Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, please?!

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Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, please?!

Postby NottmSteve » Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:43 pm

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I adore espresso, but I'm not cut out for making it. I make a hideous mess, and waste beans. I've given up.
I use my Rocky grinder for my French press, and I drink black coffee (no sugar). I don't see any better way to make the stuff (Vac pots are too much hassle for day to day abuse). Am I wrong, is there a better way?
?
Drinking it black, I really appreciate the freshness and detail in a well made cup with decent beans.

So... getting to my main question, and rember I'm drinking the stuff by the mug full, black:

Knowing the above, I am considering the following:

This

or this

Basically, a filter machine, to give me more options than the Fench Press (hotplate, less mess, convenience etc.)

1) Firstly... how does the coffee quality from such machine compare to French Press?
2) Paper or permanent filter? I suppose paper is better for less mess, but which gives better coffee?
3) John Lewis' own guide suggests European models have deeper cones, while compact models have flatter ones which are obviosuly less effective. What the store doesn't then do is tell you which of its models have which type of cone!!! http://www.johnlewis.com/12_Buying+a+co ... ntent.aspx

4) Can anyone recommend a filter maker that will make about four good size mugs (not tiny cups) of decent hot coffee.

I'm just fed up of always mesing with the French press.

All advice appreciated, and please PM me if you feel that advertising certain brands may upset others!
I am also going to buy a drip machine for work, at a cheap £30 sort of level, so advice would help me in that choice too.

Cheers
Steve


Mod's Edit: URL(s) edited/embedded to fit page and prevent stretching.
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RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, please?!

Postby Neo » Sat Dec 01, 2007 1:30 pm

There's a brand called Prince making filter coffee machines. I drank a few cups from that and it's convenient and palatable. All you have to do is to fill some water, put the grounds in a permanent filter and turn it on. They've 1-cup and 2-cup version.
The next thing which is also quite convenient is permanent filters. Erm, there will be a little bit of grounds going into the cup but, from my experiences, it wont do much harm.
Again I am advertising flannel drip :D No residue like french press and a better body than paper filters :D There're a few choices i think but i only know two, which is hario bloom and one from arika. I am using arika's and it's simple, cheap, easy to get spare parts and most important of all, nice results!

I dunno whether this is rude or not so please forgive me if it does and i am really not meant to be. Are you selling your SJ, seems you've given up?
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RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, please?!

Postby NottmSteve » Sat Dec 01, 2007 1:59 pm

Not rude, but I'd like to keep this topic on track. SJ sold, will sell my steel Classic for right offer. PM or lets do this elswhere, please. Leave this thread strictly for the first post's issues PLEASE (updated my profile now to reflect sale)
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RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, please?!

Postby bruceb » Sat Dec 01, 2007 2:47 pm

The only drip machines I'm aware of that are as good as a simple Melita pour-over filtre are the Technivorms. Otherwise you get 85°C dribbling over your coffee and dishwater flavour. There is the Krups pressure filtre machine, but I'm not sure they're still being made or that they are available in the UK.
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RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, please?!

Postby GeorgeW » Sat Dec 01, 2007 6:12 pm

I you want a large mug of steaming , black coffee, then wouldn't you be better going the Moka route?
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RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, please?!

Postby lukas » Sun Dec 02, 2007 12:24 am

I think the Krups model Bruces is talking about is the T8, which I can recommend. A friend has it and the coffee gets really nice. I don't have (real) experiences with other filter machines, but please stay away from a hot plate - it will keep coffee hot, yes, but it will also thoroughly destroy it's fine tastes. (Yes, the T8 has a hotplate. But as long as you don't use it to keep the coffee hot you're fine :))
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RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, please?!

Postby NottmSteve » Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:51 pm

The hotplate works for the few minutes from pot to cup. I knew someone would bring this up. There is a need for one in a workplace, but I know you should treat them as a 10min helper not a day long preserver!
As for Moka pots, they do short shots, not big mugs of "Americano". And there is the messing with stoves...
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Postby johnny » Wed Dec 05, 2007 2:28 pm

definately a permanent filter .... back to back cups from a paper filver vs permanent and you can taste the paper filter in the coffee.

the extra mess is so marginal ... true there is a little sludging in your pot and cup ... but you have to clean these anyway, so I dont see the problem, unless you like draining every last drip out your coffee and to the point you run your tongue around the cup.

It is nice being able to just pull the paper filter out and binit, but its not too much of a bother washing out a used permanent filter .... and worth it for the taste IMO.

I do have a drip machine .... but have even relegated that for the french press for just ease of use and speed
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Re: RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, pleas

Postby GeorgeW » Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:00 pm

NottmSteve wrote:The hotplate works for the few minutes from pot to cup. I knew someone would bring this up. There is a need for one in a workplace, but I know you should treat them as a 10min helper not a day long preserver!
As for Moka pots, they do short shots, not big mugs of "Americano". And there is the messing with stoves...



This is news to me as my wife and I have had two big mugs from my Moka for around forty years. I'm going to have to pay attention at breakfast tomorrow morning. :shock:
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RE: Re: RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, p

Postby Aadje » Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:48 pm

You're never too old for learning ;)
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RE: Re: RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, p

Postby CakeBoy » Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:10 am

You shouldn't let her out at breakfast George, then you'd only need one big mug of the black stuff ;) :P
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RE: Re: RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, p

Postby NottmSteve » Mon Dec 17, 2007 6:55 pm

ok, looks like it has to be a technivorm for a decent drip machine.
Can anyone suggest a decent, cheap UK supplier, please?

Google is thin, and the main UK listed dealer does commercial. I want a domestic unit.
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RE: Re: RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, p

Postby gwaant » Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:48 pm

Can anyone suggest a decent, cheap UK supplier, please?

About 18 months ago I tried to get a Technivorm KBTS741 and I couldn't find a UK dealer that would sell me one, so I emailed Technivorm at the email address listed on their contact page and they sold me one direct from the Netherlands (It even came with a UK power plug).

I can't remember the exact price, but if I recall it was a little bit cheaper than the price quoted by a Fleet based Technivorm commercial dealer (who wouldn't sell to me).

One down-side is that they weren't really set up for selling direct, so wanted payment in Euros - I ended up sending cash, but it arrived well packed / safely and have not had any problems with it.

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RE: Re: RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, p

Postby bruceb » Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:22 pm

I can recommend buying from Technivorm in NL directly. They're excellent people. :D
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RE: Re: RE: Drip coffee, advice on how this machine rates, p

Postby AlexV » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:11 pm

The smallest Technivorm machine available to the uk trade is the KBG741. Which is a 1.25ltr machine. I can get hold of these for you. PM me for a price if your interested.
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