In Search of the Perfect Coffee Maker

It’s been a few weeks now and I still think about it. It was a sunny day, the kids were playing nicely and the coffee was sublime. Those moments come rarely. But now I can’t look at my Braun coffee maker without disapproval.

It happened at my friend’s house. She has a rather expensive—I can’t justify buying—pod coffee maker. She makes her coffee euro-style strong, but it doesn’t leave you with the Starbuck’s jitters.

And so, because I won’t, I can’t, I shouldn’t spend that much on a coffee maker I’m spending time on the Internet learning how to make coffee. Tim Ferris would surely say, “Just buy the damn coffee maker and be done with this time waster.” But no, instead I’ll share with a few things that I learned and then I’ll go visit my friend for some real coffee.

You don’t need to spend a car payment on a coffee maker. Your coffee money should, however, be spent on a quality grinder and good beans. CoffeeGeek recommends the Bodum Antigua grinder goes for around $60 to $70.

Buy your beans fresh. You buy online or from local roasters and look for coffee that was roasted 7 days or less ago. Expect to pay $12-$17 per pound of beans.

The actual brewing can be done with a $4 single cup pourover plastic filter by Melitta. You can pick these up at the grocery store. Personally I like my gold filter. If you want to make more than one cup at a time Mellita has a 10-cup version for around $15.

And you'll need some hot water. Water temperature is key--you want it between 195F-204F for optimal extraction. Remember here in Colorado water boils at a lower temperature. The higher you are the lower the temp.

So there you have it. I don't need to sell off my assets to enjoy a little caffeine.

I have measured out my life with coffee spoons. ~T.S. Eliot

Free Mocha! No, Thank You?

I've been thinking of trying McDonald's new coffee drinks all summer. Why not? But I never go to McDonald's not because I'm too good for them. I'm a gluten-free vegetarian, there is no reason for me to go there. Not only that but there isn't one that's convenient to my travel patterns around town. So I haven't gone.

Then I saw this on the Consumerist.

Mocha Mondays At McDonald's Until August 3
By Meg Marco, 3:14 PM on Mon Jul 27 2009, 2,909 views
On Mondays through August 3, between 7am and 7pm get a free sample (7 oz. cold or 8 oz hot) of the McCafe Mocha — an espresso with steamed milk, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream with a chocolate drizzle.
Our own Phil Villarreal, expert in getting things for free, offers his review:
Even more tasty than McDonald's other free drink, Cup of Icewater. Boring coffee-like substance on top of a fantabulous gloop of chocolate blob at the bottom, with two dime-thin slices of ice buried within.

Somewhere in the back of my small brain I remember hearing about Mocha Mondays. Now next Monday is my last chance to try it for free. But after the above review I don't think I'll bother. I don't even like mocha anyway?? What was I thinking? ...Free and Cheap?

If you've tried these are they really as bad as the Consumerist says? Or what about the latte, or iced coffee?