The Coffee Pantry

Vacuum Coffee Makers

For a lot of people a vacuum coffee maker is an indispensable part of life, whilst for other people it is an obscure art for brewing coffee. Devised during the 1830’s by Loeff of Berlin, this coffee maker has since been regenerated and designed in a number of ways. The Napier Vacuum Machine was invented in 1840, while the Bauhaus build of this device can be noted in the Gerhard Marcks’ Sintrax coffee maker created in 1925. Forged by the Swedish designer Kass Kleeson, the Santos vacuum coffee maker is an appliance that is very popular particularly in a lot of Scandinavian homes today. Irrespective which model of vacuum coffee maker you use, the rules are typically the same and will bring about the same results.

Applying vapor pressure and a vacuum force to brew coffee that has a crisp, clean taste boasting a smooth and rich flavor as compared to other time-honored ways of brewing coffee, this form has been forgotten over the years. With the presence of many other types of coffee brewing systems as the French press, automatic drip coffee makers and many others, you will want to examine the type of brew that you want, how strong, convenience as well as cost in order to make a final decision on what type of brewing process you want to use yourself each day, to obtain that perfect cup of coffee.

A vacuum coffee maker consists of two separate mixing units that are usually made of glass. The upper pot sits on top of the lower pot with a stopper in between them. With a filter and a tube attached to the upper pot, the tube hangs between both pots and the course grounds are placed in the upper receptacle. Depending on how strong you like your coffee brewed will depend on how much coffee you use in the upper pot. If you prefer stronger coffee one rounded tablespoon of grounds is sufficient for one cup of water.

The next step would be to fill the lower portion of the vacuum coffee maker with water and place it on a heating element until it is near the boiling point. Once you have reached this point, the upper pot is placed on top of the lower pot with the stopper in between and sealed. The heated water will cause expansion forcing the contents through the narrow tube into the upper vessel that contains the coffee grounds. Typically this is anywhere from 3 – 4 minutes depending on how strong you prefer your coffee.

When you have drained the lower container the brewing time is completed and the pot is withdrew from the heat. With the absence of heat, the brewed coffee in the upper container is drawn back down through a strainer in the lower chamber ready to be served. With this vacuum process you don’t lose the natural flavors of the coffee beans and are able to enjoy a perfect pot of coffee within minutes. Vacuum coffee makers may have been a thing of the past, but there are still a lot of of them out there to use and savor today.

Senseo Coffee Makers

Senseo coffee makers have become well recognised as some of the best coffee makers around the globe for many reasons.  With the specialized knowledge that the Phillips Company retains and the expertise from Douwe Egberts partnered together, the Senseo coffee pod system was produced. When you’ve two well-advanced companies acting together in order to develop the complete gourmet cup of coffee, you will surely be impressed with every aspect that has been meticulously created by these two innovative companies.

The benefits of a Senseo coffee pod are straight off realised when you get a load of all that it has to offer its user. There’s no mess or waste with this one-cup coffee maker that will produce exactly a 4-ounce perfect cup of coffee each and every time within only 30 seconds of operating. There is an auto-off switch included that will power off the coffee pod after one hour and has the heating element entirely enclosed, making it not only dishwasher safe but also dorm room approved. With only 3 steps to operate, it is extremely easy to use and is perfect for those who only need one cup of coffee in the morning, or the elderly.

The Senseo experience does not stop at just the perfect cup of coffee. You can experience exotic blends from around the globe from a wide assortment of countries. With options to purchase different coffee pod blends such as Brazil Blend, Columbia Blend, Kenya and Sumatra Blends, you are sure to find your ideal flavor of coffee in the Senseo line perfect for your Senseo coffee maker.

The Senseo experience will amaze you once you are experienced to the mild pressure and specialized spray head that produces a balanced filter process to obtain that perfect cup of coffee. Using the Senseo coffee pods you eliminate messy filters and coffee grounds that come with regular coffee makers. With many options to match any décor, you can choose from a variety of colors such as blue, red, black and white or go with a more chrome look to match all of your other kitchen appliances such as those that contain stainless steel.

Not only can you brew the perfect cup of coffee each time, but there are also options to upgrade your Senseo product to enclose a larger water reservoir to accommodate a variety of cup sizes rather than just 4-ounces. With the Senseo Supreme Model you have the option to customize the water volume to adjust your brew strength, for those who prefer a lighter cup of coffee or a stronger one to get started in the morning.

Now you can also have additional coffee flavorings to bring about the perfect frothy gourmet cup of coffee each time. Just add the flavor packet to your cup and brew your pod regularly to enjoy this perfect addition to the Senseo line of coffees. With only a touch of a button and in less than a minute, Senseo coffee makers bestows to you the art of a perfect cup of coffee each and every time, irrespective of  what your taste is.

Espresso Coffee Makers

Coffee buffs around the world include automatic drip makers, cappuccino systems and espresso coffee makers as part of their every day routine. If you are an espresso devotee than you’ve refined tastes in your caffeine, recognise the differences between a cracking cup of espresso and one that is not brewed to perfection. Savoring a great cup of espresso can get very pricey if you make a regular morning trip to the local coffee shop every day, so why wouldn’t you want to savor the same results in the comfort of your own home?

Irrespective what your budget or skills are, you will be able to get an espresso coffee maker system to fulfill your caffeine cravings. Ranging in price anywhere from less than $100 upwards to well over $2,000, depending upon the accessories and features included will impact what type of espresso system will work for you. Make sure to analyse all the alternatives available as well as what is familiar or unfamiliar to you so that you’re not buying a unit that you will not even utilize completely. Single serving systems, options for single or double shots of espresso, regulating the cup height, as well as the features for creating lattes and cappuccinos, you will be pleased with the systems you have available for purchase.  

For those who prefer simple stovetop models, you can find a number of espresso coffee makers that are very competitively priced. With options such as a Moka Pot made of aluminum, that is very reasonably priced, but lacks a frothing wand for the steamed milk, to the Graziala Steamer made with stainless steel, which includes not only the frothing wand but also a pressure release valve and a value to extract your espresso. For those coffee lovers who do not want to spend a lot of money on an espresso system and do not prepare a cup each day, this option would be best as a cost-effective alternative.  

If it is a countertop espresso machine that you are looking for then you are sure to find a system that will work for you. With choices including a manual piston system, a steam-driven unit, or even a pump-driven coffee machine, it is essential that you examine the many options available in order to find the coffee system that will suit you best. The steam-driven espresso systems were the first to be used for coffee lovers and have been developed further over the years. By utilizing steam pressure to force the water through the system in order to brew the coffee, it has been one of the favorites for many due to the lack of moving parts and simplistic design.

Achille Gaggia from Italy developed the piston-driven espresso coffee maker system in 1945. Using a lever that is pumped by the operator, in order to pressurize the hot water, it sends it through the coffee grinds that will create one espresso shot. With piston-driven coffee systems you are able to find either manual or spring design for the levers. Pump-driven systems are more refined than the piston-driven machines and have quickly become the more popular choice for commercial espresso bars. Without the use of manual force, a motor will drive the pump lever in order to produce the perfect espresso shot. As technology develops and the admiration for coffee increases, espresso coffee makers come in a vast array of choices that are sure to delight any coffee lover today.

There’s nothing to beat a hot cup of coffee on a cold, winter morning, and what makes coffee even more likeable is the attractiveness of the coffee mug!  Available in every conceivable material from plastic to ceramic and in a riot of colors, shapes, and designs, coffee mugs can reveal a lot about you. So, choose them with care keeping in mind when and with whom you intend to have your coffee.

Did you know that lots of people actually collect coffee mugs? They aren’t as expensive as coins or stamps, and keeping them in a showcase in your living room can lead to some interesting conversation. Even if you’re the practical, workaholic type you could buy different types of coffee mugs to zest up your life! 

Choose mugs in a variety of materials like ceramic, porcelain, stainless steel, enameled metal, and plastic.  As for color, choose outside colored mugs, inside colored mugs, plain mugs with colored rims and handles, and mugs that change color. This last mentioned variety is heat sensitive and changes color when a hot liquid is poured into it. If you travel a great deal, but want to add a personal touch to your coffee, get a travel coffee mug. A stainless steel one would survive the bumps and jerks of travel and, don’t worry, you won’t burn your fingers because the handle is plastic!  These mugs also come with a plastic lid, and you can request custom decorations on them. However, not all decorations can be seen clearly or may not look attractive given the gray exterior of stainless steel mugs.

You are spoilt for choice as far as designs and decorations are concerned. If you are an avid football fan you could choose a football team mug, or if chess is your point of interest, you can get one with a chessboard design. To beat Monday morning blues, keep a stock of mugs in bright colors. You may choose funny or inspirational quotes and have them engraved on your mug. If you love to relax over coffee with your spouse after a day’s hard work, you could use mugs with romantic messages and symbols!  You can even create your own personalized coffee mugs that say something about you!

Lots of adolescents and adults never grow out of cartoons. If you have such persons in the family or in your friend circle, bring out coffee mugs that have cartoon characters on them. Movie buffs, don’t despair, you can get coffee mugs with a poster of your favorite movie on the exterior.

Be innovative. Don’t use coffee mugs just for serving coffee! If your child throws a tantrum every time you serve a glass of warm milk, buy some superhero or Disney coffee mugs and you’ll have him waiting eagerly for milk time. Coffee mugs are also a great gift item because they are utilitarian, attractive, and inexpensive. You just need to know the interests and preferences of the person you are going to gift the mug to. The designing firm will take care of the rest! You don’t even have to leave your home to order custom coffee mugs these days. Just check out various firms over the Internet and send a digital image file; a click of the mouse is all you need to order personalized coffee mugs. Technology has helped coffee lovers in other ways too. Most of the coffee mugs today are microwave safe, so enjoy your mug of hot coffee without a care in the world!

The Best Coffee Grinders are Burr Coffee Grinders

There are substantial deviations between burr coffee grinders and ones that employ a blade to grind up coffee beans. Depending upon what you care to spend, the calibre of the grind you need, and even how you use your ground beans can impact on whether you ought select a burr coffee grinder or a blade grinder. For those who are searching a cheaper grinder for automatic drip coffee makers then a blade coffee grinder would suffice. For those who use espresso machines or are very finicky about how uniform their coffee beans are ground, then a burr coffee grinder would most in all likelihood be the better choice.

Whilst using blade coffee grinders the beans are broken down with a rotating blade that is attached to a motor. The amount of time that you’ve the beans in the grinder will depend upon the fineness that you require of the coffee beans. The beans that are ground in a blade coffee grinder can be quite uneven and not have a consistent quality for brewing each time it is used. If you have a tendency to over-grind the beans the blade can heat up and cause the grounds to have a burnt taste. Blade coffee grinders are great for simple grinding that is inexpensive and for those who are not fussy about their coffee ground quality.
Burr coffee grinders use a moving grinding wheel within a non-moving surface in order to crush the beans rather than chop them as compared to a blade grinder. The position of the burr will have a direct result on how fine of a grind you require. Burr grinders are fantastic to use for those who want to monitor the quality of their grind and who do not mind that with quality comes a price. If you are an espresso connoisseur then a burr grinder will be what you need in order to satisfy your caffeine cravings. When looking at burr coffee grinders to purchase, keep in mind that there are two different types to choose from – a wheel burr and a conical burr.

The deviations in style, quality and price for burr grinders are obvious and should be analyzed prior to making a final decision, since a burr grinder can start at anywhere from $90 and go upwards in price from there. The wheel burr grinder models are normally cheaper and spin faster than conical burrs. Wheel burr grinders can be very loud and untidy attributable to the fact that the wheels spin faster and can cause a build up of static electricity, which will lead to more of a mess with your fresh grounds.
Conical burrs are the preferred choice of many in terms of sound quality, consistency and less maintenance. These types of coffee grinders are less prone to clogging due to their slow grinding process and don’t cause nearly as much of a mess as a wheel burr or a blade grinder. These burr coffee grinders are usually very quiet and effective, and can feature a gear reduction in order to keep down the amount of heat created when grinding your coffee beans to optimize the flavor quality.