Coffee Break: A Look Into the World of Coffeemakers

A good cup of joe signifies the start of a new day, a well-deserved break, the end of a great meal, and so much more. Coffee is most definitely an important component in many cultures. With that comes an abundance of different types of coffeemakers. If you've ever been curious about the functionality of these different brewers, you've come to the right place. Click through to learn about coffeemakers in every shape and size.

An electric coffeemaker takes a reservoir of water, heats it, and filters it through ground coffee through a paper filter; the coffee trickles out into a large warmed pot. These systems are great at making large quantities of coffee and keeping them warm. Many can even grind beans and be set on a timer, making your morning coffee not only fresh, but convenient. But if you're sensitive to the taste of paper filters, or if counter space is limited, it may not be the coffeemaker for you.

Pour-over drip coffee is quite trendy these days. It's a simple system: all you do is set a cone like this traditional porcelain version on top of your coffeepot or cup, fit a paper filter in it, spoon in your ground coffee, and pour hot water slowly over the grinds. It's a great option for those who live alone and prefer a less complicated single-serve system.

If you feel that paper filters are the worst thing that ever happened to coffee, then perhaps a French press is a good option for you. This simple yet undeniably romantic system simply requires hot water and ground coffee. No paper filters and no electricity needed. Spoon the coffee into the press and pour in hot water. Give it a stir and, when you're ready to drink, press the built-in mesh filter down to separate the grounds from the coffee.

At first glance, I found Chemex's glass coffeemaker confusing. Though it's a lovely contraption, its claims to use chemically correct methods for brewing were a bit intimidating. Turns out, though, that it's a relatively simple stand-up coffee system that employs special filter paper (which keeps out any impurities). The thick glass doesn't absorb any coffee or impart its own strange flavor. It's portable, durable, straightforward, and elegant. Its only drawback seems to be the $80 price tag.

I used a stove-top espresso maker for years. I felt so cultured each time I'd spoon in the ground coffee and hear the coffee spurting and bubbling. To use one of these, you fill the bottom container with water, spoon coffee or espresso into the container, screw on the top, and set it on the burner of a stove. A pressurizing process causes the water to move through the coffee and into the upper compartment where it's ready to be served. You have to have a watchful eye and be careful not to let your coffee burn.

With this single-cup system, prepackaged pods of coffee are popped into the system, you select your preferred size, press a button, and voilà. A reservoir of water is heated and filtered through the pod. It's fast, convenient, and very easy to clean up.

For a stronger cup of coffee, there is nothing like a Turkish coffeepot. These small copper pots are designed to heat finely ground coffee and water together. The coffee is actually cooked over a stove, giving it a unique and strong flavor. There are precise methods as to how one should prepare a proper cup of Turkish coffee. It takes practice and experimentation to learn to properly use one of these, but once you get it down, you will be known for your ability to make a rich cup of joe.

The vacuum coffeemaker, also known as a siphon coffeemaker, is similar to the Italian stove-top espresso maker. It's set over a stove burner and pressure forces water from the lower chamber into the upper chamber containing the ground coffee. The difference is, it's made of glass, and after it is removed from heat, the coffee filters back down through a filter into the bottom chamber where it is ready to be served. The chambers are also microwave-safe, making reheating a lot easier.