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Right, so, our coffee maker has been dying a slow death. It is apparently incontinent, because whenever we make coffee or run water through it, we always end up with a puddle on the floor. Better than a puppy puddle, but still really annoying.
So I went to Target yesterday to get a new one, planning on getting the 12-cup programmable Mr. Coffee they had on sale this week, which is nearly an exact replacement for the one we have.
But then when I was there, I saw the 8-cup, programmable, THERMAL (that is, with a thermos carafe instead of glass), Black&Decker one was also on sale. And I remembered that I'd been thinking (oh, weeks ago when the coffee maker started leaking) about how nice it would be to get a thermos one so the coffee would stay warm without being continually cooked.
BUT, I usually just use the coffee maker to make the water hot and then I make coffee in a French press anyway and transfer it into a plain thermos, so we could just get an electric kettle (something like this, that were ubiquitous in Ireland).
EXCEPT THAT when we have visitors, like, say the grandparents, here, it's really nice to have a plain ol' coffee maker that they know how to use, too. Especially one that I can program to brew in the morning before I'm necessarily ready to be up and about. (Both 'cuz grandparents get up early, and for busy mornings when we need to be out of the house.)
BEAR IN MIND, coffee has recently been bothering Mr. Kluges's tummy, so he's been opting for tea exclusively, which is a vote for the electric kettle, which would be just peachy and quick for the French press coffee, hot cocoa in the winter, etc.
HOWEVER, in a few months, Pumpkin will be starting "4K," which is basically half-day preschool / kindergarten for 4 year olds ('cuz that's what she'll be by end of August!), and I'm requesting morning since she still occasionally naps in the afternoons, so I'll probably want coffee with less time input than French press in the am's. So programmable = good.
AND if we got the thermal one, I wouldn't have to also have a thermos out on the counter all the time, and it wouldn't keep heating the coffee and giving it off flavors, and it would still stay warm and yummy.
THAT BEING SAID, when the grandparents or any guests are here, will an 8-cup maker really be sufficient (even with Mr. Kluges possibly still boycotting coffee), or will I just be having to jump up and make a second pot every single time....
So,
HELP!
What do you think makes the most sense? Leave a comment below and/or hit the poll off in the right sidebar. Thanks!
6 comments:
I have an 8 cup thermal Star$'s one from when I worked there and here are my thoughts.
Thermal is nice, very nice.
Programable, also very nice.
8 cups is more than enough when we have company, and with the quick brew times that new units have (thus making a better cup o joe), if you need to brew more, its not an issue.
We currently have been making homemade latte's using stovetop makers so the coffee maker doesn't get much use, but I'm still glad we have it.
You can always add an electric tea kettle to the mix later if you so desire.
I think that I'm tired of stepping in puddles from the incontinent coffee maker. I hate wet socks.
I say, a 8 cup thermos one and an instant hot water dispenser. TSB loves it for the tea and other various hot water needs....
We love our thermal one - added bonus of no heating element for curious fingers to burn themselves on. And keeps the coffee warm for the second (or fourth) cup without that icky burnt taste.
BUT - the 8-cup depends on how much coffee everyone drinks. If a cup is truly a cup, you're fine with company. If a cup is 16-20 oz., as in my house, we barely get 1 1/2 cups each. So you might have to make more.
8 cups is usually more than enough for us when we have company. Think of how much money you'd save not keeping the coffee warmer on too. I'd go for thermal. (Not that I myself am a coffee drinker, it just sounds like a good option.)
You could do what we did when we replaced ours. Spend a lot of money on a Cuisenart (sp?) 10 cup thermal that grinds the coffee at the time you've set. It really is awesome... but rang in over 100.
Otherwise I'd say the 8 cups should at least slow people down enough to wait the 5 minutes to prepare more.
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