richedie said:
Hey everyone,
I wonder why more people just don't use a large manual drip maker in the home. In my opinion, it makes a better cup than most auto drip units I have experienced. You have more control over the components of a good cup and a manual drip unit is a heck of a lot cheaper than a good automatic drip unit plus less clean up. Our manual drip has been procuding some incredibly smooth and flavorful coffee.
Thoughts???
I used to use an automatic drip because I didn't know about anything else. That's probably the case with the majority of coffee drinkers who buy pre ground beans from the store, load up their machine before going to bed (if they've got an automatic) to brew just before they get up.
It took internet research for me, ironically when I was looking for a replacement drip maker, to find out about how to make a truly good cup of coffee.
The knowledge about good coffee was costly. Instead of ending up spending maybe $80 on a new drip maker I've ended up spending over $2000 for a vacuum brewer, home roasting machine and an espresso set up.
The great coffee I'm getting, on the other hand, is priceless. There is no cafe I've been to yet short of one Italian cafe where I've had coffee or espresso even close to what I now make.
Absolutely, if you know what the ideal range is for coffee brewing a kettle, burr grinder, fresh beans and a french press will make better coffee than any automatic drip.
Automatic drip, IMHO, has become the preferred method of coffee making only because of convenience and because the majority of North American's who only know stale coffee shop coffee don't know anything else. I'm sure if a good portion of people who are led to believe that good coffee is beyond them find out how really easy and inexpensive good coffee can be they'd chuck their drip makers in favour of good beans and manual control. I did.
