Coffee Machine Considerations

Every day, as I pour myself a coffee from my Nespresso Vertuo machine, I wonder what makes this machine so expensive yet so popular. All of the other coffee machines do the same thing without pushing me and my wallet to feel some type of way. The pods aren’t too badly priced, yet I keep going in circles about the damn machine. I wonder what makes some of these machines expensive and special versus just buying the cheaper ones. I love coffee and the uniqueness of the many different types and the many different ways of making them. Because of this, I decided to do some research based on several different coffee machines out there. With so many to chose from and all the different variables involved, I know it isn’t easy to buy your first coffee machine without knowing a little bit about all the different types.

Everyone’s different.

Some questions to ask yourself when considering your new coffee maker:

When you wake up in the morning, do you walk like a zombie straight to your coffee maker without thinking? Do you want your coffee made with a click of a button or want to go full barista mode? How much effort are you willing to put into making your fresh brew? How often are you drinking coffee, and are you alone? Or living with other coffee lovers? Finally, how much are you willing to invest?

A few considerations you should take into account when purchasing your machine:

The size of a machine all depends on how many cups you drink. If you drink one cup a day, then a single-serve coffee maker is your best bet. One also has to consider the amount of space your counter has for the machine.
If you’re investing in a more expensive, higher-end machine, you should probably think about checking to see if the device has a warranty. Luckily, most good coffee machine brands almost always have a warranty in place.
A hot plate keeps your coffee warm but can actually overheat the brew and create an acidic taste. A thermal carafe is insulated and is manufactured to keep the coffee warm without consuming too much energy, similar to a thermos.
Paper filters are becoming things of the past because of the extra waste and because they tend to soak up all the oils that make the coffee taste delicious. Many machines come out with reusable filters made out of a stainless steel mesh and cause little to no fuss.
Auto-start enables the drip machines to begin brewing at any particular time you chose. Aka, you can set your device to start brewing a fresh pot of hot coffee at the time you usually wake up in the mornings.
Mid brew pause permits you to take your carafe out of the pot before it is wholly done brewing. This is a useful feature for those who are impatient and waiting for a large brew of coffee that is not just for them.
For a drip coffee machine, there is nothing worse than realizing your hot plate is on. The auto shut off innovation is basically the safety feature which stops your home from catching on fire.
A water filter is a great feature to have if you have hard water or if your water has that weird mineral taste. All of these factors can and will affect the way your coffee tastes.