last year, I asked the staff of The Barge Tell us about their favorite coffee or tea brewers, grinders, or other gadgets. A year has passed since then. I wanted to find out what other caffeine delivery systems are used by journalists while they go about their daily work.
If you’re an aficionado too, I hope you enjoy looking at some of the gadgets I use for my daily infusions.
Preparation
The idea of having pre-boiled water on a machine faucet may be sacrilege to some, but I can’t imagine my life without it, especially in the winter. I drink it, so I use it for tea, oatmeal, rice porridge, and anything else that needs hot water.
These are ubiquitous in every Japanese home and I recall my grandma having at least three in separate rooms. It holds plenty of water and the multiple temperature settings allow you to adjust it to what you’re making. I have had this older model 135 oz Zojirushi boiler and warmer for over 5 years. This is a good option for those who refuse to drink tea in the microwave (chaotic individuals), but it’s a hassle to use the kettle every time (me). I’m not good at remembering to actually refill. I am so sad to press the button and see the last remaining drops splash. don’t be like me!!! — Mia Sato, Platform & Community Reporter
Last year we recommended the Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder as a relatively low-cost coffee grinder to help you prepare your morning coffee for the French press. Yes. As I said before, this is not a top of the line grinder. For example, we use metal instead of ceramic burrs. It’s still not easy to clean, but I’ve found that sprinkling a few drops of water on the beans before grinding greatly reduces the static electricity that causes small ground beans to stick to different parts of the grinder. It works!) But it still grinds coffee beans to a decent coarseness, and a year later I still happily use it to make my morning coffee. — Barbara Krasnoff, Reviews Editor
brewing
I brew my daily coffee using as basic a machine as possible. Simply pour the grounds into the filter, add water, and press the button.I don’t have a lot of thought or room to make choices that can dramatically change what kind of coffee experience I have. I have already waxed philosophical about this approach Probably too many words, but TL;DR it’s simple. I want you to heal your fatigue with coffee in the morning. timing or temperature.
In some ways Mr. Coffee is more of an appliance than a gadget, and that’s okay. There is room for both your mind and your kitchen. For those who want to practice the art of brewing coffee, everything else on this list is totally worth it. east fork mug; I do it every day. ) But if you’re looking for an easy, economical way to fix your caffeine, you can’t beat this machine. Mitchell Clarke, news writer
I don’t understand, man. I’m not really into discussions about “best” coffee or anything like that. Being able to drink garbage coffee is a skill of mine — good coffee is not guaranteed when traveling, especially when reporting to conferences. I just have an addiction, right? I’m going to microwave the half-drinked coffee I forgot and drink the rest.
Anyway, I bought a French press from Bodum about 10 years ago and still use it. No need to buy this. We recommend getting something simple and durable that you can operate before you have your coffee. However, the forest green color is very beautiful. — Senior Correspondent Elizabeth Lopat
See, sometimes I pride myself on how basic I am. I love the simplicity of the Aeropress. Cuisinart coffee maker 14 cup On a daily basis. The AeroPress intrigued me the first time I saw it in use in a Dutch cafe. It’s very minimalist, but it makes a great cup of coffee, and the process is half the fun. . And just like that process, it’s horribly inefficient and requires overcoming a small mountain of inertia and laziness to get through. When I don’t mess with it, it makes the best tasting coffee in my house. A lot of fun comes from a few basic tubes of plastic and rubber and I spend most of my time in the kitchen. Even if I spend my time in the cabinet, I love it. —Antonio G. Di Benedetto, Commerce Writer
I love the aeropress and everything, but damn the Bialetti espresso pot institution It is close and dear to my heart. Learning to use one of these is a small rite of passage in many Italian homes. Birthdays, anniversaries, or unannounced visits that asked for cake and coffee all inevitably meant my siblings or had to be tasked with making espresso for adults .
These stovetop espresso makers come in a variety of sizes, and my mom owned almost a dozen of them (she received them as gifts and was happy to spread the love to anyone who wanted or needed them.) hand out one).you can make them adorable little one cup version or big boy 12 cupsThey’re not entirely foolproof, as my memories of dining rooms full of grumpy old Italians complaining under the breath of burnt coffee attest, but the learning curve is. Not steep. These coffee makers have treasures beyond the great espresso they produce. Although an adorable mascot, brewing Bialetti is usually a communal event.Wear it after a big meal with guests and get a nice dose of caffeine as you sit around the table and spark conversation. Sambuca Also grappa Don’t forget sign language. —Antonio G. Di Benedetto, Commerce Writer
AeroPress and Bialettis both make great coffee, but over the last few years the Hario V60 has become my go-to brew method. When I make one cup, I use Hario Little. ceramic coffee dripperbut more recently, Hario glass decanterYou can make up to 3 cups at a time and it looks really nice sitting on your breakfast table.
I love the V60 for several reasons. First and foremost, it’s of course producing great coffee, but it’s also important to me that it looks good. Finally, and slightly counterintuitively, I like that the V60 brewing process is a little more finicky than the Aeropress or the Bialetti. Learn how to slowly pour boiling water over your coffee grounds (a gooseneck kettle can help), experiment with different grind sizes (consider using a flat or conical bar grinder), and more. have the skills of ).
But you don’t have to be as obsessed as I am to brew great coffee from your V60.Initially, I used a cheap grinder and a regular electric kettle with Coffee YouTuber to produce delicious results. James Hoffman’s V60 methodStart there and feel free to experiment if you like the results — John Porter, news reporter
enjoy
I didn’t do this on purpose, but the silver Yeti Rambler has become my official coffee mug. plug. Chemex Pour all 20 directly into the Rambler. Big enough for your morning cup of coffee, insulated enough to keep you warm all morning, and tough enough to withstand the occasional tiring drop or daily thud in your bag. I’m here. Dishwasher safe.
I also purchased two lids for my Rambler. My only regret is that I didn’t get the one with the handle which just added an element of coziness to the whole thing. — David Pierce, General Editor
As many of my colleagues may remember, just under two years ago on our team’s Slack channel, I ranted about buying a $100+ coffee mug. You like to drink hot at the exact temperature you set it to). Perhaps this was a case of a schoolyard bully hiding his true feelings by denying an infatuated kid.
And when Best Buy launched a special blue color of the Ember Mug V2 on Black Friday, I finally took a bite. Dear readers, this mug is great. Keeps your coffee hot no matter how long it takes to brew it. , usually afternoon tea). I even have the pleasure of updating the coffee mug’s firmware from time to time. Just a few years ago, it would have made no sense to anyone.
To be clear, this is a completely frivolous product that no one really needs. Did you?) probably outweighs those benefits for most people. I enjoy it, I feel a little awkward about it, and I don’t want to talk about it again. — Dan Seifert, Associate Editor
The Ember Mug 2 is a temperature-controlled smart mug that keeps your drink hot for up to 80 minutes on battery or all day long when sitting on a plug-in coaster. With the included iOS and Android apps, you can dial in specific temperatures from 120 degrees Fahrenheit to 145 degrees Fahrenheit.