I bought the Bonavita with carafe based on all the good things I read here. I have a Cuisinart thermal carafe that makes muddy, warm coffee and not hot, crisp and aromatic coffee. I was very frustrated when I bought some great coffee, and it tasted like all the other good coffees I had brewed with the Cuisinart. So, I look forward to good coffee, like I have had in Chinatown Coffee in Washington DC.
One thing no one has mentioned: does the Bonavita come with a filter basket? If not, what kind of paper filters do I need?
I look forward to good coffee next week. Thanks to everyone for this great thread on the topic of good HOT water machines!
I just bought it too and am currently awaiting its arrival. I also bought a 6 pack of 100 pc. each, Melitta white #4 cone filters from Amazon. Very good price for what seems to be a good quality filter.
Wish I still had my Technivorm to compare it to, but it seems comparable as far a finished coffee. I remember my Technivorm being a bit taller and "beefier" in construction, but the BV seems well built as well, although more plastic.
I own both and I think you're right. Both work very well as brewers, and I can't tell the difference in the coffee they produce. The Technivorm is undoubtedly better built to a commercial rather than the quite good domestic standard of the Bonavita. However, I've had the Melitta (European equivalent of the Bonavita) for about 6 years - it's used not every day, but several times a week. Still works like new.
I'd like to see some proof of the claim "assembled in China from German components" (that might be a paraphrase I don't have the exact wording in front of me) I've seen on one US website. Another says "engineered in Germany" which could mean several things.
Mine just says "Made in China". Not unhappy about that and I knew before I bought it.
I get good results with a SwissGold #4 size permanent filter but lately I have been using the Kaffeologie cone shaped filter - I do not see this shape available on the Kaffeologie web site though.
It works well with the Bonavita filter cone since not much in the way of silt is left in the bottom of a full pot. I still use the #4 Melitta papers too.
I chew coffee beans with my teeth while gargling with 195 F water to enjoy coffee. What is this "coffee brewing" device you speak of?
mwright Senior Member Joined: 6 Sep 2010 Posts: 105 Location: Michigan Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Sun Jan 29, 2012, 12:59pm Subject: Re: Bonavita Automatic Brewer - 1st Look
For those of you using this brewer, ho long does it take for the water to drain from the filter basket after all the water is out of the reservoir when brewing a full batch. Mine seems to take awhile. I have noticed the brew basket still full of water when the reservoir empties and it takes a pretty long time to finish draining. Not sure if my grind is still to fine. I have been trying to go more coarse with it. Maybee I still need to go farther. I am using a new Virtuoso for the grinder. I did not notice this nearly as much with my Capresso Infinity.
Will_H Senior Member Joined: 12 Jun 2011 Posts: 38 Location: Seattle Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Grinder: Mazzer Mini Vac Pot: Yama
Posted Sun Jan 29, 2012, 1:28pm Subject: Re: Bonavita Automatic Brewer - 1st Look
mwright Said:
For those of you using this brewer, ho long does it take for the water to drain from the filter basket after all the water is out of the reservoir when brewing a full batch. Mine seems to take awhile. I have noticed the brew basket still full of water when the reservoir empties and it takes a pretty long time to finish draining. Not sure if my grind is still to fine. I have been trying to go more coarse with it. Maybee I still need to go farther. I am using a new Virtuoso for the grinder. I did not notice this nearly as much with my Capresso Infinity.
Long winded answer: My first thought is that you are grinding too fine. While I have never used a Capresso Infinity, I would imagine at a drip setting it would produce a wide range of particle sizes compared to the Baratza which would produce a much more consistent range of particle sizes. That said, one would assume that a comparable "drip" grind from each would yield differing brew times.
Posted Sun Jan 29, 2012, 4:55pm Subject: Re: Bonavita Automatic Brewer - 1st Look
mwright Said:
For those of you using this brewer, ho long does it take for the water to drain from the filter basket after all the water is out of the reservoir when brewing a full batch. Mine seems to take awhile. I have noticed the brew basket still full of water when the reservoir empties and it takes a pretty long time to finish draining. Not sure if my grind is still to fine. I have been trying to go more coarse with it. Maybee I still need to go farther. I am using a new Virtuoso for the grinder. I did not notice this nearly as much with my Capresso Infinity.
I haven't ever timed it, but I do know it's longer than with a Technivorm, and I think it's to do with the design of the basket. The Technivorm basket has a single hole - a lot larger than the Melitta/Bonavita basket - and it is in the centre of the basket at the bottom. It would provide virtually no flow control to the water coming out. The Melitta/Bonavita has a much smaller hole about 1cm up from the botton of the basket in the side. Exactly why it's designed like that I don't know, but I'm sure there is some theoretical reason. In any event, it is of a size to limit the flow going through it.
You might check it against your capresso machine too.
I suspect that is the answer rather than anything to do with your grind size.
Edit - by the way, what kind of filter are you using ? I found that the bodum version of the gold type permanent filter didn't work too well in this machine. The flow through was far too slow compared to a good quality paper filter, and on one occasion it overflowed.
I am using paper filters. Melitta #4. I will try grinding coarser and see what that does. At my current setting I measured them and they are about 1mm grind size (approx, it is kinda hard to measure).
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