TMiller Senior Member Joined: 28 Jul 2012 Posts: 24 Location: Queens, New York Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Aug 1, 2012, 10:45am Subject: Re: Upgrading from Folgers: Can anyone recommend some good coffee brands please?
AAAustin Said:
You don't need to spend much money to have an excellent coffee maker. My aeropress and hario mini mill (combined, under $65) give me a cup at least as good as better coffee shops and better than most, and there are many good pour-over devices which are even easier to use than an aeropress (I think, fewer variables to fiddle with) and less expensive still (i.e. Melitta #4 cone, $7).
I checked out the coffee maker that you said you have. I think I might return my Mr. Coffee and get that one. I didn't want to spend money on getting more expensive coffee when I have a low quality coffee maker. I'm pretty sure it's the Mr. Coffee that I have that gives the coffee a plastic taste because my grandparents have a different coffee maker but use Folger's like I do and their coffee even tasted better. I'm probably just going to end up ordering both the Aeropress and a good coffee at the same time.
randytsuch Senior Member Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 578 Location: LA, Ca Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Expobar Office with... Grinder: Baratza Vario Roaster: Customized Alpenrost,...
Posted Wed Aug 1, 2012, 12:03pm Subject: Re: Upgrading from Folgers: Can anyone recommend some good coffee brands please?
The coffee maker's job is pretty simple, it just had to heat up the water, and then distribute over the coffee.
But, many coffee makers don't heat the water up hot enough, should be around 205 deg.
You can make good coffee with a pour over and something to heat the water up to boiling. Just let it sit a little bit after boiling, and it should be the right temp for coffee.
But, you really need a grinder, you can get manual grinders that are fine. I use a hario slim on vacation and with a few little mods it does a good job, even unmodded it will do the trick. I can make pretty good coffee with fresh beans and a little hotel coffee maker.
Orphan espresso sells manual grinders, or you can try ebay but its a little hit and miss there. Until you get a burr grinder it's pretty hard to make good coffee, if not impossible, but once you have a grinder it's pretty easy.
TMiller Senior Member Joined: 28 Jul 2012 Posts: 24 Location: Queens, New York Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Aug 1, 2012, 8:09pm Subject: Re: Upgrading from Folgers: Can anyone recommend some good coffee brands please?
Is the Aeropress a French Press? And what is the difference between an espresso maker and a coffee maker. By the way, if anyone knows a website where I can learn about coffee, would it be possible if you can send me a link. That would be great.
AAAustin Senior Member Joined: 16 Jun 2012 Posts: 8 Location: Las Vegas NV Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Aug 1, 2012, 8:41pm Subject: Re: Upgrading from Folgers: Can anyone recommend some good coffee brands please?
They both have "press" in the name and are "immersion" type brewers (coffee and water remain in contact until they are manually separated) but they don't have a whole lot else in common. Getting good results from a french press pretty much requires a top-notch grinder. Aeropress (and pour-over brewers, I doubt you will find too many folks around here that don't have at least one of those) are much more forgiving.
The short, short version is that espresso is made using high pressure water in small quantities, and requires considerable skill to do well (take a peek in the espresso forums, it's serious stuff)
You are already at a great site for learning about coffee, just browse around in the forums and read a few articles, you'll figure out what you need to know in short order :-)
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