Evaluate how well a Coffee Maker meets your needs and compares to competing products
If you've completed step one you've identified what you need in a coffee maker and you've learned about the different features of coffee makers. While you were doing your research, you probably started the process of determining which features - and thus which type of coffee maker - will best meet your needs. Now you are going to continue that process, but in greater detail.
In this step you will
evaluate the coffee makers available on the market to determine how well they meet your personal needs and establish, by a process of elimination, an initial short-list of contenders. Then you will compare these short-listed coffee makers to find out which ones stand out from the competition.
Evaluate how well a Coffee Maker meets your needs
Your priority at this point in your evaluation is to find the available coffee makers in the market that best meet your needs. You can save a lot of time during this activity by quickly eliminating any coffee makers that are unsuitable because they don't meet your key requirements. For example, if you have a limited budget for this purchase then you can ignore any coffee makers that clearly exceed your price limit.
For many people all over the world, a perfect cup of coffee to start the day is very important. And when it comes to a good cup of coffee you need a good quality coffee maker. There are a few different types of coffee makers including the manual drip, a percolator or the automatic drip. The manual drip and the automatic drip are the most common; however manual drip coffee makers are generally more expensive making them less accessible for most households.
With a manual drip machine, the water is brought to temperature in a separate container and then poured over the coffee grounds. Some people shy away from these machines because they must remain plugged in to keep the water at the appropriate temperature.
When you look at an automatic drip coffee maker you will be able to choose from a basket or a cone style filter. With a basket filter, the water generally spends more time in contact with the grounds so you will need coarser grounds. A cone filter creates a funnel for all the water to pass through resulting in a stronger flavour.
Steam espresso machines are usually small and affordable, and come with a milk frother for making cappuccinos. The espresso is not considered a true espresso because the extraction pressure is too low and the water temperature too hot, but great coffee can be made when using unique, flavored beans.
Combination drip and espresso machines allow you to make regular coffee and espresso coffee as you prefer. Most have separate controls and water tanks for each function, enabling you to make espresso and drip coffee simultaneously, or separately.
Vacuum coffee makers provide entertainment as well as good coffee. Resembling a science experiment, these machines are favored by true connoisseurs. Your biggest decision when buying a vacuum coffee maker is in choosing between the manual stovetop style and the automatic electric style.
Pod coffee makers are the penultimate in coffee convenience. They are usually single-serve machines and make a good, consistent coffee due to perfectly measured grounds, water, brewing time and temperature.
Tip: Choose a filter style that creates the taste that you prefer in your coffee. If you are unsure, choose a style with easily swappable filters.
There is a selection of filters available for your machine as well. Paper filters are the most common, and they can be found in most stores in all of the available sizes. Paper filters are often preferred because they are convenient and less messy than reusable filters. However, gold, gold-tone, stainless steel and nylon are also all good options, and many find that they produce a bolder flavour.
Cup capacity is also an important choice when choosing a coffee maker. If you are a single person or the only coffee drinker in your family, you may want to consider a single or double cup machine. These machines will brew the perfect cup of coffee directly into your mug or travel mug and there will be no wastage. However, if you enjoy a full pot of coffee or have a large family of coffee drinkers, you will want to consider a ten or twelve cup machine.
Tip: A machine that allows you to brew both large pots as well as small pots is a good investment as it will serve all purposes.
The extra features of the coffee maker are really what set apart the high end machines from the less expensive ones. If you prefer the freshest cup of coffee possible, you will want a machine with a built in grinder. These machines are more expensive; however the resulting coffee is much fresher. For a very good taste, a coffee maker with a built in water filtration system is a good choice. These machines have charcoal filters that remove chlorine, bacteria and other chemicals from the water.
Tip: Be sure to look for a machine that heats the water to the proper temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degree Celsius) before brewing. This results in the best tasting coffee.
A timer is another great feature, and you can now find timers on machines in all price ranges. The timer allows you to set the machine the night before in order to wake up to a perfect cup of coffee.
If you have strong preferences of how your coffee should taste, look for a machine that has adjustable settings for the strength of the brew as well as the temperature of the heat plate. If the heat plate is set to high, it will “cook” the coffee changing the overall temperature.
When you were considering your requirements in a coffee maker it's likely that you singled out certain factors such as size, filter type, brewing features and cost as being of major significance. As with so many other products, the more features offered, the higher the price.
Buyz123 has created a checklist containing examples of major features; you can work from this checklist when evaluating how well various coffee makers meet your personal needs:
Features Checklist
Type
- Plunger
- Manual drip
- Automatic drip
- Percolator
- Espresso/Cappuccino
- Basket
- Cone
- Combination
- Vacuum
- Pod
Coffee type
- Whole beans
- Grinds
- Pre packaged pods
Colour & Style
- Black
- White
- Stainless Steel
- Variety of Colours
Drip Style
- Auto drip - Single hole or shower head
- Manual drip
Filter type
- Paper - cone or basket
- Gold
- Gold Tone
- Stainless steel
- Nylon
Cup Capacity
- 14 cup
- 12 cup
- 10 cup
- 4 cup
- Single cup
Size
- Large-machines with grinders - 15 inches high x 8 inches wide x 9 inches deep (38.7 x 21.6 x 24.1cm)
- Mid Size machines - 14 5/8 inches high x 7 inches wide x 8 inches deep (37 x 19.1 x 20.3cm)
- Space Saver full size - 10 inches high x 5 inches wide x 8 inches deep (26 x 14 x 20.3cm)
- Single serving - 8 inches high x 7 inches wide x 6 inches deep (20.3 x 17.8 x 15.2cm)
Carafe - beverage container
- Glass
- Thermos
- Dripless spout
- Knuckle guard
- Comfort handle
Features
- Built in bean grinder - Blade grinder or burr grinder
- Water filtration system - Charcoal filter
- Gauge for water level
- Brew complete buzzer
- Indicator light for cleaning
- Programmable - Timer, brew preferences
Brew Features
- Water temperature regulation
- Settings for coffee strength
- Control for heat plate
- Programmable preferences
Safety Features
- Auto shut off - Immediately, timer settings or four hours
- Power failure reset
- Cord Storage
Controls
- Dial
- Single button
- LCD (liquid crystal display) touch pad
Warranty and Support
- Manual
- Websites
- Brew suggestions
- Toll free numbers
- Warranty - 1 to 3 years limited
There are a lot of features listed here, and some of them may not be relevant to your particular requirements. So, work your way through the list and assess how each of these features impact on your coffee maker needs. You can then create a personalized checklist of the features you really require in a coffee maker.
Once you have finished evaluating the coffee makers available for sale in the light of your personal needs and arrived at a short-list of 'possibles' you are ready to progress to the next stage. This involves comparing the coffee makers one-on-one in order to find those that really stand out.
Evaluate how well a Coffee Maker compares with competing Coffee Makers
Comparing the items on your interim short-list, one to another, is an important part of the purchasing process - we all want to buy the best product we possibly can. So once you have established a short-list of coffee makers that meet your needs it is time to evaluate how well they compare in fine detail. This way you can assemble a select list of coffee makers that stand out from the crowd.
Questions to ask yourself:
Which coffee maker on my short-list offers the best value for money?
Which of these coffee makers best meet my needs?
Which of my short-listed coffee makers has the best warranty?
Which coffee maker is the easiest to use?
Which of the coffee makers seems of the highest quality?
Which coffee maker do I like best?
By answering these simple questions, you are actually eliminating coffee makers that aren't absolutely right for you. This is an excellent time - if you haven't done so already - to evaluate how well your short-listed products measure up in the following areas: Physical Quality, Warranty Conditions and Accessories & Extras.
Physical Quality
Regardless of the method you use when purchasing the coffee maker, you need to find an opportunity to examine the product to evaluate how well it is made, and to check that it is truly suitable for you and your purpose. This is the time to examine the quality of the materials, and how well the coffee maker is put together. Check the assembly - is the coffee maker solidly constructed? It's also important to examine the coffee maker from the perspective of ease of use. How easy is the coffee maker to clean? Are the controls easy to use? Make sure the coffee maker is user-friendly - some coffee makers look great on paper, but unexpected problems will show up when you finally get your hands on them.
Physical Inspection Checklist:
- Materials - quality, appearance
- Assembly - all parts held together securely, good quality fittings
- Solidly constructed - stable, no loose components
- Proper fit of removable parts - easy to remove and replace, fit snugly
- Controls - visible, easy to use, accessible, clearly labelled
- Size - appropriate for surroundings and purpose
- Appearance - well finished, appropriate color, neat fittings etc
- Easy to use
Warranty Conditions
Similar products may be available with significantly different terms and conditions, and you want to get the best deal you can. Parts and labor are often covered under separate warranties, for different time periods; sometimes there can be a significant difference in the warranty offered with one model compared to that offered with the next model up. It is particularly important to investigate any conditions that might void a warranty, such as if you use different filters to those recommended.
Warranty Checklist:
- Duration - check the specifics
- Parts, Labor
- Exactly what is covered
- Exactly what is excluded
- Conditions or actions that may void the warranty
Accessories, Extras and Consumables
When evaluating similar products, it is a good idea to include accessories in your assessment. You need to be clear about exactly what accessories are necessary to run the product to its full capacity, and whether these are included with the purchase. What other extras are required - do you need paper filters, for instance? It's also important to consider consumables, such as coffee beans - some products have higher associated costs than others.
Accessories Checklist:
- Accessories - included or extra cost?
- Compatibility issues - will it work with your existing products?
- Consumables - how often and how much?
- What else will you need to fully utilize this product?
Once you've worked through the Evaluation step you will have a final short-list of coffee makers that meet your needs and stand out from competing products on the market. It's time then to move on to the third and final step: Purchase.
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