2

I am currently using a moka pot and a Hario hand grinder to make my morning brew. I try to buy freshly roasted ground beans but sometimes I still end up buying some bags from the supermarket. I drink about 2-3 cups of coffee a day at most, my partner drinks probably 5-6 but some of that is instant coffee. I truly hate the flavour of instant coffee but using the moka pot multiple times a day is hassle so I end up drinking some instant during the day.

I was thinking of upgrading to a coffee machine and an electric burr grinder. I'd like to buy something like a Moccamaster which could brew a few cups of coffee at a time, which we could drink throughout the day. I was just wondering if anyone who has ever used it would recommend it for a non-expert coffee drinker or should I just stick to a manual pot? Is the difference noticeable between a Moccamaster and a generic cheap coffee maker and does it truly last longer?

JJJ
  • 1,367
  • 3
  • 9
  • 29
sk5647
  • 23
  • 3
  • Welcome! As it stands, your question is quite opinion-based (our definition of “worth it” may differ a lot). Let me encourage you to take the [tour] and browse through the [help], especially [ask], to learn more about how the site works. Then you can always [edit] your post and clarify what parameters are important for you and how you define „worth it“. As it stands, I‘m afraid that the question may be closed by the community. – Stephie Mar 16 '21 at 13:38
  • Thanks for the update. So your question basically is “is the higher price of a Mokkamaster justified compared to a cheaper/generic drip coffee maker”? – Stephie Mar 16 '21 at 15:19
  • And on a different note - are you aware that the flavor of freshly brewed coffee deteriorates if kept warm for a while? Just asking because going by your description, you are used to freshly brewed. And planning to grind fresh. (And ignoring the out-of-desperation instant coffee.) – Stephie Mar 16 '21 at 15:22
  • Yes, that's pretty much it. I'd love to replace all of the instant coffee drinking with fresh coffee and think that potentially I could make a few iced coffees in the afternoon, although the taste might change a little bit. – sk5647 Mar 16 '21 at 15:31
  • I hate to be the bearer of complicating news but both moka pot coffee and instant coffee have very different tastes (and textures in the case of moka) compared to drip brewed coffee. I can provide you an answer on the Moccamaster question (which is simply that it is a fine machine that does its job fairly well, albeit not perfectly and at a high price point for what is at its core a standard issue drip brewer), but my foremost advice would be to try a cheaper alternative first to see if you even like drip brewed coffee like the Krups Simply Brewed 5-cup model, $30 on Amazon. – R Mac Mar 17 '21 at 01:12
  • Alternatively the Amazon Basics 5-cup brewer is very similar to the Krups at $20. – R Mac Mar 17 '21 at 01:14
  • The main difference between the moka pot and filter coffee is the paper filter in the latter. I don't think you need a machine to try that. Simply take a paper filter and something to hold it (a cup shape with a hole in it will do fine just to experiment), add your ground coffee (slightly coarser than for the moka pot) and pour over water manually. The machine simply automates that process (hopefully a bit more consistently). – JJJ Mar 17 '21 at 06:26
  • 1
    Thanks everyone, I've reconsidered and will try a cheaper alternative to see if I like it. – sk5647 Mar 18 '21 at 14:38

1 Answers1

1

A Moccamaster is like any other electric drip brewer. It takes water and ground coffee and it brews a pot of coffee.

Is the difference noticeable between a Moccamaster and a generic cheap coffee maker and does it truly last longer?

From what I've read online, the Moccamaster is a decent brewer. As far as electric brewers go, I think that mostly refers to consistency. All the machine does is adding hot water to the grounds, so consistency means:

  • The water is added to the grounds at the same temperature regardless of the temperature of the cold water you're adding in the reservoir.

  • The water is dispersed somewhat equally over the coffee in the filter.

Based on the good reviews (and no personal experience) I'm sure that it will do the job as good as any other generic brewer. As for build quality, I think it's a decent design (premium materials even compared to the mostly plastic machines in lower price segments) that won't disappoint.

Looking at current retail prices though (about €200 in Europe or $300+ in the US), I can't help but mention that it's a steep price for adding hot water to grounds consistently.

Are there other machines which do a comparable job at a lower price? Definitely. The easiest way to find such a machine at a lower price is to look at a price comparison website for your own locale that includes customer reviews. Simply look for for drip brewers between $/€40-120 and sort them by rating. Then, to make sure that there are no hidden flaws (poor build quality, inconsistent brewing) you search for reviews of the candidate machine(s) online.

The reason I mention looking in your own locale is that some machines are priced reasonably well in one locale, but they're more expensive in another. I think the Moccamaster is a good example of that.

As an aside, I've seen some genuine recommendations for Moccamasters as well though in a slightly different context. The Moccamaster has been around since the sixties and it's produced by a Dutch company. As such, there are a lot of used machines out there and I've seen people recommend those used machines on Dutch coffee sites. Obviously, you wouldn't pay full retail price for a used machine.

At around $/€100, I think a used but good quality Moccamaster could be an alternative to a new brewer at that same price. For that price, you get a slightly sturdier build quality (copper coil for heating the water and a metal body). At the retail price, you are paying for the brand an the nostalgic factor as well.

JJJ
  • 1,367
  • 3
  • 9
  • 29