Coffee accessories - what to choose?
Content
Previously, it was enough to pour boiling water over ground coffee, wait, grab the handle of the basket and enjoy the classic skewer. Since then, the coffee world has evolved significantly and today, in the meanders of coffee gadgets, it can be difficult to decide what is needed and what can be forgotten. See our short guide for non-professional coffee lovers and all lovers of designer coffee accessories and black coffee gourmets.
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What coffee to choose? Types of coffee
The coffee market in Poland has developed strongly. You can buy coffee in the supermarket, you can also buy it yourself in small smoking rooms - on the spot or via the Internet. We can choose coffee beans, ground coffee, coffee from a specific region or a blend. Even private labels produce premium coffees by telling customers how to get the full flavor out of it. An excellent guide to beans, smoking and brewing methods was published by Ika Grabon in the book “Kava. Instructions for use of the most popular drink in the world.
I love it when a barista asks me what kind of coffee I want in a cafe. Usually I want to answer "caffeine". Sometimes I'm afraid to ask for coffee, because the list of adjectives that describe tastes is a little overloaded. I like such short descriptions in the style of "cherry, currant" or "nut, chocolate" - then I imagine whether the coffee will resemble light tea or rather strong brew.
I usually have two types of coffee at home: for a coffee maker and for a Chemex or Aeropress. I buy the first one in the supermarket and usually choose the popular Italian brand Lavazza. Pairs perfectly with a coffee maker, I like its predictability and unpretentiousness. I buy beans from a small Chemex and Aeropress roaster - brewing coffee the alternative way is a little chemist's game, and the beans are usually lighter, richer brews.
Coffee grinder - which one should you buy?
The greatest taste and aroma can be felt in freshly ground coffee. It is not for nothing that in the cafe the grains from which espresso is now brewed are ground immediately before loading the butt. If you like aromatic black coffee, get a good coffee grinder - preferably with burrs - that will allow you to control the degree of grinding of beans. It is a little more expensive, but this investment pays off very well.
If we are coffee drinkers, at some point we will appreciate ground coffee just before brewing. If we enjoy the magic of making alternative coffee, we will have to invest in a decent coffee grinder. So when buying your first coffee grinder, you should immediately consider a manual grinder like the Hario or an electric grinder like the Severin.
Can tap water be used to make coffee?
The question of water is rarely of interest to the average coffee drinker, unless he meets a reverse osmosis filter salesman along the way. If there is any type of water that is not suitable for making coffee, then it is distilled water and water from a reverse osmosis filter. Deprived of minerals that affect taste, coffee becomes unbearably bland and tastes bad.
In Poland, you can easily drink tap water and pour water over your coffee. However, temperature is an important issue - water for coffee should not exceed 95 degrees. The easiest way is to leave freshly boiled water (boil water only once) for 3 minutes and then use it to make coffee.
How to make coffee? Fashion accessories for coffee brewing
In Scandinavia and the United States, the most popular coffee brewing method is the filter coffee maker. Most often, the device has a capacity of 1 liter, an automatic shutdown system, and sometimes a descaling function. After the coffee is brewed, it is poured into a thermos, usually with a convenient pouring mechanism, and you will enjoy the drink all day long.
A filter coffee machine is also a useful solution for meetings in large companies. In principle, coffee is prepared in large quantities by itself. You just need to remember to refill paper filters or rinse the reusable filter.
In Italy, every home has its own favorite coffee maker. Water is poured into the lower part of the teapot, the second container is filled with coffee, a strainer with an eraser is installed and everything is screwed on. After putting the coffee maker on the burner (there are coffee makers compatible with induction cookers on the market), just wait for the characteristic hissing sound that the coffee is ready. The only element of the coffee maker that needs to be replaced is the rubber strainer.
Coffee machines - which one to choose?
Espresso lovers will certainly be pleased with a decent coffee machine - preferably with a built-in coffee grinder. Each manufacturer of household appliances has several machines in its offer - from the simplest, brewing only coffee, to machines that will prepare cappuccino, americano, frothed milk, weak, extra strong, very hot or barely hot coffee. The more features, the higher the price.
Aeropress is one of the newest devices for manual coffee brewing - pour coffee into a container, finish with a strainer and filter, fill it with water at a temperature of about 93 degrees and after 10 seconds press the piston to squeeze coffee into a cup. I know baristas who take Aeropresses on board planes to enjoy the great taste of coffee in the sky. For an Aeropress, you should use homogeneous coffee, i.e. grains from one plantation. Its undeniable advantage is the ease and ease of cleaning.
Drip V60 is another coffee classic. The cheapest dish for its preparation costs less than PLN 20 and allows you to enjoy the rich aroma of a homogeneous coffee prepared by a simple pouring method. A filter is inserted into the "funnel" - just like in an overflow coffee machine, coffee is poured and filled with water at a temperature of about 92 degrees. The whole ritual takes about 3-4 minutes. The dripper is very easy to clean and is probably the easiest device to use.
Chemex is one of the most beautiful coffee utensils. A filter is inserted into a flask with a wooden rim, coffee is filled and slowly poured with hot water. This is very similar to the process of brewing in a filter coffee machine. Since Chemex is made of glass, it does not absorb odors and allows you to enjoy the pure taste of moonshine. It takes about 5 minutes to make coffee in a Chemex. This is a beautiful ritual, but difficult to perform once you wake up.
Capsule coffee machines have taken the coffee market by storm recently. They allow you to quickly prepare the infusion, do not require any equipment and significantly reduce the need to make decisions regarding temperature, type of bean and degree of grinding. The disadvantage of capsule machines is the problem of disposing of the capsules themselves, as well as the impossibility of testing coffee flavors from different sources.
How to serve coffee?
Coffee serving utensils are varied and meet the needs of people with different coffee personalities. Takeaway coffee drinkers can choose from a variety of thermo mugs - in a previous article, I described and tested the best thermo mugs.
New mothers who usually have to wait to drink coffee can be pleased with a glass with double walls - the glasses perfectly keep the temperature of the drink without burning their fingers.
Those who work at the computer can enjoy the USB charging cup. Traditional espresso or cappuccino cups are for those who love to celebrate coffee rituals. Recently, cups made by ceramists have been very fashionable. The cups are extraordinary, handmade from start to finish, glazed in different ways. They allow you to add a magical dimension to your coffee ritual.
Equally magical to me are the smoky luminescent cups that remind me of my grandparents' and aunts' homes, where even regular instant coffee with milk smelled like it was the most expensive coffee in the world.
Finally, I will mention one more piece of the coffee puzzle. A coffee gadget, without which neither I nor our children can imagine our lives, nor a buzzer, nor a battery-operated milk frother. Allows you to quickly prepare homemade cappuccino, baby breakfast and cocoa foam. It is inexpensive and takes up little space. This proves that sometimes a little frothed milk is enough to make you feel like you're in a Viennese coffee shop.
