These Coffee Makers Keep The Cold Brew Flowing
From EjWiki
For those on a budget, "espresso brewers" (in the $30 to $50 price range) typically lack motorized pumps and are powered by steam pressure alone. What they produce is really moka pot, the sort of coffee made by simple stovetop brewers; it won't taste quite like the espresso you're used to from the barista at your local coffee shop or cafe. That's not inherently bad -- it's just not really espresso.
To pull shots, I start with the suggested method outlined in a given machine's product manual. Usually that covers the amount of coffee grounds expected per shot, along with any guidelines regarding coarseness level. Likewise, I follow tamping instructions (light, medium or hard tamp) if the manual provides them.
$15 at Amazon Pour-over coffee
If you've never tried pour-over coffee, either at a local coffee shop or at home, prepare for a completely different world of coffee. Pour over methods release layers of flavor you never knew coffee could have: fruity, chocolatey, earthy, floral, juicy -- coffee drinks can taste like all of these and more without going to the coffee shop. At home, try brewing with one of these, which each require their own type of paper filter. You'll add a little extra time to your coffee ritual, but you will be rewarded with a cup of piping hot coffee that will have you savoring every precious drop of flavor.
These shots I pulled were balanced though, with an extraction of 18.6%. The test beans I use are the same variety I employ for standard coffee makers -- Costco Kirkland Colombian. It's a medium dark roast, suitable for brewing espresso as well.
$43 at Amazon Gooseneck pour-over kettle
Amazon For pour-over coffee methods, you'll want a good gooseneck kettle. Heat up cold water in something like this kettle, and the narrow spout will give you the control you need to distribute hot water over your coffee grounds (or tea), first to help "bloom" the coffee grounds, and then to evenly "pour over" the rest of the water.
How did I test these self-cleaning water bottles?
I tested three UV-powered self-sanitizing water bottles -- the Larq bottle, the CrazyCap bottle and the Mahaton bottle (which is on Kickstarter, but is fully funded and already shipping products) -- using the tap water from my apartment's kitchen sink.
$95 at Larq Best self-cleaning water bottle for indoors only
Mahaton
Amanda Capritto/CNET The Mahaton self-cleaning water bottle (available for preorder for $44) features one purification cycle that eliminates up to 99.99% of waterborne pathogens. After three days of near-constant use, the bottle didn't show any signs of build-up -- no weird smells, no crusty films.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET For many java drinkers, espresso is coffee's ultimate expression, and finding the best espresso machine in your price range might mean the difference between a great brew and something that's just so-so. Concentrated, complex and intensely flavorful, it's easy to fall hard for espresso. But to create and enjoy good drinks at home, you've got to be prepared to spend big bucks. The best home espresso machines have an advanced brewing process and handy bells and whistles like a double portafilter basket for double shot drinks and a milk frother and steam wand for a cappuccino or latte. These automatic machines don't come cheap, and you can expect to pay at least $600 for something that whips up legit cafe-caliber espresso drinks. But when in doubt, try to remember how much you'll be saving on all the lattes and double shots you get from your coffee shop.
$256 at Amazon PS: The Beans
All these gadgets will help you make a better cup of coffee, certainly, but to achieve a truly great brew, you have to start with a strong foundation: the beans! When purchasing a bag of beans, look for a roast date within the last few weeks or sooner. Freshly roasted beans will get you the most flavor and keep your coffee fresh. A local coffee roaster will be your best bet but there are online options, too. Bags of Intelligentsia coffee smell amazing and give you a preview of the flavors you'll get in your brewed coffee, and some brands of coffee will even benefit a charity, as with Grounds & Hounds ("Every pound saves a hound!").
Brita's smart pitcher is $20 more than an identical Brita pitcher with no smarts to speak of, so the question here is whether or not that Amazon Dash integration is worth the extra 20 bucks. In theory, it's a useful bit of automation -- especially if you already buy replacement filters on the regular. In practice, it isn't all that precise, and more than anything seems designed to get people to buy new filters more often than they would out of habit alone. It certainly isn't something that anyone needs, but it might make a decent gift for a friend who's picky about filtered water.
The Larq bottle is made of vacuum-insulated stainless steel and keeps your water cold for up to 24 hours. It's sleek and aesthetically appealing -- my only complaint was that there's no groove or curve to fit your hand. You could always purchase the limited-edition bottle sleeve to solve that problem.
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