MarkPrince Moderator Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 5,462 Location: Vancouver, BC Expertise: Professional
Espresso: KvdW Speedster Grinder: Compak K10 WBC Vac Pot: A bit too many Drip: Clive Coffee Drip Stand Roaster: Hario Glass Retro Roaster
Posted Mon Mar 29, 2004, 12:31pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
dagger Said:
Bringing this thread back on subject,
Thanks Mark for the on-the-road review of single serving brewers. A real world experience review - including I'm glad to see you survived the second one!
Since the price is right and the temps seem to be near ideal, is there any other way to modify these to eliminate the grounds overflow? Could the drip hole be drilled out a little bigger to improve flow (along with using Melitta #1 or #2 filters)? Any other ideas?
Finally, someone acknowledges my near death experience :) I was getting worried there for a second.
Well... I've given more thought to how to deal with it, and I don't know how much of a fix can be applied. using paper filters does increase the flow thru (the hole at the bottom of the filter holder is big enough, that's not the bottleneck - flow thru the filter itself is, plus the permanent filter is rigid and has less cubic space for the brewed coffee than if you used paper).
I thought perhaps a cloth filter might do well, but again, it's just like paper in terms of cubic space. The real solution would be for B&D to decrease the water flow, but I doubt that would happen.
MarkPrince Moderator Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 5,462 Location: Vancouver, BC Expertise: Professional
Espresso: KvdW Speedster Grinder: Compak K10 WBC Vac Pot: A bit too many Drip: Clive Coffee Drip Stand Roaster: Hario Glass Retro Roaster
Posted Mon Mar 29, 2004, 12:37pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
IBAWriter Said:
Mark...in the review you used the word "exasperating"...the former teacher in me believes you might have meant "exacerbating" as in...to intensify or make worse...other than that...a most useful review for many a traveler minus their French Press!...God, how I hate those hotel room Sunbeam (Hamilton beach, etc) mini drip disasters... Rob
MarkPrince Moderator Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 5,462 Location: Vancouver, BC Expertise: Professional
Espresso: KvdW Speedster Grinder: Compak K10 WBC Vac Pot: A bit too many Drip: Clive Coffee Drip Stand Roaster: Hario Glass Retro Roaster
Posted Mon Mar 29, 2004, 12:42pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
BTW, I've gotten emails (two of them) about the cup used in some of the photos.
It's from Bridgehead, probably my favorite cafe in Ottawa, and a 100% fair trade / organic coffee house with three (and soon four) locations. I only wish that they a) would start roasting their own beans instead of getting some Montreal firm to do it, and b) ditch the super auto and get some serious tools for crafting espresso (the drip coffee setup is excellent, and you can get press pot coffee in small or large sizes).
Posted Sun Apr 4, 2004, 8:06pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
Hey, all!
I have the black (taller) version of the two, but I got mine at Goodwill for somewhere around $3. It has actually replaced my Estro espresso machine at work, and works pretty well. Mine brews plenty warm, and with 2 heaping tablespoons of fresh-ground, recently roasted java, it will brew in about 4 - 5 minutes sans explosion. Maybe it's a difference between machines, but I have not used anything but the permanent filter, and have not had an overflow or grounds spillage issue. Just in case you're pondering buying one of these items, it does work pretty well.
However, I am considering replacing it with the infinitely cooler, albeit considerably more expensive, Bodum Mini Santos (electric). I think the Mini Santos is an impressive alternative, and brews something like 25 oz at a time. They call it a 5 cup brewer, but I'd say 25 oz would fit in two of my gigantic mugs or two average to-go mugs, which is actually more appealing to me. Not to mention the vacuum action, and I think the Bodum is made here in the good old US of A. . . does anyone know for sure?
moopheus Senior Member Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 13 Location: Brooklyn Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Krups Novo Grinder: Solis Maestro plus Drip: B&D cup-at-a-time
Posted Tue Apr 13, 2004, 12:59pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
I've had a Cup at a Time coffeemaker for about 10 years now--I first bought it to have on my desk at work, so I wouldn't have to drink the industrial stuff in the office. The one I have doesn't have its own filter or mug. It brews directly into a regular coffee mug using a #1 filter, which aren't that hard to find, though it's true they aren't sold everywhere. I don't have much problem with blooming, as I don't use quite 2.5 tbs of coffee for it; it took a little trial and error to find how much to put in without overflow. I still use it almost every day.
Posted Tue Apr 13, 2004, 3:46pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
JJ Said:
I also hate buying anything made in china, the only problem is that you cannot walk into a major retailer and find anything that is not made in china with slave or prison camp labor.
I'm sure I'm a bit of a "johnny come lately" on the off topic portions of this thread, but I just couldn't resist pointing out that prison labor is used more often in the US than most people are aware. In many cases the proceeds of this labor are not used to pay the prisoner, but to offset the costs of incarceration. In at least one case a factory that used to offer good paying manufacturing jobs was closed so that the products it produced could be moved to prisons (Lockhart Technologies). This is particularly disconcerting if you take into consideration that more and more corrections facilities are commercially operated.
So if you want to stay away from companies that use prison labor, you may want to include the following companies that use, or have used in the past, American prison labor.
So what's my point? To be honest, I don't know, but I will say is that we Americans can be some of the most hypocritical people on the face of the earth. I haven't changed my buying habits as they relate to China, and I won't say that I'm not going to buy anything from the companies I've listed above. I guess this is just food for thought, or as Rod Serling used to say "submitted for your approval...." (this is quite a Twilight Zone-esque twist, in a way).
Edit: It occurred to me that because I quoted JJ that it might be assumed that this post was directed at him. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It's not my intention to lump him in with the hypocritical Americans I rail about in this post. I found his comments, as well as Dana's, very insightful and I only referenced JJ's words because they were a catalyst to my own thoughts on this subject.
MarkPrince Moderator Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 5,462 Location: Vancouver, BC Expertise: Professional
Espresso: KvdW Speedster Grinder: Compak K10 WBC Vac Pot: A bit too many Drip: Clive Coffee Drip Stand Roaster: Hario Glass Retro Roaster
Posted Tue Apr 13, 2004, 5:24pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
I actually don't have much a problem with using prison labour in the US (or Canada for that matter... doesn't happen as far as I know, but I wish it did). The catch is, I'd like 100% of the funds to be used to actually do positive, proactive reform programs for the prisoners so they don't end up back in jail.
Also, one could argue there's a huge difference between political prisoners (China) and criminal prisoners. AND... one could even argue the US has its share of political prisoners (I know I have) but I won't get into those arguments here :)
Posted Tue Apr 13, 2004, 5:57pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
Mark - Excellent point about using the profits from prison labor for prisoner reform. In fact, in a couple of cases, the work that the prisoners do contributes to learning valuable job skills. In one case the prisoners are doing Computer Aided Drafting (CAD), and in another they are doing some useful data entry. In many cases they are doing mindless work (packing software in boxes for Microsoft) that has little market value that might promote their successful rehabilitation.
One vaguely disturbing issue is that America is rapidly turning over our corrections system to commercial industry. This industry's stock in trade is primarily drug addicts. There is a real potential for abuse of this "resource" to promote the profits of the commercial "corrections" industry. If we could count on the proceeds of this labor to rehabilitate these drug addicted criminals (Yes, they are criminals. No argument there.) then I agree that putting them to work is a good thing.
I appreciate your distinction between criminals and political prisoners. The difference is a huge one. Getting thrown in jail for committing a real crime is not the same as getting thrown in jail for disagreeing with your government.
I guess my point is that we (Americans) have a pretty "Polly-Anna" view about our own social conditions, especially as it relates to the judgment we pass on other nations and societies of the world.
Posted Wed Apr 21, 2004, 8:48am Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
el_cabong Said:
I'm sure I'm a bit of a "johnny come lately" on the off topic portions of this thread, but I just couldn't resist pointing out that prison labor is used more often in the US than most people are aware. In many cases the proceeds of this labor are not used to pay the prisoner, but to offset the costs of incarceration. In at least one case a factory that used to offer good paying manufacturing jobs was closed so that the products it produced could be moved to prisons (Lockhart Technologies). This is particularly disconcerting if you take into consideration that more and more corrections facilities are commercially operated.
So if you want to stay away from companies that use prison labor, you may want to include the following companies that use, or have used in the past, American prison labor.
So what's my point? To be honest, I don't know, but I will say is that we Americans can be some of the most hypocritical people on the face of the earth. I haven't changed my buying habits as they relate to China, and I won't say that I'm not going to buy anything from the companies I've listed above. I guess this is just food for thought, or as Rod Serling used to say "submitted for your approval...." (this is quite a Twilight Zone-esque twist, in a way).
Edit: It occurred to me that because I quoted JJ that it might be assumed that this post was directed at him. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It's not my intention to lump him in with the hypocritical Americans I rail about in this post. I found his comments, as well as Dana's, very insightful and I only referenced JJ's words because they were a catalyst to my own thoughts on this subject.
I know that alot of companies in the US are using prison labor and I also do not agree with this. Recently I heard on the news (can't remember where) that a company was using prisoners to do telemarketing, well a prisoner harrased a women while doing his job and misused her information. Do you really want prisoners doing our jobs? Having access to our personal information and addresses, credit card numbers, and so on. It doesn't bother the companies that just want your money and then to heck with you, but it sure bothers me! The next thing you know they will be teaching your kids since there is a teacher shortage or maybe taking care of your elderly parents since no one wants that job either. Wait there is a shortage of Doctors also maybe we can train them to operate on us!
Are there not enough honest hardworking people who are unemployed that need a job and would be willing to do alot of these jobs given a chance? I say there is.
I think it is time to wake up and put a stop to this insanity!!!
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