For many of us, coffee is a necessity every single morning. It’s our fuel; it helps us kickstart the day and be ready for what lies ahead. Even if you don’t drink coffee for the buzz, you love the taste and it’s become a drink you can’t go without.
Consequently, you’re thinking about investing in a coffee machine. Loads exist, with some priced at thousands of dollars, and others closer to the one-hundred-dollar mark. Either way, you’re going to end up spending a fair bit of money on a decent coffee machine. The question is, are they worth it?
If you don’t have a coffee machine, how will you make your coffee? The main alternatives are to either use instant coffee, a French Press, an Aeropress, or the pour-over method. So, when deciding if coffee machines are worth the money, you have to weigh them up against these, far more affordable, methods. Let’s look at how things line up!
Convenience
When do you usually make coffee? In most cases, you’re making it with your breakfast in the morning. As such, you need the process to be swift and speedy. You can’t really afford to sit there and wait ten minutes for everything to brew and be ready to drink. Sometimes, you don’t have the time to carefully craft your morning coffee!
Right away, this rules out a few brewing methods. A French Press or Aeropress both require you to faff around and do multiple things at once. Plus, there’s a waiting period as you let the coffee brew. The same can be said for the pour-over method - the coffee has to brew, and then drip through the filter paper into your cup.
By contrast, coffee machines are incredibly convenient. Usually, all you have to do is load the device with a pod or some coffee and press a button. A single-serve coffee maker will extract the coffee and brew everything in a matter of seconds, leaving you with the perfect amount of coffee. While this happens, you can get your breakfast ready, so it’s super convenient.
Of course, you can argue that instant coffee grounds are even more convenient. Simply pour hot water over them and you’re done. Ah, that’s true, but how do they hold up when looking at other key points?
Taste
You could argue that taste is subjective. Some people may try coffee from a coffee machine and prefer the taste of instant coffee. However, in most cases, this won’t happen. Generally, instant coffee is the worst tasting because it’s the least fresh.
So, how do coffee machines fair when put up against the other brewing methods? French press coffee is tasty, but it struggles to extract a lot of flavor from the coffee. Often, you end up with a watery coffee that doesn’t have the same depth of flavor as other brewing methods. The Aeropress is literally designed to do the same job as a French Press but provide more flavor. It does extract more of the flavors from ground coffee, but it still isn’t the best method. The same can be said for pour-over coffee; it tastes good, but you don’t see the full potential of your coffee.
Instead, coffee machines use pressure to extract as much flavor as possible from the ground coffee. The more bars of pressure in play, the better the machine will be at extracting flavor from the coffee. Usually, you need around 7-11 bars of pressure to make a good espresso coffee. Some of the more advanced machines are capable of achieving higher levels of pressure, which is why they’re more expensive - they provide a better taste overall.
The benefit of some coffee machines is that you get fresh coffee all the time. Some machines will take coffee beans, grind them down, and then produce coffee for you. It’s the closes you will get to completely fresh coffee, meaning more flavor is retained in each cup. Think about it, your coffee hasn’t been ground down and then stored for weeks or months before being made. It genuinely does make a huge difference.
On the other hand, you have some coffee machines that use pods. Now, these won’t be as fresh, meaning you often don’t get that much difference between podded coffee and other brewing methods. Still, the fact these machines use pressure to brew the coffee means the good ones can provide a tastier experience. It all depends on the machine. In terms of coffee pod machines, you will have to invest in good ones to get the most out of them.
Human error
One of the reasons we use machines is to get rid of human error. Right, how is this relevant to coffee? Surely, there is no human error involved in brewing a cup of coffee. It is simply a case of heating water, pouring it over some coffee, and enjoying your drink.
Well…it’s not always this simple.
You see, a big problem with ground coffee is that it can be burnt when you pour boiling water over it. In turn, this can make the coffee taste way more bitter than it really is. Now, this isn’t a problem when you have instant coffee. Because the coffee is already ground and freeze-dried, it doesn’t burn or go super bitter. Instead, it just dissolves, so you can’t make any mistakes here!
However, with other brewing methods that aren’t coffee machines, human error does come into play. You need to ensure that you’re pouring water in at the optimal temperature, which is just a bit below boiling. Again, this eats into the convenience of the brewing method. You have to boil water to a very specific point or run the risk of burning and ruining your coffee.
With all coffee machines, human error is completely removed. These machines have water tanks that are heated up to the perfect temperature for coffee. Thus, there is never the risk of burning coffee grounds and making bitter drinks. It is all dealt with by the machine, so you don’t have to worry about ruining your coffee ever again.
Versatility
Another great thing about coffee machines is the versatility on offer. Other brewing methods will only let you make one type of coffee. You brew it black, and then add milk if you please. What if you want a latte or a cappuccino? You’d need to prepare the milk separately, get a frother, and then combine it with your coffee. It leaves you with more glasses and things to clean up.
Coffee machines will come with different drink settings and options. This is true for most espresso machines, pod machines, and bean-to-cup machines. At the press of a button, you can make longer coffees, cappuccinos, lattes, and much more. Some will even have milk wands, meaning you can steam or froth coffee at the same time. It adds another dimension to your coffee-brewing experience.
If you’re someone that likes to enjoy different types of coffee, a machine is definitely the best option for you.
So, are coffee machines worth it?
It really depends on what you want out of your coffee experience. Do you care about flashy coffees, or are you someone that drinks espresso or black coffee with a touch of milk? If it’s the latter, coffee machines may seem overpriced and too expensive. Ultimately, it comes down to the taste factor. Do you care that much about the taste of your coffee? If you do, then opt for an affordable coffee machine as they provide the convenience of instant coffee with a much better taste.
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