'k.... It's just the wife and I and our 12-cup machine cratered. We
buy whole bean coffee from a variety of sources, and it's always been
OK-Good.

We bought a cheap Black and Decker "6 cup" (read 3-cup) coffee machine
(kinda' like you see in hotels). We grind the beans like we used to,
use the same water, same... yadda yadda yadda.

It made a couple "pots" OK. But lately, the result has been AWFUL...
bitter, blecky, undrinkable.

Any help?

TIA,

-TES

On 2010-12-21, Theodore Edward Stosterone > wrote:

> It made a couple "pots" OK. But lately, the result has been AWFUL...
> bitter, blecky, undrinkable.

Could be the water is not being heated to the proper temperature.

http://tinyurl.com/2dqvaxl

.....which is about 203-208 deg F.

I brew my drip coffee just off the boil. IOW, I boil water in
microwave then wait 10-15 secs after stops boiling. Check with a
thermometer or digital temp probe. I'd rather have water too hot than
too cold.

Also, I don't know what kind of material your filter basket is made
of, but I discovered a long time ago not to let my plastic Melitta
drip brewing basket soak in soapy dish water, as the plastic will
absorb the soap taste. I had to throw one away, it was so bad.

nb

On 12/20/2010 9:40 PM, notbob wrote:
> Also, I don't know what kind of material your filter basket is made
> of, but I discovered a long time ago not to let my plastic Melitta
> drip brewing basket soak in soapy dish water, as the plastic will
> absorb the soap taste. I had to throw one away, it was so bad.

I have to agree. Nothing touches my brew basket but water and vinegar.

Speaking of bad coffee makers, I've had a weird one lately. The filters
keep caving in, and then the water mixes with the grounds and they all
end up in my coffee pot. Doesn't happen all the time, but seems to
happen when I'm in a hurry in the morning. I've tried several types of
filters and there's no common factor.

On 12/20/2010 7:52 PM, Theodore Edward Stosterone wrote:
> 'k.... It's just the wife and I and our 12-cup machine cratered. We
> buy whole bean coffee from a variety of sources, and it's always been
> OK-Good.
>
> We bought a cheap Black and Decker "6 cup" (read 3-cup) coffee machine
> (kinda' like you see in hotels). We grind the beans like we used to,
> use the same water, same... yadda yadda yadda.
>
> It made a couple "pots" OK. But lately, the result has been AWFUL...
> bitter, blecky, undrinkable.
>
> Any help?
>
> TIA,
>
> -TES

Be wary of Black & Decker. I bought one of their "Cafe Noir" pots last
year at Kohls and DH broke the carafe. Guess what? you can't get a
replacement. Not even from B&D.

One of our best friends has a son who is pretty high up at Black &
Decker and our friend said he has it on good authority not to buy their
kitchen appliances. This was my only B&D kitchen appliance ( I have a
drill) I was *not* impressed.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On 2010-12-21, Cheryl > wrote:

> Speaking of bad coffee makers, I've had a weird one lately. The filters
> keep caving in, and then the water mixes with the grounds and they all
> end up in my coffee pot. Doesn't happen all the time, but seems to
> happen when I'm in a hurry in the morning. I've tried several types of
> filters and there's no common factor.

My Melitta does that, too. The flat paper filters are too easily
pushed over while pouring hot water. It seems to occure when both the
filter paper and the cone holder are both dry. Lately, I've taken to
wetting the filter holder prior to inserting the filter paper so the
paper cone becomes wet and tends to adhere to the holder, better.

nb

On Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:06:23 -0500, Cheryl >
wrote:

>Speaking of bad coffee makers, I've had a weird one lately. The filters
>keep caving in, and then the water mixes with the grounds and they all
>end up in my coffee pot. Doesn't happen all the time, but seems to
>happen when I'm in a hurry in the morning. I've tried several types of
>filters and there's no common factor.

Do you wet the filter with hot running water after you place it in the
basket, so that it adheres to the basket sides, before adding the
coffee? That often helps.

-- Larry

Janet Wilder > wrote in news:4d1027dc$0$1945
:

> On 12/20/2010 7:52 PM, Theodore Edward Stosterone wrote:
>> 'k.... It's just the wife and I and our 12-cup machine cratered. We
>> buy whole bean coffee from a variety of sources, and it's always been
>> OK-Good.
>>
>> We bought a cheap Black and Decker "6 cup" (read 3-cup) coffee machine
>> (kinda' like you see in hotels). We grind the beans like we used to,
>> use the same water, same... yadda yadda yadda.
>>
>> It made a couple "pots" OK. But lately, the result has been AWFUL...
>> bitter, blecky, undrinkable.
>>
>> Any help?
>>
>> TIA,
>>
>> -TES
>
> Be wary of Black & Decker. I bought one of their "Cafe Noir" pots last
> year at Kohls and DH broke the carafe. Guess what? you can't get a
> replacement. Not even from B&D.
>
> One of our best friends has a son who is pretty high up at Black &
> Decker and our friend said he has it on good authority not to buy their
> kitchen appliances. This was my only B&D kitchen appliance ( I have a
> drill) I was *not* impressed.
>



Sounds like his best bet is to give the B&D away to an undeserving friend,
and buy himself a decent coffee machine!!



--
Peter Lucas
Hobart
Tasmania


A good friend would drive 30 miles at 2:00 am to bail you out of jail.
A best friend, however, would be sitting in the cell next to you saying
"Man, that was f******n Awesome!"

On Dec 20, 7:52*pm, Theodore Edward Stosterone
> wrote:
> 'k.... *It's just the wife and I and our 12-cup machine cratered. *We
> buy whole bean coffee from a variety of sources, and it's always been
> OK-Good.
>
> We bought a cheap Black and Decker "6 cup" (read 3-cup) coffee machine
> (kinda' like you see in hotels). *We grind the beans like we used to,
> use the same water, same... yadda yadda yadda.
>
> It made a couple "pots" OK. *But lately, the result has been AWFUL...
> bitter, blecky, undrinkable.
>
> Any help?
>
> TIA,

Those smaller coffee makers make crappy coffee, period. Just get
yourself a 12-cup Mr. Coffee, the plain one. They are $12 or $14
bucks at Target.

On Dec 20, 11:44*pm, projectile vomit chick
> wrote:
> On Dec 20, 7:52*pm, Theodore Edward Stosterone
>
> > wrote:
> > 'k.... *It's just the wife and I and our 12-cup machine cratered. *We
> > buy whole bean coffee from a variety of sources, and it's always been
> > OK-Good.
>
> > We bought a cheap Black and Decker "6 cup" (read 3-cup) coffee machine
> > (kinda' like you see in hotels). *We grind the beans like we used to,
> > use the same water, same... yadda yadda yadda.
>
> > It made a couple "pots" OK. *But lately, the result has been AWFUL...
> > bitter, blecky, undrinkable.
>
> > Any help?
>
> > TIA,
>
> Those smaller coffee makers make crappy coffee, period. *Just get
> yourself a 12-cup Mr. Coffee, the plain one. *They are $12 or $14
> bucks at Target.

i disagree, I used a 4 cup Mr Coffee from Target for years. I never
had a problem with it.

In article
>,
none of your business > wrote:


> i disagree, I used a 4 cup Mr Coffee from Target for years. I never
> had a problem with it.

We used to have one of those little babies. It was OK when we got up,
threw down a cup of coffee, and then left for work. But you really only
get two decent mugs out of a pot that small, so now it just isn't enough.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

Another thing that helps even the cheapest drip machines make decent
coffee is to preheat the water to 100 deg. F or a little more, e.g.,
using a microwave oven.

My wife and I buy around 20 cheap 10- or 12-cup coffee makers each
year when we travel. We buy them at the nearest drug store, and leave
them behind in the hotel when we depart.

By making sure they use conical filters (*not* flat-bottom baskets, a
la Mr. Coffee), using our own ground coffee, and pre-heating bottled
water, we always have excellent morning coffee.

-- Larry

On 2010-12-21, > wrote:
>
> Another thing that helps even the cheapest drip machines make decent
> coffee is to preheat the water to 100 deg. F or a little more, e.g.,
> using a microwave oven.
>
> My wife and I buy around 20 cheap 10- or 12-cup coffee makers each
> year when we travel. We buy them at the nearest drug store, and leave
> them behind in the hotel when we depart.

Excuse me while I retrieve my jaw from off the floor.....

On Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:14:44 -0800 (PST), none of your business
> wrote:

>On Dec 20, 11:44*pm, projectile vomit chick
> wrote:
>> On Dec 20, 7:52*pm, Theodore Edward Stosterone
>>
>> > wrote:
>> > 'k.... *It's just the wife and I and our 12-cup machine cratered. *We
>> > buy whole bean coffee from a variety of sources, and it's always been
>> > OK-Good.
>>
>> > We bought a cheap Black and Decker "6 cup" (read 3-cup) coffee machine
>> > (kinda' like you see in hotels). *We grind the beans like we used to,
>> > use the same water, same... yadda yadda yadda.
>>
>> > It made a couple "pots" OK. *But lately, the result has been AWFUL...
>> > bitter, blecky, undrinkable.
>>
>> > Any help?
>>
>> > TIA,
>>
>> Those smaller coffee makers make crappy coffee, period. *Just get
>> yourself a 12-cup Mr. Coffee, the plain one. *They are $12 or $14
>> bucks at Target.
>
>i disagree, I used a 4 cup Mr Coffee from Target for years. I never
>had a problem with it.

Everyone is different, there truly is no accounting for taste. However
the most critical element in coffee brewing, even more than the
coffee, is the water. The OP is using the same coffee in the same
machine that previously produced satisfactory brew, could be using
bottled/filtered water and simply got a bad one... the water is the
only thing that could have changed... even slightly lower brew water
temperature wouldn't make lousy enough coffee to write about, and one
would readily notice if their coffee was suddenly brewing cooler with
their first cup. And we don't know how the OP drinks their java, if
with dairy could easily be milk about to turn. The cup may not be
clean, could have traces of detergent... there really is no way to
come to any conclusion, not with the limited info offered... all
anyone can offer is wild speculation.

On Dec 21, 10:27*am, notbob > wrote:
> On 2010-12-21, > wrote:
>
>
>
> > Another thing that helps even the cheapest drip machines make decent
> > coffee is to preheat the water to 100 deg. F or a little more, e.g.,
> > using a microwave oven.
>
> > My wife and I buy around 20 cheap 10- or 12-cup coffee makers each
> > year when we travel. We buy them at the nearest drug store, and leave
> > them behind in the hotel when we depart.
>
> Excuse me while I retrieve my jaw from off the floor.....

Now that's just strange. Why not just buy one and take it with you. Do
you think the hotel really wants your used coffee pot?

Thanks for the replies.

It IS a B&D. THe water temp going in was 70 F.
The water in the carafe is only 188 F.

THat's probalby the problemo.

-TES

On 12/21/2010 12:27 PM, notbob wrote:
> On 2010-12-21, > wrote:
>>
>> Another thing that helps even the cheapest drip machines make decent
>> coffee is to preheat the water to 100 deg. F or a little more, e.g.,
>> using a microwave oven.
>>
>> My wife and I buy around 20 cheap 10- or 12-cup coffee makers each
>> year when we travel. We buy them at the nearest drug store, and leave
>> them behind in the hotel when we depart.
>
> Excuse me while I retrieve my jaw from off the floor.....

We stay in cheap motels. They always have a coffee maker.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On 2010-12-22, pure kona > wrote:
>
> You have to start with good beans......

A simple concept that seems to elude way too many ppl in this group.
Good beans, the right water temp, and all you need is a simple drip
mechanism. One can buy a Melitta 1 cup cofffee cone for under $5 in
any supermarket. Produces coffee as good as any mega-$$$ machine you
care to waste your money on.

(morons who buy 10-12 coffee machines per year, take note!)

nb

On 12/21/2010 7:47 PM, notbob wrote:
> On 2010-12-22, pure > wrote:
>>
>> You have to start with good beans......
>
> A simple concept that seems to elude way too many ppl in this group.
> Good beans, the right water temp, and all you need is a simple drip
> mechanism. One can buy a Melitta 1 cup cofffee cone for under $5 in
> any supermarket. Produces coffee as good as any mega-$$$ machine you
> care to waste your money on.
(snip)

It always amazes me how expensive 'coffee' is when a 'cuppa' is
purchased at a 'cafe' and/or restaurant, especially from those 'quick
kiosks' now so conveniently located in many places where there's
frequent pedestrian traffic, even inside buildings! For example, the
price for a cup of mocha in my neck-of-the-woods is around US$3.50++ for
a very small cup. The cost is even more for a truly generous serving,
upwards of US$4.50+!


The cost to make a really great-tasting "mug"* (per day) of mocha at
home has to be considerably less than that paid for counter-prices at
any commercial cafe kiosk?! How the math work outs I'm not sure, but
the price-per-mug-of-mocha has to be greatly less than paying the 'cafe
kiosk' prices! Price mark-ups always astonish me, I suppose :/

OK, the Ghirardelli "Premium Hot Cocoa" (Double Chocolate) is US$5.79
per 16oz/454g container, as purchased the other day ago at a local
grocery store. This container lasts for a good 30-days, give or take
+/- 3-days. 2%-milk is used ($2.29/gal. the other day at Aldi),
half-mug per 'cuppa'. The heavy cream used isn't much either per
serving, but I 'spose a quart (less than US$3/quart at Sam's Club) lasts
a good three weeks, if not longer since cream has other uses, too.

I'll prepare a 3-plus-shot serving of espresso, which usually equals a
little less than a 1/2-mug for the "cuppa' mocha I make -- about 1/8-cup
of coffee grounds to about 3- to 4-espresso shots of water (about a
1/2-mug of water, plus a little more) to the espresso maker (DeLonghi).

On the side, heat a little less than a 1/2-mug-full of 2%-milk with
2-tsps of sugar in a microwave-oven on high for about 55-65 seconds
(depends on the microwave!) until milk is hot and just starts to get
steamy - don't let it boil!!!! Add a generous 1-TBS-plus of Ghirardelli
hot cocoa powder to the hot milk in the mug and stir briskly until
melted & blended.

Then, add the just-made espresso to the hot chocolate until the mug is
nearly full. If desired, leave a little of room in the mug to top it
off with a bit of some heavy cream and then some whipped cream on top
That cherry-on-top is optional, however <G>!

I figure the cost of my home-made mocha is much less than US$0.70/mug if
even that (??), but the math is a bit beyond me ;> It just tastes so
darned good and much better!! Only on a rare occasion will I spend the
money at a cafe' for a mocha Besides, the stuff I make at home is
tastier!!

Sky

* mug is very large coffee cup

P.S. The "DeLonghi" espresso maker used is an inexpensive item and
makes 'strong' coffee.

--

Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice!!

Sky > wrote in news:8ndcfgF3vvU1
@mid.individual.net:

> I figure the cost of my home-made mocha is much less than US$0.70/mug if
> even that (??), but the math is a bit beyond me ;> It just tastes so
> darned good and much better!! Only on a rare occasion will I spend the
> money at a cafe' for a mocha Besides, the stuff I make at home is
> tastier!!



Well, on the strength of a mocha-chino I made for a visiting 'honcho' from
head office today, we've had a 2 day course that was going to be held on the
other side of town shifted to our workplace :-)

Seems my mocha-chino's are pretty damn good..... the course honcho asked me
for the recipe, what coffee I used, the grind setting etc, etc :-)



--
Peter Lucas
Hobart
Tasmania


A good friend would drive 30 miles at 2:00 am to bail you out of jail.
A best friend, however, would be sitting in the cell next to you saying
"Man, that was f******n Awesome!"

On Dec 21, 11:51*am, Dan Abel > wrote:
> In article
> >,
> *none of your business > wrote:
>
> > i disagree, I used a 4 cup Mr Coffee from Target for years. I never
> > had a problem with it.
>
> We used to have one of those little babies. *It was OK when we got up,
> threw down a cup of coffee, and then left for work. *But you really only
> get two decent mugs out of a pot that small, so now it just isn't enough.
>
> --
> Dan Abel
> Petaluma, California USA
>

True, but if you're just needing to fill a travel mug to bring with
you on the way to work, it's perfect.
though I decided to get a new 12 cup pot and it works just as well to
make 4 cups as 12 cups.