What's the best way to make coffee?

I have collected a lot of coffee makers over the years, and worn quite a few out. I can make coffee at least five different ways right now in my kitchen, and they all have their time and place. If you are thinking about using a different method of coffee-making, here are my thoughts:

Drip Coffee Maker:

Ah, the old stand-by. I've gone through a lot of these. I can tell you that eventually they will all wear out, and so it's tempting to get the cheapest one at a discount store. However, I really appreciate the ability to change the temperature of the water if I need to, depending on what kind of coffee I'm brewing. Brewing coffee with water that is too hot makes it taste too bitter, and water that is too cold doesn't produce a brew strong enough. My favorite coffee maker is the Behmor brewer. You won't find it on Amazon- you need to buy it in a specialty shop. But it's one of the best out there. Expensive, but awesome. This is my preferred method of making coffee right now. With the Behmor brewer you can also control how long the coffee steeps in the basket before it starts pouring into the carafe. If you are going to get a drip coffee maker, then I suggest at least getting one that lets you have some control over temperature and timing. http://www.behmor.com.

French Press:

This is my second-favorite method of making coffee. The only downside to this as opposed to a drip coffee maker is that you need to be more hands-on. It's up to you to control the temperature of the water, so if you don't have a kettle with a thermostat, then you are guessing. And you need to let it steep for about four minutes, so if you lose track of time you will have coffee like mud. But if you are willing to pay attention, this is a great alternative to an expensive drip machine. I WOULD splurge a little bit and get a french press that is insulated instead of glass. The coffee stays warm a lot longer that way. It's also portable- so if you want to have coffee outside (or treat someone to breakfast in bed!), it's easy to take with you.

Italian Stovetop Coffee Maker

Ah, Italy. "Coffee" in Italy is not the same as "coffee" in America. It's stronger than American coffee, but not quite espresso. A stovetop coffee maker is lovely if you prefer your coffee strong, thick, and in a small cup along with a biscotti. It uses pressure to heat water and push it up through the grounds from the bottom of the machine. It's also hands-on, in that you need to listen to it to know when it is done brewing. One advantage of this machine is that it doesn't use electricity, so a lot of people have a small one that they take camping. It is a little more effort to clean up after you use it because you need to take it apart and rinse it out after each use.

Pour-over coffee:

This was (is?) really popular in fancy coffee bars. A lot of people love this method, but for me, making it at home is a lot of trouble for one cup. Heating a kettle of water and then standing over the cone and gently pouring it in (after it's cooled slightly to just the right temperature) is too much effort for my sleepy ass first thing in the morning. The benefit, of course, is that you can get a plastic cone for about six bucks, and it doesn't take up counter space! It also is easy to clean. If you live alone and all you need is one cup before you leave for the office, then you might want to stick to one of these.

Single-serve coffee maker

We have one of these, but I recently compared a cup of coffee make by my Keurig side-by-side with my Behmor drip coffee maker, and the Keurig coffee was bitter. Maybe because it lets grounds into the cup? Or the water is too hot? Either way, I decided to put this one back in the cupboard. We were also constantly running out of single-serve cups. I was starting to feel guilty about buying and throwing away all that plastic. I can understand if you want to have one of these in an office or reception area where people will make their own coffee, but I have soured on the idea of having one of these at home. I'll probably keep it around for a while- maybe put it in the guest room.

Overall, I'm sticking with my Behmor drip coffee maker for my day-today coffee. It lets me adjust the temperature and timing, it has an insulated carafe that keeps the coffee warm for hours, and it tastes good, even with cheap pre-ground Folgers.

Happy brewing!

Annabelle