Archive for February, 2009

Coffeemaker Temperature Smackdown – Krups vs. Cuisinart

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

According to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCAA) and National Coffee Association (NCA), the ideal temperature for brewing coffee is 195- 205. Most home coffee brewers brew at temperature well below that. Here’s how 2 pretty good brewers compare:

Comparison
Chart – Krups vs. Cuisinart
Product Krups KM-4065 Cuisinart DCC-2200
RSP $99 $99
Power 1100 W 1025 W
Brewing Time (12 Cups) 8 minutes, 50 seconds 10 minutes, 46 seconds
Temperature at Brew Head at 4 Minutes 190F 186F
Temperature at Brew Head at 6.5 Minutes 195F 190F
Coffee Quality in Cup Very Good Average

Posted in Home Coffee Maker, Krups | No Comments »

Bunn has announced great deals on Tiger refurbs

Monday, February 9th, 2009

We can get Bunn Tiger M-2 factory-refurbs for $4995.95. They come with original Bunn warranty, and include installation, training and periodic maintenance. Normal price for new is $10,000+.

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Phthalates (Plasticizers) in Coffeemakers

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

Ever wonder why coffee maker instructions warn you to run a batch of hot water through your new coffee maker before brewing your first pot of coffee?

Consumer Reports did a study on water run through the home coffee brewers according to the manufacturers’ instructions and had an outside lab analyze the water for semivolatile compounds, including six common plasticizers (phthalates) used in consumer products.

Studies were done for bisphenol A (BPA), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and benzyl alcohol. Seven coffee makers were studied, and two of them stored water in them until ready for brewing. Small levels of benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and benzyl alcohol were found in water heated in six of the seven coffeemakers models. They also found very low levels of BPA in two of those six coffeemakers.

The good news: Based on their analysis, they concluded the levels of compounds detected would not be expected to pose a health risk.

Posted in Home Coffee Maker | No Comments »

Article on the Best Coffee Makers

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

Ran across this article by The Coffee Detective. I agree with him for the most part, the main difference being that I would include Chemex and AeroPress brewers along with the French Press as the best for brewing coffee at home. He also neglected to mention carafe brewers, which solve the problem of leaving coffee on a warmer.

Posted in Aeropress, Chemex, Home Coffee Maker | 1 Comment »