Help! I need better coffee

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phideaux

phideaux

Old fashioned
Neighbor
HCL Supporter
Joined
Nov 24, 2017
Messages
19,538
Location
West Ky
Y'all helped on other kitchen appliances , so here I go again.

I am a coffee fiend .
I really enjoy a GOOD. cup of coffee.

What I been making in my little $20 Black and Decker every morning , just ain't that great.

I'm ready to spend some bucks to make myself a better pot of coffee.

Is buying beans and a grinder a good idea?

Buying a really top end Coffee maker to brew them beans?

I only make one pot a day , first thing in the morning.
Ability to program it for 6:30 am would be a plus.

4-10 cup ability.

I'm looking for suggestions that will eventually help me decide what to do.

Jim
 
I bought a Keurig. The pods are around 30 cents each cup but I always have fresh hot coffee. I only drink 2 or 3 cups a day so the cost isn't excessive.
At Costco last Friday I bought a box of coffee pods that has 6 different types so I can try different coffee to see if one stands out. So far Donut Shop brand is leading the test with Paul Newmans a close second.
 
Cascadian said:
Well I only have 2 cups a day myself, which is half the pot. We went on vacation years ago and toured this little coffee plantation. We brought back a couple bags of thier best coffee. It was hands down the best coffee I ever had. Yes it is a expensive but still cheaper than 2 cups of Starbucks.
https://www.hawaiicoffeecompany.com...pwH-TWDa9QEeLGoaFHEqJq068JJc2l2AaAr59EALw_wcB
Click to expand...

But, doesn't it take a good maker to make , even premium, coffee taste good?

I hate to buy expensive , top shelf coffee, if my maker sucks.

Jim
 
I second the Keurig. I never thought I'd like one. For the longest time I thought they were a gimmick. But they make some really good coffee. And fast. You make it a cup at a time, so it's never sitting around in a warming pot going bad. And it makes each cup the same way every time, so you can get your creamer and sugar measurements (if you use those) down to perfection through repetition. You have a very large choice of different coffees to try with all the pods that are available.

The downsides? The pods are more expensive than bagged coffee. The pods are made of plastic, so not so good for the environment. There are pods available that are biodegradable, but their selection is slim at this time.

We have one of the higher end Keurigs. One of the ones that has a reservoir for water (the less expensive ones you have to fill with water for every cup). And the reservoir can remain heated if you want, so from start to finish, making a cup of coffee takes less than a minute. If you don't keep the reservoir hot all the time, it takes about 3 minutes to make a cup. Still, that's a pretty short time. Ours also has buttons to choose the different size cups - there are about 5 size settings. It also has a separate button labeled "strong" that you push in conjunction with one of the size buttons to brew your cup a little stronger. Automatic on/off as well, so if you don't want to wait 3 minutes for your first cup in the morning, just set the timer to heat the reservoir a few minutes prior to your normal first cup time.

If you have a Costco near, buy the Keurig there if you decide to get one of these machines. They are usually a lot cheaper at Costco than at other retailers. Or at least they were, last time I bought one there. I seem to remember you can usually get one of the higher end models with a variety of 60 or so pods included for around $120 at Costco. The low-end model retails for $99, but you can always find it on sale somewhere for $79. I have used different models all up and down their line of products and recommend the one I described - reservoir and buttons to set cup size - over the cheaper ones. if you only drink one cup of coffee a day, the cheaper one model will do, but there is more futzing around with those (you have to manually measure your amount of water each time, wait longer for things to brew, etc.) The coffee comes out tasting the same from all the different models. What you are paying more for are convenience and additional time savings.

I always liked the coffee at the Kuttawa Hampton Inn. For hotel coffee, that was probably the best I've run into.
 
p.s. - Good water makes a huge difference in coffee taste. I used to think that was a myth, but it's very true. We use bottled water. We have those 5 gallon jugs delivered that go on top of a cooler/heating unit.

If you're wanting to test out your current coffee maker some more before buying a new one, test it with bottled water first. You might be surprised at the improvement. I don't remember how your water tastes there, some localities might see more benefit from bottle water than others.
 
I have to ask,"what is good coffee?" before I suggest anything. If your coffee has to retain its shape if the cup tips over or the spoon has to melt when you stir it to be good coffee my recommendation will be different than if you want a smooth cup of coffee that adds a flavor to your mouth that you can enjoy.
 
You can get the reusable cups for the Keurig so you can pick your favourite coffee.

I buy my coffee at Costco in a 5# mylar bag and grind it myself. It stores well so I don't worry about running out for quite a while.

I use a Mr. Coffee and it does well enough but the best cup I ever had was out of a French press. I attribute part of that to the cook, part to the coffee, and part to the French press.

We also make our coffee with water from our R/O filter at home. Here we use rain water which is excellent but Mom wants Yuban so that is what we drink, yuck.
 
@Haertig , we are on well water. Excellent tasting water, even so , all cooking and drinking water is run thru a Zero water purifier , that really makes good neutral, water.

A good cup of coffee to me is pure black , big on aroma and has that great old fashion COFFEE taste, but not bitter, and the perfect temperature...hot but not excessively hot that you can't sip it without a burn.

Gotta smell up the whole house.

I've always heard...don't know for myself, that fresh ground beans make the best flavor.

Oh, btw, I don't like any of the flavored coffee additives . No sugar, Just coffee please.

Jim
 
phideaux said:
Y'all helped on other kitchen appliances , so here I go again.

I am a coffee fiend .
I really enjoy a GOOD. cup of coffee.

What I been making in my little $20 Black and Decker every morning , just ain't that great.

I'm ready to spend some bucks to make myself a better pot of coffee.

Is buying beans and a grinder a good idea?

Buying a really top end Coffee maker to brew them beans?

I only make one pot a day , first thing in the morning.
Ability to program it for 6:30 am would be a plus.

4-10 cup ability.

I'm looking for suggestions that will eventually help me decide what to do.

Jim
Click to expand...

Be caareful we just paid 50 bucks for one tha makes coffee that will not be hot before you can drink half of it. So back to the pot and boiling it then pouring boiling water over coffee in filter placed on top of cup,perfect cup. Want it strong add more coffee grinfs to filter. Only clean up is the filter too no dealing with the coffee pot.
 
Last edited:
Meerkat said:
Be caareful we just paid 50 bucks for one tha makes coffee that will not be hot before you can drink half of it. So back to the pot and boiling it then pouring boiling water over coffee in filter placed on top of cup,perfect cut. Want it strong add more coffee grinfs to filter. Only clean up is the filter too no dealing with the coffee pot.
Click to expand...

Sorry that confused me.

Jim
 
phideaux said:
A good cup of coffee to me is pure black , big on aroma and has that great old fashion COFFEE taste, but not bitter, and the perfect temperature...hot but not excessively hot that you can't sip it without a burn.
Click to expand...
Jim, I have the coffee for you. If you like it to taste like the store bought but without the bitterness, I would suggest the Ethiopian coffee from Wild Calf Coffee.

She is a small roaster and she can do whole bean, ground and cups.

Another really good one is her dark or medium Kenya.

I am not a big coffee drinker because of the bitterness. I usually have to put sugar, cream or both to drink it. Her coffee I can drink black. The bitterness comes from them scorching the outside of the bean when roasting.

The web site is wildcalf dot com

I have a couple of people stopping just for the coffee. She might send you some samples if you call her.
 
Here is another vote for a Keurig, with distilled water. I use the single cup maker, and mostly Costco "Pacifica Bold" coffee pods. Grinding your own and the French press make great coffee, but I don't have that kind of attention span early in the morning :p
 
Jim,
I recommend 1 part French roast, half part Kona and half part Columbian.
If you can't find a French roast then substitute Arusha, Benguet, Bourbon, or Bonifieur.

Columbian has a lot of aroma but is bitter.
Kona has a lot of aroma, a mellow taste and is not bitter.
The rest that I listed are flavorful, mild aroma, without the bitter aftertaste.
If money was no obstacle I would use a 50/50 mix of Kona and Bonifieur but both are expensive coffees.
When buying Kona make sure it is 100% Kona because they can call it Kona down to 10%.
 
phideaux said:
Sorry that confused me.

Jim
Click to expand...

All of it,lol or part of it?
We put a coffee filter on a cup with coffee grounds in it. Then pour boiling just off burner water over the grounds. and makes a perfect cup of coffee without all the cleanup.Want it weaker more water,want it stronger more grounds.
 
I usually drink 5-6 cups every morning. Figuring 30 cents a pod/cup I don't want to spend $45-$50/mo for coffee.

I'm not that hooked,, just want a better cup of coffee.

I'm not too concerned about convenience. Except the French press is a little too much work and time I think.

Jim
 
phideaux said:
Sorry that confused me.
Click to expand...
I think she's talking about the "Pour Over" type of brewer. Basically, nothing more than a filter holder that sits on top of your pot/cup. You boil your water by some outside means, then pour the boiling water over the grounds.

I have one of those (not this exact one, just something in this style). Don't like it much. There is technique involved - you have to pour at just the right speed to get the coffee the way you want it. Too fast or too slow makes different strength brews. And you can only go so fast, because the water will back up in the grounds, forcing you to go slower. These brewers are now the favorite of coffee experts (I believe). The ones who have the time and inclination to master the correct technique. It's like you wet the grounds, wait a few seconds, then begin pouring in earnest at a controlled speed. I didn't have that patience myself. These come in different sizes - some big enough for a large pot, some small enough for just a single cup. Without an insulated pot or a heater beneath, the coffee does get cold pretty fast - it worked better for me just doing one cup at a time so I didn't have to worry about temperature problems. I seem to remember that you end up using an inordinately large amount of grounds compared to other brewing methods.

If you want to learn how to be an expert, one of these brewers might be great. Me, I just wanted a good cup of coffee without all the fuss making it.

PourOver.png
 
phideaux said:
I usually drink 5-6 cups every morning. Figuring 30 cents a pod/cup I don't want to spend $45-$50/mo for coffee.

I'm not that hooked,, just want a better cup of coffee.

I'm not too concerned about convenience. Except the French press is a little too much work and time I think.

Jim
Click to expand...

We just scoop in about a tbs of Foldgers or Chock Full Of Nuts in per cup and it last us about a month spend according to sale maybe $10 month . Plus if we want it stronger or milder its easy to measure and its always steaming hot. Between the two of us we drink maybe 6 cups a day,sometime one at night too.
What I don't like about it is heating the pot that can make AC come on a little more and use propane,Our electric hot plate burned out a few years ago so don't have one.
 
Haertig said:
I think she's talking about the "Pour Over" type of brewer. Basically, nothing more than a filter holder that sits on top of your pot/cup. You boil your water by some outside means, then pour the boiling water over the grounds.

I have one of those (not this exact one, just something in this style). Don't like it much. There is technique involved - you have to pour at just the right speed to get the coffee the way you want it. Too fast or too slow makes different strength brews. And you can only go so fast, because the water will back up in the grounds, forcing you to go slower. These brewers are now the favorite of coffee experts (I believe). The ones who have the time and inclination to master the correct technique. It's like you wet the grounds, wait a few seconds, then begin pouring in earnest at a controlled speed. I didn't have that patience myself. These come in different sizes - some big enough for a large pot, some small enough for just a single cup. Without an insulated pot or a heater beneath, the coffee does get cold pretty fast - it worked better for me just doing one cup at a time so I didn't have to worry about temperature problems. I seem to remember that you end up using an inordinately large amount of grounds compared to other brewing methods.

If you want to learn how to be an expert, one of these brewers might be great. Me, I just wanted a good cup of coffee without all the fuss making it.

View attachment 50241
Click to expand...

LOL,nope nothing that fancy. Its a sturdy little plastic mesh filter from grocery store. But it is kinda the same menthed, only use cup instead of pot and rigid filter not floppy paper one. :thumbs:
 
Haertig said:
I think she's talking about the "Pour Over" type of brewer. Basically, nothing more than a filter holder that sits on top of your pot/cup. You boil your water by some outside means, then pour the boiling water over the grounds.

I have one of those (not this exact one, just something in this style). Don't like it much. There is technique involved - you have to pour at just the right speed to get the coffee the way you want it. Too fast or too slow makes different strength brews. And you can only go so fast, because the water will back up in the grounds, forcing you to go slower. These brewers are now the favorite of coffee experts (I believe). The ones who have the time and inclination to master the correct technique. It's like you wet the grounds, wait a few seconds, then begin pouring in earnest at a controlled speed. I didn't have that patience myself. These come in different sizes - some big enough for a large pot, some small enough for just a single cup. Without an insulated pot or a heater beneath, the coffee does get cold pretty fast - it worked better for me just doing one cup at a time so I didn't have to worry about temperature problems. I seem to remember that you end up using an inordinately large amount of grounds compared to other brewing methods.

If you want to learn how to be an expert, one of these brewers might be great. Me, I just wanted a good cup of coffee without all the fuss making it.

View attachment 50241
Click to expand...
And, on my electric cook stove...lots of electricy to boil water, that's no big deal, but it takes quite a bit of time to boil water.

Jim
 
Make your life easier, get a percolator. Boiling water is dispensed through the grounds at the "perfect" rate. After it's brewed remove the filter and feed tube and the coffee stays hot. I have a 40 cup percolator that lasts me a couple of days.
 
The French press and the pour over are too much work. I want to press the button and come back. An old percolator is fine, if I'm camping or the power is out. My favourite is the Mr. Coffee style with a carafe rather than a pot and burner. The coffee stays hot for quite a while and doesn't get burned.
 
It is work. I used to buy beans and grind it at the store. That way I could combine the different coffees it took to make good coffee into a single container.
 
phideaux said:
And, on my electric cook stove...lots of electricy to boil water, that's no big deal, but it takes quite a bit of time to boil water.

Jim
Click to expand...

Thats true. We only boil two cups at a time plus hubby uses that plastic instant boil thing. I don't use it ever,I boil mine in stainless steel pot and his seconf cup is ready in about 5 minutes or by thime he drinks his chemical filled cup of water boiled instantly. He alway liked living dangerouly :oops:
 
SheepDog said:
Make your life easier, get a percolator. Boiling water is dispensed through the grounds at the "perfect" rate. After it's brewed remove the filter and feed tube and the coffee stays hot. I have a 40 cup percolator that lasts me a couple of days.
Click to expand...

I had thought about a percolator , that's all my grand parents had.
Good coffee.

I just don't want to turn my electric stove on , heat up kitchen , wait, then wait for stove to cool off, which takes longer than to heat up.
And, if I remember right it gets cold pretty quick.

I guess you could go with an electric percolator.

I'll look into those.

Jim
 
Caribou said:
The French press and the pour over are too much work. I want to press the button and come back. An old percolator is fine, if I'm camping or the power is out. My favourite is the Mr. Coffee style with a carafe rather than a pot and burner. The coffee stays hot for quite a while and doesn't get burned.
Click to expand...

I think there are insulated carriffs also.

Jim
 
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