Around 44 per cent of Indian prefer to drink their coffee from the filter coffee machine. For a good reason: the method has proven itself, is simple, cheap and – with the right beans – usually also tasty. But the faction of espresso, cold brew, cappuccino, mocha and screen-stamp connoisseurs are also steadily increasing. Stiftung Warentest has tested 15 filter coffee machines. The test winner is the Morphy Richards Look Therm 1011-10 for around 50 euros. But a sound machine can only cost 35 euros – or more than 120 euros, with great features.
Buying Guide For Coffee Machine
Filter coffee machines are relatively simple devices – they heat water and pour it over the available flour. But also coffee machines can have extras and ankle fish, which you should pay attention When Buying Coffee Machine.
Warming plate
An electric hot plate keeps the coffee warm in the non-insulated jug. “Warm” is the keyword: The plate should not be too hot. Otherwise, it will continue to cook the extract in the jar. It is also handy if the machine allows you to choose whether or not to switch on the jug warmer – not least because of the power consumption.
Insulating
A coffee machine with an insulating can has advantages but also disadvantages. One of the benefits is that the device does not need the energy to keep the coffee warm. The material is also more stable than glass. However, the thermos cans don’t really stay tight for long – after all, even in the best case, you are equipped with a fairly loose valve, which can easily remove heat. A well-insulated jug will also have a small opening, as less heat is lost. A small outlet, in turn, makes manual cleaning more difficult. But whether they reach for the hot plate or the insulating can, our advice is: only fresh coffee tastes delicious.
Can size
As a rule, the amount of coffee is expressed in cups. At filter machines, you get information such as “up to 15 cups of coffee”. A cup usually means 125 ml. A cup, on the other hand, would hold about 250 ml. Accordingly, a jug with up to eight cups holds around one litre. But some manufacturers have an incomprehensible way to reckon with. A Tefal machine for up to 1.25 l of coffee advertises “up to 15 cups of coffee” – that would be about 83 ml per cup, which would be more like a long espresso.
Programme
Many machines offer a programming function that allows you to select the start time. Then the coffee gurgles automatically into the jug in the morning when the alarm clock rings. But there is a problem: the coffee flour must be in the filter the day before. This requires preparation on the one hand, and coffee made from freshly ground flour is tastier. Therefore, the function is only recommended if you really do not have time to fill fresh in the morning.
Removable containers
Removable water and bean containers make things much more comfortable. Water finds its way into the machine more quickly if you can hold the box under the tap. But cleaning is also more comfortable – in the best case, you can place the containers in the dishwasher. On the other hand, wiping out a tightly screwed box in the machine is instead a grey.
Removable filter holder
Of all the components of the filter machine, the can and filter holder are the most sifted. Again, if you can remove it from the engine, the motivation is greater to rinse it out and out regularly.
Drip
Most coffee machines now offer a drip stop. This means that the device does not extract coffee if you pull out the jug. As a precaution, you should still pay attention to whether the function is specified for interesting models.
Taste
Any possibility of fine-tuning the taste of a coffee machine is a win. A good vending machine will have at least one aroma button that either pre-simmers the coffee flour or prolongs the extraction time. In some cases, you even get the choice between several intensity levels.
Descaling indicator
The most practical features include descaling indicators and programs. This ensures the longevity of your machine.
Coffee From Filter Coffee Machines: Advantages and Disadvantages
A filter coffee machine is little more than an automated hand filter including a kettle: you insert a disposable or reusable filter into a conical funnel, add the coffee flour and then pour hot water over the flour and make its way through the powder. It extracts oils and flavours and then ends up in the jug as coffee because of the filter without residues. The good thing about the system: The machines are super simple, therefore, depending on the installed material, long-lasting with reasonable care and relatively cheap compared to other coffee machines. For the price of a recommended, mean coffee machine you can buy six or seven good filter machines. Unlike other cheap brews, such as capsule or pod machines, you can also choose your coffee freely and grind it fresh as you like – this usually results in a more delicious drink and is also cheaper with the same or better quality. But there are also disadvantages. You can theoretically grind your coffee with a filter coffee machine the way you like, but most owners prefer to get them comfortable, pre-ground coffee. However, ground coffee quickly loses its taste, so it should be used up accordingly quickly. If you want to get more out of your favourite beans, you need either a separate grinder or a more expensive device with an integrated mill. Besides, many filter machines have entangled parts that become damp and need to be wiped or rinsed regularly – otherwise, it quickly becomes disgusting. Finally, filter machines do not give as much freedom in their brewing type as hand filters or espresso machines. You can adjust the grinding degree (if you grind yourself), but the amount of water and the pouring speed is part of the program. The paper filter must still be rinsed manually unless you want a slight cellulose taste in your coffee. Technically, the brewing water is also a few degrees too hot (there boiling) and only dribbles in portions over the coffee flour. And if filter vending machines let the flour swell for a while, this is also an extra than a standard feature.
10 Best Coffee Machine in India 2021
Morphy Richards New Europa 800-Watt Espresso and Cappuccino 4-Cup Coffee Maker
Advantages:
- Best smell and taste
- Quite cheap
Disadvantages
- Slightly watery at eight cups
- Small water tank
Overall score: 1.9 (“good”); Best machine with thermos. Makes fast, good coffee. It is easy to use but requires some effort in cleaning and descaling. The first place in the test goes to the Morphy Richards Look Therm 1011-10. This machine gets the best judgment in smell and taste. There is also nothing wrong with the speed and temperature. However, the thermos can do not keep the brew warm for a very long time. Cleaning might be more comfortable, but the power consumption is nicely low, parts are dishwasher safe, and the material looks robust. You can brew between about two and twelve cups with the machine. The water tank is relatively small at 1.1 litres.
Bosch StyLine TKA8653
Advantages:
- Removable water tank
- Automatic brewing setting
- Brewing starts programmable
- Automatic descaling program
Disadvantages
- Expensive
- Small water tank
- Parts not dishwasher safe
If you are looking for a coffee machine with a programmable start, the Bosch StyLine the right one for the job. It delivers an all-round good, tasteful experience and brews eight cups in ultra-fast seven minutes. The coffee is also nicely hot, but that doesn’t last long in the thermos. With this device, the cleaning does some work, and the removable water tank is relatively small.
InstaCuppa French Press Coffee Espresso Tea Maker
Advantages:
- Strong coffee
- Removable bean container
- Automatic descaling program
- Programmable brewing start
Disadvantages
- High power consumption when keeping warm
Overall score: 2.0 (“good”); Best machine with own bean container and grinder. Many special functions, good coffee and relatively inexpensive for a device with a mill! Good coffee is best enjoyed freshly ground. Combination devices, such as the InstaCuppa Aroma Fresh 1021-01, do grinding and brewing in a wash-up. The InstaCuppa device makes good coffee overall and is quite fast. The heat plate even keeps the coffee warm for quite a long time. However, power consumption is increasing. Furthermore, the machine offers some convenient extras, such as a removable bean container, an automatic descaling program and a programmable brewing start.
Philips Daily Collection HD7434/20 0.92-Litre Coffee Maker
Advantages:
- Aroma taste
- Swivel filter with the push of a button
- Cheap
Disadvantages
- Increased power consumption on standby
Overall score: 2.1 (“good”); Best machine with glass can and warming plate. Coffee is good and comes fast. A device without frills but also without significant defects. If you want to have an inexpensive machine that makes good coffee without any institutions, you can Philips Daily Collection HD7434/20 0.92-Litre Coffee Maker well advised. Apart from the fact that standby’s power consumption could be slightly better, this device does not offer any adverse abnormalities. As for extras you get an aroma button, and the swivel filter opens at the touch of a button – but the special features stop there.
Coffee machines: How much you get for your money.
Good coffee doesn’t have to be expensive: as long as you can do without extras, you can also get a tasteless model for less than 50 euros – but that doesn’t offer much more than a one-switch. The convenience features cost money, but they may well be worth it. For example, descaling indicators and programs remind you to maintain your device so that it doesn’t give up your mind after a few months. And with a programming function, the coffee gulps into the jug in the morning, while you’re not even culled out of bed. It will then be more expensive, especially for machines with grinding machines: you will leave at least 100 euros for these, but even here comparatively cheap models do not have to be wrong.
How Stiftung Warentest tests
The filter coffee machines test was mainly about the taste: A test group tasted coffee from small and large brewed batches in the blind test. Furthermore, aspects such as preparation time, the jug’s temperature after brewing and after a few hours were measured. Handling also played a major role, including both operation and cleaning. Finally, power consumption, durability and safety were included. Information on grinding degree and coffee variety is missing.
How to recognize good coffee?
Even before the machine and the water, the bean is the most important component of a good coffee. Even the best machine can’t conjure up a gourmet drink from a nasty roast with the purest rock crystal water. And why are these bad roastings even available? According to the expert Benjamin Gröschel from the Munich coffee roaster, this is due to the throughput that large companies show. For this, gigantic quantities are roasted on the assembly line, there is no time for an expert selection of beans; for hand-picked sorting out certainly not. Even a layperson with some tips can distinguish a good roasting from an inferior one. These are the best hints from the expert:
- A mix of light and dark beans is characteristic of an industrial continuous roaster that works at high temperatures. As a result, the beans release the essential oils responsible for the taste unevenly.
- Burnt beans are very dark and comfortable to pick out from the crowd. These specimens are often responsible if the coffee tastes bitter in the finish.
- “Sweating” beans are also undesirable. The shiny beans indicate that the essential oils have come to the surface, where they quickly become rancid. The reason for this is too sharp roasting, which is necessary for large industrial quantities. Gentle roasting is intended to convert flavour-bearing oils within the bean into the aroma and not push the oils outwards.
- If you find a mixture of small and large beans, it can mean that immature specimens have not been sorted out. But beware: For combinations, for example, from Robusta and Arabica, different sizes are not untypical.
- Broken and hollowed beans (so-called “ears”) should be kept within limits. In large numbers, they are a sign of bad coffee. The small slivers overheat and burn faster when roasting, which guarantees bitter taste.
- If the coffee beans show burnt spikes, this is also a sign of too hot roasting and a lack of care.
- And finally, of course, worm-stitched coffee should be avoided.
As a rule of thumb, you should do without pre-ground coffee. As soon as the bean turns into flour, even the most bruised professional can no longer detect bad coffee before drinking – at most still by the smell. So you’re more likely to get the unsightly roasting residues. The expert also points out that one cannot expect good quality or fair trade for ten euros per kilo of coffee. After deduction of taxes, packaging and logistics, perhaps one euro remains for the coffee farmer. Large quantities can only rebalance this deficit – and correspondingly decreasing control.
How to clean a coffee machine?
Manufacturers give tips on how to clean the corresponding model in the manual optimally. As a rule, special descaling and cleaning agents are recommended. Common home remedies are mixtures of citric acid or vinegar. These funds are cheap, but they also have drawbacks. Vinegar attacks the machine parts even in low concentrations, while highly heated citric acid becomes calcium citrate and clogs pipes. The house methods must therefore be used at your own risk, as they can damage the machine. Manufacturers give tips on how to clean the corresponding model in the manual optimally. As a rule, special descaling and cleaning agents are recommended. Common home remedies are mixtures of citric acid or vinegar. These agents are cheap but can damage the machine. The best filter coffee machine is the Morphy Richards Look Therm 1011-10 with a total score of 1.9. The best filter coffee machine with grinder is the Morphy Richards AromaFresh with a total score of 2.0. It makes good coffee, has some practical features and is not too expensive. There are also different functions of filter coffee machines. The most common: Water is heated in the bottom of the engine and pushed upwards by water vapour. The water then flows over the coffee flour and extracts the coffee into the jug.
