Gizmodo covers your coffee brewing options

Johnathan Rush 28 Aug, 2009 at 5:05pm ET Article published in Tech

Gizmodo’s treatise on coffee brewing might just make you a coffee snob. Arm yourself with knowledge, and caffeinate confidently.

Comments

28 Aug 2009 ~ 5:17pm primesuspect It comes off as quite elitist. Like, you HAVE to spend $7500 on an espresso maker or it is shit? Come off it. I AM a coffee snob, and I agree with the article on one key point: It all starts with a burr grinder. If you don't have a $100+ burr grinder, give up and get Folgers, cause it's gonna be the same.

Besides that though, you can indeed spend a "mere" (I use that term lightly) $300-$500 and get a very good espresso machine.

I am intrigued by this Chemex thing. Also: I want to get a french press. I've got the grinder, I've got the filtered water, I've got the will and drive. I merely need

sigh... money..
28 Aug 2009 ~ 5:22pm Thrax Sounds like a great counter-point for life.
28 Aug 2009 ~ 5:22pm Garg I've got a french press, but I need a burr grinder (with our powers combined...).

My last roommate had a Moka Express, and I really liked it. It makes pretty strong coffee, so it's not always what I wanted, but it has been the most reliable brewing method I've used so far.

The brewers are relatively inexpensive (Bodums and Moka Express are under $50), it's that stupid burr grinder that I can't afford.

Their argument for the Chemex was pretty weak. It basically comes down to the filter, and I'm having a hard time believing it makes that much of a difference. I'll have to try it sometime. It does make for sweet presentation, though.
28 Aug 2009 ~ 5:35pm primesuspect Tell ya what

WHEN YOU VISIT you can BRING YOUR FRENCH PRESS LOL

Get it? The joke?

When you visit?

Get it? haha i kill me
28 Aug 2009 ~ 5:50pm Garg I believe it's your turn to visit me.

(OH RITE, WHEN I PUT A BIG TENT IN MY BACKYARD AND INVITE 50 OTHERS YOU WILL)
28 Aug 2009 ~ 5:52pm shwaip

primesuspect wrote:

It comes off as quite elitist. Like, you HAVE to spend $7500 on an espresso maker or it is shit? Come off it. I AM a coffee snob, and I agree with the article on one key point: It all starts with a burr grinder. If you don't have a $100+ burr grinder, give up and get Folgers, cause it's gonna be the same.

lul.
28 Aug 2009 ~ 6:03pm Snarkasm French presses are not expensive... or are there many tiers of that, too?
28 Aug 2009 ~ 6:17pm primesuspect I know they're cheap; I want to get one.
30 Aug 2009 ~ 3:12pm ardichoke Has anyone around here tried this and compared it to a french press? I've considered buying one for a while but I wasn't sure if it was worthwhile.

EDIT: Oh hey look... that article has an update which covers the AeroPress... color me dense. It's funny, I have the very drip-brewer they list with a big NO under it. What can I say though, I was a poor college student when I bought it. The coffee that comes out of it is still better than the coffee I get in most diners.
30 Aug 2009 ~ 3:21pm Garg Yeah, it's important to note that while some methods are better than others, it's ridiculous to follow their all-or-nothing philosophy on a realistic budget. I make decent coffee with my blade grinder - a conical burr grinder is better, but my blade grinder makes decidedly better coffee than Folgers with even cheap Trader Joe's beans (Prime).

If I didn't already have a French press, I'd try an Aeropress. It would kind of suck to buy their specific filters, but it looks easier to clean than my Bodum, so if it makes good coffee, I'd call that a fair trade.
1 Sep 2009 ~ 11:43pm mas0n simple Bodum french press FTW. I think the importance of a perfectly even grind is a little overstated. 2 quick pulses in the blade grinder and I'm good to go. And yes, I've used a burr mill.
2 Sep 2009 ~ 12:20am ardichoke

Gargoyle wrote:

If I didn't already have a French press, I'd try an Aeropress. It would kind of suck to buy their specific filters, but it looks easier to clean than my Bodum, so if it makes good coffee, I'd call that a fair trade.

I'm sure you could jerry-rig filters using some filter paper and scissors or an exacto-knife without too much problem. Not that the filters are all that expensive anyway. About 3.50-5.00 for a pack of 350. 1-1.5 cents per filter? I can live with that.
5 Sep 2009 ~ 2:50am primesuspect Update:

I splurged and bought myself a small French press tonight. It was $10 at Meijer. I'm here to report that

IT ROCKS.

I doubt that I'll ever use my drip maker again. Burr grinder + french press + filtered water = wonderful