How to buy the best coffee maker

There are many coffee makers in today's market. There are different types like drip coffee makers, single serve, percolators, french press coffee machines, espresso and many others, produced by hundreds of manufacturers.

With such a large range, a consumer can get lost among the selves of a small kitchen appliances store, wasting precious time trying to decide which coffee maker to buy. Because I work in such store and I often had to help such customers, I put together a simple guide on choosing the right coffee machine.

1. Understand what kind of coffee you want to drink. This is a crucial point in making the right selection.
a. Fresh coffee - a coffee that is ground and brewed right before consumption. For this type of coffee drinkers the best options are

grind and brew coffeemaker

single serve coffee maker

b. Strong coffee - a coffee that has a high amount of caffeine concentrated in just few ounces

espresso machines

c. Convenience coffee - a coffee that is up for grab anytime and without putting to much thoughts into it. For the customers that prefer this coffee the best options are

automatic drip

thermal

percolator

d. Coffee based drinks - coffee that is blend with other ingredients like milk or alcohol

espresso/cappuccino maker

cafe frappe - Mr. Coffee one

2. Decide how much coffee you want to make in one brewing session

a. One cup just for yourself - this section can also serve as a selection for the coffee shoppers that, occasionally, want a enjoy a gourmet coffee

single serve

espresso machine

b. Multiple cups - this section has the larger selection and works great for heavy morning coffee drinkers

automatic drip

grind and brew

french press

percolator

some espresso makers

By now, you should have an idea about the style of coffeemaker you need and it is time to think of other characteristics.

3. Ask yourself what kind of features you want for your coffee maker:

Programmable: set it and forget it. It allows you to tell the machine when to brew your coffee, by programming a 24 hours clock. This feature is great for people who want to wake up in the morning with the smell of fresh brewed coffee, though you have to remember the coffee is not so fresh since the you ground the coffee the night before.

Automatic shutoff: turns off the coffee machine whenever you set it; ideal for busy people who leave their houses early morning, in a hurry.

Pause brewing: allows you to stop the machine, fill up a cup and start it again; this is a good feature for those of us who want their coffee right away.

Custom heat control: there are up to 3 settings of heat for the plate that keeps the carafe heated as long as you need, and shuts off automatically.

Carafes: Glass, stainless still, thermal, in styles and colors that match your kitchen - Cleaning: indicator light to warn you when is time to clean your coffee machine; some of them have a self cleaning feature that does the job for you.

Water filter: to filter the water for a better cup of coffee.

Basket filter: wire or paper; a wire basket must be thoroughly clean after each use; a paper filter is inserted into a cone like plastic basket and removed after use.

These are basic features that you can expect to find on most types and brands of coffeemakers on the market.

4. Color and style: this step can be a little tricky since you can only choose black, white, few red ones and stainless still coffeemakers. Most shoppers prefer black or stainless steel or a combination of these two. Sometime you can find trend colors that includes other colors like orange or green. This colors also change depending on fashion trends.

5. Now is time to bring on the brand preferences. If you used a Cuisinart before and you like it then you may want to buy another Cuisinart coffeemaker. Sometimes people want to buy the exact coffee machine they had before. The hard part is that the manufacturers are changing the models very often, adding features or improving the overall performance of a coffeemaker. So, after five year it is almost impossible do get that Cuisinart you loved so much.

6. Compering few brands of coffee machines that are alike for price and promotions, availability, ease to replace a part, or warranty plans should bring you close to your decision.

7. Do not leave the store without getting your accessories: extra filters or carafes, coffee, coffee pods, coffee mugs or grinders, coffee measuring scoops. Also, ask about the return policy and any other fees that may apply, in case you are not happy with your choice or something goes wrong with your machine. If you can, get the manufacturer's website address along with a phone number, in case you need to contact it for questions or repairs.

Now, that you took the time to read this guide through the end, go ahead and explore the page, print it, take it with you at the store, or search your options online. And remember, it is up to you to choose the right coffeemaker because coffee is a matter of personal taste and nobody knows better what you like.