If you’re a serious coffee fan, chances are that you’ve explored quite a few different ways to make your brew- pourovers via Chemex, French press methods, maybe even single-serve machines. But the trusty classic method that has long adorned countertops across the world is a drip coffee maker, which comes in so many varieties and models that you may be tempted to simply buy the cheapest basic one you can find. Don’t do that- there is far more than meets the eyes.
Take the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, one of the newest coffee brewers from this company based in the Netherlands that still manufactures and assembles their machines by hand as they have for the past 50 years. Backed by a five-year warranty, they claim that it will be an appliance you can use for much of your life, intended for long-term daily use. We might not be able to give it such a lengthy test, but over the past month or so, we’ve been using it as often as possible in the caffeine-addicted environment of our offices. While newer brewing gear might get buzz, this is the sort of machine you want on your team when you’re dealing with dedicated javaheads- it can make a pot quickly in about six minutes, quietly, and then do it all over again. Clean-up is simple, and there aren’t any fancy features to get in the way of great results.
And the design might seem basic at first glance, minimalist but balanced, and if it seems familiar that might be because it has remained largely unchanged over four or more decades. It has a classic appearance that will look nice in just about any kitchen, and only one button. Others in the family come in a variety of colors, but this one comes with an insulated thermal carafe to help keep your coffee warm and thus a matching polished silver color (or black). It’s SCAA certified, and though that might not mean much to the average consumer, baristas know that the Specialty Coffee Association of America doesn’t put their seal of approval on too many machines.
Brewing amazing coffee relies on great beans, ground well, dosed appropriately, and then prepared according to a couple of key items- water temperature (195-205° F) and even extraction, which relies on making all of the grounds fully wet thanks to the showerhead nozzle. All plastics are BPA free, and in fact heated water never comes into contact with plastic. There is no programmability though, so you can’t have it automatically brew your pot in the morning, and the carafe wasn’t the easiest to pour. Available now, online and in stores, expect to spend around $309 for the Moccamaster KBT 10-Cup Coffee Brewer- a lot to spend on a coffee maker, but this is one of the better-built and more consistent we’ve seen.
