Hey all,I have this simple generic drip coffee maker,and this thing makes the nastiest coffee,so i searched around and found out that a common problem with cheap (under $300.00 ) coffee makers is they don't get hot enough. This morning as i winced at my first sip i said out loud "there's gotta be a way to make make this thing hotter" and my no it all wife says "Why don't you ask one of those Geeks at that forum you love so much. I said "I Don't Know any Geeks there just a lot of cool,smart and helpful cats! anyway anybody got any Ideas? I'm talking about the brewing element.
Coffeemaker not hot enough wizzkid suggestions?
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Ypedal
100 TW
Time to buy a Keurig !! 
of course, this leaves the " old coffee maker " available for hacking !..
of course, this leaves the " old coffee maker " available for hacking !..
TylerDurden
100 GW
Other than a secondhand espresso machine, the water ain't gonna get hotter than 100C. eh?
Ypedal
100 TW
There brings the next question...
Measure the water temp and report back !
Edit to add:.. not saying you are a pig or anything, but a dirty machine makes a dirty coffee, i've had coffee at friends houses that i refused to drink lol...
Next up, what are you using for beans ? fresh ? .. source ? how are you brewing your cup exactly ?
Measure the water temp and report back !
Edit to add:.. not saying you are a pig or anything, but a dirty machine makes a dirty coffee, i've had coffee at friends houses that i refused to drink lol...
Next up, what are you using for beans ? fresh ? .. source ? how are you brewing your cup exactly ?
yopappamon
10 kW
Maybe narrow the outlet tube from the heating element so the water stays in the heater longer.
vanilla ice
1 MW
I got my Keurig set on the highest temp. Coffee makers have a thermal sensor that shuts off the element right? So I'd figure you either swap that out for a sensor with a different set point or you shim it away with a heat buffer to trick it out. Tricking it could start a fire though..
TylerDurden
100 GW
Unless there is pressure higher than atmospheric, the water temp will not rise above 100C.
vanilla ice
1 MW
You can get a small Keurig for less than $100, but yea. Still seemed high to me for something that like you say just heats water. But I paid anyway. Works out better than buying at the cafe.
I like yo's idea bout restricting the flow the best.. Seems safer than screwing around with the thermo.
I like yo's idea bout restricting the flow the best.. Seems safer than screwing around with the thermo.
Harold in CR
100 kW
I know my posts are never taken seriously, here, BUT, My CR Wife refuses to drink coffee made through ANY machine.
We have the best coffee in the world, here, and we use a small wooden base with a wire loop about 8 " above the base.
We place a Cotton bag into the loop so it hangs down. Place 1 slightly over level tablespoon of ground coffee per cup, into that bag, and pour boiling water in to the bag. It's about impossible to make bad coffee using this $3.50 device.
I could send you one, but, I doubt your wife would ever use it. The bag needs to be emptied and rinsed out, after each time you use it. IF she agrees, PM me your address.
It's MUCH cheaper-easier to boil water and pour it, than make terrible coffee. I make custom shaped devices here, and we sell them to the Natives in San Jose. These people are Attorneys, Doctors, Managers, politicos, etc. They can ALL afford those high $$$ machines, but, use the cotton bag.
We have the best coffee in the world, here, and we use a small wooden base with a wire loop about 8 " above the base.
We place a Cotton bag into the loop so it hangs down. Place 1 slightly over level tablespoon of ground coffee per cup, into that bag, and pour boiling water in to the bag. It's about impossible to make bad coffee using this $3.50 device.
I could send you one, but, I doubt your wife would ever use it. The bag needs to be emptied and rinsed out, after each time you use it. IF she agrees, PM me your address.
It's MUCH cheaper-easier to boil water and pour it, than make terrible coffee. I make custom shaped devices here, and we sell them to the Natives in San Jose. These people are Attorneys, Doctors, Managers, politicos, etc. They can ALL afford those high $$$ machines, but, use the cotton bag.
Ypedal
100 TW
I envy you and John for your access to the freshest coffe available !!!!
Saw a segment this morning on " How It's Made " showing bean harvest and prep in costa rica... made my keurig cup seem pretty lame lol..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UbEFuWOsYk
Saw a segment this morning on " How It's Made " showing bean harvest and prep in costa rica... made my keurig cup seem pretty lame lol..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UbEFuWOsYk
TylerDurden
100 GW
The automatic cone filter systems are not that bad. Manual is better, since the water is truly boiling when it hits the grind... but I got better things to do than stand over a Melita.
You can try double filters to slow the process, or grind to espresso-fineness to get more surface in contact with the water.
edit: forgot about the french-press... s'okay, but a pain to clean.
You can try double filters to slow the process, or grind to espresso-fineness to get more surface in contact with the water.
edit: forgot about the french-press... s'okay, but a pain to clean.
The standard cheap drip coffee makers work by heating the water in a tube, which eventually boils and 'burps' up a slug of water to above the filter, where gravity can take over. Some water boils at some point, but most of the water is just pushed along by the steam bubble and never really gets up to boiling. To increase temperature, I think you'd have to rearrange the plumbing a bit so there is more pressure or make the water chug in smaller amounts so less of it gets pumped without adequate heating. If you look at a typical drip maker: http://www.gadgetsguru.in/how/gadgets-work.aspx?category=Appliances&gadgets=Coffee Maker&pageno=1 if there was a way to increase the height of the tube connecting the heating element to the 'shower head', you should be able to increase the pressure. Changing the tubing diameters would have some kind of effect too.
I like the one Harold is talking about. If we could figure out a way to make it needlessly more complex and expensive, it might catch on in the US. How do we get a microprocessor and touch screen on that?
I like the one Harold is talking about. If we could figure out a way to make it needlessly more complex and expensive, it might catch on in the US. How do we get a microprocessor and touch screen on that?
TylerDurden
100 GW
fechter said:
I suppose if you didn't mind nearly building one from scratch, you could also replace the plastic feed tube from the boiler with a metal one, and wrap that with heating elements that would force-heat the partially-heated water as it's burped up. If the tube is long and narrow enough, like a thin coil, it'll heat up the water quite a lot.
THere are a few heater-head designs for hot-air units that were worked out on the sugar-melting rapid prototyper http://www.candyfab.org/ that essentially use a soldering element in the center of a copper tube spiral, tightly bound to the element for best heating. Running water thru that would probably boil it into steam before it exited the spiral, ensuring it is all hot enough to make better coffee.
THere are a few heater-head designs for hot-air units that were worked out on the sugar-melting rapid prototyper http://www.candyfab.org/ that essentially use a soldering element in the center of a copper tube spiral, tightly bound to the element for best heating. Running water thru that would probably boil it into steam before it exited the spiral, ensuring it is all hot enough to make better coffee.
dnmun
1 PW
buy a large pressure cooker, drill a hole for the power cable and seal it with silicone, then put your coffeemaker inside the pressure cooker, put in the water and the coffee and then start it up and seal the pressure cooker to force the boiling point higher in temperature. that may get the temp up to 110oC. maybe more.
Zoot Katz
100 kW
Your elevation could be affecting the water's ability to reach proper temperature.
For brewing coffee, that is 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Like kriskros said, get a French press if you want the best out of your beans.
I have two sizes but use the single shot one most frequently. Every cup is fresh.
For brewing coffee, that is 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Like kriskros said, get a French press if you want the best out of your beans.
I have two sizes but use the single shot one most frequently. Every cup is fresh.
bobc
10 kW
I tried the "small thermal insulator under the thermostat" trick on a drip coffee maker - back in 1981!!!!!
No it didn't work - instantly went from lukewarm coffee to no coffee at all......
From memory I used a thin mica washer (who else remembers when we all used mica for isolating power devices.....)
No it didn't work - instantly went from lukewarm coffee to no coffee at all......
From memory I used a thin mica washer (who else remembers when we all used mica for isolating power devices.....)
TylerDurden
100 GW
Temperature of the water from my Krups auto-drip: 150F.
Hillhater
100 TW
This is the BIG culture divide created by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans...
you need to go Espresso !
how you stay awake when you drink that weak watery stuff is beyond me ! :lol:
For $10 you can get a workable "stove top" espresso that can make good coffee.
you need to go Espresso !
how you stay awake when you drink that weak watery stuff is beyond me ! :lol:
For $10 you can get a workable "stove top" espresso that can make good coffee.
StudEbiker
100 kW
This is how I prepare mine each morning and I think it makes a better cup than most of the other methods around. You control the temp of the water, the strength of the brew, and you have unlimited choice in the coffee you want (unlike the pod types).
If you want to get a little more involved, here is a very helpful article from Lifehacker.
http://lifehacker.com/#!5778831/dropping-the-drip-how-to-get-started-with-better-coffee-making
If you want to get a little more involved, here is a very helpful article from Lifehacker.
http://lifehacker.com/#!5778831/dropping-the-drip-how-to-get-started-with-better-coffee-making
Ypedal
100 TW
I got one of those stove top espresso things... liked it ( slightly messy ).. but ended up with the real deal..
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=20827&start=0
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=20827&start=0
Hillhater
100 TW
As many have said, for good coffee you need good beans , good roasting, good grind, good water, and a good machine.
Though they cannot match a good espresso from a pro "barista",... and i hate to say it ( because Nestle are a company with dubious ethics), but their "Nespresso" system does a pretty fair job for a quick fresh espresso.
Though they cannot match a good espresso from a pro "barista",... and i hate to say it ( because Nestle are a company with dubious ethics), but their "Nespresso" system does a pretty fair job for a quick fresh espresso.
liveforphysics
100 TW
The deep fryer I bought didn't get hot enough to meet my needs for flash-frying.
So, I took it apart, saw the thermistor, did a simple resistance vs temperature characterization on it, and then added the resistor needed to make it think it was ~100f cooler than it actually was, so it would keep the 1500w heating element on for another 100f higher than it would before. Took about 20mins all together, now it gets hot enough to flash-fry and does a much better job.
I would assume a coffee machine could be modified similarly (up to the limit of boiling the water), but I've never taken a look inside one to know for certain.
I will have to say though, growing up in Seattle, land of starbucks and SBC and 2 coffee/espresso places on every damn block, the best coffee I ever had was visiting JohninCR in Costa Rica, and this guy made us some coffee simply by dumping a few table spoons of coffee into his boiling tea-pot, giving it a swirl, and then pouring it into my cup. Blew away any other coffee I've ever had in my life, and the total equipment to make it was an old rusty crusty tea-kettle, a spoon, and a cup.
So, I took it apart, saw the thermistor, did a simple resistance vs temperature characterization on it, and then added the resistor needed to make it think it was ~100f cooler than it actually was, so it would keep the 1500w heating element on for another 100f higher than it would before. Took about 20mins all together, now it gets hot enough to flash-fry and does a much better job.
I would assume a coffee machine could be modified similarly (up to the limit of boiling the water), but I've never taken a look inside one to know for certain.
I will have to say though, growing up in Seattle, land of starbucks and SBC and 2 coffee/espresso places on every damn block, the best coffee I ever had was visiting JohninCR in Costa Rica, and this guy made us some coffee simply by dumping a few table spoons of coffee into his boiling tea-pot, giving it a swirl, and then pouring it into my cup. Blew away any other coffee I've ever had in my life, and the total equipment to make it was an old rusty crusty tea-kettle, a spoon, and a cup.
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