Being able to make a fantastic cup of coffee at home can be a real asset to my wallet. However, with so many individual brewing options and accessories, I didn’t know where to start.
To see how I could make the best coffee at home, I tried making cups in an Aeropress, coffee pot, French press, and Keurig.
After brewing, I added 1 tablespoon of Chobani cinnamon-coffee-cake creamer to each glass, which gave them all a creamy layer of cinnamon-sugar flavor.
Here’s how each brewing method stacked up, and which I think is the best way to make coffee.
I started with a blend I already know I love.
The perfect cup of morning coffee often revolves around the bean or blend you use.
For a bold, caramel-tinged flavor this time of year, I chose the classic Eight O’Clock Coffee dark Italian espresso roast.
The Aeropress came with everything I needed.
An Aeropress uses air pressure, fast immersion, and a micro-filter to brew a quick, full-bodied cup of coffee or tea.
The travel version I have, which costs around $50, includes the main appliance, a scoop, a stirrer, paper micro-filters, and a travel mug. Different models range between $40 and $150.
That 2-tablespoon scoop portions out the perfect amount of coffee grounds, so I really didn’t need anything else from my kitchen.
First, I added the grounds and water.
To start the process, I put the plunger inside the main casing and pulled it until it was secure at the edge. Then, I flipped everything over and added one scoop of coffee grounds in the designated slot.
Hot water goes on top of the beans, then I used the stirrer to combine everything and ensure an even distribution.
The filter is definitely necessary.
The microfilter is a crucial component of this appliance because it prevents annoying coffee grounds from infiltrating your cup.
I placed one inside the filter cap before twisting it onto the top of the Aeropress. I ensured it was secure before moving on to the next step.
Once the coffee had time to steep, I plunged it.
After letting the coffee steep for about two minutes, I flipped the Aeropress over on top of the included travel mug.
You can use any mug for this, but I knew the Aeropress one would be a perfect fit, so I thought it would help reduce any user error.
Then, I pushed the plunger down until the appliance started hissing and stopped dispensing liquid.
The Aeropress coffee had a bit of a bitter aftertaste.
The coffee was smooth and caramelly, just how I like it. However, it also had a bit of a bitter aftertaste.
I’m new to using the Aeropress, so I’m not sure if this is typical or due to my own skills.
An old-fashioned coffee pot is nostalgic.
A regular coffee maker may be old-school, but it works.
I like that you can even preset it so it brews in the morning, and you can find basic models for as little as $20.
Other than the appliance itself, I just needed a filter, the grounds, and some water. For comparison’s sake, I used the Aeropress 2-tablespoon scoop to add grounds to the filter.
There were easy-to-understand brew options.
Once I added the coffee grounds and filled the water compartment, I just hit the “brew” button and let it do its thing.
When my pot is finished with its magic, it sputters and steams (and stops dispensing coffee).
The roast tasted kind of weak.
This mug of coffee tasted fine, but it tasted weaker than the others — almost watered down, even though I used the same ratio of beans and water for everything.
After adding 1 tablespoon of creamer, I could visually see the difference in color compared to the other cups.
The French press seemed daunting at first.
French presses always seem fancy, but the process is relatively straightforward.
There are luxury models out there, but affordable versions of the basic appliance go for around $10 to $15.
I started by adding a 2-tablespoon scoop of coffee grounds to the bottom of the pitcher.
I heated up some water in the microwave.
Like with the Aeropress, I needed to add already hot water to the French press — 200 degrees Fahrenheit is evidently the optimal temperature for this process.
You can heat the water in a kettle, but I just used my microwave.
Once it was heated, I poured it over the coffee grounds in the pitcher.
Make sure to slowly press down the plunger.
After one minute, the grounds should float to the top of the water.
I stirred everything with a wooden spoon, then placed the lid and plunger on top and let the pitcher steep for three more minutes.
When it was ready, I slowly plunged my pitcher.
This cup of coffee came out dark, bold, and delicious.
Because this brewing process doesn’t use a paper filter, the coffee bean’s natural oils have more opportunity to break through, adding dimension to the flavor.
Right away, I could tell this was going to be the boldest cup. With its impressive depth of flavor, the coffee from my French press would be hard to beat.
The Keurig is the most mindless option.
If you’re looking for the quickest option for coffee, a Keurig can’t be beat.
The cheapest models start around $50 and larger/newer versions go up from there.
To start, I just popped the top open and added enough water to the basin.
In my experience, though, Keurig machines can be fickle. Although I put 10 ounces of water in my machine, it only dispensed about 8.
It really doesn’t take much.
I had the same blend of Eight O’Clock Coffee in pod form, so the comparison should be fair.
I turned the Keurig on and popped open the pod compartment. When I closed the compartment, it secured with a click.
After putting my mug under the dispenser, I pushed the start button and walked away while it brewed.
This was my quickest cup of coffee, but not the most flavorful.
The cup of coffee from my Keurig was fine.
I didn’t think I could taste the full flavor of my coffee, but I wouldn’t say it tasted was watered down, either — just a little one-dimensional.
A Keurig is always going to be an easy option, but that doesn’t necessarily make it the best one.
There was a clear winner for me.
For me, choosing the best at-home brew was relatively simple. The French press made the darkest cup with the boldest flavor.
I was also glad that my favorite coffee-brewing appliance was the cheapest of the bunch.
The Aeropress cup produced a near-perfect cup, but its slight bitterness landed it in second place.
The classic coffee pot wasn’t as impressive, comparatively, and the Keurig was best for efficiency — less so for taste.
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