How to Brew the Best Coffee Using a Coffee Maker

A nation of coffee connoisseurs: Nearly 150 million American people drink 3 cups a day. With the innovations in coffee makers and the availability of excellent coffee beans or grounds, we can now enjoy the convenience of brewing the perfect cup of coffee at home. A drip coffee maker is the most common type of coffee machine and most American people own one at home or in the office. Know the steps of how to make coffee using a drip coffee maker.

Steps in Making Coffee with a Drip Coffee Maker

Step1: Pour the required amount of water into the tank: Ideally use filtered tap water or bottled water for better results. Remember that coffee is 98% water, so the quality of the water is also as important as the quality of coffee. When measuring, use the measuring lines of the coffee pot/carafe or in the water reservoir.

Step 2: Filter basket with coffee filter: Place the paper filter or a permanent filter in the brew basket. Using a specialized permanent filter can save you some money than using disposable paper filters.

Step3: How many scoops of coffee per cup: A general guideline of measuring coffee to water ratio is 1-2 tablespoons of ground coffee per 6 ounces of water (see standard brewing ratio). Some coffee makers include a scoop to measure grounds, so make sure to read the manuals (sample 1 and sample 2). And by experimenting, you will find your own personal ratios. It is also wise to brew coffee on the strong side & then add water to ‘cut’ the taste. Addtionally, ground coffee will become stale faster than will whole coffee beans. So if using pre-ground coffee, choose a pack with the latest expiration date or buy in smaller quantities. If grinding whole coffee beans, set the coffee grinder to the coffee maker’s suggested grind settings.

After setting the filter basket and the coffee pot or when everything is all set, you can now push the brew button to start brewing a pot of tasty brewed coffee.

TIP: When the brewing process is done, dispose of the paper filter and coffee grounds in the bin. If using a permanent filter, just drop the coffee grounds into the bin, wash the filter and set aside to dry. This will prevent the coffee maker dripping  more coffee that might cause a bitter taste.

Valuable Tips to Brew the Perfect Coffee

Clean Water
Use filtered or bottled water, or choose water that tastes great by itself.

Always pick whole
In the article by Kathy Flanigan that talks about how the pros brew exceptional coffee, there were several coffee house owners who were interviewed. Each of the company’s has different styles in roasting beans, but these experts agreed on one thing:

The coffee flavor begins with the beans. Whole coffee beans which are stored in an airtight sealed container can hold their freshness for around ten days, while coffee grounds can only keep their optimum coffee flavor for a few minutes.

Choose high quality beans or a roast that you enjoy
Dark roasted beans are more popular as they tend to mask the taste of coffee beans which are getting a little online topamax stale. For consumers that are leaning towards light roasts mostly have access to freshly roasted beans.

Use a burr grinder to have consistency in the coffee grinds. Always grind the beans just before brewing for best results.

Use a top-performing coffee machine
In our picks of the best drip coffee makers, the Bonavita and Technivorm coffee makers are recognized by the SCAA as certified home brewer. These machines have the ability to heat water to the ideal temperature of 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit, to extract maximum flavor from the grinds.

Coffee is always best served FRESH
There is no getting around the fact that coffee is best the moment it is done brewing. Using a thermal carafe to keep coffee warm for a period of time is ideal as compared to a glass carafe which relies on a constant heat source from the heater plate and which can make coffee taste “scorched”.

Clean your coffee machine

How to Clean a Coffee Maker?

Some of the reasons to regularly clean your coffee maker are so the machine can function properly and is able to produce great tasting coffee all of the time. Use soapy water to wash the parts that need regular cleaning such as the coffee pot, filter basket and the shower head (if removable). Some coffeemaker brands make these parts dishwasher safe (on top rack) for easy cleaning. In addition, by cleaning them in a dishwasher (once a week) through the hot or sanitizing cycle, will remove the residual oils, stains, and a number of germs, says Donna Duberg an assistant professor of clinical lab science at St. Louis University.

Over time, the coffee machine builds-up hard water deposits (scale) that could affect the thermometer and the quantity of water coming into the pot. In descaling the brewer (removing scale buildup), we need to clean it with a homemade descaling mixture of half vinegar & half water, or by using a descaling powder if the manufacturer recommends it. With the vinegar solution, this is done once a month and it will also disinfect the coffeemaker, killing almost 100% of the bacteria.

• Fill in the water reservoir with the descaling solution. With the use of paper filter, let it brew until half the water reservoir is empty.
• Turn off the machine and let it sit for about 30-60 minutes, then finish brewing and let all the solution come through.
• Using a new paper filter, repeat water cycle twice with fresh cold water to rinse all solutions out of the machine.
• Wipe down the coffee maker, wash the filter basket and carafe using hot, soapy water.
• Replace all the parts after drying and you are now ready to brew another pot of delicious coffee.

Your coffee maker should be cleaned at least once a month and once a week for in areas with hard water. But if your coffee machine shows uncommon noise or a delay in brew time, you may need to clean it more often. So take some time to clean the appliance to ensure a longer life span and enjoyment with your “germ free” coffeemaker.