caffee maker

For coffee lovers,
there are few things
more appealing than
being met in the
early a.m. hours by a
perfectly brewed pot
of coffee. That first
cup sets the mood
for your entire day,
doesn't it? If it's
brewed up right,
you'll feel that extra
zing in your step
from morning till
night. However, if
that first cup is too
strong or too weak,
too hot or not hot
enough, you quickly
find yourself
spiraling into a first-
class coffee crisis.
So, how do you avoid
a coffee
catastrophe? It's
simple, buy the best
coffee maker on the
market made
especially for your
coffee-drinking
needs! Sounds simple
enough, right? But,
who makes the best
coffee maker today?
In other words, who
is the All-Time
Champion of Coffee
Makers?
Ladies and
gentlemen, we'd like
to welcome you to
our title bout of the
day where two
mighty coffee
making titans - Mr.
Coffee and Bunn-o-
Matic - will meet in
the kitchen to crown
the undisputed
coffee making
champion of the
world.
Introducing The
Coffee Maker
Contenders
In the green corner,
we have Mr. Coffee -
long-recognized as
the undisputed
champion of home
coffee makers.
Affordable with
many models to
choose from, Mr.
Coffee currently has
over a dozen models
on the market
retailing from
between $24.99 to
$89.99. With makers
serving up between
one and twelve cups,
he'll be hard to beat.
In fact, Mr. Coffee is
in great shape with
an amazing array of
features and
settings, including
single serve, speed
brew, switch,
programmable, and
thermal models.
In the red corner, we
have the Bunn-o-
Matic - king of the
commercial coffee
making market.
Found in restaurants
and chosen by
baristas around the
world, Bunn-o-Matic
is known for his
professional-grade
machines. With a
limited variety (e.g.,
currently seven
models, with one
single serve and 6-10
cup models), judges
will need to pay
close attention to
the details to see
what kind of punch
the Bunn-o-Matic
packs. One thing is
for sure: with a
starting price of
$89.95, Bunn-o-Matic
definitely tips the
scales as a higher-
priced option for
home consumers.
For those of you who
are new to the clash
of the coffee makers,
here's what the
judges will be
looking for during
the brew-off:
Cup size
How many cups can
your coffee maker
cook up (say that
five times fast)?
Most brands today
have single-serve
and multiple cup
models, with 10-12
cups being the upper
limit for most home
coffee makers.
Timer
If having your coffee
pre-made for you
when you wake up is
important, then a
timer is going to be
key! Timers allow
you to set the time
when your coffee
maker will start
doing its thing and
brewing you up your
beloved coffee.
Space
If you have unlimited
counter space, then
this criterion might
not matter much to
you. But, for those of
you for whom
counter space is at a
premium, deciding
upon a model that
fits your space as
well as your décor
might be an
important
consideration.
But, to truly
separate the two
competitors, our
judges will also be
looking closely at the
following four areas:
Ease of Use
This is self-
explanatory - at 6
a.m., you want a
machine that is easy
to use!
Durability
As you know, coffee
makers aren't the
most pampered of
home appliances.
They can get pretty
banged up with daily
use. Choosing a
hardy model is
essential.
Ease of Cleaning
Starting with a well-
maintained and
cleaned pot is one of
the best ways to
assure yourself of a
great cup of coffee
day after day.
Style
Yes, in the end, many
of us like our coffee
makers to look cool.
Sure, while it's true
that they are simply
functional machines,
we want these
machines to
represent our love
for coffee.
The fight is on
between the top
coffee makers in the
world. So, who wins
the home coffee
maker battle? Bunn-
o-Matic definitely
has significantly
higher priced models
and less of a home-
based selection, but
is known for superior
performance and
durability. Mr.
Coffee has a wider
range of home
models to choose
from and most of
their machines are
significantly less
expensive than even
the lowest priced
Bunn-o-Matic.
In the end, it's a
personal choice for
you to decide.
Remember, a great
cup of coffee ends up
being more than
your coffee maker.
Quality water, beans,
and the proper grind
for your machine all
make a big
difference in
whether your coffee
maker and first cup
of coffee are
winners. Good luck!