Your Guide to Coffee Makers, Accessories, and Gourmet Coffee.

Getting the Best Coffee from Coffee Machines

Coffee machines generally have a life span of a couple of years, but their lifetime is very much dependant on how well you take care of it. I know some people who have had a coffee maker last over ten years. I personally have had a coffee maker for ten years; the only reason I had to get rid of it was, the plastic tank began to leak. All it takes is a regular cleaning schedule, and using distilled water helps loads.

A regular cleaning schedule can be weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly, depending on how much you use your machine. Some people use vinegar to clean their machines, while others use a heavy duty cleaner, such as CLR. If you choose to use the latter, I suggest you run a lot of water through it afterward. A lime spring may be required. A lime spring is a flexible brush that can be inserted into the tube to scrub the lime away. Some coffee makers, like Bunn, come with a lime spring.

Coffee pots, or carafes, are sometimes hard to clean, but, like everything, there are tricks. If your coffee pot is stained on the bottom and hard to get to, you can use a waded-up paper towel, lemon juice and rock salt in the following manner:

Step 1: Pour in one to two tablespoons of rock salt.

Step 2: Insert waded-up paper towel.

Step 3: Add about one-half cup of lemon juice.

Step 4: Shake pot vigorously in a circular motion for as long as it takes. (Note, if your pot is particularly stained, this may take a while)

Step 5: Pour out the contents, and rinse with warm to hot water.

Of course, you can use a myriad of other tricks, but I hope that one serves you well. Just remember, if you use your coffee maker a lot; you have to clean it a lot. Live by this rule, and your machine will last you a long, long time.

For more information about coffee machines or related products, choose from one of the following links:

Coffee Makers | Espresso Makers | One Cup Coffee Makers

Creme de la Creme

Looking for the very best when it comes to espresso machines? Then check out the Capresso C1500 in our coffee maker reviews & ratings site!

Capresso C1500
This espresso machine/coffee center is lauded by most users and reviewers alike - and I should hope so with a price tag that usually runs around $600. If you have a passion for coffee, though, this might be just the machine you need, and would probably even work well in a small coffee house.