item for moving into good coffee. Like only $25, brews in about a minute, and makes one cup. I mainly use a French press, but I still use my old aeropress a few times a month.
I bought a $5 metal filter so i didn't have to keep buying the paper ones. Also, Google the "inverted method" for using an aeropress. The book doesn't tell you, but it's really the superior way to use the product.
https://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK
I use the Melitta brown paper filters (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006IUTQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1) with my Clever and my coffee tastes fantastic.
Like everyone has already said, just make sure to rinse the filter first. That does wonders for eliminating the papery taste.
Coffee is best if you grind and brew it fresh. An Aeropress, a burr grinder, and a decent bean will make an amazing cup of coffee. You won't even want to put sugared shit in it because it tastes so good. Go to Starbucks and get a reserve coffee on the Clover machine if you want to try this brewing method.
Tea is best if you use loose leaf tea. Buy a single-cup, basket-style, tea strainer and some tea. I'd suggest Gunpowder Green Tea to start.
I'd go pour-over. I feel like it's a good place to start because the more expensive things that you need are useful to have in general, but you can also get away with skimping on. Variable temp kettle, accurate scale, burr grinder. You could spend $5 on an instant-read thermometer, and go with the "let the water boil and then sit for 30 seconds" route instead of getting an electric kettle with temp settings, and you COULD buy local coffee in small bags that has been ground right when you buy it (though personally I'd rather buy a burr grinder than buy coffee every couple days). A bee house dripper and filters are like $30 and totally sufficient if you only want to make one cup at a time. Then you can upgrade as you go with kettles, grinders, different pour-over brewers, etc. Although you'd probably want at least a cheap gooseneck kettle.
This is what I'd get. Granted, slightly over $150.
Electric kettle with temp setting
Burr Grinder
Pour-over brewer
Filters
Scale
Hey, I'm a complete noob when it comes to coffee and just found this subreddit. I've been looking at what people suggest for single cup coffee makers and and looking at getting the Aeropress and the Hario Skerton grinder. Are these good or is there something else you guys recommend? I'm very open to any input you guys have but would like to keep it under around 100 dollars. Thanks in advance.
My favorite coffee is fresh ground coffee made with me Aerobie Aeropress.
http://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1310503163&amp;sr=1-1
It's easy to clean too!
I agree that you need a decent grinder. In other threads, I've suggested the Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder.
Do you know how you want to brew your coffee? I think everyone should have a French Press, and you can get a good one for ~$25 or less. If you think you won't want to wait for 4 minutes for the French Press (or you don't want to clean it, which adds a bit of time), go for an Aeropress, which makes great coffee fast and 1-cup at a time and cleans itself. I'd avoid a drip machine with the other good options. You'll also need a teapot or electric boiler to heat the water, although I suppose you could use the microwave (or just a pot) if you were in a pinch.
I do something similar. I put water in one mug, fats in another and microwave both. When fat is melted I take it out and continue microwaving the water while I blend the fats. By the time the water is done, my Aeropress (amazon link I don't sell these I just really love the product which is freaking amazing by the way) is ready for the hot water, then I just press the coffee/espresso directly into the blended fats and I'm ready to go. Only mess is one mug and the Aeropress which is incredibly simple to clean anyway. Total time from nothing to delicious bulletproof espresso is about 2 and a half minutes.
I know exactly what you mean. I had the same problem until I started using these things:
https://www.amazon.com/Disposable-Filters-Brewers-Replacement-Reusable/dp/B00BUFJBQS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1542031332&sr=8-6&keywords=kcup+filter
They will filter out the "gritty stuff" in the coffee. There are other versions of these filters, but they all work the same. Works like a charm. Hope this helps.
The one in OP's pic looks like a Hario Skerton
There is lots of info at /r/coffee ..... my recommendation based on my research and my use is the Hario Mini. The Skerton has some downsides as compared to the mini which swayed me to the mini. It's been almost 2 years since I researched so I don't remember exactly the differences.
As for the Aeropress in OP's picture, it is a very fine coffee maker and I highly recommend it. I also highly recommend a Chemex. I use my Chemex daily and the Aeropress frequently.
/r/coffee should have all the info you need.
You don't have to spend that much for good coffee.
You can get a pour over dripper for $12 on Amazon
100 filters for $6
Electric kettle for $12
Manual coffee grinder for $10
Digital scale for $10
That's $50 for gear, (you can probably pick up some of that even cheaper if you look around) and then you can spend what you want on beans. I'm really into Stumptown coffee right now, which is $18 for 12oz. but you can definitely go a little cheaper or a lot more expensive depending on your tastes.
You can spend as much as you want making coffee, but I haven't noticed a discernible difference between coffee from that setup and coffee from a $500ish setup. A large part of what makes a cup of pour over good is the skill level of the person pouring it, and there's no reason to spend more than $75-$100 on gear until you reach a point where you know for sure your bottleneck is your equipment. I've been making my own coffee this way (as well as french press and espresso) for a few years and I still don't feel like I need to upgrade.
EDIT: Ignore the scale I linked, refer to /u/throwswithfats comment below instead.
Get an Aeropress! They make single cups of coffee in less than 2 minutes and they make the most intricate, strong, personal cup of coffee you ever had in your whole life. I love my fucking Aeropress.
It's definitely a tough crowd around these parts. But to answer your question, the smallest foot print I have found are coffee filter bags. You can either fill them in advance and heat seal them with a home iron, or you can bring pre-ground coffee with you and fill them as you use them.
The photos on the page show someone tearing them open, but that is only if you heat seal the tops. When I go on trips I will drop 12 grams of coffee in a bunch of these and heat seal them. You can fit a slew of these in a small one quart ziploc bag that will take up very little space. Most, if not all, hotels have a source for boiling water like either a kettle or a small coffee maker.
I gave up bringing my grinder and chemex or V60 since I was afraid of breaking them and they took up too much space.
A reusable filter like this eliminates the waste of the k-cups and allows you to use your own coffee grounds. I personally think it makes too weak of a cup though, considering the amount of grounds in it, especially if you chose the higher volume outputs (8 or 10oz).
Definitely consider buying an Aeropress if you want to experience a huge increase in coffee quality. It tastes a million times better than the Keurig, and are basically the same thing in terms of one cup convenience.
passive-aggressive response, OK. I am only saying every item sold on amazon has affiliate links to some other store. The example provided also had a affiliate link to some other store. There is no way to post a amazon link to some item where someone else profits from it. I'm not intending to be passive-aggressive. I am only saying this link directs you to the same item as this link Sold by Barista Lab and Fulfilled by Amazon in easy-to-open packaging. I understand what you want and it will not happen again.
If you're really set on the coffee pods, you could get pretty much any Keurig K-cup thing, none of them are too big and brew individual cups. But if you want good coffee, the cheaper, albeit more involved option, would be buying something like a french press or the aeropress. Each allows you to control exactly how much you'd like to brew and gives you greater control over the strength of the coffee. Each of these carries a small learning curve and requires a few minutes out of your time and might be too difficult to have in an office setting- but they make good coffee and are very small and cheap.
Can you order from any other places? If so, I'd get a porlex mini and an aeropress. Aeropress produces a clean cup and is super quick to clean up.
The best coffee I've had comes out of an Aeropress. It's very highly rated on Amazon, and I've heard a few coffee-oriented foodies praise it.
Also, my friend Nik is one of the guys over at Tonx Coffee, a company that provides a subscription-based freshly roasted bean delivery service. He's a pretty good guy, but I haven't personally subscribed yet.
A pour over set up can be had for quite cheap.
Hario V60 Plastic Coffee Dripper, Size 02, Clear https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RBTSMM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WcZ5AbRMPN9JG
Bonavita 1.0L Electric Kettle BV3825B https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005YR0GDA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TeZ5AbY1C3CZG
Hario V60 Paper Coffee Filters, Size 02, 100 Count, Natural https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O0R46I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yfZ5Ab8GY8NBT
$5.67 + $6.21 + $29.34 = $41.16
I realize you’re using euros so it will be slightly different. And honestly if you got a different kettle you could cut out 10 or more dollars to get you into the ~30 USD range which from what I can tell would be saving you money. Just make sure it’s a gooseneck and keep in mind the fewer times you have to rebuy something the likely less cost efficient it is.
I had considered that, and a french press again to replace the one I broke... but I ended up getting an aeropress with stainless steel filters instead. Even buying filters seemed like a waste to me. Plus paper absorbs all those good oils. After having it for about a week, i'm happy with it.
Now I just need a grinder and a proper kettle and/or something to measure temperature to up my coffee game a bit more.
Just buy a plastic cone, a grinder, and #4 filters. Buy beans in bulk and make coffee at the cheapest and best rate.
It is the cheapest and best quality/taste/speed/temperature/bother ratio
*Freedom Presses
To be fair, it's the best way to make coffee. The only other method that might be just as good is the Aeropress.
My filtering setup:
Melitta Coffee Maker, 6 Cup Pour-Over Brewer with Glass Carafe
Melitta Cone Coffee Filters Natural Brown #4 100 count
This setup filters the fine stuff extraordinarily well. The tea should still be hot when you pour it, but not boiling. Also, it helps if you decant it a bit while pouring, if you fill the filter up with plant material first thing, it will clog. It's worth the effort if you want the cleanest tea possible.
If you want to make larger batches, you could go for the 10 cup version.
Get an Aeropress. Simple to use and makes an amazing cup of espresso. Plus the price is amazing. You really can't go wrong with it.
It took a month or more of breaking in for my Lido to even out its grind. Further, it took me a few more months to improve my technique to the point where I was getting consistent results.
I brew either 20 g to 320 water or 30 g to 500 water pretty much every day end up between 2 and 3 minute brew times, using the Rao method.
I think filter type makes a difference, too. Lately I've been using these and have been pleased with the results. For more on the different Hario filters, this is a great video (and unrelated article).
I did join the new sub!
Switching to a better brewing method can cut a lot of the bitterness and acidity and an aeropress is only $30 and a French press would be just as cheap (and let you make more than one cup at a time).
Grad school is very busy so far, but in a good way :)
I'm interested in this post as well. I saw people here recommend the Aeropress before to a college student and I've been considering getting one, but I've still been hesitant to spend even that much money. I'm pretty lazy and if I spend the money I want it all to be simple enough that I actually use it.
Edit: also take a look at the user-submitted pics on the amazon site... looks like the thing warps from hot water and regular usage. So yeah, maybe not the best option...
Try an aeropress. It's like a french press, but way easier to clean. I use it with espresso ground coffee and make americanos.
An Aeropress and some of her favorite coffee maybe? Or a Yama teapot or a water bottle infuser. Or a stylish teapot. People swear that the aeropress makes the best cup of coffee they've ever had, if you go that route then picking up extra filters and coffee should bring you around that $50 mark.
The AeroPress is a wonderful single serving coffee press. You can even use it to coldbrew. I love mine.
Don't leave home without it.
Weak vacation coffee? No, thank you.
Have a great trip and thank you.
I doubt I would have agreed with this comment so much a year ago. But, then I bought the Bonavita (basically this with a glass carafe). And, I use the scoop from my Aeropress - 1 scoop of finely ground coffee for each cup I'm making.
I finally have strong coffee at home that is easy to make.
It's made all the difference!
I know what I'm about to say is against what you want in coffee, but the gold standard for people starting out, is the Skerton and the Aeropress.
Skerton: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001802PIQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1450636608&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SY200_QL40&amp;keywords=hario+skerton&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=415JCWEK1sL&amp;ref=plSrch
Aeropress: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0047BIWSK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1450636649&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SX200_QL40&amp;keywords=Aeropress&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=517aTTC-7pL&amp;ref=plSrch
Its no automatic all-in-one, but for the price, you really can't beat it for starters.
Despite spending upwards of 300$ of gear for coffee, out if the three brew methods I have, the aeropress is my go to.
Its very easy to use and there is a million different "ways" it can make coffee.
There is some effort per cup, you grind beans right before you brew and you have to find a recipe to go by, again, millions, but it makes a very very good cup.
Just my 2c
So it's a two part solution, but this is what we're doing this year, and on a few test runs it's been absolutely amazing.
First, we're heating our water with a standard stovetop kettle like this one.
Then we're making the coffee in an Aeropress. When I first saw there I thought people were unusually obsessed over what seems like a simple coffee maker. I'm now a convert. Don't confuse its over-simplistic design with over-simplistic coffee. This thing makes a sick brew.
You should try to drink it black. I know, it's bitter, but there's something about drinking it straight.
But yea, don't get a Keurig. Get something like : http://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK which will be a much better use of your money IMO.
Drip coffee makers can be had pretty cheaply; you should get one. It will taste better than coffee warmed in the microwave.
Edit: if you want really good-tasting coffee and don't drink a ton of it, get an Aeropress.
I have a BV1800TH.
If you have a scale, weigh out around 74 grams of coffee for the full 1300ml. If you don't have a scale, that's about 14 tablespoons of ground (medium-course) coffee. Dial it back if that's too strong for you.
Never use the carafe to fill the tank; always use a clean container, preferably with filtered water (for taste).
#4 cone filters are what you need. It comes with a few.
Do two batches of just water before you brew. EDIT: For the first time.
___
That's it. It's such a good coffee maker. I never new I like drip coffee so much until I bought this brewer. I love it.
This is a couple dollars less, plus it comes with the zippered pouch that's nice for keeping the kit together.
This one is even a few dollars less than that, could be a Cyber Monday special. Makes it a tiny bit closer to a better grinder...
I agree with the Roasterie. They also sell the 'AeroPress' which makes the best cup of coffee I've ever had. It's less about the roast than technique I think. They sell it fro the same price as amazon so there's that. https://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK
Use an Aeropress. Does the same job, but better. Faster to clean also.
Or an Aeropress for even better portability (I fucking love my Aeropress and use it on a daily basis).
I love my coffee so much! I'm so obsessed with it that I roast my own and brew with an Aeropress. It tastes so damn good!
Already I've been limiting myself to one or two mugs a day. But I'm slowly, reluctantly, arriving at the conclusion that I'm going have to give it up completely. It does "give" me energy (that's actually not true, it's just borrowing my own energy from the future). But it also brings anxiety along as part of the package. I find myself vaguely worried at work that I'm not doing well enough, sometimes even as people are praising what I've just done.
Okay, so I'm with you on backpacking as light as possible but I also love an excellent cup of coffee in the morning while waking up in the morning in the mountains. I carry a Snowpeak Collapsible Pour Over Drip and some v60 filters along with ziplock sandwich bags filled with 20g of ground coffee for each cup when camping. I put it over my backpacking cup and the ziplock then serves as trash for the filter and grounds to bring out of camp site. For me this is about as ultralight as I'm willing to go but it's damn near the quality of Chemex coffee anywhere I hike or ride my bikes to. It's also pretty cheap. IMO nothing else really comes close to this setup for backpacking.
This guy makes the best coffee I've ever had in my life. Doesn't impart a bitter taste like a French press does.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0018RY8H0?cache=ce361c90ed98b6c4d4e01f67ce8e3187#ref=mp_s_a_1_2&amp;qid=1393867240&amp;sr=8-2