From: RobertB 

In article , "Geo."
 wrote:

> "RobertB"  wrote in message
> news:missinglink-44A16F.16350829012007{at}news.barkto.com...
>
> >> I gotta ask, why a coffee press? What does it do different from just a
> >> drip
> >> coffee maker?
>
> > First, a conventional drip (unless you mean the Melitta filter thing)
> > pot overheats the coffee. You have to boil it and then it keeps flowing
> > down and up until the desired strength. Not good. You should never boil
> > coffee. The Melitta filters are OK (I've used 'em) but it's very
> > difficult to get coffee to the strength I prefer no matter how much
> > coffee you use (and you have to use a lot). I prefer coffee that's
> > darker and richer, slightly more viscous even, than what you can get
> > with a drip. A press allows me to do that. I can very the amount of
> > coffee at will and you can get a strong, but unburnt, cup without too
> > much trouble. You have to let the coffee stand on the lees for a few
> > minutes before you plunge it though.
>
> Drip coffee maker is the thing with the paper filter, boiling water drips
> onto the grinds in the filter one time. Most have a setting to make stronger
> coffee, usually done by making the filter hold water for a while before it
> being allowed to drip into the pot. I think the one you described where it
> boils is called a percolator here. I haven't seen one of those in years.

Yeah, percolator is what I was thinking of. My parents and grandparents
used one for years. My dad managed to turn coffee into mud quite
frequently. I've used the drip method with a Melitta caraffe and filters
but I find the coffee to be far too weak for my taste.

>
> With the drip coffee maker you regulate the strength and oil content of the
> coffee with the fineness of the grind, more fine means stronger with a
> higher oil content, less fine and you get less oil but strength can be
> regulated by drip rate.

I've tried it with fine coffee and you can increase the strength -- but
only a little. With the press you can get a more viscous brew, one that
approximates expresso (but will never be expresso, of course). If you want
weaker coffee, simply use a coarser grind.

>
> Press sounds like you could get more out of less coffee, I may have to try
> that.

If you do, look for one of the Bodum presses.

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