Coffee 101 ?s from newbie

[Anonymous]

You can make really great coffee with a tea kettle, and a drip filter made from a small strainer and paper coffee filters. Also, if you are new to coffee, add half-and-half (not sugar).

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys! Good advice.
So many options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a 2-cup French press. Try to get something better than Bodum, which seems to be all they sell at the grocery stores and is a lightweight piece of crap.
You can grind your beans at the store. Try that. Once you find you like coffee, there's always time to get your own grinder later.
On the store grinder, set the grind for "coarse." This is not an absolute requirement. I have both a drip coffee maker and a French press, and I set my grind at "Electric Perk," which is about halfway between, so I can use both. Works fine.

You put the grinds in first, then the hot water, then insert the lid and move the plunger to the surface of the water & grinds. Wait 3-4 minutes. Then press the plunger down slowly. Rotate the lid so the pour-filter is at the front, and pour.
Experiment with the quantity of grounds to find what you like, and don't be afraid to use a lot. Try starting with 3 rounded soup spoons at first, and go up or down from there.

Welcome to the coffee world. I think you'll like it.



We use a Bodum stainless steel French press and have been happy with it.

What brand(s) do you recommend over Bodum?

That's just the problem. I don't know any other brands, because every store around here sells nothing but Bodum. It seems like a monopoly. (Granted, I haven't tried hard, like looking in kitchen stores. I've just looked all over the grocery store displays, which are large and have lots of sizes and shapes, and they all seem to be the B brand.)

I'm a single coffee drinker who likes the 2-cup size because it makes one perfect large mug. Years ago, I found a 2-cup French press in a tea shop that was perfect. Good heavy bottom, sturdy, solid feel to the plunger, never leaked, didn't get grounds into the brew. Sadly, I broke the carafe a couple of times, and the replacement carafe was kind of hard to find. Finally I gave up and bought a Bodum replacement at the store. The basic 2-cup was lightweight and flimsy by comparison.

Not wanting that, I bought a sturdier insulated model -- it only came in the 8 cup size, not 2, which is a bummer, but it was the only sturdy heavy model I could find. In response to your question, I looked to check the brand -- turns out it's Bodum. They're inescapable.

So it turns out not all their models are lightweight and flimsy, just the 2-cup size. The size I want. And I have no idea what brand the sturdy one I liked was. I went back and asked at that tea shop and they didn't sell it anymore.

[Anonymous]

After thinking about it, OP, I think the PPs are right that French press is an acquired taste and maybe not for newbies. (I love it now, but might not have liked it that strong when I started.) At the same time, until it's a regular part of your life, you don't want to spend the money on a keurig machine either. And I'm sorry, IMO instant coffee is crap.

I think think most of us started out with a Mr. Coffee style coffee maker, which might not be a bad way to go. But cheaper and easier, I think, would be to get a cone that sits on top of the mug, that takes a cone-shape filter, and lets you drip-brew a single cup just by pouring hot water over it from the kettle. They make nice ones in ceramic, but even a cheapo plastic one would get you started.

Then you pick a coffee at the grocery store (Dunkin' Donuts is a good basic blend that's sold in stores; for something better you can try a local roaster like Mayorga or Zeke's). Easiest would be to buy it already ground, but you can also grind it yourself in the grocery store, using their machine.

[Anonymous]

if you like creamy drinks --- for a $2 test drive do this -- buy the jar of medalia d'oro instant espresso (a small jar, often hard to find next to the huge containers of crap) and mix with sugar or spenda in a cup of hot milk. it's like a free latte!

[Anonymous]

Get a small drip machine (mr. Coffee type). People drink coffee, including very coffee, for decades without ever grinding their own beans. You really dont need a grinder at home. I think you are equating tea culture to coffee culture. You want to buy fresh beans at the store and have them ground when you buy them. But if you are drinking 1-2 cups solo it would be highly excessive to buy a grinder to grind your own every morning.

Get any old machine, and spend your research and dollars on trying different kinds of coffee until you settle on a favorite.

Have you tried french press coffee? I like it, but its not for everyone. If you like it, its certainly the easiest way to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:just get a $20 Mr. Coffee machine, some filters and whatever kind of ground coffee that looks appealing at the store.

This for sure.

[Anonymous]

I get cold pressed coffee from Trader Joes. The cold press method produces a less acidic, concentrated liquid coffee you store in the fridge. You can do it yourself, too, which is how I learned about cold press from a friend who does it — I haven't tried.

I like iced coffee, so I just add water (again, keep in mind it's concentrated), milk, and ice. On the weekends, I throw some in the vitamix/blender with milk to make it frothier before adding ice and vanilla. You can also heat it up.

[Anonymous]

I like either a manual drip device or the AeroPress for inexpensive single-cup coffee at home--way better than a french press (easier to clean and I like the taste better).

Manual dripper: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-V60-Coffee-Dripper-White/dp/B002IR1O3A/
Filters: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Count-Coffee-Paper-Filter/dp/B001U7EOYA/

or

AeroPress kit: http://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-AeroPress-Coffee-Maker-Tote/dp/B0018RY8H0/

For a manual dripper, you want regular cone ground coffee (usually the default grin or what you buy that comes already ground). I don't recommend a home burr grinder for the manual dripper because it's harder to get a medium grind. If you want to grind your coffee at home you'll need a more substatial machine, which somewhat defeats the purpose of the simplicity of the manual dripper.

For an Aeropress, you want fine, espresso ground coffee. Most places that sell whole bean coffee (inc. grocery stores) have a grinder right there--just choose the finest setting. Do NOT use pre ground (cone/drip) coffee--it won't be fine enough. Or, you can get a cheap home burr grinder like this: http://www.amazon.com/KRUPS-203-42-Electric-Grinder-Stainless/dp/B00004SPEU/ - just grind until it seems as fine as it will go, stop, tap the bottom on the counter, and then grind for a few more seconds.

Booth the manual dripper and the AeroPress are super easy to clean - just dump the coffee filter, rinse with hot water (no soap needed if you do it right away) and let it air dry.

I have both. The manual dropper is nice and simple and makes a pretty good cup of coffee, but I especially loooove my AeroPress, and use it almost every day. I make a 2-shot cup (use the included directions re proportion of grounds to water) and add about 1/2 cup hot milk. Best coffee I've ever had. If you want to get really fancy, get a milk frother http://www.amazon.com/HIC-Harold-Import-Co-56AL3SAT/dp/B0002KZUNK/ and with some practice you can even make damn good cappuccinos, without the expense, time, or cleanup of an espresso machine.