Joys Main Street Cafe

Coffee or tea? If you prefer a cup of coffee to a cup of tea and want to reproduce that coffee shop caffeine (or decaf) experience, you will need to purchase a coffee maker. But acquiring a coffee maker is not a straightforward matter of popping down the local coffee machine shop! You will need to investigate various types of coffee maker in order to purchase the one that is right for you.

Coffee makers come in many shapes and sizes and amongst them are cafetieres, filter coffee machines and expresso makers.

Before you hit the shops, you will need to do a quick Q & A session. Ask yourself the following questions to save valuable shopping time. What is your coffee preference? Do you prefer a smooth filter coffee, a short turbo hit of expresso coffee or a lovely frothy cappuccino? Additionally, ask yourself how often you plan to use your coffee machine and how much money you want to spend.

What of a cafetiere? No power is required to activate the filtering of the coffee, just a jug full of kettle hot water. They are perfect because you can easily make as much coffee as you need with a cafetiere.

A filter coffee machine is similar to the good old cafetiere in that you are able to vary the strength and volume of your cup of coffee. It operates by infusing hot water with ground coffee and filtering it into the pot.  With a filter machine there is a hot plate to keep the pot hot along with a thermos jug.

If you want a filter coffee machine, you can choose the type of filter system that suits you. Some require paper filters that can be removed and disposed of, while others have a removable plastic filter that requires emptying and cleaning. While paper holders are considered more hygienic, for recycling purposes the plastic filter is considered advantageous.

If you enjoy your caffeine hit courtesy of a short cup of expresso or a huge well of cappuccino you will require a steam driven coffee machine. These coffee makers sit like trophies atop many a kitchen service and are no less than adored by their owners.

With expresso coffee you get a much richer flavour and consistency than you find with a filter coffee and a delicious base for the milky cappuccino. If this is the type of coffee you prefer then you will need to purchase either a pressure machine or a pump machine (the latter being the most expensive type of machine).

Good luck searching for your coffee maker!