Kauai Coffee Company Chocolate Macadamia

Review of Kauai Coffee Company Chocolate Macadamia

I recently ran out of coffee and made a mad dash to the grocery store. I started to grab a well-known dark roast coffee, when this flavored coffee from Kauai Coffee Company caught my eye. I decided that I had to try it out.

Upon opening the package, the aroma of the macadamia and chocolate flavoring hit my nose. I have found more often than not, that when the flavoring comes out in the dry coffee that the flavoring will overpower the coffee. In this instance, my presumption was wrong.

The first taste of the unsweetened brew, which I made up in my drip machine, was earthy in flavor. The flavoring that was there was a mild chocolate and macadamia flavor - it was nice and pleasant and complemented the coffee, and did not overpower it. The mouth feel and finish on this coffee are very smooth.

The package says it is a medium roast and the flavor is just that with no noticable bitterness. Without sweetener it is a very nice drink that you could sip all day and really enjoy.

After sweetener is added the chocolate flavor is more noticeable, as is the macadamia flavoring, but it is still just enhances the coffee flavor and doesn't taste sugary or excessively sweet.

This is a single origin coffee from the island of Kauai. The company says that they process all their beans at the source location. This is an excellent quality control method as it insures that you get the freshest coffee available.

I really enjoyed this coffee and hope that you can get some too. It is a very nice flavored coffee and would be great for serving guests by itself or with some dessert.

I hope you have found this review helpful, and as always, may your next cup be your best!

Customer Service and Espresso Machines

Warranty Service on Espresso Machines from Hamilton Beach

I purchased an espresso machine from a local Wal-Mart in February of this year (2010). This was the third one I had bought during the last six months. I had exchanged a couple of the previous units when the pump went out on them at the store I had purchased them from. Wal-Mart has an excellent return policy on items for the first 90 days - I really think they are awesome for this!




Click Here to Buy Hamilton Beach 2-c. Cappuccino Plus Espresso Machine, Black

Anyway, about six months out on the latest machine, the pump died on it. I guess I am terribly hard on espresso machines built for home use - I make up to 4 or 5 Americanos a day and sometimes an occasional cappuccino. When I had purchased the machine I had registered it on Hamilton Beach's site - this ended up being very much in my favor.

I called HB's customer service and after a few minutes they had checked to see if my machine had a recall or any known problems - there were none. Despite the fact that I had lost my receipt (which I later found), they agreed to replace the machine. All I had to do was to pay them $12 for the shipping of the new machine and send back a specific part of my non-working machine.

In a couple of weeks I had my new machine producing the same great dark roast coffee that the old one did. Thank you, Hamilton Beach for being true to your warranty agreement!

This goes to show that there are still companies out there that are good and fair to the customer. Always choose reputable companies to buy from and buy equipment made by companies that have a good customer service reputation - and make sure you register your products just in case you lose your receipt!

As always, may your next cup be your best!

Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee Company Vanilla Macadamia Nut

Review of Vanilla Macadamia Nut by Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee Company

The holiday season always seems to make it possible to try out some great new food and drink items. This season I was fortunate enough to get some coffee from Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee Company. I sampled their Vanilla Macadamia Nut coffee as an Americano.

This coffee is a medium roast, with some bitterness that is similar to a dark roast. The aroma is not overpowering with vanilla or macadamia nut smell. It is subtle and pleasant, with the macadamia flavor being the stronger of the two essences.

The first taste of this ten percent Kona blend has a good deal of earthiness to it. Despite this, the mouth feel is very smooth for a flavored coffee. It definitely hits the back of the tongue with a good bitterness that is characteristic of good coffee.

After I sweetened it, the vanilla and macadamia flavors came to life. This coffee is almost like a desert when sweetener is added. I would assume that it would be a good pairing with anything that is really sweet, especially if the brew is not sweetened at all. If you do sweeten your coffee, add just a bit and you will be fine, add too much, and it will ruin the great flavor of this blend.

This coffee is an excellent drink, by itself or to accompany any really great dessert. I personally like it by itself, with a little sweetener.

I hope you have found this review helpful, and as always, may your next cup be your best!

Starbucks Christmas Blend

Review of Starbucks Christmas Blend

Starbucks always takes pride in its special blends produced for the Holiday Season. This is true of their seasonal offerings such as the Thanksgiving Blend, and more recently, Christmas Blend.




This coffee hits the palette with a taste that is more reminiscent of some of Starbucks competitor's coffee. The first one that comes to mind is Gevalia, because the first taste of this blend hits the middle of the tongue with a slight bitterness and bite that reminds me of some of Gevalia's traditional offerings. The mouth feel of the coffee is good, with a slight "bite" to it. The bitterness comes through even when I add my usual sweetener to it. This makes it a very good pairing with the very sweet items you will find yourself snacking on during the Christmas holiday season.

As the coffee cools, it doesn't seem to get more bitter - thanks to the great work of Starbucks roasters. This is a great feature in this brew for people like me, who don't like the bitterness of cold coffee. In addition, as the coffee cools, you notice some earthiness that comes into play. At times, I tasted and smelled a hint of cinnamon in the blend - a very classic holiday spice, indeed.

Just like any specialty blend, this coffee is not for everyone, but if you want to enjoy a cup that will go well with cinnamon, chocolate, or any really sweet treat, this IS your coffee. It also is just a great change from the regular Starbucks line, and should provide a good pick-me-up during the holiday season.

I hope you try some of this great blend to make your Christmas merrier. You might even think of having a hot cup available for Santa when he pops by - that, with some cookies will make the jolly old elf happy, for sure.

As always, may your next cup be your best!

Archer Farms Kona Blend

Kona Blend Coffee by Archer Farms

Before I started this blog, I had never tasted Archer Farms' coffee. After I had some of their Fair Trade Tierra Del Sol coffee, I was convinced that this Target store brand had some serious merit.

This Kona Blend has an aroma that reminds me of freshly sanded wood. I know that this is not an aroma on the traditional coffee aroma wheel, but that is what I smelled. It is a very relaxing aroma, indeed.

This is a very likable brew, which I tasted as an Americano. I would say that the flavor is that of a medium roast, although the scale on the package states it is a mild roast. It has a mouth feel that is good. The flavor of this blend hits the tip of the tongue at first, then works its way to the middle at the finish. The result is a nice little "bite" of at the end of each sip.

This coffee would pair well with traditional holiday sweets such as fudge or cookies. Unsweetened, it would be a near perfect match.

Archer Farms has done a good job with this blend. I don't think has as much universal appeal as the Tierra Del Sol, but it is a quality coffee that won't disappoint.

May you have a joyous Holiday Season, no matter what you are celebrating. Take care when travelling, as there are others who may be drinking something much stronger than coffee before they drive.

I hope you have found this review helpful, and as always, may your next cup be your best!

Seattle's Best Organic House Blend

Review - Organic House Blend by Seattle's Best

Seattle's Best has changed the look of their packaging. It is so much unlike the familiar red bags that it caught me off guard. At first I thought the store had removed one of my favorite coffee brands from the shelves. Fortunately, there were a few of the old-style packages next to the new ones to get my attention.


Besides being an organic coffee, it is a fair trade blend. When you purchase it, you are not only getting a coffee that is free of pesticides, which is good for the planet, you are also making sure that those who produce it are not taken advantage of financially. This is a win-win for everyone involved.

I tasted this coffee as an Americano. The coffee is definitely a dark roast coffee, but it is not as overpowering as most. The folks at Seattle's Best rate this coffee, according to their new scale as a "Level 4". This means it is a dark roast that is one step below their maximum scale of Level 5. Click on Seattle's Best Level System to download a pdf document of the press release that gives more info about the new packaging.

There is a definite earthiness to the coffee, although it is not exceptionally strong. The flavor has a mild bite to it with a really nice bitterness. This is a coffee that should only be sweetened a little, as too much sweetener would detract from the coffee's dark roast flavor. The flavor is definitely deeper than a medium roast, but not as strong as most dark roasts. The mouth-feel is smooth, and the finish of this blend is very clean - it dissipates in about four seconds.

I would recommend this coffee for pairing with fruit, such as strawberries or perhaps peaches. It will not cover their flavor, it will only enhance. I tried this blend with some homemade Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chip cookies with pecans in them and found it to be a very pleasant combination. Again, this coffee seems to pair well with a little sweetness, not a large amount.

The new packaging on Seattle's Best is very informative. Those familiar with the old packaging will like the large number on the package - finding your desired roasts is very easy with the level system.

Thermos Sportsman Mug

Review - Sportsman 20 Ounce Travel Mug by Thermos

This mug is nicely made - it has a plastic inner lining with a tapered plastic bottom. The center portion on the outside of the mug is made of textured stainless steel. This mug is definitely made to last.

In between the walls of the mug is foam insulation, not the usual dead air space you find in most low-cost mugs. This mug can be purchased for around $6.00, so it is a great choice for the economy-minded shopper. The fact that it is durable is definitely an asset when you are outdoors.

I found that the tapered bottom worked nicely in my cup holder in both my cars. The only time I found that it gave me any trouble was when I tried to put it into my cup holder in my folding chair I use when I go fishing. The mug was too top heavy when filled to capacity and it just kept trying to fall out. I guess you can't have everything!

I tested the mug on how well it kept my dark roast coffee warm and was pleasantly surprised. The mug kept my coffee at a drinkable temperature for 2 hours. After that, the temperature seems to fall off rather quickly. See the chart below for details.



I noticed that due to the foam insulation it holds temperature better than some of the dead air space insulated mugs I have tested. It does lose temperature more quickly in a cold breeze outside, though.

The mug lid seals with a half-turn of the lid. You can place the opening can be placed wherever you want it by placing the opening directly across from where you want it to be, then rotating it on to the cup. This allows you to have the handle in a left or right handed position.

Seattle's Best 6th Avenue Bistro

Review of 6th Avenue Bistro by Seattle's Best

When you smell the ground beans of 6th Avenue Bistro, you immediately notice a rich, smoky aroma. This is a dark roast coffee with a lot of depth to the flavor.


When you first taste this brew, you notice that it hits the entire tongue with a very smooth, rich flavor. Despite its depth, it is not overpowering. It pairs very well with good milk chocolate as well as breakfast foods such as quiche. So it doesn't matter whether you are serving it with a desert or a meal, this coffee will not disappoint.

I don't normally enjoy coffee when it is cold, but I have taken it in my mug on fishing trips and 6th Avenue is still tasty when it is being drank by a cold Colorado lake.

I am especially impressed by the fact that the rich flavor lingers on the tongue for a while, allowing you to savor the smoky flavor of its dark roast. Most coffees that linger this long on the tongue seem bitter to me - but not this brew!

I have tasted this coffee several times as an Americano. If you like smooth, rich, dark roast coffee, this is an ideal choice. I personally recommend this coffee for those who want an exceptional cup to start their morning.

Thanks for reading, and may your next cup be the best!

Gevalia Mocca Java

Mocca Java by Gevalia

Visit the Gevalia Shop

This coffee is a special blend consisting of “Moka” Harar beans from Ethiopia and aged Sumatra beans. The blending of the two makes for a very unique coffee. Like a lot of people out there, I assumed that the title Mocca Java meant that it was a flavored coffee, containing a chocolate flavoring. I was wrong.

I brewed this up as an Americano. The aroma of the brewed beans produced a nice aroma that didn’t make my house smell like the local coffee shop. Because of this, I wondered whether the coffee would be lacking in flavor. I just had to taste it and see what the folks at Gevalia had provided in this roast.

The first taste of this coffee has a hint of a chocolate flavor to it, perhaps this is due to the Moka beans. All I know is that this is what I tasted. It is a very pleasant surprise, indeed.

The coffee hits the back of the tongue with a pleasant bitterness. When tasted without any sweetener, it is very bright and gets your attention. I added a small amount of sweetener and was pleased with the light chocolate flavor I found.

The mouth feel of this coffee is pleasant, and it lingers on the tongue just briefly – just long enough for you to appreciate its flavor. This seems to be very typical of Gevalia’s coffees. I found myself looking forward to the next sip of this blend – it is that good.

I think this coffee is really great for people like myself, who find that the moca that they pick up at their local Starbucks or Seattle’s Best shop is just a little too rich with chocolate flavor. This blend gives you a natural chocolate flavor that comes from the beans themselves.

This has to be one of the best offerings I have ever tasted from Gevalia. The flavor was so good that I have got to order some more.

Thanks for reading, and as always, may your next cup be the best!

Peet's Coffee - Major Dickason's Blend

Review of Major Dickason's Blend

First impressions are important. When I first smelled of the ground coffee, I thought to myself, “this is really rich stuff.” The aroma of the ground beans has a depth that is hard to describe…it is just that rich in aroma.

This is a nice, full bodied coffee with a very smooth mouth feel, suitable for all day sipping. Major Dickason's Blend® has some earthy undertones which become even more apparent as the coffee cools down a bit. The flavor is very active on the back of the tongue at the first part of a sip, then it moves to the front of the tongue. This is, by my personal standards, a medium roast that has some of the depth of a dark roast.

I decided to try this brew with some dark chocolate. Peet’s Coffee has a real winner here – the coffee really enhances the chocolate’s flavor. It is good with milk chocolate, don’t get me wrong, but this coffee is meant to go with dark chocolate.

Since I bought 12 ounces of this blend, I will definitely enjoy it for a several days – no problem! If you have guests coming over that aren’t into dark roast coffee, but you still want to give them a nice rich cup, this is the one to brew.

Thanks for reading, and may your next cup be the best!

Coffee and Health Problems Part 2

Coffee and Risk of Heart Disease – Is That Cup of Dark Roast Coffee Bad For You?

In this two-part blog I have been discussing some recent information about coffee and health. Part 1 focused on the correlation between coffee and stroke, in Part 2, we will focus on heart health and other health related concerns.

The information below is a summary of multiple articles on the subject of heart disease, other health issues, and coffee consumption. It is up to each person that reads this to do his/her own research on the subject. In addition, this is not meant to replace a consultation with your health care provider. This article is for informational purposes only.

While some studies have shown that coffee and tea are bad for your health, more information surfaces that indicates that coffee and tea, in moderation are actually good for most of us. Some studies do indicate there may be a correlation between coffee and heart disease.

In one recent Dutch study, it was determined that moderate consumption of tea or coffee reduces the risk of heart disease.

This study of 37,514 men and women was conducted over a period of 12 years. It appears that those who drank between 2 and 4 cups of coffee per day had a 20% lower risk of heart disease than those who drank less than 2 cups of coffee a day and those who drank over 4 cups a day. Moderation appears to be the key element here.

Those who drank over 6 cups of black tea per day had a 36% lower risk of getting heart disease and a 45% lower risk of death from heart disease.

In a study from 2002, a group of about 3,000 subjects with no history of cardiovascular disease were tested for compounds that either promote or are markers of inflammation. The subjects were asked to fill out questionnaires about the quantity of their coffee intake. When compared to individuals that drank no coffee, those that drank about a cup a day had higher levels of the compounds in their bodies.

So it appears that there are two distinct camps on the subject of heart disease – those who think coffee is bad and those who think that, in moderation, a cup or two of java is a good thing. More studies should help to clear the air on this one.

Some studies say that coffee seems to help reduce the liklihood of gall bladder problems and there are studies that say it may help reduce the liklihood of the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Although there are no clear-cut answers, it appears that coffee does have an effect on our health. It does appear that caffeinated coffee may have some benefits when drank in moderation. But this is almost always true with anything – a little of something can be good and a lot can be bad.

Maybe that 4th cup of java isn’t really so bad...

May your next cup be your best!

Coffee and Health Problems

Coffee and Risk of Stroke – Is That Cup of Dark Roast Coffee Bad For You?

In this two-part blog I will discuss some recent information about coffee and health. Part 1 will focus on the correlation between coffee and stroke, while Part 2 will focus on heart health and other health related concerns.

The information below is a summary of multiple articles on the subject of stroke and coffee consumption. It is up to each person that reads this to do his/her own research on the subject. In addition, this is not meant to replace a consultation with your health care provider. This article is for informational purposes only.

Coffee may not be quite as bad for you as most people think. In one study, it was found that regular coffee drinking appears to reduce the risk of stroke. The study consisted of 23,000 men and women who were followed 12 years. The study concluded that stroke risk was inversely proportional to their coffee consumption. in this study people who reported any intake coffee were at 27% lower risk of stroke than those who had said they never drank coffee.

The results of a 24 year study reported in the February 2009 issue of the journal Circulation said that drinking caffeinated coffee diminishes the risk of stroke for women. The study followed a group of 83,000 female nurses. Among those who were non-smokers, those who drank 4 or more cups of coffee apparently lowered the risk of stroke by 43% compared to those who drank no coffee. An important point in this is that coffee lessened the stroke risk over time. Other important factors to consider whenever you are doing stroke prevention are to maintain a healthy diet, exercise daily, control your weight and don’t smoke. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are usually the start of stroke problems and should be controlled.

There are also studies that say that coffee can increase the risk of stroke. In one study, researchers said the stroke risk increases in the hour after drinking a cup of coffee and that the risk decreases within two hours after consumption.
Among people who reported drinking one cup of coffee a day or less, stroke risk doubled in the hour after they consumed a cup of coffee. Coffee has been documented to have negative physiologic effects, such as increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In addition, some studies have proven that caffeinated coffee increases stiffness in the arteries. The findings in this study don't seem to have any application to those who drank more than one cup of coffee per day. Those who drink coffee more frequently apparently developed a tolerance to the short-term effects of caffeine.

So there are those that say coffee increases the risk of stroke and those who say it lowers the risk. Time and more studies will tell the tale.

In my next blog post I will cover the effects of coffee and heart disease along with other ailments. Thank you for coming by, and as always, may your next cup be your best!

Starbucks Café Estima Blend

Café Estima Blend by Starbucks

Café Estima Blend is a Fair Trade Certified coffee from East Africa and Latin America. For those who don't understand what Fair Trade is about, a simple explanation is that the farmers in poorer countries get the same price for their coffee as farmers in wealthier nations, rather than being paid a low price for their product.

I got my first taste of this blend a couple of days ago - they had run out of what they had brewed up earlier, so a young barrista made me up a venti serving. I had to wait about 5 minutes to get my coffee, but it was worth the wait.

This is a rich, bold blend, which hits the tip of the tongue at first taste. I noticed some earthiness to the flavor, along with a hint of fruit. After tasting a few more sips, I decided that the taste had a hint of peach flavor to it.

After sipping a little more, I noticed that it starts to hit the back of the tongue as well. Some awesome bitterness is in this blend that makes it a great all-around coffee. In addition, it doesn't linger on the tongue very long, so it is good for just about any food, and I think it would be an excellent coffee for breakfast with bacon and eggs.

After I finished my tasting, I decided to try it with one of my favorite coffee pairings - coffee and a candy bar. This coffee is fantastic with a Payday candy bar. It is a real treat, that enhances the flavor of the candy very nicely. I think that next time I will try it with some chocolate, as its richness is guaranteed to work very well with just about any good chocolate.

Starbucks suggests pairing with a chocolate chip cookie - this would be a near-perfect combination. Another suggestion is to pair it with chocolate-dipped fruit. Personally, I would skip the fruit and go straight for a Café Estima with some good milk chocolate - heaven on earth, for sure!

I hope you have found this review helpful, and as always, may your next cup be your best!

Copco Acadia Mug by Wilton - Review

Review of Copco Acadia Mug by Wilton

Buy a Copco Acadia Mug by Wilton

I ran across this mug in a local grocery store and decided to check it out. The manufacturer is targeting those who want to cut down on the paper and styrofoam coffee cups going into the landfills.

The mug holds 16 ounces of liquid and is just as suitable for tea or other beverages as it is for coffee. It features double-wall insulation and it is made from BPA-free plastic. It has an integrated sleeve to allow you to hold very hot coffee without burning yourself.

This mug is microwave-safe (you are supposed to take the lid off before microwaving to prevent damage to the seal), it is dishwasher safe, it is made of break-resistant plastic, and it has a reasonable amount of insulation with the double walls.

In use, the mug is very user-friendly. It is easy to clean up, it seals with about 1/8 turn of the lid, and it does keep coffee warm. Unfortunately, it does not keep it warm for a long time, but that seems to be its only failing (see table below).



If you drink your coffee within the first hour or so, this cup is a real winner. If you drink slowly, perhaps you will need to be near a microwave for reheating of your brew. I would give it a rating of 9 out of 10.

I hope you have found this review helpful, and as always, may your next cup be your best!

Fair Trade Tierra Del Sol by Archer Farms

Fair Trade Tierra Del Sol

Archer Farms is the store brand of premium foods offered by Target Corporation. Because it is their "premium" line, is it really good enough to rank well with other fine coffees out there? I had to find this out for myself.

The coffee that I sampled was their Fair Trade Tierra Del Sol. This is sold as a medium roast coffee, and it is available in the sampler size as well as the larger packages for general consumer use.

The coffee that I purchased was the sample size, which is already ground for drip coffee makers. I usually make my coffee in a french press or as an Americano in my espresso machine. Since the coffee was already ground, I decided to grind it down to a very fine grind for my espresso machine.

As espresso, the coffee comes out nice, rich and dark. The resulting brew is more like a dark roast than a medium in color. The taste of the coffee is smooth and it hits the tip of the tongue with a little bite, that says, "I am here to please your taste buds." This single origin coffee does just that. It is very smooth tasting and after several sips I noticed it started hitting the back of my tongue with a nice, mild bitterness.

This is a first rate organic coffee that I think any coffee lover would enjoy. Just because it comes as the store brand from a chain known for discount merchandise, it doesn't mean that it is a coffee with a low-cost taste. I am very impressed with this coffee and I will definitely get some more. It is worth the few extra miles to travel to the nearest Target to buy some.

I hope you have found this review helpful, and as always, may your next cup be your best!

Village Inn Dark Roast Coffee

Village Inn Dark Roast Coffee - Is It Any Good?

It seems that everyone is trying to find a competitive advantage to stay alive in our slow economy. Restaurants are no exception to this new trend. Everyone wants for you to get their latest offering. Village Inn has done this in the areas of pie, and most recently, coffee. Since a large number of Americans drink coffee with their meal (or their pie), it only makes sense to have some excellent Joe on the menu.

When you look at Village Inn's menu, you notice they have Premium Roast Coffee and Dark Roast Coffee. I have tasted their Premium Roast and it is good, but being the dark roast coffee lover I am, I had to try their Dark Roast Coffee out.

When I first tasted the coffee, I noticed a hint of apple, with a light bitterness that hit the back of my tongue.

I drank two cups of this brew and the one thing I noticed was that it had a very smooth finish that doesn't linger very long on the tongue. This is a really great characteristic for coffee in a restaurant. It will have to work well with almost any dish, from pie, to salad, to steak, without overpowering the taste of the food. This coffee is excellent in this regard.

I tried this coffee with half and half and without. Unlike a lot of coffee served in restaurants, this coffee is not so strong or bitter that you must use creamer to "tame it down." Without creamer it is excellent.

When creamer is added this coffee holds its own - the cream doesn't overpower it - just enhances it. I was at Village Inn with my son and I thought to myself that I don't dare tell my son - he will be begging for some of this coffee instead of his hot chocolate.

Village Inn's Dark Roast Coffee is a real winner in my book. I will have more of this the next time I go there to have some pie...

Feel free to comment, I enjoy the feedback. And, as always, may your next cup be your best!

How Do They Decaffeinate Coffee?

How Caffeine Is Removed From Coffee

Caffeine occurs naturally in more than 60 different plants. Coffee is one of them. Caffeine stimulates our minds and affects our bodies. The thing is that some of us, for one reason or another, want to restrict the amount of caffeine we get in our coffee. The demand for decaffeinated coffee is so great that approximately fifteen percent of the coffee that is sold is decaf. This has created a need for a safe, cost-effective method of removing caffeine from the coffee beans.

In most processes, the beans are washed with a solvent which removes the caffeine.

The Roselius Process
In 1903, the first successful commercial decaffeination process was invented by Ludwig Roselius and Karl Wimmer. This process used steam to soften the beans, then benzene was used as a solvent to remove the caffeine from the coffee. This process is no longer used due to health risks associated to benzene.

Direct Method
When this method is used the beans are first steamed then they are rinsed with dichloromethane or ethyl acetate to remove the caffeine. The beans are then steamed again to remove the solvent from the beans. This process takes over 20 hours to complete.

Indirect Method
With this method, the beans are soaked in hot water for several hours, then they are rinsed with dichloromethane or ethyl acetate to remove the caffeine. This process causes less loss of flavor due to the fact that the water part of the process creates what is essentially a strong pot of coffee. There is less loss of flavor for this reason. Beans processed with this method are often labeled "water processed," which seems inaccurate since chemicals are used in the process.

CO₂ Process
Beans are steamed, then soaked in a bath of carbon dioxide at a pressure of 73 to 300 atmospheres (1,073 - 4,409 psi) and 200° F. The CO₂ and caffeine are removed by simply lowering the pressure and allowing the carbon dioxide to evaporate, or by rinsing with water or by using charcoal filters.

Triglyceride Process
In this method, beans are soaked in a hot water/coffee solution, then the beans are moved to another vessel where they are immersed in oils that came from spent coffee grounds. These oils are at a high temperature, and the triglycerides in the oils remove the caffeine from the beans.

Swiss Water Process
This process uses coffee that has no caffeine in it to extract the caffeine from the coffee beans. The solution goes through a carbon filter to remove the caffeine. See the video clip below for details - the video is a bit corny, but it is very informative.

An Additional Note
Because Ethyl Acetate occurs naturally in some fruits, coffee that has been decaffeinated with this method is often referred to as "naturally decaffeinated." This is interesting, as the Ethyl Acetate that is used to process most coffee is made synthetically. As a former chemical plant operator of 10 years, this bothers me - sorry, it is just my view on it.

Maui Coffee Company - Vanilla Macadamia Nut

Vanilla Macadamia Nut by Maui Coffee Company

I used to LOVE flavored coffees. If I had the choice between a flavored or unflavored coffee, I would choose the flavored one. Over the years my tastes changed, and it has gotten where I don't drink flavored coffee as much. Once in a while, I find a very good flavored coffee, and this is one.

My wife picked this up locally, paying a little over $8 for a half-pound of beans. The beans are chocolate brown in color, and they have an even sheen of oil on them. This is unusual for flavored coffee, as it often looks very dry. This told me that the coffee - flavored or not - had to be good.

The aroma is typical of macadamia nut flavored coffee. Nothing special here. The taste of the coffee has good depth. It doesn't linger on your tongue for long, and has a pleasant mouth-feel.

The finish on the coffee hits the back of the tongue with a slight bitterness. It is really nice and I recommend to that those that use a sweetener add it a little bit at a time so the cup is not over-sweetened. This brew is not overpowering, and is a great all-day sipping coffee.

An additional note on the packaging. Maui Coffee Company includes a small clip that you can use to close the bag once you have opened it. I think it is a nice touch - much better than tape or the oversized twist tie that is so popular on coffee these days. They get an A+ on this from me for sure!

Besides giving their website information on the bag, they give you a toll-free number to call and order from them - it is (800) 909-5662. Online prices are comparable with in-store. Definitely a good place to shop for some good Maui Coffee.

Feel free to comment. As always may your next cup be the best!

Millstone Organic Mayan Black Onyx Blend

Organic Mayan Black Onyx Blend by Millstone

When you think of Millstone, you think of a coffee with good quality that is sold primarily in grocery stores. To get some, you just go to a local grocer that carries this brand and get your coffee. But is this coffee really GREAT enough for the coffee connoisseur? In this review I will try to answer that question.

With a ten-dollar name, you expect this coffee to be exceptional - well, let's see...

The beans are almost black in color - hence the name - black onyx. Before I ground the coffee, I smelled of the beans, there was an aroma that was somewhat familiar, but one that I could not get a handle on. After grinding some up for my french press (coarse grind), the mystical aroma still had me confounded - what was it? Finally, after I added the hot water to it, and stirred the grind in, I could smell a definite smoky aroma. It was similar to the aroma that you often smell during the early fall or winter, when only a few people are burning wood in their fireplaces - it is there, but not overpowering.

The coffee has a nice, deep flavor that is similar to what you might expect from a good Starbucks or Seattle's Best dark roast. The difference is that this coffee doesn't come on as aggressively, and doesn't stay on your tongue as long as the other two brands do. The finish is very clean and lingers only a little at the back of your tongue.

Unlike some dark roasts, this blend just doesn't overpower your taste buds. Instead, Millstone's roasters have created a good all-around coffee that would work well for a meal, or for just sipping all day long.

If you add a sweetener to your coffee, be careful not to put much in - I recommend you taste and add until you get the desired sweetness - this coffee has very little bitterness to it.

My only complaint about this brew is that there seemed to be a good amount of fines in the bottom of my cup. I guess this is due, in part, to the very dark roast on the beans. This would make the beans more brittle, and would cause you to have more fine ground coffee, even with a burr grinder, which is what I use for all my grinding.

As to whether a coffee lover should get this blend, I will just say I am going back to the store to get some more of this great coffee!

Feel free to comment - let me know what you think.

As always, may your next cup be the best!

OXO SoftWorks LiquiSeal Travel Mug - Review

OXO SoftWorks LiquiSeal Travel Mug - What is Good and What is Bad

In my search for the ideal travel mug, I have tried out several mugs. Each mug I try has its good and bad points, and this one is without exception.

I purchased my LiquiSeal Travel Mug for under $11. I had heard that this was an awesome mug that would keep my coffee hot for hours, and that it had a great sealing system for preventing spills.

On the first point, keeping coffee hot, the mug did not do as well as I had hoped.
See the tables below for details.


Test #1 - mug cold, poured in coffee at 140° Fahrenheit:





Test #2 - mug preheated with hot tap water at 110° warmed for 5 minutes, emptied, then poured in 150° coffee:



It doesn't seem to matter whether you preheat the mug or not, it still loses approximately 20 degrees each hour that the coffee is in the mug. After the second hour you would want to reheat the coffee. This is a problem since the enclosed information sheet says, "Do not place in the microwave." I guess this is to make sure that the sealing mechanism is not damaged.

On the second point of being very spillproof, it excels in this area. It has a push button sealing system that, when closed, keeps it from leaking even with the mug upside down. Being a bit of a klutz, and having kids that bump into everything, this is a must.

The mug holds 12 ounces of liquid and the screw-on lid is easy to put on. This is much nicer than some mugs that are easily cross-threaded.

I did not test the mug on cold liquids, but it is safe to assume it will keep things cold for a while.

The care instructions tell you not to wash the mug in the dishwasher, and to avoid chlorine-based cleaners when you hand-wash it.

I would rate this mug a 7.5 on performance. The facts that you aren't supposed to microwave it, that it only keeps the coffee warm for 2 hours, and having to hand-wash it bring the score down on this one for me.

Still, it is a good mug for the money. If you drink your coffee within 2 hours and don't require the ability to reheat coffee in it, this could be an ideal mug. The fact that is spill-proof is awesome if you ask me.

Next week I will give you a review on another coffee mug - be watching for it. If you have a favorite mug or coffee that you want me to review, let me know by posting a comment on the blog.

As always, may your next cup be the best!

3 Region Blend Coffee by Starbucks

Starbucks 3 Region Blend - Unique Coffee or Just Another Blend?

According to Starbucks, this limited edition coffee originates in 3 different coffee growing regions: Latin America, Africa/Arabia and Asia/Pacific. To be a little more specific, the beans originate from Guatemala, New Guinea, and Tanzania. They are processed by a "wet" or "wash" method which is supposed to enhance the flavor of them. I bought a cup from my local Starbucks this morning, wanting to see what was so special about this limited edition coffee.


There is a fruity aroma I detected in this brew. It is not overpowering, it is subtle in nature - I had to smell the coffee several times to narrow it down. The taste is pleasant, with an very nice finish. The coffee hits the tip of the tongue, and tasted a little salty to me. It doesn't linger on your tongue like a lot of Starbucks' blends. This coffee has a medium body and the mouth feel is excellent. Although Starbucks rates this coffee as bold, I would say it is what I would term as medium - halfway between bold and bright.

3 Region Blend is one that I just HAVE to try with some good chocolate later today. It is so smooth that it would easily pair with chocolate or just about any fruit - it would only enhance the flavors as it is not an overpowering coffee.

This is a coffee that you have just got to try - I assure you that you will not be disappointed.

As always, may your next cup be the best!

McDonalds Coffee - A Coffee Lover's Opinion

Is the Coffee Served at McDonald's Good Enough for a Coffee Lover?

When most coffee lovers think of McDonald's, they think of taking their kids or grandkids to the playplace, or a menu that is traditionally tailored around their hamburgers and fries. Like all misconceptions, this is not totally correct. Most of us don't think of McDonald's as a coffee shop, but they do serve coffee, so it requires investigation.

I arrived at noon with my kids. They were exited about playing, I was exited about drinking a cup of Joe. I have had their coffee before, but it was with other food items, so I had never looked at McDonald's coffee as a serious "I am going out to get a cup of coffee," choice. So I decided to give it the Dark Roast Coffee test - does it cut the mustard (or should that be the cream and sugar)?

This coffee appears, by taste, to be a medium roast. It is has a smooth taste and a really nice mouth feel which is not very heavy or excessively strong. The coffee has an aroma that reminds me of the smell of my parent's coffee from my youth (Folgers - percolated).

McDonald's coffee is a very good match for breakfast, or any other meal for that matter. When tasting it, the taste hits the back of the tongue lightly and is very definite when it hits the middle of the tongue. The fact that it hits the back of the tongue indicates a slight bitterness which is something that a lot of us love in our coffee.

This coffee is custom-roasted for McDonald's by Gaviña. According to the information about this brew, Gaviña created this roast of coffee for McDonald's 25 years ago. Click on the links at the top or bottom of this article to get the full story or to go to the Gaviña Gourmet Coffee website.

So - is McDonald's a good place for coffee - my vote on this one is a definite YES! I really enjoyed my cup there and will do it again for sure.

As always, may your next cup be the best!

What Effect Does The Grind Have on Brewing Coffee

Why Can't I Just Grind All My Coffee At One Time?

Like many others, I used to think that I could just grind up all my coffee at the grocer's or have them grind it up at the coffee shop and I would be set for the next week. Then I found out that coffee loses a large portion of its flavor within a few hours of being ground. This loss of flavor in coffee that you have paid a good price for just doesn't make sense. If you haven't invested in a coffee grinder, I strongly suggest you do. For less than twenty dollars, you can get a small grinder that will do the job. If you want automation and better control over the grind, you can get a decent burr grinder for under thirty-five dollars - it is well worth the investment.

Why Is It Important To Control The Size of the Grind of Coffee?

The way we get the flavor out of the coffee bean and into our coffee is through extraction. Each type of coffee maker is different on how it extracts the coffee. The only common thread to this is the fact that all coffee makers use water as the solvent to get the flavor out of the ground coffee beans.

That being said, we need to look at why each grind should be a certain way to properly match the extraction method that we are using.

We will start with coarse ground coffee. The french press is commonly paired with coarse ground coffee for several reasons. The grind needs to be coarse to allow the metal screens to separate the grounds from the extracted coffee. In addition, coffee made in this device is made with water that is just below the boiling point. This means that a lot of extraction can occur in a very short time - usually three to four minutes. By using a coarse grind the coffee is not over-extracted. Too much extraction will result in you getting a pot of bitter coffee - not a good thing.

Next, let us look at medium grind. This is most suitable for extraction times that are still fairly short (3 to 5 minutes), but at lower temperatures, much like those produced by a drip coffee maker. The temperature here is usually around 165° Fahrenheit. The lower temperature means that you need smaller particles of coffee to extract adequate flavor from the coffee. If the grind is too coarse, it will take a LOT more coffee to get good flavor in the pot. If the grind is too fine, the coffee will be over-extracted and be bitter to the taste.

Finally, we look at fine grinds, including espresso grind. The contact time here is only a few seconds at high pressure and with pump machines, a temperature just below boiling. With this type of extraction, you must have very fine coffee or a very weak brew will result. The short contact time insures that you don't over-extract the coffee and get a bitter cup.

I hope this information helps to clarify WHY we use certain grinds of coffee for a brewing method, and why it is very important to grind the coffee just before you brew - it is all to get that perfect cup of Joe.

As always, may your next cup be the best!

Dunkin' Donuts Coffee

Dunkin' Donuts Original Blend Coffee

Today I had to go to the appliance parts store to get a thermostat for my clothes dryer. Since I was headed into a part of town with several coffee shops in it, I decided to make a slight detour to get myself some coffee and reward myself.

I decided that I would go by Dunkin' Donuts and get a cup and a blueberry cake donut. This is a combination you can't beat with a stick. After I had consumed the donut, I decided to do a coffee tasting on the remaining coffee so here it is...

The aroma of the coffee has a very subtle smell of grass. Don't ask why, but that is what the undertone of it seems to be. The richness of this brew is targeted at mainstream America, not too strong and not too heavy on taste.

When tasting it, I notice a slightly bitter and salty mix. The body of it is medium, again, I think that the roasters knew what they were doing, as it is a perfect complement to sweet items, such as donuts.

The finish on this coffee has a sharpness to it that is like Dutch Bros or Gevalia - although I think it is a bit smoother than the Dutch Bros coffee.

Overall, an excellent brew - one that wakes up a lot of people every single day. Dunkin' Donuts has quite a bit of coffee information on their website, including brewing tips and a coffee glossary. They also have a slideshow on their website that covers, in some detail, how they get this great tasting coffee to you, the consumer. I hope you enjoy it.

May your next cup be the best!

Making Coffee With a French Press

How to Make Coffee With a French Press

When it comes to coffee, most Americans just go to Starbucks or some other coffee shop to buy their brew, while others use a drip coffee maker at home to get the job done. Then there are those of us that must have espresso, americano, or cappuccino - so we use the espresso machine at home.

That covers probably 85 to 90 percent of the folks out there (my estimate). That only leaves fifteen percent - or less - of U.S. coffee drinkers using the french press. That seems unusual for a device that was invented in France in the 1850's, and patented in Italy in 1929. Not only has this device been around for a long time, but it makes some of the best coffee you will ever taste - I'm serious!

One of the pastors at my church told me that coffee from the french press was awesome several months ago. Since I have a coffee blog and my job is to inform you about coffee, I decided I had to get a press and try it out. The thing that kept me from getting one over the years is that I thought it would be hard to use - quite the opposite is true - it is very easy to use, and not really that messy. So much for my complaints...

I started searching for a local solution to my need for a low-cost french press. I quickly found out that the local Walmart didn't have one in stock (according to the website). I did find several listed online that were available at the local Target stores. I targeted the Brazil, which is made by Bodum. This pot is a 8-cup unit. Note: these are 4 ounce coffee cups, so this particular model brews 32 ounces of high-quality coffee - just enough for my wife and myself to have a good cup in the morning...nice! I got out of Target for $19.99 plus tax - not bad for a great coffee maker.

Ok, so now to the preparation. I took the unit home, washed it up, set up my video equipment and proceeded to make my first french press coffee. Yes, you are watching me brew my first pot! Here are the steps I followed:

1. Heat up 34 ounces of water to between 195° to 205° Fahrenheit.
2. Add 1 heaping Tablespoon of Coarse ground coffee per cup to the pot (8 Tbsp).
3. Pour in the water - stop filling at about one-half inch from the top of the pot.
4. Stir with a plastic or wood spoon - remember, THE POT IS GLASS.
   
5. Let the coffee steep for 4 minutes.
6. Stir the coffee at the end of the 4 minutes, remove the spoon.
7. Carefully put in the plunger unit.
8. Press down slowly - take 10 seconds or so to do this - you will be rewarded with few, if any, grounds in your coffee.
   
9. Once you reach bottom, you are done. Pour up a cup and enjoy!
10. Suggestion - pour remaining coffee into a heat-resistant container to keep from over-brewing your remaining coffee.
11. Rinse out coffee pot and dry for next time.

That's it. Here is the video to show you how simple it is to make awesome french press coffee.

May your next cup be the best!

Coffee Mugs - Starbucks Red To Go Mug

Starbucks Red To Go Mug

I don't know about you, but I like to drink my coffee almost everywhere. I also like for it to stay hot, so I have spent my fair share of money on travel mugs.

The majority of travel mugs don't keep coffee warm for long, and are very often, not microwave or dishwasher safe. I am not sure about the reasoning for this. Coffee is a drink that is best served hot or warm, so why do so many of the cup manufacturers make and sell non-microwavable cups? In addition, most homes have a dishwasher. If you have a dishwasher, you most likely want to wash your cup in it to keep it sparkling clean and germ-free. So why are these two criteria ignored? Over the next few months I will review at least one coffee mug a week and give you my good bad and ugly about it. I will give you my unvarnished opinion on each mug and supply you with a link for more information or to a site to purchase the item.

Earlier this week I bought a Starbucks Coffee 12-oz. (STARBUCKS)^RED To Go Mug. This mug cost me eleven dollars, plus tax. It is designed to look like the traditional Starbucks take out cup, but it is not made of paper - it is ceramic and plastic. The ceramic portion of the mug is double-layered with airspace between the layers. This provides a noticeable insulating quality. The lid is made of a heavy plastic with a silicone seal that is held down by a 1/8 turn twist of the lower part of the lid. It seals well and I can state I haven't spilled a drop of coffee from this mug all week.

Because it is a double-layered ceramic container, the Starbucks Red To Go Mug has some weight to it. The only way I knew I was out of coffee was the fact that I tilted it up and had no coffee to drink.

Coffee mugs usually leave a certain amount of coffee in the cup because of poor lid design. This cup lets you get all but about half a tablespoon of coffee out when drinking through the lid. The cup is easy to hold. You do notice a little warmth since the cup's design does have some thermal leakage. The coffee stays warm for an hour or so, making it a better solution than the paper cup, and in the long term, a better choice for the environment. I wish it did keep the coffee hot for a longer period of time, but it is a trade-off. The cup is not dishwasher or microwave safe - although I think a lot of this has to do with the lid an its seal. You might want to contact Starbucks if you REALLY need these features.

One additional nice feature of this mug is that you can use it with the lid off if you wish. It is one nice looking cup.

Overall, I would rate this mug between 6.5 to 7.0 on performance. I really prefer a mug that keeps coffee hot longer and I would prefer for it to be microwave safe. A couple of notes here - I have tried pre-heating the cup by leaving hot water in it for a couple of minutes before filling and have noticed that it does extend the time that the coffee stays warm. I have also "cheated" and microwaved the cup with coffee in it for 30 seconds WITHOUT THE LID with no negative results - do this at your own risk - I don't know if there is a danger of the thing exploding or anything else.

Next week I will give you a review on another coffee mug - be watching for it. If you have a favorite mug or coffee that you want me to review, let me know by posting a comment on the blog.

As always, may your next cup be the best!

Starbucks Komodo Dragon Blend

Starbucks Komodo Dragon Blend

is an interesting coffee. Starbucks says that it is spicy - I differ and say it is more of a fruit-like flavor. At first I thought it was like apples, then I changed my mind and after a little more tasting, decided it was like peaches or watermelon.

I purchased a cup while I was in town taking care of business. I decided that a cup would be a good reward for me, so I went in, planning to get a cappuccino, but when I saw that they had Komodo Dragon Blend as a coffee of the day, I just had to get some. I was not disappointed.

Besides having a spicy or fruity taste, this coffee is very smooth to the last drop. Komodo is bold - but it is not as bold as Starbucks House Blend. It is full-bodied coffee with an excellent mouth-feel and smooth finish. If you serve this up with a little cream and sweetener it is as good a dessert as you can find. It is excellent stuff, I promise.

When selecting coffee for my home use, I try to find a coffee that has universal appeal. I want something I can brew as espresso or as Americano with equally good results. This is definitely a quality blend with a great taste from start to finish.

I will have to get some Komodo Dragon Blend as soon as I deplete my reserve of Sumatra Organic Reserve. (Any other coffee lovers out there that have over three pounds of coffee in their cabinets?)

As always, may your next cup be the best!

Dutch Bros Coffee

Recently I did a post about the awesome mocha drinks at Dutch Bros Coffee. Today I visited them again to get an Americano and to provide you with the details of the tasting.

Most coffee places just do a drip grind of their coffee, run it through a drip coffee maker and serve it up. This is not the case with Dutch Bros. They don't make drip coffee for their customers. Instead, they brew up a 4-shot Americano for their tall drink. Then they put the coffee into a cup that has a second one on the outside to serve as an insulator (Has anyone besides me had the little insulator sleeves fall off or get stuck in their coffee cup holder in the car?).
The drink I received was piping hot. The barrista even added my Splenda to the cup for me. This is part of the good customer service I have received from this coffee company. I was asked for my coffee card (10 drinks and the next one's free), which I surrendered to get closer to that free cup - did I say that I LOVE coffee discounts and freebies?

The americano I received was flavorful with a mild acidity that really would work well in a mocha drink. I now know why the mocha I got the other day was so good. There is a definite taste of chocolate in this coffee - without any chocolate being added. The brew wasn't overly sweet as my usual 2 packets of Splenda did not make the coffee too sweet - it was just right, and could not be any better. The "3 bean blend" that is used by Dutch Bros is very similar in flavor to some of Gevalia's coffee I have tasted. It does seem to be smoother, however. If you like Gevalia's coffee, you will really enjoy a Dutch Bros Americano.

If you have a Dutch Bros store in your area, I highly recommend them. If you don't, here is a link to the Dutch Bros website.

As always, may your next cup be the best!

Peru Chanchamayo by Starbucks Coffee

I got up this morning and decided that I wanted something different for my morning brew. I went to the local Starbucks and got a venti cup of their Peru Chanchamayo.

Peru Chanchamayo is classified as a medium roast. Coffee made with these beans is very smooth and satisfying. It only has a little acidity and is a coffee that I think would be an ideal brew for serving with breakfast. It would also be great for serving by itself as an after-meal treat. On the Coffee Tasting Wheel, Peru Chanchamayo would come up in the Mild category.

It definitely has a sweetness to it that I quickly noticed. I usually drink my coffee with Splenda. When I buy a large cup, such as the venti size, I put in 2 packets of the sweetener. For bolder blends, this is perfect. I found that with this Peruvian coffee - that 2 packets are too much sweetener. If you drink sweetener in your coffee, add the first packet, taste, THEN add more if you need it. At least the cup didn't taste like syrup from over-sweetening.

The aroma of Peru Chanchamayo could be characterized as a cross between chocolate-like and syrup-like. This only makes sense since this brew is mild and sweet in flavor.

If you like a quality, mild coffee, this is definitely for you. Starbucks usually has fairly strong coffee, but Peru Chanchamayo does not come off strong at all. It is excellent stuff - I know you won't be disappointed.

May your next cup be one of the best!

Quality is Important When Brewing Coffee

Quality is Important When Brewing Coffee. This is a fact that most coffee lovers will not deny. For the best quality Coffee, you should provide the best quality ingredients, then prepare them with quality tools, followed by quality brewing of the coffee.

It may sound difficult, but it is not. Following is the "formula" for awesome coffee:

1. Get quality beans
   
2. Use quality water
3. Grind with a quality grinder
4. Brew the coffee in quality equipment

Quality beans are a somewhat subjective item. You should select a coffee that you like the flavor of. Don't fall for the hype of commercials in the media, or your friends' opinions - choose what you like in a coffee. What is the taste you want from your coffee. Do you prefer dark roast, medium roast or light roast? Does a particular company produce coffees that meet your needs better than others. You have to be the judge here. A good example of this is my Mom. She always loved her Folger's coffee. That is what she liked, even after I tried for years to make her aware of other coffees that are available. That is what she wanted, so that is what she drank - all her life. I also know of some folks who will only drink Starbucks, or Seattle's Best, or Peet's, to name a few. The important thing here is to get quality beans to produce quality coffee.

Tap water can be used to make your coffee if it is of high quality and good taste. Bottled water is the answer in some parts of the country where the water is very hard or has a bad taste to it. Here in Fountain, bottled water is the best solution. One little note here - if the water you are using has too much hardness (minerals in the water), it can scale up and even ruin the boiler on an espresso machine or the heating coils on a drip coffee maker.

There are two important things related to grinding:

1. The fineness of the grind
2. The evenness of the grind

If you have a burr grinder, you can have coffee that is very evenly ground and can be as fine as you need, in most cases. My grinder didn't do well with espresso grinds until I modified it to do so - this voided the warranty, but it now grinds espresso and coarse coffee equally well. You can also do well with a small grinder. In the case of a burr machine, you will pay from 30 dollars and above. In the case of the small grinders, you are looking at twelve to eighteen dollars for a really nice one. Believe it or not, you can grind coffee in a blender, but the coffee grounds are not real consistent in size - and in this case - size does matter. You should have a fine grind for espresso, a medium grind for drip coffee and a coarse grind if you are using a french press.

The last item here is the brewing equipment. Every time I wear out a drip coffee maker, I end up replacing the dead Bunn coffee maker with another one similar to it. The advantage to this machine is that the water is always hot, so you get a coffee pot and hot water machine that dispenses 165° water on demand. (No, I am not affiliated with them, just know they make good stuff that I like - I won't lie to you here.)

In the case with espresso machines you can go with the steam-type or the pump type. The steam type is lower in cost and produces small amounts of espresso in batches. The hassle with these is you usually have to unscrew the boiler lid to refill for each batch. Because of the quantity of coffee lovers out there, individuals can get inexpensive pump espresso makers. Many of the home variety of pump machines seem to produce good coffee. They usually produce more crema than the steam machines, so the coffee they produce can be noticeably better in flavor. I have found that for the price, Hamilton Beach has a couple of nice pump machines for around seventy dollars. They do advise you to grind the coffee slightly coarser than espresso grind for the best results. The biggest problem I have had with the pump machines is that I tend to cause the pumps to fail. I think this is due to my heavy use of any coffee maker I have. Remember, these are not commercial-duty machines.

French press coffee makers are relatively inexpensive and those who use them to brew their favorite cup say there is nothing better to make that perfect cup of coffee.

I hope this information is helpful and that your next cup is as awesome as your last.