Oh shit the coffee maker broke -- any recommendations?

Love my Bonavita 8 cup drip with the thermal carafe. No frills just great coffee. I bought it because someone here recommended it and it's been great. 

https://bonavita.co/

We've used French press for years but during kitchen remodel picked up a Nespresso machine on sale. Maybe $130, I don't remember. 
The aluminum pods can be recycled (at the store or by mail) - makes a nice frothy cup coffee. The pods can be pricey at ~ 1.50 per cup tho but we discovered a hack. Save the pods and refill with your own coffee and reuse.Just need to purchase aftermarket  aluminum lid kit. Lids are like .10 cents a piece. Takes a little time to repack the pods, but it's been fun creating our own flavors. next up will be the addition of ground hazelnuts. Anyway, the convenience of the Nespresso and the frothy coffee if makes is worth it, imo. Works great if you only need one or two cups cups of brew.

that Bonavita machine  looks like a good option too, but I'm hooked on the frothy Nespresso 

If you're looking for reasonably-priced simplicity, Melitta is the way to go. This one is $40:

https://shoponline.melitta.com/products/thermal-pour-over%E2%84%A2-coffe...

They also have a 52 oz glass carafe version for $25.

https://shoponline.melitta.com/products/pour-over-coffeemaker-glass-cara...

hey alan I'm sold on espresso I used to own a bar in France so very used to good coffee, it's very important to me we've been using a fairly simple Delonghi. De'Longhi Stilosa EC230.BK, Machine à Expresso avec Bar Barista, Cafetière et Machine à Cappuccino, Noir, 1100 W [Classe énergétique A+] baught it on Amazon about two years ago for 89 Euros, it's done alot of coffee, at work we have one with a grinder.. but about 400 Euros.. yummy Coffee though

I've used a 50s Chemex pour over for 30 years. Nothing else comes close and the daily ritual is a centerpiece of my morning 

I recently purchased a Behmor Brazen from Willoughby's for about $200.

Stainless reservoir and carafe, 8 cups.

We like it.

https://www.willoughbyscoffee.com/BRZN.html

I also have the Breville espresso machine that works great, but not my thing. My wife uses it -  she used to barista so it works for her but too much work for me. 

https://www.breville.com/en-us/product/bes870?sku=BES870XL

I'll bet Dylan uses a cuisinart 

Yup as hippies, we are awful particular about our glass, I never understood why this isn't a given for our coffee also... I prefer the unbleached square filters, biodegrades right into the compost with the bean grounds . They make a "reusable" filter but part of the pour over process involves how the unbleached filters work mechanically and quite honestly, I don't like the idea of incorporating the metal into the process anyway. I grind fresh for each pot. The older ones are handblown and I've got a couple stashed away from the 50s in case of breaking(although the only one I ever broke was a 90s model that I don't think was handblown). I'm not sure what vintage ones go for these days but can tell you they are worth tracking down 

After decades of cowboy coffee and French press I switched to a drip filter machine.  
Too many reports and studies confirmed that unfiltered coffee raises your cholesterol. Hard to believe but ...Guess what, after the switch to filtered coffee my cholesterol level dropped!  
The only problem with filtered coffee is it no longer tastes like coffee! 
Anyway, I splurged and got a Techinvorm Moccamaster.  A very unfancy expensive machine.  It's not expensive because it's great, which it is. But it's expensive because people in the Netherlands are paid a living wage to build them. And it has a copper heating element. Most machines use aluminum... 

If you are not familiar, check it out. 
https://us.moccamaster.com/

Yes the filter is a very important aspect of the process 

That Chemex set up looks interesting, and it looks like they have a version you could automate to brew automatically by using a timer outlet or z-wave outlet. I think I would prefer the set up Fishcane has though, I like the process. I start the day with a huge Yeti filled with coffee, and on a empty stomach can sometimes be too much, maybe the filter could help. I started drinking coffee at 12 years old, 3 years before I started smoking herb, I'm not stopping either one. 

https://chemexcoffeemaker.com/collections/best-sellers/products/ottomatic
 

I just gave up grinding my beans but still use the French Press.
 

I got a lil hand held tiny mixer that will froth your cream in seconds. probably my cheapest Christmas gift but I have been using it every morning. 

Couple interesting observations over years of Chemex use

1) the process becomes a ritual and almost as important to me as the coffee itself. It doesn't take as long as it might seem and I have the added step of hand grinding my beans each morning.  Maybe 7-8 minutes? And most of that is waiting while bringing water up to temp...I've no experience with that automatic process above but I will add that one of the steps I use involves wetting the filter before adding the beans and then wetting the beans to allow them to "bloom" while bringing the water to temperature. I'm not sure if or how the automatic process would take those 2 steps into account 

2) the way the high wicking unbleached filters work, the bitter oils are actually removed(as noted above) leading to a more flavorful cup. You can have a very strong brew without any bitterness at all. I enjoy a fairly complex cup and it's still quite agreeable to my stomach. Without the bitter oils, you can actually rewarm a cup later on and it still tastes fresh, something you can never do with an oily brew
 

Never got into coffee because it's for grown-ups. 

Back in the '80s though. I did have a job for a while with an old couple who were a microwave repair business. And yeah they would fix things like coffee makers back then because they used to be repairable

I make cowboy coffee in a cast iron pan

with applegate river water

strained through a clean bamboo sock

drunk from a mug made from locally mined clay

Its a combination of all the natural elements that make a heady cup of coffee 

Always seems to taste best from that one mug with the amethysts embedded in the handle

Okay, I'm kidding a little

the last couple years we've been using the fellow duo pour over device with the steel screen and a kitchen aid burr grinder

it makes a good cup but I can't help but feel like there are just too many parts to clean

I've been using one-cup gold mesh filters for 40? years. I have 4 of them so I can make 4 one cups at once if there are more people here. The only thing I'm questioning about them now is that the plastic is very slowly deteriorating and that doesn't sound healthy. But they do make an excellent cup of coffee. Bloom grounds with tiny bit of hot water, then pour to the top.

The last pic is of a folded cardboard "origami" frame from Japan with a regular filter-paper that works well, though they are small and I have to pay attention to how much water I'm filling it with. My sister goes to Japan and brings me packets of these for fun.

Yes, I put a lot of half-and-half in my coffee. Always drink out of this kind of glass.

I like chemex. It's basically an easy pour-over thing with a paper filter.
I use their "funnex". It's a sweet glass unit that you just put on top of the mug & pour thru.
I'm the only coffee drinker in my house, and I don't mind making a cup at a time for freshest possible every time.
It's quick, easy, no parts. The filters are thicker than many, and supposedly filter out certain oils that others don't
Also, no film of micro-grounds in the bottom of the mug like with some screens.
Started using this method in 2020, and it has spoiled me.
I think the coffee tastes better than other methods I have tried.
I'm never going back to a machine...just another thing we don't need on the counter.

I've used a French press forever.  No disposable filters.  Bodum ( French for "Buddha"...... maybe )  brand.

My parents used a Chemex for many years. I didn't drink coffee til later.

maybe i should stop drinkning coffee.

I just started using an AeroPress, works well, tastes great, I like it a lot.  Works for me as I usually only have one cup a day.  I like the paper filter because it eliminates grounds from the cup.  Cheers!

True coffee lovers forgo any and all machinery and place a tablespoon of grounds between their cheeks and gums for a good half hour or so. Very environmentally friendly, as well.

Because of this thread, I pulled the trigger on a 3-cup Chemex this morning and I'll be retiring my plastic Melitta. 

We have a Bonavita and it makes a great cup of coffee.  Very precise water temperature and has a bloom feature to "pre-soak" grounds.  

Can't go wrong with Chemex.  It's all in the paper and a create compliment to putting on some vinyl. 

 Mike, just FYI, in my experience, I prefer the square/ folded unbleached filters as opposed to the "fitted" ones. They filter differently and I think the wicking "up" the filter is a component to the flavor. Also, dont over grind, a slightly coarse grind will do best

I just ordered the Chemex 8 cupper with 100 square filters.
 

any suggestions for online stores for coffee? 
 

great thread, thanx 

>Morning coffee reigns supreme

Following these individuals over a median period of 9.8 years revealed fascinating results. Morning coffee drinkers showed a 16% lower risk of death from all causes and a 31% lower risk of death from heart disease compared to non-coffee drinkers. In contrast, people who spread their coffee consumption throughout the day showed no significant reduction in mortality risk compared to non-drinkers.

The study, published in the European Heart Journal, found that the benefits appeared most pronounced for moderate coffee consumption, particularly among morning drinkers who consumed between two to three cups daily. These individuals demonstrated a 29% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to non-coffee drinkers. Meanwhile, heavy coffee drinkers (more than three cups per day) saw a 21% lower risk of death, while light morning drinkers (one cup or less) still experienced a 15% lower risk.

from  

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/drinking-coffee-only-in-the-morni...

> I prefer the square/ folded unbleached filters as opposed to the "fitted" ones...I think the wicking "up" the filter is a component to the flavor

Thanks, fishcane. I picked up some of the unbleached round ones for now. I think I get what you mean by wicking up. Like it draws the bitter oils above the grounds/site of brewing. Maybe I'll try the square ones when I'm ready for a resupply.

Yes, exactly. Don't worry the round ones will work fine, I have settled for them occasionally when my supplier runs out. Try them at some point down the road and I'd be curious if you agree. 
 

as far as beans, my everyday bean has been Peet's Major D for a while but I also buy from Recess a local roaster and drink that on weekends 

https://recess-online-store.square.site/

my morning steps are 

1. fill the kettle 

2. rinse the vessel 

3. wet the filter 

4. grind beans 

5. wet beans with a bit from the kettle to bloom(important step imho) 

6. Begin the brew after blooming the beans for a few minutes(195 or so for temp, you will be able to guess this accurately "by sound" eventually)

7. I usually brew enough for my morning but sometimes I fill a thermos if traveling 

i dislike involving plastic or paper.

they make great metal filters that are washable. use it w/ your chemex

all of the paper filters taste like...paper

Not true with Chemex, the unbleached paper used for chemex imparts no flavor whatsoever and is essential to the brew. The metal "reusable" filter for a chemex defeats the entire process and brews a useless cup of coffee. I have one that I got for camping thinking it would be easier. Terrible

The entire square filter and beans goes right into my compost and breaks down very easily. 

I received the Cemex on Saturday and have been using every morning and at lunch time. It is a more mellow cup than the French Press, but I am a little heavy handed when using the French Press, careful with that plunger Eugene, and get grounds in my cups on most pours. The Stomach discomfort from the acid seems to have gone away, and that was what I was wanting. It will also take fine ground coffee, as I have been also using a mix of expresso and breakfast blend of grounds that I have. I am going to stick with it but will be pulling the French press out on occasions too. 

You are experiencing a cup now that is subtracting the bitter oils that get squeezed into a pressed brew. The complexity is likely there, especially if you are using a decent roast, but your brain and body have been conditioned to something else for a while. 

The reason I prefer the French press is because nothing is lost to things like a paper filter. If i wanted something taken out of my coffee, i wouldnt be drinking coffee in the first place.  I've been blessed with a strong stomach, and I want all the plant compounds, or none.  Plus, I can let the grounds marinate as long as I choose, instead of just a quick pass over the grounds. The small amount of fine grounds that escape don't bother me.  Plus, no expense on filters.  teto

This sure reads as complicated.  My simple Mr. Coffee works wonderful. 

It's about as complicated as smoking a joint or a bowl of weed. Glass and paper and grinding etc...

Had the flu recently and coffee wasn't working so I stopped

2 weeks now after years of a least a pot a day from a Ninja(paper filter) coffee maker.

 Alan has it right, having the coffee piping hot when getting out of bed is the way to go.

"I'm spoiled and I really like a timer which enables a brewed cup to be waiting fo rme when I awake..."

Get the Cuisinart auto drip. Ready every morning...

I've been using the same machine as trailhead the last couple years:

https://us.moccamaster.com/

totally worth the cost IMO. 

i thought the chemex expensive paper filters still tasted like paper.

Dialing in my cup. A lil adjustments to the amount of grounds I am using, and getting a stronger cup than earlier, more to my liking. Still no strong after bite or stomach issues or thickness on the tongue afterwards. Enjoying the Chemex. I enjoy the different taste each day brings with the French press and this chemex is shaping up to be the same. 

About 11 cents per filter, using unbleached for 30 years and have never noticed or had anyone point out that they could taste the filter. What is highlighted tho is the complexity of roast, something that everyone who has enjoyed a cup here has pointed out. 

...photo from Feb 2021

I went off coffee for a couple a years.

When I came back it was all black.

Fresh ground every morning,

Received my Chemex today. Now I'm thinking I need to replace my blade grinder with a burr model. Any recommendations for a reasonably priced one?

Burr grinders are a fairly high precision tool, which means you basically get what you pay for

My personal "floor" is something that runs under 500 RPM, has an actual usable and wide grind size range, has mostly metal construction, serviceable parts, and especially easy to get replacement burrs for

been using the kitchen aid 702? (I think) around 5 years now and it checks all those blocks. One burr replacement in that time. No going back. Basically like driving a rolls royce 

If price is a show stopper I would opt for a high(er) quality hand crank grinder over similarly priced powered one

>The metal "reusable" filter for a chemex defeats the entire process and brews a useless cup<

how?

you still do a pour over in the same vessel. 

ps. in all honesty since the wife has started joining the coffee club, she bought one of those auto cusinarts nedb mentioned. its...ok...but involves plastic...keeps the pot warm.

I've had a stainless steel french press that's lasted for 8 years.    

>The metal "reusable" filter for a chemex defeats the entire process and brews a useless cup<

how?

The SS insert does not remove the oils/solubles that the Chemex is known for. The fine pores and "wick ability" of the natural fiber paper draw the oils up the filter. I got one as a gift and tried it a few times, relegated it to the camping box once I ditched the French Press, used it there for a bit but stopped using it. If you prefer the oily pressed style brew, it may be ok for you but to me personally it's a waste of a good roast

I love my French press, whichever brand it is. 

Thanks, Bss. I never imagined a grinder could cost hundreds of dollars, but that seems to be the case. I ordered a manual one--a Timemore Chestnut C3--that's well-reviewed and cost $80. That's about twice as much as I thought I'd need to spend, but if it's well-built, hopefully I'll never have to buy another one.

indeed mike. Well bought!

As someone who has worked with tools pretty much daily my whole life

the bitterness of having to rely on crappy tooling

long outlasts the joy of having saved a buck

The biggest difference that I have noticed with the Chemex vs. French Press, is that the thick tongue coffee mouth is pretty much gone. It was the worst part of drinking coffee.