While some may frown upon the usefulness of coffee, it’s impossible to dispute its numerous benefits. Other than raising your alertness, moderate consumption of coffee can increase your fibre intake, protect your heart and liver and even reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. In other words, starting your day with a coffee is not only tasty and handy but potentially life-saving.
That aside, one of the biggest problems with brewing coffee in the morning is the fact that there’s so much else to do. So, why not just get a reliable coffee maker and get this over with? Here are several tips to help you choose the right appliance.
New or a First-Time Purchase
There’s a difference between getting a new coffee maker and getting a functional coffee maker. The first one is the matter of luxury, the latter a matter of necessity. Nonetheless, it’s important to stress out that neither of the two is necessarily bad or wrong.
Now, if you already have a coffee maker that’s starting to misbehave, it’s worth learning how to recognize when it’s the time to get a new one. If the taste of the coffee has suddenly, inexplicably, changed for the worse, the water doesn’t get hot enough and, of course, the appliance stops brewing coffee, then it’s definitely the time to get a new one.
Think About the Repair and Maintenance
We’ve already talked about how sometimes it’s for the best to just get a new appliance, yet, you can’t just discard an appliance as soon as it starts slightly malfunctioning. The cost of this repair usually depends on two things.
First, how big the malfunction is and second, how easy it is to get the parts. For instance, a lot of online suppliers have Breville parts, which makes a Breville coffee maker into a great idea repair and maintenance-wise. Other than this, how easy it is to clean the appliance is also a major factor in the choice of the right one, seeing as how this is a function that you’ll perform on a regular basis.
Calculate the Cost In the Long-Term
Now some people just see the price of the device and make a choice of whether they should buy or not. This is not that good of an idea, especially when you take into consideration the fact that it’s a device that you’ll be using continuously over the course of years.
Other than this, the device you decide to buy will require filters, grounds and beans, so you need to consider their cost over the course of years as well. While this is by no means a complex calculation, it’s definitely more complex than what you’ve initially expected it to be.
Check the Brewing Temperature
The first major difference that you’ll encounter when purchasing a coffee maker is the brewing temperature of a device. The higher the heat the better, however, a lot of people don’t know just how high is high enough. In order to brew an extraordinary coffee, you need at least 196°F to 205°F, so don’t settle for anything lower. If the device that you’re considering fails to mention the temperature, this usually isn’t a good sign.
Look for Any Special Features
Lastly, modern coffee makers come with a long list of features and this might be something worth considering. Namely, an automatic-start machine can make a huge difference between having the coffee as soon as you open your eyes and having to wait for it to brew after manually turning the appliance on. Some of these devices are controllable with a smartphone, yet, smart coffee makers are substantially more expensive than their traditional counterparts.
In Conclusion
Like any other kitchen appliance, a coffee maker is not something that you buy every year. This means that it’s more than worth setting aside some time and doing your research in order to ensure that you’ve got the right one. A wrong decision or an oversight here might make a difference each morning, which could potentially lower your mood and make you underperform throughout the day. All in all, this is a risk that’s too great to undertake. Fortunately, it’s a risk easily avoidable for all those who decide to follow the list.
Bio: Patrick Adams is a freelance writer and rock-blues fan. When he is not writing about home improvement, he loves to play chess, watch basketball, and play his guitar. More than anything, he loves to spend his time in his garage, repairing appliances and creating stuff from wood.
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