A cup of steaming coffee is no longer a luxury but a comfort which the majority of people can afford. For some people, it is not even a comfort but a necessity. Our lives are so busy and full of events that it sometimes seems impossible to get out of bed without the promise of a cup of coffee. Therefore, one might thing that choosing a coffee maker is a simple manner which does not require a lot of consideration. Still, it can be quite daunting to choose between countless models of coffee makers and their sophisticated features. Today we are going to discuss the basic features of coffee machines in order to help you pick the one which best suits your needs.
Cup capacity
Most coffee maker manufactures use five ounce measurements for what they consider to be an individual cup. Nevertheless, most people use coffee mugs which are twice as big. Therefore, don’t be scared by the big cup capacity of a coffee maker. It is generally better to own a coffee machine with a bigger capacity than one with a small capacity. The best coffee maker units can make between 8-14 five ounce cups. However, if you choose a device with a big pot capacity, make sure it is also adjustable for fewer cups so that you can always enjoy fresh coffee, even if you are the only one using the machine. This is why it is so important to thoroughly read coffee maker reviews and make comparisons between different models; not only will it help you stay in budget, but it will be a good way to make sure you end up with the right product.
Coffee quality
If you are pretentious about your coffee, it is recommended to consider coffee makers which provide coffee strength settings. This way, you can choose how strong you want your coffee to be and if you ever find yourself going to work after a sleepless night, you won’t have to drink 3 weak coffees in order to be functional. The coffee filter is also an important characteristic. Some are designed to use paper filters while other require permanent filters. Each type of filter has its pros and cons. Paper filters make it easier to dispose of used coffee grounds but permanent filters don’t need any replacement and in the long run, they are cheaper than the paper ones.
Extra settings and features
One of the most useful yet most underrated coffee maker features is the programmable clock. This feature is great if you are a grumpy morning person. Just imagine how convenient it would be to have your coffee ready as soon as you wake up. All you have to do is program the machine the night before and set the clock for the desired time. Another feature which differentiates coffee makers is the nature of the carafe. Some use a glass carafe which is kept steamy by a hot plate. However, the best coffee maker should feature a thermal carafe which keeps the coffee at an optimal temperature. Convenience features also include automatic shut off, water level indicator, brew pause, cleaning alert and so on. These convenience features don’t make much of a difference and they are even useless for unpretentious customers who are not very friendly with technology. However, if you are a pretentious coffee drinker, you will find the latest models and their features to be very interesting.
