How to Choose a Drip Coffee Maker: 4 Buying Criteria

The best drip coffee maker for you is the one that fits your batch size, schedule and tolerance for cleaning. Start with four questions: does it control brewing temperature well, does it give water and coffee enough contact time, will the carafe suit the way you drink, and can you clean the parts without turning … Read more

Which Coffee-Brewing Method Is Right for You?

The short answer Choose drip if you want a mostly hands-off brewer that can make several cups. Choose pour-over if you want to control the pouring and brew one or a few cups by hand. Choose a French press if you want a simple immersion brewer with few parts and more control over steeping. Choose … Read more

Burr vs Blade Coffee Grinders: Which Is Better?

If you want repeatable coffee and plan to brew espresso or pour-over, choose a burr grinder. Its adjustable burrs are designed to produce a more consistent range of particle sizes, which makes it easier to control extraction and repeat a recipe. A blade grinder can still be a reasonable choice for occasional drip coffee, a … Read more

Coffee Grind Size Chart for Every Brew Method

Coffee grind size chart: the short answer Use a fine grind for espresso, a medium-fine to medium grind for pour-over, a medium grind for automatic drip, a medium-coarse grind for French press and a coarse to extra-coarse grind for cold brew. Those descriptions are starting points, not universal grinder settings. A “20” on one grinder … Read more

Best Water for Coffee Makers: Filters, Hard Water and Scale

What is the best water for a coffee maker? For most home coffee makers, start with fresh, drinkable water that suits your local supply and the machine’s manual. Filtered tap water is a sensible option when your water has a noticeable chlorine smell, unpleasant flavour or enough hardness to leave scale, but a filter is … Read more