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Coffee Makers For Different Coffee Types

by: Peter Mason
There is nothing quite like waking up in the morning, stumbling to the kitchen and finding your favourite coffee brewed and waiting for you. Of all the drinks in the world, coffee seems to have universal appeal. But if you have ever travelled you quickly discovered that one person’s coffee can be quite different from another’s. 

A World Wide Business—Coffee Types 

Coffee is grown on five different continents and dozens of countries around the world. There are coffee plantations in Columbia and much of South America. There are hundreds of plantations in Africa. The growing region expands to the east and west including the West Indies, Sumatra, and Java. 

All of the coffee growing regions are in tropical zones within 30 degrees or so of the Equator. While all coffee grows in bean form, there are different types or varieties of coffee plants, hence the many different coffee types. 

Roasting and Brewing 

Although plant variety can affect the taste of coffee, the way it is handled following harvesting has a great deal to do with the flavour as well. 

Some coffee beans are naturally roasted. These generally produce the darker and bitterer tasting coffees. The sun does the roasting and then the grinding and brewing take care of the rest of the flavourful attributes. 

There are many different recipes for a great cup of coffee and variations on how they are served. The cooking methods require specific kitchen gadgetry to help make the best rated coffees. 

From Coffee Makers to Cappuccino and Espresso 

There are different types of cappuccino, espresso and coffee makers on the market. Each of these appliances is designed to make specific coffee types. Cappuccino is a rich, dark coffee whose recipe originated in Italy. It is a milder version of Espresso, but not as light as “city” coffee. 

Espresso is made by high heat and pressure which produces a thicker and more potent cup of coffee. 

This is usually served in much smaller cups and quantities because of how strong it is. 

Electric machines are making their way from the restaurant into many home kitchens. The cleaning and care including the job to decalcify are made easier by the popularity of stainless steel appliances. There are coffee makers also that do all of the jobs of creating the perfect mug of coffee right on your counter top and even while you sleep. The grind and brew combination machines are the ideal way to get the freshest cup of coffee possible. 

Decaf and coffee types that contain caffeine can be equally as appealing to the taste buds. An important fact to remember is that just because a coffee type taste strong, it does not necessarily contain more caffeine. On the other hand, a decaf cup of coffee will taste and smell just as good, but without the health concern of having too much caffeine. The process with all of the new recipes available at coffee shops, restaurants and even at home, it is possible for anyone to make the best rated coffee around. This includes caffeine and decaf varieties.
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Espresso Makers: Depending on Your Need, There's an Espresso Maker for You

by: Allen Shaw
Since Starbucks first went International in the early 1990s, espresso has been the number-one item on the minds of those who need a quick pick-me-up to get their day started. It started out as a fad, but with the onslaught of Friends on NBC in 1994 and Starbucks reproducing like rabbits throughout the last decade of the 20th Century, it has morphed into a worldwide phenomenon. 

But what is espresso exactly. To put it in the simplest terms, espresso is coffee's more aggressive and strong willed little brother. Espresso is caffeine's answer to a shot of whisky. Just as addictive in some cases, but will not get you thrown in jail. 

Espresso is made by filtering 1.5 to 2 ounces of water through tightly ground, espresso coffee, roughly the caffeine equivalent of four cups of coffee. If everything goes according to plan, what you get is 2 ounces of compressed caffeine with a small layer of foam on the top. The resulting concoction looks like a dark German beer with a head…only a lot smaller. 

But how do you make espresso? Is it as easy as Starbucks would have you believe? In a word…yes. So where do you start? Again, the answer is simple…right here. There are five basic types of espresso machines. Let's take a quick look: 


Stovetop espresso makers are popular with hikers and tourists because they do not require electricity. But since the stovetop espresso maker is usually the "one-cup" variety, you won't get the creamy foam layer top. What you will get though is a very concentrated shot of espresso. 


Steam powered espresso makers work a lot like the stovetop variety but is fashioned more like the standard pump driven espresso makers. Still convenient for tourists and hikers, the steam powered espresso maker is not as popular with this crowd because of its bulky size. 


The piston driven espresso maker is the grandfather of all espresso makers and the reason most espresso comes with a foamy top. Invented in 1938 by Achille Gaggia, the piston driven maker is still a good way to make espresso, though not often used. This kind of of espresso maker is sold as an antique as often as it is the caffeine junkie's primary maker. 


Pump driven espresso makers are the offshoot of the piston driven variety and the most popular maker in commercial settings. Usually hooked up directly to the building's plumbing, pump driven makers heat the water as it is filtered through the coffee and uses a built in shot timer to help insure every shot of espresso is exactly the same. 


Automatic espresso makers are becoming increasingly popular because the machine does almost everything for you. Automatic machines consistently produce the same espresso shot every time and require less fine-tuning than commercial makers. In addition, this expensive but consistent alternative to your daily trek to the corner coffe house does everything from grinding the beans to disposing of the spent grounds. The only thing the user has to do is turn on the machine. 

Now that you know how to make espresso, how do you decide what your favorite concoction is? After all Starbucks has more varieties of espresso than Baskin Robbins does ice cream. You do not want to make a fool of yourself when you when you are late for work and don't have time to make your morning wake-me-up at home. Yo need to feel confident and proud when you walk up to the conter and ask for: 


ESPRESSO - For those who prefer the simple things in life, a single shot of espresso, no foam, is probably best. 


ESRESSO DOPIO – Or a double espresso is for those days when you just cannot wake up. 


If you are feeling a need for some balance in your life, try an ESPRESSO MACCHIATO (a single or double shot of espresso with a whipped cream top). 


For those sweet and sour days, try an ESPRESSO ROMANO, a single shot of espresso topped with a sliced lemon peel. 


For amateur espresso drinkers who prefer a foamier, creamier, more chocolaty taste than a straight shot of espresso, CAPPUCCINO, CAFÉ LATTE and MOCHA CAPPUCCINO is probably the safest bet. 

So now that you know everything there is to know about espresso and why there seems to be a Starbucks on every corner of every city in every state in every country in the world, you can decide whether you want to join in on this worldwide phenomenon. But beware...if you decide not to join the crowd on this one, you will likely be left behind. A caffeine-powered work force is what made the world what it is today. 



About the author:
Allen Shaw is a successful author who provides information on espresso makers for A1 Coffee Makers. "I am the news director at USA News Network and have been working as freelance writer for 2 years. I've been published in a few magazines, newspapers and websites and my specialty up to this point has been movie and music reviews." 
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From One Cup Coffee Makers to “Smart” Refrigerators: Kitchen Appliances Catch Up with the Speed of Life

From One Cup Coffee Makers to “Smart” Refrigerators: 
Kitchen Appliances Catch up with the Speed of Life 
By R.L. Fielding 

The modern kitchen would not be complete without a refrigerator, an oven, a microwave, and a coffee maker. As fixtures in one of the most important rooms in the house, these appliances are on the forefront of the battle for greater convenience and lower energy costs. Here is a look at a few of the technological makeovers which can help you save both time and money. 

“Smart” Refrigerators 

Has this ever happened to you? On your way home from work, you stop at the supermarket for groceries. While picking up food for dinner, you can’t remember whether there’s a steak in the freezer or if you still have enough butter for the mashed potatoes. Instead of placing a call to your significant other, let your refrigerator check the inventory for you. 

Using a cell phone, it is possible to remotely access an up-to-the-minute list of the contents of the “smart” refrigerator via an Internet connection. LG Electronic’s Internet Refrigerator is capable of alerting its user when a product has expired. The potential for this technology is enormous, but the limited availability of online grocery services has slowed its spread. Manufacturers hope to eventually develop a system by which refrigerators will not just keep tabs on the food inside, but will make lists of what is needed and automatically place an order with online grocers. 

One drawback of the current technology is the effort that goes into keeping your refrigerator’s records up-to-date. As the refrigerator is stocked, the product names and expiration dates must be logged manually. When an item is removed from the refrigerator, the data must be entered as well. The convenience of knowing what’s in your refrigerator at any time may be outweighed by the inconvenience of keeping such meticulous records. 

Another popular focus for the newly-developed technology involves reducing energy costs. For instance, the Fisher & Paykell Active Smart Refrigerator offers multiple energy-conserving features which, when combined, contribute to the overall efficiency of the product. The Active Smart electronic intelligence and multiple sensors monitor the internal temperature while a Variable Capacity Compressor ensures the refrigerator runs at its peak. 

Energy-efficiency is particularly important when it comes to refrigerators because they are the only kitchen appliances that run 24-hours per day. By purchasing ecologically-friendly technology you’ll reduce your electricity bills and keep more money in your wallet. 


Convenient Coffee Makers 

A recent development in coffee consumption is the vacuum brewing system, as highlighted by the Clear Electric Santos coffee maker by Bodum. The machine promises to brew six to twelve cups of strong coffee within eight minutes using an easy-to-clean filtration system. This is an ideal appliance for people who love a full-bodied cup of joe. 

The days of boiling whole pots of water just to have a single cup of coffee are over. The one cup coffee maker can brew your favorite gourmet tea or coffee in less than a minute, eliminating the need to prepare a whole pot. For people on-the-go, these fast brewing machines are a welcome addition to the home or workplace. 

The single cup coffee maker is also a great energy saver. In the time it might take to heat up one pot of regular coffee or to drive over to Starbucks, a one cup coffee maker by Keurig can brew several differently flavored hot drinks in 40 seconds each. Another perk of this machine is the variety of drinks it can produce. Keurig provides customers with over 70 different coffee or tea “K-Cups” from which to choose. K-Cups are easy-to-insert dispensers, which fit neatly into the coffee company’s machine with little effort and no clean-up. 

Multifunctional Ovens 

Forget slaving over a hot stove for hours just to get dinner on the table. Thanks to new ovens with automatic time and temperature controls dinner can practically make itself. Want a meal to be ready by the time you get home? Simply place your favorite dish in the oven and let the appliance do the rest. 

The Intelligent Oven by TMIO refrigerates food until the user activates the cooking function. The oven’s Internet connectivity allows you to control this feature remotely with your cell phone or computer. Meals are not only delicious, but perfectly timed for your convenience. Additional advances have made the product safer and more energy-efficient, making it both user- and environmentally-friendly. 

For real fast food, look for appliances such as the Sharp High Speed Convection/Microwave Oven. A 5-pound roasted chicken would take up to 140 minutes or more in a standard oven but, with the new high-speed ovens, the same meal can be ready within 28 minutes. By using a mix of super-heated circulating air and microwave energy, meals cook up to 80 percent faster. 

In a step that brings to mind scenes from a work of science-fiction, General Electric is among the companies developing ovens which respond to voice commands and recognize over 200 regional accents. Rather than pushing a pre-set button, key phrases would activate the already programmed cooking times and temperatures. Such technology may not be a long way off, but its price tag may prove to be beyond the reach of many consumers. 

High-tech Microwaves 

Trying to find quick and easy recipes? Put down the cookbook. You can easily download hundreds of recipes directly from your microwave with the push of a button. 

Using the LG Lifestyle MG-5682NL microwave oven, you can download recipes or other cooking information from the company’s web site. Sharp also sells a microwave that downloads cooking instructions for various meals, then automatically programs the time and power settings required to zap your meal to perfection. 
In a slight variation on the theme, a new microwave by Samsung is programmed to read cooking directions by scanning product bar codes with a special sensor. The microwave then pulls the specific cooking instructions off the Internet and cooks the meal accordingly. 
Many models now come with cooking pre-sets for popular food items, such as popcorn or frozen meals. Simply press one of the clearly-labeled option buttons on the microwave’s touchpad and the appliance will automatically adjust the time and power level. 
Another feature that you won’t want your microwave to be without is a moisture sensor. Microwaves heat food by using radio waves to excite the molecules. To prevent overcooking your food, the moisture sensor will calculate how much time is still needed to cook based on how long it took for the food to begin steaming. 

Since the kitchen is a natural hub of activity for any household, a few small changes can mean big savings in more ways than one. These kitchen innovations will not only free up more of your time, but can help you save money on the monthly energy bills. A little efficiency can go a long way! 



About Coffeecow 
This article was provided by Coffeecow.com which goes to great lengths to provide the highest quality products, the fastest service, and the deepest discount prices you will find on one cup coffee makers, regular, decaf, and flavored coffee and tea, and a full line of coffee supplies. Developed by coffee professionals with over 35 years of experience in fulfilling any coffee service need, Coffeecow offers all the coffee conveniences for your home or office. Visit http://www.coffeecow.com for more info. 


About the author:
R.L. Fielding has been a freelance writer for 10 years, offering her expertise and skills to a variety of major organizations in the education, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing industries. She lives in New Jersey with her dog and two cats and enjoys rock climbing and ornamental gardening.

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