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Thermal carafe coffee maker purchasing advice: how to choose the right product
- The most important facts in brief
- Coffee pots with a thermos jug overbrew coffee powder to make fragrant filter coffee.
- Unlike classic filter coffee makers, the finished coffee does not end up in a glass jug, but in a thermos jug.
- These models do not have a hotplate to keep the coffee hot, but only the insulating function of the thermos jug.
- The absence of a hotplate ensures that the coffee does not become bitter if it sits for a long time.
- Some models have additional functions such as an aroma selection programme or a timer to schedule the brewing process.
Coffee maker with thermos jug: Warm, aromatic coffee at any time of day.
Are you a fan of fresh filter coffee? Its pleasant aroma lures many a person out of bed in the morning, for others it is what gets them started in the day in the first place, and for many it is indispensable, no matter what time of day it is.
Although many households now have an espresso machine or a fully automatic coffee maker, and brewing coffee by hand is becoming increasingly popular again, the classic coffee maker is still unbeatable when it comes to preparing a large quantity of coffee with little effort – for a group of friends, for the whole family or for personal use throughout the day. Isn’t it the relaxed bubbling of a coffee machine that makes a kitchen really homely?
Unlike a conventional coffee machine, where the brewed hot beverage is kept hot in a glass jug on a hot plate, the coffee in a thermal machine ends up directly in an insulated jug. Users can leave this in the machine for a long time without bitter substances forming, as with the classic model. With conventional coffee machines, a warming plate ensures that the brewed coffee does not cool down in the glass jug. However, standing on the hotplate for a long time is not good for the aroma. Almost every coffee drinker knows the phenomenon that stale coffee tastes burnt, musty or tarry. Coffee machines with thermos jugs do not have this problem. In the insulated jug, the coffee stays hot without losing much of its flavour.
Well-known brands
SEVERIN | Melitta | Rowenta | WMF | Philips | Siemens | Krups | Bosch | Russell Hobbs| Braun | AEG | Grundig | Korona | Klarstein | Ritter
What are the benefits of a thermos jug in a coffee maker?
At home, a thermal appliance with an insulated jug offers the advantage that the coffee stays hot for hours. There is no formation of bitter substances as with a classic filter coffee machine. So you can enjoy many servings of the hot beverage throughout the day without having to put on a new serving. If you want to spend time in the garden in the summer, for example to read or work on your laptop, you can simply take the jug outside with you – the warm coffee remains in the vacuum jug so that it cannot leak. Even on a picnic in the park, you don’t have to do without your favourite drink: The vacuum jug can be easily transported in a picnic basket alongside various goodies.
How a thermal coffee maker works
Coffee makers with thermos jugs work according to the principle of an ordinary filter coffee maker: users fill water into the water tank, insert a coffee filter into the funnel provided and fill it with coffee powder. The water in the water tank is heated and gradually drips onto the coffee grounds. The coffee is brewed by continuously flowing hot water through the coffee powder in the filter
Thermos has now established itself as a generic name
The Thermos company was founded in Germany in 1904. It is now based in the USA and still produces insulated products for food and drinks. Nowadays, when we talk about thermos flasks, we mean any form of insulating or warming flask – regardless of the manufacturer. The thermos flask has established itself in everyday language like seltzer, Tempo, Uhu and Tesa.
Thanks to the drip stop, you can remove the jug from most models during the brewing process and enjoy a first cup. If you place the jug back under the swivelling filter holder, the mechanism allows the remaining liquid to flow into the jug. Coffee that has run into the jug will remain hot for several hours. Once all the water has run out of the water tank, many models switch off automatically after a while. Unlike classic filter machines, there is no need to actively keep the coffee warm by switching on the base plate: the insulating function keeps the coffee warm passively without consuming energy.
What matters when buying
Even though the models are similar in their functional principle, there are a number of differences that are important for your purchase decision. For example, the water tank is sometimes smaller, sometimes larger. Some coffee makers also come with special functions such as a timer for scheduling coffee-making in advance.
Volume of the thermos flask
The maximum amount of coffee you can brew per brewing process and then keep warm in the thermos depends on the capacity of the water tank. One litre is roughly enough for ten small cups of coffee or five to six coffee mugs. Small single machines brew up to 0.5 litres of coffee, large models up to 1.5 litres. Households with more than one person are therefore better served with higher fill volumes.
Number of jugs
Not necessarily interesting for private households, but all the more so for businesses: if the coffee machine comes with several jugs, you can make coffee and take one of the insulated jugs with you to your office. The neighbouring office then has the option of making more coffee on the same machine thanks to another pot. For home use, several family members can each take the pot to their room.
Removable water tank
To fill a permanently installed water tank using the water tap, you must place the entire appliance in the kitchen sink. This can sometimes be difficult due to the height of the coffee machine. An alternative is to fill the tank using the coffee pot. However, a coffee machine with a removable tank that you can fill directly from the tap is more convenient. Removable tanks are also easier to clean.
Paper or permanent filter
Most filter coffee machines are designed for the use of classic disposable paper coffee filters. The paper filters are folded for this purpose and placed in the coffee machine’s usually swivelling holder. The fine pores of the cellulose paper ensure that no coffee grounds get into the finished beverage. More sustainable but less common are permanent filters made of nylon or cotton, which can be emptied after use and cleaned under running water. However, they are not suitable for fine espresso grounds due to the less close-meshed material.
Aroma selection button
The aroma selection function, also known as the aroma selection button or aroma button, is particularly suitable for single households, as they often brew smaller quantities of black gold. When this is switched on, the machine brews the coffee grounds with the same amount of water as in the standard programme, but the brewing process is slower. Accordingly, the water has more time to absorb the aroma of the coffee beans. The coffee becomes stronger and fuller-bodied: ideal for users who like their coffee a little stronger.
Integrated grinder
The aroma of freshly ground beans is inimitable. Even the smell makes you want a freshly brewed caffeine drink. There’s no need to argue with coffee enthusiasts: For them, pre-packaged ground coffee is out of the question anyway. Coffee machines with grinders have the advantage, apart from taste, that users can use their favourite coffee: For example, whole beans from a small roastery become an exquisite coffee composition. A pleasure for connoisseurs.
Drip stop
Manufacturers call a drip stop a mechanical lock that prevents coffee from flowing out of the filter holder when no jug is placed underneath. A spring locks the outlet after removal and ensures that no liquid runs out until you have placed the jug underneath again. This makes it possible to take coffee out of the jug even if the brewing process has not yet been completed. Almost all models have this function.
Display, timer and automatic switch-off
Many modern coffee machines have an LC display. In standby mode, the coffee machine displays the time. Many models also allow you to set a timer: in this way, you can, for example, add coffee grounds and water in the evening and adjust the start of the brewing process to your time of rising in the morning. A fresh cup of coffee makes it much easier to start the day. Since there is no need to keep the coffee warm using a hotplate, many machines have an automatic switch-off function that kicks in as soon as the brewing water has run through completely.
Limescale filter and descaling programme
Many modern coffee machines have an LC display. In standby mode, the coffee machine displays the time. Many models also allow you to set a timer: in this way, you can, for example, add coffee grounds and water in the evening and adjust the start of the brewing process to your time of rising in the morning. A fresh cup of coffee makes it much easier to start the day. Since there is no need to keep the coffee warm using a hotplate, many machines have an automatic switch-off function that kicks in as soon as the brewing water has run through completely.
Material
The materials from which the coffee maker itself and the vacuum jug are made differ depending on the price range. The inside of the jug always consists of two mirrored layers of glass with a vacuum in between. The outer layers are sometimes made of plastic, which makes the appliances cheaper but looks less valuable and can tarnish or yellow over time. A stainless steel version looks better and lasts longer, but is also a little more expensive. No greasy fingerprints remain on brushed stainless steel.
Power supply
The majority of models are designed for indoor use and therefore operate on mains power. However, there are also versions for use on the road: coffee makers with a 12-volt connection for the cigarette lighter are suitable for use in the car, truck or when camping, for example. Of course, the vehicle should be stationary during preparation. The Japanese manufacturer Makita uses the same battery system for all its tools such as drills, dry drill screwdrivers or jigsaws – and also feeds its coffee maker DCM501Z in this way: ideal for craftsmen on construction sites.
