A Beginner’s Guide to Coffee Grinders and Coffee Makers
In kitchens and homes around the world, people love to brew coffee for themselves or for guests. Mornings wouldn’t be the same without a fresh cup of java to get the old body going. Here are a few of the most common kitchen
In North America, drip coffee machines are the norm. Simply place fresh coffee grounds in the filter basket, pour in cold water, and turn it on. The coffee pours into the glass carafe, ready to enjoy. Coffee filters and coffee grounds are available in a wide variety. These coffee makers are very easy to use and cheap to purchase.
If you are making only one or two cups of coffee at a time and speed is important, you may be interested in a single serving coffee maker. Most of these utilize a small packet of grounds, similar to a tea bag, and available in different flavours. It would be difficult to quickly make coffee for a large number of people with one of these.
The coffee plunger, or French Press, allows the hot water and coffee to be placed together to brew. Then, the plunger is depressed and this pushes all the grounds to the bottom, allowing the coffee to be poured out. This is another excellent way to make one or two cups of coffee.
Purists might tell you that the only ‘real’ coffee is an espresso or cappuccino. These stronger coffees are made with coffee grounds that are finer and contain more sediment, which gives the stronger flavor. A special espresso machine is required, which may also have a milk steamer built into it. The espresso machine works by forcing hot water under high pressure through the grounds.
You need a way to grind fresh coffee beans at home if you want the full flavour and aroma from your coffee beans. Of the coffee grinders on the market, most of the cheaper ones have steel blades. A better choice might be a burr grinder, which is a step up from the steel bladed variety.
A lot of people like to use a coffee machine with a timer built in, to get their coffee ready first thing in the morning. You can also get one that has a built in grinder, and have the freshest possible coffee ready for you automatically. Now that’s a handy kitchen gadget!
