I'm switching from Keurig ro conventional and I was hoping someone could recommend a coffee pot to me. Do you think it matters if I purchase a used coffee pot at a thrift store or do you think the quality of the coffee will suffer for it? If I bought new, do you know of a good one? Should I buy basic or invest in something a little more expensive? I don't want to spend money on a coffee maker that will fail in a short period of time, so any recommendations are appreciated.
Sometimes the coffee makers at thrift stores are there because they don't work. You're taking a gamble on a machine that might or might not work. You can buy a lower priced coffee maker or go for a higher end one with cool features. On the low end, this Mr. Coffee was highly rated on Amazon and costs $20.Log In On the higher end, you have the Zojurushi Zutto (zutto means always in Japanese). The Zutto has a cone filter, a removable water reservoir that you can fill at the sink and is a well designed piece of technology, but it costs $70. Log In Either one of these would be better than wasting money on expensive single serve coffee pods.
I've always been happy with Cuisinart coffee makers, though I would avoid the one with the grinder built into it and recommend that you get a separate Cuisinart Burr Mill Grinder. It does make a noticeable difference in the coffee. Their coffee pots also come with a charcoal water filter that you're supposed to replace every month or so, but I leave that out since my water is already filtered. They're a little on the pricier side, but if you look for them around they holidays they usually drop the price on them by quite a bit. For a less expensive route, you might also want to consider an electric percolator. I think Farberware makes one. The coffee comes out really rich in it, and it's easy to keep clean. Plus there's no need for paper filters with it.
I own an early version of the Cuisinart DGB-500 Grind & Brew Auto 12 Cup, and I absolutely love it. I can be a coffee snob, and when a guy like me gets a chance to try to authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain whole beans, the grind and brew feature is very nice. I can just as easily brew my Folgers, even in a 1-4 cup mode, and the machine is super easy to clean. I paid well over $100 on mine several years ago, but you can get the same thing now for around $75. If you are a serious coffee drinker, I would definitely give this one a look.
Just curious - why are you switching from the Keurig? I use the Keurig and it's honestly the most used appliance in my kitchen, next to my slow cooker (and not counting pots and pans, of course). I use it for everything and have a variety of k-cups (coffee, apple cider, iced tea). But, I also have the My K-Cup, so I can use my own coffee - I have to admit that k-cups are a bit expensive sometimes. I also use the hot water regularly.
