Reddit reviews Technivorm KBT Coffee Brewer, 40 oz, Polished Silver
We found 20 Reddit comments about Technivorm KBT Coffee Brewer, 40 oz, Polished Silver. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Manual-adjust drip-stop brew-basket with stainless steel thermal carafeSimple to operate and quiet brewing process that brews a full carafe in just 4 to 6 minutesUnique, copper boiling element rapidly heats water to control brewing temperature between 196º to 205º F which is important for Coffee soluble extraction, then automatically switches off when the water reservoir is emptyIdeal water saturation time to maximize Coffee complexity, flavor and aroma – achieved through a cone shape brew-basket design that regulates a 6 minute steepMade with durable metal housings and BPA/BPS/bpf & phthalate free plasticsBacked by a 5-year manufacturers warrantyNOTE: Refer User Manual on Technical Specification before use
You're mixing serving temperature for espresso with brewing temperature for other methods. Almost all coffee is ideally brewed in a similar initial water temperature range. That would typically be around of 90-96°C, though it may be preferable to go a bit lower with some coffees. The INEI standard is 88°C ± 2°C, but very few decent cafes prepare espresso that way outside Italy.
A double espresso brewed with a group exit temperature of 93°C is in the low 70s once it's in a well-heated demitasse. Good commercial or home drip brewers like the Bonavita or Technivorm generally have brewed-in-carafe temperatures around 80-85°C, which drops further once the coffee is poured into a mug. There is a lot of heat loss from brewing to brew vessel to serving vessel.
The problem cafes have is that take-out customers often want their coffee unsafely hot in the cup so it will be the right temperature when they drink it 10-15 minutes later. This is particularly frustrating for milk drinks, because once you steam above 60°C it starts tasting scalded rathe than sweet. "Extra hot latte" would make a lot of third wave baristas cringe.
What about extending that budget by $30 and getting one of the ones on this list? I can personally vouch for Behmor's customer service, but not their brewer.
Moccamaster $309
Behmor $130
Kitchenaid $144
Kitchenaid $141
Bonavita $130
Bonavita $144
OXO $200
OXO $300
Wilfa $190
Bunn $130
Cuisinart $168
hmm.. i already bought the 40oz. Technivorm Moccamaster KBT. It's for my wife and I. So. I don't think the Cup One would be efficient in the morning. I bought this one how can i tell if it has a manual lever?
If you're actively shopping for one the Technivorm Mocchamaster is one of the best drip makers on the market:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002S4DI2S
I've got one and it's as good as pour over while being a little more convenient, but I do end up using a french press more frequently.
I'd go for the MoccaMaster its perfect for an office.
but that would make you settle for a poorer grinder than a Baratza Encore. If you could at least spring for a Bodum grinder you would have a nice office set up.
My Moka Master is the only thing I can recommend because it's all I've used, when brewing pot coffee, for the past 6 years. For $300, the machine is a tank and hasn't had a hiccup once, also allows you to control the speed of the drip. At the time of purchase it was the only machine I could find that heated water to proper brewing temperature.
Moccamaster KBT 10-Cup Coffee Brewer with Thermal Carafe, Polished Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002S4DI2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zATpzb00GT80E
If you want the best bang for your buck I wouldn't drop more than 20-30. Go with a simple V60 pour over, French press, or stovetop espresso maker. They're all cheap and and give you a good cup of coffee consistently, given you brew each method properly
Method of brew is important and all, but grinder and uniform grounds is as crucial, if not more so, and this is where I would put my money. Burr grinders are known to be the best. I use a capresso $100 burr grinder and has been a powerhouse these past few years (I'll link it below). I recommend paying the premium as well, they offer a $45 burr grinder, however, you get what you pay for. The motor is much weaker and much less consistent grinds.
Also know what ground size is necessary for each method. Coarse for French press, fine for espresso etc.
Capresso 560.01 Infinity Burr Grinder, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000AR7SY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZITpzbHK420TD
Hmu if you got questions, I'm always down to talk coffee.
I love that your first cup of coffee linked you strongly-enough to the coffee community that you're already saying "we". :-)
Welcome to the
cultclub!I became a coffee snob accidentally, since with each improvement I'd make to my coffee, I could no longer even stomach what I'd enjoyed before. So beware of that . . . That said, my advice would be:
1b. A blade grinder will have been be a waste of $15 when you finally replace it (and you will). Go for a Hario Slim for your first grinder, because even when you upgrade, you'll still use it for travel, work, etc.
My recommended starter kit:
For under $40 shipped, you'll have a setup with minimal sunk cost if you decide manual coffee isn't for you, will make coffee every bit as good (imho) as more beautiful systems, and won't be obsolete if and when you upgrade (since it'll still give you wonderful coffee at work or on the road).
PS. See my essay on my descent into coffee-snobbery I contributed to an online writing community I used to participate in regularly.
PPS. If you meet the Coffee Buddha in the cafe, kill him.
Do you go to cafes together? I would suggest that you figure out her preference between coffee and espresso and then put your money into one or the other. I love both espresso and coffee but I would much rather have a good coffee machine in my house than an good espresso machine. I like trying different specialty coffee roasters and different single origin coffees. Try Intelligentsia, Stumptown, George Howell's Terroir or the roaster I work for Mocha Joe's. We all purchase high-end green coffee and have very talented coffee roasters.
A "really good coffee maker" isn't really an espresso machine. Coffee and Espresso definitely taste different, are "brewed" with very different techniques and espresso is usually a blend of several beans. Its not a great analogy but I guess you could think of coffee as milk chocolate and espresso as dark chocolate. They both come from cocoa beans but they taste very different.
I know it sounds like you really want a plumbed in machine but I'd highly suggest rethinking that and taking a look at the Technivorm. Its the only non-commerical coffee machine I know of that meets SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) standards. Most plumbed in machines are considered commercial and you have to be pretty careful about your water set-up and flow rate. Also if you don't have a good water filtration system on it, you are likely to get scale buildup inside the machine. Repairs are very expensive (I am a repair guy). Some commercial machines are also 220v and you would have to get a dedicated outlet put in to power them.
As for espresso machines, the Rancilio Silvia is pretty popular among coffee geeks. They are pretty well built and affordable. They are also fairly easy to mod if your wife is into that sort of thing. Good luck with everything, I hope you found some of this useful!
Technivorm Moccamaster
Hey, please simplify that amazon link (to https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002S4DI2S/). For one thing, it has an affiliate tag in it, which is not allowed in /r/coffee. Thanks!
I think the two most important questions are: what are some coffees that you've had and like? What sort of work are you willing to put into it?
My personal recommendation would be to get a Baratza Encore grinder, a digital scale, a gooseneck kettle of some sort, a Chemex, and a French Press. All that should easily fit within your budget. And of all the accessories I have, on 90% of the days I don't use anything other than those. Well, and some coffee beans.
But that will take some work -- measuring, grinding, pouring, waiting, more pouring. It will make much better coffee than any automated machine, but maybe you don't care that much and it sounds like too much work. In that case, the Technivorm Moccamaster and Bonvavita 1900 TS are good options for automatic drip machines.
EDTIT: Sorry, I missed "automatic" in the text. I still don't think that will give you the best coffee, but if you're set on it, ignore everything I said except the Technivorm and Bonavita.
The National Coffee Association says:
>Your brewer should maintain a water temperature between 195 - 205 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal extraction. Colder water will result in flat, underextracted coffee while water that is too hot will also cause a loss of quality in the taste of the coffee.
Further,
>If it will be a few minutes before it will be served, the temperature should be maintained at 180 - 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
Just because most home brewers don't have the capability to do this doesn't mean it's correct. The Technivorm Moccamaster and Bonavita BV1800 both have capabilities to brew at optimum temperature, as well as two other home models which are certified by the Specialty Coffee Association of America.
I think I'll trust their judgment and advice over Cracked.
Well this is gonna get kinda long and will only scratch the surface but I'll break down the pros and cons of some of the most popular entry-level gear in as un-confusing of a way as I can. First up, let's look at grinders.
First off, you want a burr grinder, particularly a conical burr grinder because those blender-y blade grinders they sell at wal-mart for $5 don't get any kind of a consistent grind. Varying sizes in a grind means varying levels of extraction in the cup and that means off flavors. Because burr grinders are more expensive, hand crank conical burr grinders are commonly recommended to beginners because of their lower price point compared to similar quality electrics. They're cheap and work well but do have some drawbacks beyond the extra effort involved in grinding. First, most of them don't have actual grind settings and you adjust the grind size by twisting a wheel until it looks as fine/coarse as you want it to. If you use different brew methods and switch grind size a lot, this can be a bit of a pain. Second, most hand grinders aren't ideal for french press because of the way the burrs are stabilized; they'll give fantastic fine/medium grinds but the coarse grind is a tad inconsistent. That said, I use a hand grinder for french press all the time and am relatively happy with the results. A few common ones are:
The Hario Skerton. I personally have one and love it. As I said, not perfect for french press but it's a durable daily driver that never lets me down and can do an espresso grind damn near as well as a $300 baratza
The hario mini is essentially the same grinder in a different, smaller package. Perfect for travel
The porlex JP-30 is a tad more expensive but has grind settings that, while unmarked, do "click" into place making adjusting grind coarseness a bit easier
If you wanted to go the electric route, I've seen refurbished Baratza encore grinders for around $100. This will give you a mediocre espresso grind but a perfect and much easier drip and french press grind
Next up: preparation methods
French presses use a metal mesh filter, which gives you all of the oils in the cup and lets a tiny bit of really fine coffee solids through, which gives the cup a rich, full-bodied, velvety character They're also very easy to use as there's pretty much one accepted way to brew in them. And here's Philly's own Todd Carmichael demonstrating it. As far as which one to buy, they're all pretty much the same: a glass tube with a stick in it and some mesh on the end of the stick. I like my sterlingpro a lot but the bodum chambord is hugely popular and looks just as nice. Even a cheapo will do the job just as well, though, even if it doesn't look as nice.
pourovers do essentially the same thing as a drip coffee machine just with a lot more input from you, which is good because all but the most ludicrously expensive drip machines are very inconsistent and don't work as well as just doing it your own damn self. With a pourover, you're going to use a kettle or measuring cup with a spout to pour the water over the grounds in a set amount of time (3-4 minutes depending on the grind size) and usually in a very specific manner. Because these use a paper filter, there are no oils or insoluble solids in the cup so the coffee is clearer, tastes cleaner and usually a bit brighter than french press coffee. Popular models include the Hario v60 which is one of the more finicky models. If you decide on one of these, be sure to use a gooseneck kettle like Mr. Carmichael was using in the french press video above. Slightly more forgiving are the kalita wave and the melitta both of which would work fine with a normal kettle so long as it has some type of pour spout. If you want something with very thick filters, so as to produce a very clear cup, and also looks very nice, the chemex is a beautiful thing that produces great coffee, has a built-in carafe, and can make more than one cup at a time. Really more of a replacement for a large-volume drip machine than most pourovers.
The Aeropress is an absurdly popular, extremely versatile, and very well priced coffee brewer which is essentially a huge syringe with a paper filter instead of a needle. There's a thousand recipes online with different ways to use it, all of which produce a different cup.
Also worth noting is that you may want a kettle with temperature control, coffee should be brewed at 195-205F, so knowing what temp your water is helps reduce a lot of the headaches of cooling off boiled water for a vague amount of time. This bonavita is a little on the pricey side but has temp control and a gooseneck, which is always useful
I recently purchased the Technivorm Moccamaster and Baratza Sette 30 Conical Burr Grinder as replacements for my worn-out Cuisinart grinder and Brew Central coffee maker. So far, I am very pleased with the improvements in taste and quality of coffee I’ve brewed.
Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 79112 Coffee Brewer, 40 oz, Polished Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002S4DI2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wfa9BbNMGHNFG
Baratza Sette 30 Conical Burr Grinder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075G11F9N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_uga9BbFVB7F7T
Unless they have expressed a desire to do something different, I don't really think so. They're probably just fine with what they have.
If you're dead set on getting them a nicer brewer, then that probably wouldn't be a bad idea - but it sounds like they like their coffee the way it is?
Getting them a [technivorm moccamaster] (https://www.amazon.com/Moccamaster-10-Cup-Coffee-Thermal-Polished/dp/B002S4DI2S) would be a saintly thing ; but are you sure you don't just want one for yourself?
But I'm not spending the $300 needed to make that good coffee at work.
For drip coffee, I'm told this is the bees knees: http://www.amazon.com/Technivorm-Moccamaster-Coffee-Brewer-Thermo/dp/B002S4DI2S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318801619&sr=8-1
Something about the temperature it gets to, the spray of water, etc.
From America's Test Kitchen Season 14: Oatmeal Muffins and Granola
NOTE: I originally posted a slightly less detailed review of these coffee makers in March or April 2013 but they have been re-tested so I am posting this more detailed review, the old post has been deleted. The youtube video review is not the same as the (updated) one on the ATK website, but the Winning and Best Buy models are the same. ~OP
**
WINNER
Rated as HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
Technivorm Moccamaster 10-Cup Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe - $229.00
> Certified by the SCAA, the updated version of our old favorite (the KBT 741, now also $299) meets time and temperature guidelines with utter consistency. As a result, it produces a “smooth,” “velvety” brew. It’s also intuitive to use. The carafe lost some heat after 2 hours but still kept the coffee above 150 degrees.
**
BEST BUY
Rated as HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
Bonavita 8-Cup Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe - $149.00
> Simple to use and SCAA-certified, this brewer spends most of the cycle in the ideal temperature range. Its coffee had “bright,” “full” flavor that was a bit more “acidic” than the Technivorm’s. The widemouthed carafe is easy to clean, but there’s no brew-through lid; you must remove the brew basket and screw on a separate lid to keep coffee hot.
**
Rated as RECOMMENDED:
Bunn HT Phase Brew 8-Cup Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker - $139.99
> This SCAA-certified pot heats the water completely before releasing it over the grounds. That explained its impressive temperature accuracy, though the coffee was somewhat “acidic.” (Note: Early versions of this model shorted out when home voltage fluctuated; Bunn states that it has solved this problem, and our machine worked fine.)
**
Five others were NOT RECOMMENDED:
--
> By prescribing far less than the SCAA-recommended amount of grounds, this machine brewed “dishwater.” Adding the right amount of coffee for a full pot caused the grounds to overflow the filter and gunk up the brew basket. Other design flaws: The basket’s side drawer must be pulled out completely to fill—annoying if your counter is crowded—and its reservoir acquired a musty smell we couldn’t eradicate.
The thing is, french press makes a totally different cup than say, a drip machine. It will have much more body from the oils in the beans and also it will inevitably have some grit. The best way to avoid grit is to invest in a really good grinder that is consistent. Or you can just let it settle to the bottom of the cup and not drink that portion.
So really to make the best french press possible you need to invest a lot of money. Fresh press is great but I wouldn't call it the gold standard, it is just one of the many ways to make coffee. Drip machines can make great coffee if you spend a lot of money, like a Technivorm.
If you are satisfied with the coffee you make in a french press without investing in an expensive grinder, go for it. In my opinion, the Aeropress makes a damn decent cup of coffee without the expensive grinder - it is much more forgiving when it comes to grind inconsistency.
I believe Sweet Maria's was one of the first, if not the first to start selling these in the US.
But even Amazon sells them now.