The Differences between Manual and Automatic Coffee Machines

Whether you are a coffee connoisseur or just a casual drinker you will know that all cups of coffee are not created equal. Although the quality of the coffee is greatly dependent on the coffee itself, the taste of coffee will vary with the type of manual or automatic coffee machine. The ingredients are the same - coffee and hot water, but the method and the type of machine greatly affects how much you will enjoy that cup of java. Here are some of the more popular ways and machines to make your cup of coffee.

• Let your fingers do the stirring - The cheapest way of making coffee is where you merely put instant coffee in hot water and your hands do the stirring. The quality of the coffee however is at the bottom end of the scale.
• Manual Drip Coffeemaker- This type of coffee maker has the coffee in a basket on top of the pot. Water just below the boiling temperature passes through the coffee and it takes about four to five minutes to brew. This type is portable and popular with campers.
• French Press - This type is also called a coffee plunger. In this type coffee grounds are added to the French Press receptacle and water just below boiling point is slowly and evenly poured over the grounds. After letting it seep for a few minutes the plunger is firmly and slowly pushed down in a controlled manner. The result is excellent coffee. This type of coffee maker is popular among "coffeeholics" in the workplace.
• Automatic Drip Coffeemaker - This is the most common type on the market today. Cold water is heated slightly below boiling temperature and evenly spread over the coffee grounds and coffee drips to a receptacle below. Most of these are programmable so you can synchronize the brewing time with your alarm clock. The models vary widely and include brew strength control settings, built in coffee grinding, self-cleaning and cup capacity features. Costs vary from the tens to the thousands of dollars.
• Pod coffeemaker - These usually are single-serve machines where the process is similar to the automatic drip coffeemaker but the guess work is taken out of the coffee measurement. One pod is used to make one cup of coffee. This also is easy to clean up as the pod is then discarded in the garbage. These are more expensive though than their automatic drip peers.
• Espresso machines - These machines quickly force hot water through the coffee by using a pump, piston or steam. The result of this pressure brewed coffee is espresso - strong thick black coffee with a small amount of foam, or crema on the top. The costs of espresso machines also vary, depending on the method that is used to produce the pressure and features.

If you are thinking about buying a manual or automatic coffee machine then your taste preference and the amount you are willing to spend will determine the type you buy. They can come as cheap as $35 for a French Press or the Hamilton Beach 43254, or $2,500 for a fancy machine such as Gran Dama Super-Automatic espresso machine by Delonghi. The Nespresso Essenza machine is also a bargain espresso machine for around $260, as it has some of the features that can only be found on more expensive machines.