Tania Sinel: 4 Best Coffee Maker Designs

When it comes to coffee there are dozens of different machines and methods you can use to create the perfect cup. While personal preference does play a large role in the best coffee maker for you, there are a few popular designs that come out on top of the coffee world. Here are the top 4 best coffee maker designs to help you choose which will make the best cup of coffee for you.

#1 Drip

The drip coffee brewer is one of the best coffee makers, and also most common, on the market. You’ve likely seen these machines at work, at home, or even at some restaurants. Drip coffee makers simply require you to fill a tank with water, fill a paper or mesh basket with coffee grinds, and turn the machine on. Boiling water will drip through the grinds and into a carafe, usually on a hot plate.

Drip coffee makers are widely known for their convenience and ease of use. However, these features don’t always result in the best tasting cup of coffee. Drip coffee makers usually lack control over specific water temperatures which affects the final taste. Filters can also alter the coffee flavor profile. The hot plate, while good at keeping coffee warm for hours, can often burn coffee leaving less than perfect flavors.

#2 Percolator

Percolators have long been debated as being terrible or the best coffee makers. Percolators work by boiling water that is then sent up through a pipe that flushes hot water over coffee grinds. The water then falls back into the main reservoir, re-boils, and falls over the grinds over and over again. This repeated process can result in rich and full flavored coffee, but others feel that re-boiling coffee ruins the flavor.

Percolators are excellent for making coffee in outdoor scenarios such as when camping or hiking. Percolators are easy to use and hard to break, as they are usually made entirely of metal. Temperature control is important, but as the re-boiled coffee simply needs to be hot enough to bubble up the center rod, percolators are simple enough to operate on a camp fire.

#3 French Press

The French press, also called a press pot or coffee press, has long been a top contender for one of the best coffee makers in the world. The simple glass container and mesh plunger make the French press an easy to use device. Temperature control is entirely up to the user as water is boiled separately before being poured into the press. Grinds are also a choice of the user, but coarser grinds are recommended so no particles will accidently pass through the filter. Brew times are subject to the user, with longer brew times resulting in stronger coffee.

The simplicity of the French press is clearly reflected in its price. Often times French presses are inexpensive, yet excellent tools for creating a wide range of coffee flavor profiles. The simplicity of design also allows gives the French press an elegant feel making it perfect for table pieces or decorations. The only complaint users tend to have is that the French press creates a more robust and richer cup of coffee. Those looking for lighter flavors may need something where coffee doesn’t soak completely.

#4 Moka Pot

Lastly, the Stovetop Espresso Maker, otherwise known as a Macchinetta or Moka Pot, creates an entirely unique cup of coffee when compared to the competitors above to be the best coffee maker. The Moka pot works by creating highly pressured steam in the bottom section, which is then forced into the upper section containing finely ground coffee. The pressurized steam passes through the coffee then up through a spout before being ejected into a reservoir in the uppermost part of the container.

The resulting coffee is extremely concentrated, usually reserved for espresso or other stronger brews. Moka pots do require a bit of maintenance with rubber seals and filters but produce one of the cleanest tasting cups of coffee as the liquid is never re-boiled or reintroduced to coffee grinds. Shop Your Kitchen for the best cooking and coffee accessories to deck out your home.