My coffee altar ... and yours?

[O2Bfree]

My coffee altar looks a lil different than y'alls

If the baristas actually looked like that, I'd buy $5 coffee drinks more often.

Lots of bikini baristas up here in the Seattle/greater Seattle area. Could become a very expensive habit.

 

[djsander]

When we were looking to buy our house one of the house had a coffee bar in it. It was across the dinning area from the kitchen and looked pretty inconvenient. Never saw if there was a plumbed sink or water. Just a cabinet with nice coffee maker, and all the extras. Our retirement house coffee bar altar is a 5 cup Mr. Coffee just to the left of the stove. The cabinet above it is filled with my coffee cup collection. Some of the cups cost more than the Mr. Coffee. Did a quick check on Amazon and paid 19.99 for it in 2022 currently sells for $40. So, if I replaced I wouldn’t have a higher priced coffee cup. Talk about inflation!

 

[Lsbcal]

When we were looking to buy our house one of the house had a coffee bar in it. It was across the dinning area from the kitchen and looked pretty inconvenient. Never saw if there was a plumbed sink or water. Just a cabinet with nice coffee maker, and all the extras. Our retirement house coffee bar altar is a 5 cup Mr. Coffee just to the left of the stove. The cabinet above it is filled with my coffee cup collection. Some of the cups cost more than the Mr. Coffee. Did a quick check on Amazon and paid 19.99 for it in 2022 currently sells for $40. So, if I replaced I wouldn’t have a higher priced coffee cup. Talk about inflation!

Someone should start a thread on your favorite coffee cup. On our trips we have bought several nice cups. That is my favorite souvenir to bring home.

 

[Rianne]

When we rehabbed our kitchen we put in a coffee sink next to our bean grinder and espresso machine. Much easier to clean every day and refill the water. I steam the milk as well. The sink has a disposal. When I drive by Starbucks and see that never-ending line of cars I think how much $ could be saved by making your own. It's so easy.

 

[target2019]

I had a chance to try my daughter's Nespresso machine. The result was very good.

Hardly any of our coffee mugs match. Some were made at the pottery store. Some have old employer logos. Then there's the travel mugs, no two the same. I'll drink out of any.

 

[audreyh1]

I had a chance to try my daughter's Nespresso machine. The result was very good.

We had a plumbed in commercial grade espresso machine for many years and enjoyed the coffee immensely. That was a long time ago. We eventually moved and sold it all, including my coffee bean roasting setup.

I continue to be amazed how great the Nespresso espresso is. And so compact and so easy.

I occasionally flirt with the idea of roasting coffee beans again. The available equipment is different and more expensive. I still might do it as we drink a lot of decaf and sometimes it’s hard to find our favorite beans.

 

[mcbraemer]

Our coffee altar looks very similar except we have the Cuisinart coffee maker with the thermal carafe. We found the thermal to keep the remaining coffee warm for hours, avoiding ruining the coffee in the glass carafe due to constant heat from the hotplate beneath. Otherwise, very similar!

 

[Lsbcal]

Our coffee altar looks very similar except we have the Cuisinart coffee maker with the thermal carafe. We found the thermal to keep the remaining coffee warm for hours, avoiding ruining the coffee in the glass carafe due to constant heat from the hotplate beneath. Otherwise, very similar!

A thermal carafe sounds like a good idea. But I'd have to give up my purple Cuisnart which has received complements from others. Hmmm....

 

[ERD50]

A thermal carafe sounds like a good idea. But I'd have to give up my purple Cuisnart which has received complements from others. Hmmm....

The only things I didn't like about the thermal carafe is, you can't see how much coffee is left*, and they can be a bit tough to clean. One we had was a stainless steel liner, and I had to use denture cleaning tablets once in a while. The glass lined one seemed to just need a good rinse.

* A couple times, DW didn't check that it was empty before brewing a fresh pot, and we end up with coffee all over the counter.

-ERD50

 

[explanade]

Are those coffee containers worth it?

The ones linked in this thread were over $30 for a plastic can or is it like stainless hill?

I just use one of the old Lavazza bags I have left over and put the ground coffee in there while keeping the beans in their original bag, but I clip the opening. It's not airtight but can't imagine too much aroma is escaping.

 

[Lsbcal]

Are those coffee containers worth it?

The ones linked in this thread were over $30 for a plastic can or is it like stainless hill?

I just use one of the old Lavazza bags I have left over and put the ground coffee in there while keeping the beans in their original bag, but I clip the opening. It's not airtight but can't imagine too much aroma is escaping.

The one in the OP is stainless steel with a plunger which removes most of the air. Air is suppose to be the bad guy for coffee.

If you drink your purchase reasonably fast or are not fussy then I suppose it does not matter. I have never done some sort of control test and don't intend to. I just wanted convenience. That's me. You can find all kinds of opinions on this.

 

[explanade]

The one in the OP is stainless steel with a plunger which removes most of the air. Air is suppose to be the bad guy for coffee.

If you drink your purchase reasonably fast or are not fussy then I suppose it does not matter. I have never done some sort of control test and don't intend to. I just wanted convenience. That's me. You can find all kinds of opinions on this.

Reddit discussion on bags vs. containers.

There is also a link to a James Hoffman video comparing different canisters.

Conclusion seems to be no noticeable difference IF you can have an airtight bag.

OK, the bags I leave it in is not airtight so maybe toss it in some ziplock bags?

 

[Lsbcal]

Yes, I have watched some James Hoffman videos. He is wildly inquisitive and presents graphs and is really data driven. Here is a link to his coffee canister youtube video:

At the time he did this video he had an Airscape but it did not get fully tested because it did not make his list when starting his testing. But he thought it would be quite good.

 

[big-papa]

Incense Free Altar! Airscape storage. Not shown: Alfi Thermal Carafe (not made anymore)

 

[tmitchell]

Where do you all get your coffee? I recently signed up for Beanbox and find it's quite good! I don't mind paying a bit more for good, fresh coffee if it's good.

We also have a local roaster, which is a bit cheaper at $16/bag.

 

[audreyh1]

Whole beans only:

We order some from Amazon.

I like the Sprouts French Roast Decaf and buy from there.

We occasionally pick up a Starbucks decaf Sumatra or Espresso Roast.

Our home grind is usually a blend.

 

[brett]

We grind our coffee beans fresh prior to making coffee. Usually a dark French roast.

Always do Melita filter drip...have done for the last 50 years. One cup or four cups.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Good Quality Burr grinders do not recommend using Dark French Roast in them, as it can clog them.

 

[Lsbcal]

I go for easy so I buy Starbucks coffee from a Starbucks store. They grind them and then I put it in an Airscape (see pic in OP).

I don't really know how much better the coffee would be if ground the day of use. My little grinder was kind of messy. Have others done a well done compare of freshly ground coffee in an air tight container versus daily ground beans?

 

[audreyh1]

Good Quality Burr grinders do not recommend using Dark French Roast in them, as it can clog them.

We haven’t had a problem in well over 20 years. Ceramic burr grinder.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

We haven’t had a problem in well over 20 years. Ceramic burr grinder.

I am sure ours would probably be OK too, but as it is built into our "All In One" Barista machine I prefer not to risk it as it does warn against using Dark French Roast in the Manual.

 

[explanade]

If you search for best coffee, there are several coffee blogs and they recommend these brands which are often some plantations.

I haven't tried these because I didn't want to create accounts at some of these websites that I've never heard of.

Not concerned about fraud or anything, just too lazy to create another account somewhere.

For instance.

https://www.homegrounds.co/uk/best-coffee-for-aeropress/

 

[big-papa]

Where do you all get your coffee? I recently signed up for Beanbox and find it's quite good! I don't mind paying a bit more for good, fresh coffee if it's good.

We also have a local roaster, which is a bit cheaper at $16/bag.

We ditched our Commercial Keurig when it died after almost 10 years, after me giving it one resurrection that gave it another year (I'm a retired EE and like to tinker). We went back to drip, but are still in our search process for that perfect bean we both like.

Currently on Equal Exchange's Mind, Body and Soul. Most of the grocery stores around here have it, but I've found only one that sells beans and it's only in bulk, which means I have no idea how long the beans have been sitting there in a less-than-airtight dispenser.

In my case, I'm in search of that perfect cup while my wife has a more binary opinion of coffee: sucks or doesn't suck... So the goal is to find that intersection of "tastes great" and "doesn't suck".

 

[Gumby]

....
In my case, I'm in search of that perfect cup while my wife has a more binary opinion of coffee: sucks or doesn't suck... So the goal is to find that intersection of "tastes great" and "doesn't suck".

My standard -- "is it coffee?" The young wife actually cares if it tastes good.

 

[goodcookie]

The occasional coffee with friends at the club is my favorite brew! But the daily brew at home is the pot of hot water, turned on by Alexa before I get out of bed, with a little shake of Folgers instant coffee into my cup. Mmm good, and instantly I’m off to working on wordle and daily crosswords.