The different coffee machines – krogen-coffee.fr

The different coffee machines

There are many different «machines» for making coffee: Chemex, V60, Moka, Espresso machine, filter machine, piston machine, etc. Through this article we will try to provide a quick overview so that you can orient yourself a little more and above all… May you find the machine that best suits your tastes! The list is obviously not exhaustive, because there are many. Cold Brew, for cold coffees, is largely absent, but we’ll talk about this in another article 🙂

Here is a small table that illustrates the different grain sizes depending on the different machines:

In general, the finer the grind, the more «strong» and bitter the coffee is. But this is not the only thing to take into consideration, since the extraction methods are not all identical: some are with a filter (and therefore the result will be quite clear, without residues) while others work with a pressure system, the coffee will therefore be unfiltered and «cloudy».

Here is a quick summary of the different machines, ranked from the method generally considered the «kindest», to the «strongest» result:

La Cafétière Piston / French Press / Bodum:

This coffee maker has many names, such as “Bodum” in reference to the name of a brand, the “French Press”, or “piston coffee maker”. Use a coarse grind so it doesn’t pass through the plunger. It is an infusion method. So, to summarize strongly, just pour some hot water on the grinders and after a few minutes press the piston. The absence of a filter produces a full-bodied result, but it is a method that allows for a delicate, aromatic and slightly bitter coffee. It is very practical even when traveling and quite forgiving (a satisfactory result is easily obtained).

CheMexican:

This filter coffee maker, widely used in North America but little known in France, produces a very delicate, clear, aromatic and slightly bitter coffee. Using a particular filter, because it must be folded in a certain way, the preparation method is very simple: put the grounds on the filter, pour in the water, wait and voilà! The grind used is very coarse and Chemex is one of the methods that allows you to obtain the least possible bitterness. This method does not require any real learning if you want to carry it out according to the rules of the art: weigh the ground coffee, do a pre-infusion, wet all the ground coffee evenly, take a break, etc. At Krogen we are fans of Chemex which goes particularly well with lightly roasted and therefore slightly bitter beans.

The V60:

This is a filter coffee maker, a reference in Slow Coffee. The main element is the dripper, shaped like a “V”. The method is the same as the Chemex: we place a filter on the dripper. Then the grinding. Then hot water. The result is a fairly strong and aromatic coffee, with body. More forgiving than Chemex, it is also a good ally when traveling. You can only take the dripper and filters with you. Because it can be placed directly on a cup.

The “classic” filter coffee maker:

Classic electric coffee maker. Here preparing coffee is very simple as you just need to put the powder on a filter. The coffee maker takes care of heating the water and spraying the grounds. The result is a moderately aromatic, not very full-bodied coffee. This is the most widespread method, present in homes but also in restaurants and hotels.

Mocha / Italian:

Here the operation is different: we put water and coffee in the coffee maker, then we heat it on a gas stove or other. The water will boil and rise. The result is a strong, full-bodied coffee with a pronounced bitterness. This method is not the most widespread but it can win over those who love strong coffee. Furthermore, it is also very practical to take with you when travelling!

The aeropress:

The AeroPress is perhaps the most original machine presented here. We will prepare the coffee and then pass it through a filter with a manual pressure system. The coffee is strong, cloudy, with bitterness present. This method is very forgiving, fast and, once again, very practical when traveling.

Espresso machine:

One of the most popular machines! And which is experiencing notable growth in homes thanks to automatic grain grinders. Here the grounds are placed in a filter holder, pressed and the coffee will be extracted with a pressure system. The result is a very short, very full-bodied coffee. Different settings allow you to find a balance between acidity and bitterness. The coffee will be intense and very aromatic. If today automatic machines allow you to have a satisfactory result as a basis, they also allow, with a few adjustments, to adapt well to each bean and to obtain a very aromatic result.

The Ibrik:

Traditional Turkish coffee pot. You need to use very finely ground coffee, which you put in, then the water which you bring to the boil. Then leave to rest for 10 minutes so that the grounds settle and finally serve delicately. The result is a cloudy, very full-bodied coffee with a strong and intense bitterness.

Finally, to help you orient yourself, here is a small summary table:

This concludes this little overview of the main methods for making coffee! We hope you learned something, and that it made you want to try many other machines 🙂 Keep in mind that often, in Coffee Shops, you have the opportunity to try some of these methods, such as the V60 (in addition to espresso of course).