Home Coffee Makers

1. Consider what you want and need from a coffee maker. With such a wide range of features available, you're sure to find one that fits your precise needs. Be sure to think about how many cups you will drink during a time period as well as how you like your coffee brewed and also how much effort you want to make in the actual coffee making process. Knowing all this information will help ensure you pick the perfect machine for your needs.

2. Remember that you get what you pay for. For instance, you will tend to get better tasting coffee from a machine with a built-in water filtration system and a machine that will reach a temperature around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Some machines are also equipped with a brew slector so you can brew your coffee as weak or as stong as you like.

3. Regular cleaning will give you better tasting coffee and extend the life of your maker. Be sure to choose a coffee pot that you can fit your entire hand into to make cleaning easy. Follow the cleaning instructions that come with your machine. Not all parts are always dishwasher safe. Also, purchasing from a well-known manufacturer will make replacement parts much easier to come by.

4. Drip makers are probably the most common household coffee machine. Water is distributed evenly over ground beans to produce coffee with intense, strong flavor.

5. Also known as a siphon brewer, vacuum-style coffee makers use of the basic principles of pressure and force to extract more coffee flavor. Many find that this approach results in a richer, smoother tasting coffee.

6. Pod coffee makers force hot water through a pod of ground coffee beans (or tea) at high pressure for a rich and bold tasting coffee. Each pod typically contains a single serving and takes a short amount of time to brew, making it ideal for people on the go.

7. Percolators are a tried and true form of coffee brewing. The portability of this all-in-one brewer makes it ideal for entertaining. Many percolators are now cordless, programmable, and offer other modern features.

8. Many prefer a stovetop coffee maker because they find the style and shape more appealing along with their older style of making coffee. These are typically used to brew for just one or two coffee drinkers.

9. Also known as a press pot or a coffee plunger, a French press allows coffee and water to steep together in one container. Push the press down to filter the grounds from the coffee. The French press is more portable than other coffee makers and is completely self-contained. This particular style also generally creates a richer, stronger brew as the water has more time to become infused with the coffee.