Coffee Makers 101

Here in the United States, coffee has become a daily ritual for many people. One of the most important qualities of coffee that has helped it spread like wildfire is just how easy it has become to make fresh coffee. As brewing techniques and coffee machine technology have improved, so has the quality of coffee that can be made right in your home. Not only are there a wide variety of different coffee makers available, but there are also many different types of coffee you can easily make. To put it simply, nowadays you can make almost any type of coffee you want by simply pressing a few buttons. You can customize just about anything as well - from the taste and flavor of the coffee to the amount of water you want to use. Read on to learn more about all the different coffee makers available.

Drip Coffee Makers

Drip coffee makers are the standard home coffee makers that you can usually find in just about any home in your neighborhood and are among the most popular in the world. This is for a variety of reasons, including ease of use and the inexpensive nature of drip coffee makers. These home coffee makers can brew anywhere from one to 12 cups of coffee at once, making these the perfect for homes with multiple coffee drinkers. They're also quite simple. Just add a coffee filter along with your favorite ground coffee, and then fill the reservoir with water. Now all you have to do is turn the coffee maker on, and you'll have a hot pot of coffee in just a few minutes. Since these coffee makers can brew a large amount of coffee in a short period of time, drop coffee makers are perfect for large families, entertaining and office use.

Another great quality of drip coffee makers is that many models are fully automatic and programmable. This allows you to set up the machine in advance, imputing exactly when you'd like to have a hot pot of coffee available. Some additional functions of more modern drip coffee makers include:

• Clock: A companion to the programmable timer, check the time, and set your machine to work at a specific time of day.
• Pause button: Pause the coffee brewing if you want to have a cup before the machine is finished.
• Strength adjuster: Adjust the strength of your coffee to meet your desired taste
• Coffee grinder: Grind your own roasted coffee beans without needing another machine.
• Permanent coffee filter: Save money over time by not requiring a disposable paper coffee filter.

Espresso Coffee Makers

Espresso coffee makers and coffee machines are designed specifically to make the bold coffee drink known across the world as espresso. First seen in Italy during the 1800's, espresso has since become one of the most popular types of coffee in the world. The bold and concentrated coffee flavor makes espresso the perfect foundation for a wide variety of coffee drinks -- many of which you can find at any coffee shop in the world. As the espresso coffee maker technology has improved, espresso machines have found a home in kitchens around the world as well.

Modern espresso coffee makers are designed to use almost any type of ground coffee to make espresso, including both dark and light roasts. Typically, these coffee machines can make any number of espresso shots. Many units also come with a dual spout, allowing you to make either two separate shots at the same time, or one double shot. These coffee machines also include adjustable shot length as well, to ensure you exactly the shot of espresso you want. Many also feature programmable settings, much like other home drip coffee makers. 

French Press Coffee Makers

French press coffee makers utilize one of the oldest forms of modern coffee making in the world. Developed in the 1850's, the press pot has remained relatively unchanged despite all the technological advances that other coffee makers have gone through. It's due to the relative simplicity that French press coffee remains one of the preferred coffee making methods for coffee connoisseurs. They're also an inexpensive coffee maker, and require no electricity to use. 

Press pots consist of a simple design, which includes a tall cylinder, usually made of glass, and then a plunger and a filter. All you need to enjoy delicious coffee with your press pot is boiling water and coarsely grounded coffee. Simply put the coarse ground coffee at the bottom of the cylinder, and pour in the boiling water. Stir the resulting mixture well with a non-metal spoon, and leave it sitting with the lid on securely. Let the coffee sit and brew for anywhere from one to eight minutes, depending on the desired strength -- the longer you let the coffee sit, the stronger it will be. When you're ready to enjoy your coffee, press the plunger down slowly, forcing the coffee grounds through the filter and pushing them down to the bottom of the cylinder. Finally, immediately pour out the coffee to avoid any bitter taste.

Single Cup Coffee Makers

Single cup coffee makers are a great way to brew a single cup of coffee without much fuss or mess. Using prepackaged coffee pods or cups, one cup coffee makers do exactly that -- make a single cup of delicious coffee. A coffee pod or prepackaged cup include coffee grounds and a miniature filter, all contained within a single package. The pod is designed to fit inside a specific type of coffee machine. Once there, hot water is filtered through the pod or cup and brewing takes place in that contained space with the push of a button. The result -- a hot and fresh cup of coffee. The best part about coffee pods is that you simply throw them out afterwards, and that's it for clean up and maintenance.

Since they only make one cup of coffee at a time, single cup coffee makers are perfect for small households where there are only one or two casual coffee drinkers. Pod coffee makers are also perfect for any office setting, as the wide variety of coffee pod flavors and styles ensure that everyone in the office can make exactly the type of coffee they want. They also allow for the convenience of little clean up and maintenance, as well as a fast and efficient coffee making process.

There are many different types of single cup coffee machines, and modern units can have a variety of extra features, including:

• Precision temperature control: This allows you to decide exactly what temperature is used to make your coffee
• Strength: This controls how strong your coffee is by using more or less water in a single brewing process
• Filtration: Water can be filtered before the brewing process, resulting in a purer cup of coffee.
• Size: This allows you to adjust the size of the coffee cup you're making, letting you leave room for milk or cream.
• Programmable clock: Just like drip coffee makers, these units are perfect for home use and allow you to program exactly when a cup of coffee is made -- automatically.