Coffee & Espresso

I drink iced coffee all year, not just in summer. But iced coffee made from hot-brewed coffee that sat in the fridge always tastes a little sad: a little bitter, a little flat, like the coffee equivalent of reheated pizza. Cold brew fixes that. Steeping coarse grounds in cold water for 12 to 24 hours pulls out the sweet, chocolatey flavors and leaves most of the acid behind. The result is a concentrate smooth enough to drink black and strong enough to survive a glass of milk. ...

I spent years assuming good microfoam required an espresso machine with a proper steam wand. Then I tried a $30 handheld frother and realized I was wrong. Not all of it was great, but the gap between a cheap frother and good one is smaller than the gap between a cheap espresso machine and a good one. If you drink lattes at home and don’t own a machine with a prosumer steam wand, a standalone milk frother will make a bigger difference to your coffee than upgrading your machine. ...

Pod coffee makers split the room. Some people love the convenience. Others think they are wasteful and expensive compared to brewing fresh grounds. Both sides have a case. But if you want one cup at a time without grinding beans, weighing doses, and cleaning a portafilter, a single-serve machine makes sense. We tested 6 pod coffee makers: three Keurig models (the K-Mini Plus, K-Elite, and K-Cafe), two Nespresso models (the Vertuo Next and the Original-line Pixie), and one universal-compatible machine (the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew). We tested each machine for brew temperature, extraction time, crema production (where applicable), cost per pod, and overall convenience. ...

Let’s be realistic about what $500 buys in the espresso world. Not a La Marzocco. Not dual boilers or PID temperature control you can program from your phone. What it gets you, if you pick the right machine, is genuinely good espresso — thick crema, proper extraction, steam that doesn’t taste like hot foam. But the sub-$500 category is littered with machines that look the part and perform terribly. We tested the most popular models to separate the ones worth your money from the shelf queens. ...