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coffee gadgets... - Page 4

post #46 of 572
9/22/07 at 8:10pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirosia View Post
You can get zass from sweetmarias, but they only get a few shipments every now and then. (I was emailing them a few weeks ago before I decided to get an automatic grinder) Sadly, the newer grinders aren't comparable in quality to the originals...

BTW, how's the aeropress? I've been reading up on it, I'm still not sure if I want it or a french press. Supposedly you need a polyester filter to keep most of the coffee oils intact. (and I don't know where to get any)
Quote:
Originally Posted by c0mfortably_numb View Post
Check out the reviews at Coffee Geek, it's pretty much the head-fi of the coffee world.
kirosia, the aeropress is not bad. the thing i like about it is that you can vary the strength of your coffee by how much water you put in after the extraction. it's not a bad piece of equipment.

however, if you have to choose between one or the other, i'd still go the french press route. it's still THE best way to make a great cup of coffee, IMO.
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post #47 of 572
9/22/07 at 8:30pm
Krups coffee grinder (Ethiopia Sidamo, or Sumatra) with whole beans, and either Bodum 2 cup or separate 4 cup French Press, boiled water that has been filtered through refrigerator filter, or a 5 year old Mr. Coffee to make 4 cups of expresso (which to me is one serving).

Yum!
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post #48 of 572
9/22/07 at 8:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kugino View Post
however, if you have to choose between one or the other, i'd still go the french press route. it's still THE best way to make a great cup of coffee, IMO.
Thanks, I've been leading towards the french press. If you don't mind me asking, how's the cleanup? I hear that it's the biggest annoyance with the press.
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post #49 of 572
9/22/07 at 11:42pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirosia View Post
Thanks, I've been leading towards the french press. If you don't mind me asking, how's the cleanup? I hear that it's the biggest annoyance with the press.
it's really not too bad. dump the grounds into the trash or down the sink (if you have a compactor)...or better yet, add it to your compost. then it's just a light rinsing with some soap. the screen gets grounds caught in b/n the various parts so just make sure you lift the screen away to loosen the grounds.

i completely take apart the screen filter portion probably once every 10 or so uses to give it a good washing...it really isn't too bad.
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post #50 of 572
9/23/07 at 3:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirosia View Post
Thanks, I've been leading towards the french press. If you don't mind me asking, how's the cleanup? I hear that it's the biggest annoyance with the press.
Like Kugino said, it's a snap. You dump out the grounds and rinse it out. The filter is only three pieces and it takes about 30 seconds to rinse the whole thing. I run the french press through the dish washer when ever I run a wash and that's it. Much nicer than other brewers because with those you really can't clean out everything with soap and water very easily.

Brewing is a simple process too. I put the water on for the boil. Once it boils I take it off, fill up the french press and start my grinder. I then pour out the water from the press into my cup to preheat that and pour the grinds into the press when they're ready. Pour in the rest of the hot water, stir with chopsticks, wait 3:30, press, and pour. It seems like a bit of doing to find the right time to hold the water off from the boil before adding it to the grinds, the size of the grind, and the brewing time. But really, just going through the routine is the right pacing for the correct water temp and my grinder has a timer so I know that I get the correct measure each time. For the brew time, that's easily tuned by how the coffee tastes. Three minutes was too acidic so I've lengthened the brew time.
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post #51 of 572
9/23/07 at 7:20pm
A tablespoon to remove the grinds (without and water) into the garbage, makes it smell good until you take out the trash.
I take my press and fill it with soapy water and then I move the plunger up and down three times and rinse with fresh water.


It's easier than my expresso maker.
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post #52 of 572
9/28/07 at 5:48pm
My daily wake-up call, I could not survive without it

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post #53 of 572
9/29/07 at 8:06pm
Thanks guys, I think I may get myself a 4-cup press. I do have one more question, does the french press method retain a lot of heat? I really like coffee hot.
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post #54 of 572
9/29/07 at 9:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirosia View Post
Thanks guys, I think I may get myself a 4-cup press. I do have one more question, does the french press method retain a lot of heat? I really like coffee hot.
The normal french press is ok in retaining heat. If you really want it piping hot, get an insulated French press. Frieling is one that comes to mind. Very well built. I'm sure there are others too.
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post #55 of 572
9/30/07 at 3:00am
Anyone tried the Bodum polyfilter? I do clean my cafetiere's filter every 10-15 uses and there's quite a lot of muck under there. The idea of a one piece filter is quite tempting.

http://www.bodum.com/b2c/index.asp?f...=1901&id=V2012

edit: It says that it's for the plastic coffeemakers. Darnit.
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post #56 of 572
9/30/07 at 12:37pm
Quote:
The normal french press is ok in retaining heat. If you really want it piping hot, get an insulated French press. Frieling is one that comes to mind. Very well built. I'm sure there are others too.
I'm considering the Bodum Columbia 3-cup, kinda small (there's no 4) but the reviews are good. The Frieling is too rich for my blood.

I just the want the coffee hot enough so that when I decant it into my thermos, there isn't significant end cool down.
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post #57 of 572
9/30/07 at 1:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirosia View Post
I'm considering the Bodum Columbia 3-cup, kinda small (there's no 4) but the reviews are good. The Frieling is too rich for my blood.

I just the want the coffee hot enough so that when I decant it into my thermos, there isn't significant end cool down.
I use a Swiss Gold French Press, I don't think there manufactured anymore, but it retained the heat pretty good. The key to keeping the coffee hot

- Use a thermometer, you want your water 190-200 degrees. (I usually start with a little hotter then 200)

- Pour some water into the carafe swirl it around for a minute to heat it up, discard the water.

- Put in the coffee, add your water to brew, let it steep to your desired strength. I usually go about 3 minutes, the first minute in I stir with a chopstick or long spoon.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jules650 View Post
Anyone tried the Bodum polyfilter? I do clean my cafetiere's filter every 10-15 uses and there's quite a lot of muck under there. The idea of a one piece filter is quite tempting.

http://www.bodum.com/b2c/index.asp?f...=1901&id=V2012

edit: It says that it's for the plastic coffeemakers. Darnit.
You should contact Sweetmaria's and see if the Swiss Gold filter is still available, it was a once piece filter, I have on on my French Press and wouldn't use anything else.
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post #58 of 572
9/30/07 at 5:45pm
Pre-heating things is the best way to keep them hot. Use of the Presso has taught me this well, almost everything gets a good dousing with boiling water before the process starts.

If you do similar, you should find it remains plenty hot: pour some of the kettle into the coffee, some into your thermos.
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post #59 of 572
10/1/07 at 3:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirosia View Post
I'm considering the Bodum Columbia 3-cup, kinda small (there's no 4) but the reviews are good. The Frieling is too rich for my blood.

I just the want the coffee hot enough so that when I decant it into my thermos, there isn't significant end cool down.
Quote:
Originally Posted by c0mfortably_numb View Post
I use a Swiss Gold French Press, I don't think there manufactured anymore, but it retained the heat pretty good. The key to keeping the coffee hot

- Use a thermometer, you want your water 190-200 degrees. (I usually start with a little hotter then 200)

- Pour some water into the carafe swirl it around for a minute to heat it up, discard the water.

- Put in the coffee, add your water to brew, let it steep to your desired strength. I usually go about 3 minutes, the first minute in I stir with a chopstick or long spoon.



You should contact Sweetmaria's and see if the Swiss Gold filter is still available, it was a once piece filter, I have on on my French Press and wouldn't use anything else.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daveze View Post
Pre-heating things is the best way to keep them hot. Use of the Presso has taught me this well, almost everything gets a good dousing with boiling water before the process starts.

If you do similar, you should find it remains plenty hot: pour some of the kettle into the coffee, some into your thermos.
kirosia, these are both very good instructions. your french press will make much hotter coffee than any home brewer (except the technivorm and newco brewers that get the water to the right temp.). if you pre-heat your press and thermos (and mug), your coffee will be very hot - much hotter than you can stand
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post #60 of 572
10/1/07 at 11:06am
I have found that ceramics tend to hold temperature quite well.

If you take hot coffee out of a French Press and pour it into a ceramic mug from the cupboard, you instantly lose some heat.

I have found it helpful to pour hot water from the sink into my ceramic mug while I'm waiting for the coffee to be prepared.

I also do this (actually, the opposite, for ice cream and iced Cafe Americanos). I place the bowl or my cold coffee cup in the freezer for 5 minutes before putting in ice cream or iced coffee (don't want it watered down with too many ice cubes).
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