# Do “better” coffee machines make any difference in the taste or quality of the coffee? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** coffee\ **Created:** [January 25, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958 "2020-01-25T15:30:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/21 "2020-01-26T15:43:11Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > The water really needs to hit about 205F to make a good cuppa. Many cheap percolators don’t make the grade. The coffee may be okay, but it won’t be at full potential. Percolators are a terrible way to make Joe. We have a Kurig which is easy and quick, but as mentioned in a previous post it doesn’t get the water hot enough. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/22 "2020-01-26T20:22:06Z")
I have found that this [OXO coffee maker](https://www.oxo.com/barista-brain-9-cup-coffee-maker.html?atrkid=V3ADW4C21112D_65620835420_dsa-19959388920 __344159632697_g_c___ 1t1&gclid=CjwKCAiAjrXxBRAPEiwAiM3DQnnBK4KqRnd6h4UPXs0-oPsLhziL5u_JZaXcRchqZtdWrTIgw2J7UhoCSCwQAvD_BwE) is very comparable to the Technivorm. It is also expensive, but it has a timer and a few other features that I find useful. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2020, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/23 "2020-01-26T22:13:56Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > I’ve tried all the hoopla, all the different methods and contraptions. > > To me, the best taste comes from the simple little single cone dripper – I’ve had this type in many European hoity-toity restaurants. The [Melitta Pour-Over](https://shoponline.melitta.com/collections/pour-over%E2%84%A2/View-All-pour-Overs)things are widely available and very inexpensive; the super cheap ones from the dollar store work just about as well. Yup. I have a Technivorm Moccamaster which does work great, but for a single cup of coffee, I use [one of these.](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014JVOWB8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) Just boil some water, put a stangard Melitta #4 filter in the basket, and pour over the grounds. There’s a built in valve that allows me to steep the grounds for as long as needed, then set the dripper on your cup and the coffee drains out. I usually steep for 4 minutes or so as I would in a French Press, and you get all the flavor of a French Press without the fine sediment. It’s easier and cheaper, and the coffee is as good as it ever gets. (I roast and grind my own beans so that helps a lot too…) ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/24 "2020-01-27T07:20:44Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > If you are just making coffee, assuming it’s being made with the same water, grinds or beans, they will taste far too identically for the human palate to tell a difference (between two of the same basic kind of machine; a Keurig isn’t the same as a drip coffee maker.) An expresso machine puts a small amount of water through the grounds, to get them wet and make them swell. Then more water, which goes through slowly because the coffee grounds have swelled up. There is a huge amount of variation in how hot you get the water, for the first and second part, and how much water you use, for the first and second part, and how fast you put the water through, for the first and second part. The end result of which is, different expresso machines taste different for the same water, grind, and beans. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/25 "2020-01-27T14:21:33Z")
The only thing that I have ever been able to taste that made a difference in my coffee (aside from using fresh coffee) is distilled water. I recommend anyone who loves coffee purchase a small bottle of distilled water so they can try it for themselves. If you can taste the diff, I predict you will never go back to using any other source of water. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/26 "2020-01-27T15:23:09Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Darned if it wasn’t as least as good as the stuff churned out by Keurig pod machines, though not as tasty as Black & Decker coffee. This matches my very limited experience of Keurig machines, namely that they are absolute garbage no better than a sachet of decent instant coffee. For me I think the value of the machines is not that they necessarily make better coffee than an afficionado can make manually, but that they make consistently good coffee trivially easy to access. I run with an old-fashoned percolator which is just fine, makes a decent cup of coffee but not great. I used to use a french press which worked very well if the coffee was good and I used it right. I also know people who can get a perfect coffee out of the classic $20 mokas but they have skill and patience which I certainly don’t. My brother-in-law on the other hand has a Jura coffee machine which cost him like 1,500 bucks ten years ago:eek: and it makes truly excellent coffee. The price is too rich for me but I think the machine is actually pretty good value for money. Every couple of days tip the grounds out and rinse water out, pour in beans and water. Done. And so far it has made great coffee (in your choice of size) at the push of a button, maybe 8-10 times a day, every day, for ten years without a hitch. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/27 "2020-01-27T15:29:21Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > Tl,dr version: most commercial coffee machines produce shitty coffee that’s hardly worth drinking. If you want good coffee, you need to up your game and learn about the intricacies that are involved in producing good coffee. \*\*Lancia \*\*… throughout your entire post, I was imagining [Quentin Tarantino’s voice](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1-1dUbBjgE) reading it aloud 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/28 "2020-01-27T16:30:11Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > The device used to make coffee is far less important than the quality of the beans. If you have a good fresh roast freshly ground you can make good coffee with a drip (Mr. Coffee type thing), French Press (cafetière), Chemex/pour over, whatever. That’s my thinking as well. We have a Cuisinart drip machine ([the ubiquitous Brew Central model](https://www.cuisinart.com/shopping/appliances/coffee_makers/dcc-1200?gclid=Cj0KCQiAsbrxBRDpARIsAAnnz_Mwc8gKnSqdhDbyzMA5dY_I-VHEZpktMNoKuihM3yL_Bzj6SrYjHT0aAs1dEALw_wcB)) as well as a couple of french presses (a glass Bodum one and a cheaper double-wall stainless one). While there are differences between the two methods, they’re overwhelmed almost entirely by the quality of the beans. Brewing that McDonald’s coffee in a Chemex or some other fancy coffee equipment isn’t going to rescue it from tasting like it was brewed from roasted dog turds, and similarly, brewing some high quality beans in a drip machine isn’t instantly going to make them taste bad either. At best, you can say that the more spiffy brewing methods maximize the coffee’s potential. I’m not a coffee connoisseur, but I’d say that it’s worth finding out what YOU like- some people really like espresso. Others like dark roast drip coffee. Others like light roast french press, and others like something in between. That determination of what you like personally is going to pay off a lot more than a fancy machine to brew coffee that’s not necessarily what YOU like. ---
**Author:** ![Kovitlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kovitlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kovitlac)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/29 "2020-01-27T16:50:41Z")
I add in enough creamer to my coffee that I’d never know the difference, if there is one. I watch a youtuber who does a “Coffee and Crime Time” series, and she looks like she has a killer set up for coffee/espresso, steamed milk, etc. That’d be cool, but I wouldn’t have the money or counter space for it, lol. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/30 "2020-01-27T17:39:02Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I’m wondering how you can claim that the water doesn’t get hot enough. In all the automatic “Mr. Coffee”-style machines I have seen, they heat the water in very small batches, and it has to turn to steam to be propelled up the tube into the drip basket. So it must reach 100C to do that, right? You can’t make water any hotter without a pressure container or some other trick. Well, there needs to be steam somewhere in the tube to propel the water, but it’s not actually the steam that gets propelled out of the tube, at least at first. Here’s a sketchy, hand-drawn diagram of a drip coffee maker: [https://ajlucy.com/2017/08/23/drawings-of-how-things-work-coffee-machine/](https://ajlucy.com/2017/08/23/drawings-of-how-things-work-coffee-machine/) Note that the heating element is at the bottom of the carafe and over the tube wherein the water will be heated. When you start with a full coffee maker, the water level is at top of the tank. The water level in the tube will be the same and all of this water will be cold. When the water near the heating element starts to boil, the pneumatic force of the boiling water will propel water at the top of the tube into the coffee. The water at top of the tube that isn’t necessarily at a high temperature yet, so this lukewarm water gets pushed into the grounds. As some relatively cool water gets pushed out, more cool water from the tank rushes past the heating element to the new level and it waits for more boiling water to push it onto the coffee grounds. It takes a while for the water in the tank and the water in the tube to get to a high enough temperature for the best flavor extraction. In some coffee makers, the temperature doesn’t get high enough until almost all the water has already gone through the grounds. Other drip coffee makers simply have designs in which the amount of relatively cold water pushed out of the tube is minimized compared to the cheapest coffee makers. I can guess that one difference might be using bigger heating elements to heat more of the water making its way into the tube. Perhaps they also have heating elements that do a better job of slowing the travel of the water from the tank to the tube so that it spends more time in contact with the heating element and is thus hotter before it gets shot out of the tube. I suspect that not completely filling the coffee maker might also help since it will take more steam pressure (and thus a higher temperature) to push water from a half-filled tube than a fully filled one. I’m not even a coffee drinker but I did sell mid-range coffee makers in high school and we got a surprising amount of training on them. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/31 "2020-01-27T18:56:55Z")
> [@slaphead](#): > > My brother-in-law on the other hand has a Jura coffee machine which cost him like 1,500 bucks ten years ago:eek: and it makes truly excellent coffee. The price is too rich for me but I think the machine is actually pretty good value for money. Every couple of days tip the grounds out and rinse water out, pour in beans and water. Done. > And so far it has made great coffee (in your choice of size) at the push of a button, maybe 8-10 times a day, every day, for ten years without a hitch. Jura makes a smaller version too. I have one that was 800 list, but I used a 20% off coupon at bed bath and beyond. This version is smaller and doesn’t have the milk attachment thingy, which I prefer not having (and cleaning) anyway. It only makes single shots. We love it for all the reasons you list. Though with the smaller version we are filling the water every morning and emptying the grounds once or twice every morning, which is not a hardship. It is as easy to use as a Keurig, makes better coffee, and is better for the environment. Long term it might even be cheaper; K-cups are expensive. I love simply buying whole beans and not having to deal with all the plastic cup waste. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/32 "2020-01-27T19:34:10Z")
I have a gas range, a tea kettle that I picked up at a thrift store for five bucks and a $20 French press from Target. I use good beans (usually a French roast or a weird combo of my own devising if I’ve been to the Winco bulk coffee section) and grind just what I need–about 1/4 cup of beans to make about 24 oz of coffee, enough to fill my big thermal mug. I heat the water to boiling while doing other things (feeding dogs and cleaning the litter box) and turn it off. About 10-15 minutes later I grind the beans, dump into the press, add a little cinnamon and pour the off-boiling water over. It steeps for a minimum of 6 minutes while I’m doing something else (washing dishes, feeding cats) then I pour out the coffee, adulterate to taste and wash down my meds. Toss the grounds out into the flowerbed, rinse out the press and done. Might not be perfect but the only substantial difference I could make would be to pay about $50+/lb for some really amazing beans but I’m not up for that–this has been confirmed by my nephew, who’s a super experienced barista and professional coffee roaster who gets sent on buying trips to Central and South America to buy beans from the farmers. When he stays with me he uses a one cup pourover to make his coffee and boy howdy, the smell and taste from the fancy ass beans he uses is mindboggling but way outside my financial comfort zone. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/33 "2020-01-27T20:33:19Z")
I just bought an inexpensive Mr Coffee machine to replace a worn out maker. The coffee is better from the new machine. I always use Brita filtered water. Definitely makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/34 "2020-01-27T21:32:50Z")
I have an Aeropress and La Crueset French Press which is used primarily for weekend coffee and a [Breville Precision](https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/coffee/bdc450.html) for every day. I wanted the Technivorm but also needed something with a timer and that could make at least 60 oz of coffee for SWMBO and myself. I like it because I can adjust the settings, it does a creditable cold brew and I can use a drip over as well. Max versatility and it’s held up very well over the time we’ve had it. The three KitchenAids and the DeLonghi lasted about a year each, and they weren’t cheap. Fwiw, I was drooling over [this](https://www.wilfa.com/wilfa-precision/) because it’s like the E type Jag of coffee makers. Sexy and functional. Like the Jag it’s also slightly impractical/expensive for day to day use for me. ---
**Author:** ![Eco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eco/32/5771_2.png) [@Eco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eco)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/35 "2021-02-06T21:31:57Z")
I’d agree the quality of the beans is so important as well as the freshness. Stale beans make terrible coffee so know how to store it and how long it lasts ([How Long Does Coffee Last? Shelf Life and Storing Tips - Cheeky Brew](https://cheekybrewco.com/how-long-does-coffee-last/)). Then next up is matching your grind size to your brewing method as over or under extraction also makes coffee taste terrible. Then consider the machine once you have the other two things lined up. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/36 "2021-02-06T21:53:32Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > I think this should be in Cafe Society. My bad. Moving to the Coffee Society, er, Cafe Society (from IMHO). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/37 "2021-02-06T21:58:51Z")
Coffe machines with plastic heating tanks make the brew taste of plastic. I recommend coffee makers with stainless steel heating tanks. They can be hard to find but are worth the effort. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/38 "2021-02-06T22:04:17Z")
I won’t consume anything from heated plastic if I have a different option. I use a glass Chemex carafe or an all-metal Neopolitan pot that steams the grounds then is flipped when the water is heated. [https://www.espressozone.com/ilsa-classica-neapolitan-coffee-maker?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmfmABhCHARIsACwPRADaQ2028h\_5RSIX3jxySNn5VBbylXcIn9w59FtsADiUWa-lOXZaGYMaArgEEALw\_wcB](https://www.espressozone.com/ilsa-classica-neapolitan-coffee-maker?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmfmABhCHARIsACwPRADaQ2028h_5RSIX3jxySNn5VBbylXcIn9w59FtsADiUWa-lOXZaGYMaArgEEALw_wcB) ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/39 "2021-02-06T22:12:53Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > To me, the best taste comes from the simple little single cone dripper – I’ve had this type in many European hoity-toity restaurants. The [Melitta Pour-Over](https://shoponline.melitta.com/collections/pour-over%E2%84%A2/View-All-pour-Overs)things are widely available and very inexpensive; the super cheap ones from the dollar store work just about as well. I love my coffee and I’m fussy but not over anal about. I’ve found an espresso machine and a ready-ground blend that works for me and don’t mess too much with it. However, when I’m away from home I’ve taken to using [these little things](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Hanging-Disposable-Perfect-Camping/dp/B0816BFY3X/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=disposable+coffee+filters&qid=1612649346&sr=8-11). and I’ve been very impressed, the size is right for a single cup and the rate of filtration is perfect to extract the right flavour. Grab yourself a bag of coffee of pretty much any grind size (other than ultra-fine espresso grind) and you are good to go,they are very forgiving. I wasn’t expecting much but even though I bought them for emerency use on the go if I want a larger cup of coffee at home I’ve started to use these as a preference. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958/40 "2021-02-06T22:45:44Z")
Best regular cuppa I ever made at home was from using the cold brewing process: 3 cups of grounds in a gallon pitcher, add water until full, seal, shake it up, let it set 12-24 hours, strain/filter, dilute each serving with equal amount water (or half and half, yum!), serve over ice or heat up in microwave. Pure coffee flavor, no bitterness. Not quite “machine” made, but there it is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-better-coffee-machines-make-any-difference-in-the-taste-or-quality-of-the-coffee/846958.md?page=3)