by Daniel J. Gansle

Created on: October 09, 2008   Last Updated: October 20, 2008

In today's world of declining dollars and shrinking wallets, people are rethinking their daily habits. Can we eat out less frequently? Has that daily $3 latte become too expensive?

Before the Starbucks craze of the past ten years, more people brewed their own coffee at home. But like young Cale Crane (Dakota Fanning) in the 2005 film, Dreamer, many people today have little knowledge of how to go about selecting the right coffee maker and brewing that perfect cup of morning joe.

So just what coffee maker is best? Should you purchase a drip coffee maker, or a percolator? Four-cup or 10? In this article, we'll go over your options for the coffee maker that's right for you.

Coffee Makers 101
Before we delve into the major brands of coffee makers, we must first take a quick look at the features and functions of today's models. With the exception of the very cheapest models, you can expect a coffee maker to feature an automatic timer which you can set to brew coffee before you roll out of bed in the morning. You can also expect most models to be drip coffee makers, which generally flow hot water through a filter containing ground coffee then into a carafe. Percolators work a bit differently, "recycling" brewed coffee in the percolator pot until all the water becomes coffee. These were common in the 1950s-1960s, but not nearly as popular today.

In our haute day of lattes and espressos, coffee makers have evolved from the humble pot of java to frothy cappuccinos and crema coffees. Case in point, the Jura-Capresso Impressa J5 Black Automatic Espresso and Coffee Center brews coffee, latte, cappuccino, and espresso in addition to grinding coffee and frothing milk. This $1799 unit likewise features coffee strength settings, adjustable spouts, and a water filter. If you're looking for a less pricey Capresso coffee maker, try the Capresso CoffeeTEAM Luxe 10-Cup Coffee Maker. For $199, this machine filters water, then grinds and brews coffee automatically.

Toss Out That Old Carafe
Ever popular these days is the single-serving coffee maker. That is, you plop a coffee "pod" in the machine, place a mug on the receiving tray, and the coffee maker fills it with a delicious morning brew. One very popular model is the Braun Tassimo Hot Beverage System (TA1200) coffee maker. The Braun Tassimo has been given high marks by consumers for its ease of use and cleanup; its convenience; and for the quality of beverage produced. The only drawback is the cost of the coffee pods; but even so, most

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