The Bodum Santos Stovetop Vacuum Coffee Maker

Well you have two real choices if you don't want to go for a stovetop type of coffee maker, instead you can use a French press or an assortment of electric coffee machines. I guess the choice is really based on how much you are going to use them, and how much hassle you want to go through for your cuppa.

A French press gives you more control over the process, you pop in boiling water and coffee grinds, let it brew for as long as you want, then press the plunger down which separates the grinds from the water and you have your coffee ready to go. You can get little ones for daily use or you can get larger ones for dinner parties. It isn't as much fun to watch as the Bodum Santos, but it is easier to use.

But you might find it tiresome to babysit a French press if you are having regular cups of coffee, in which case a machine might be better for you. With most of these then you just pop in ground coffee to the top, make sure it has water and a filter, then press a button or two and you get anywhere from 1 - 12 cups of coffee made for you.

There is a lot of choice when it comes to electric coffee machines, the cheaper ones tend to have less options to tweak the brewing process but are simpler, the more expensive ones have more options and more complexity. Although you can get 'pod' type machines like the Keurig where the coffee and the filter comes in a little pod and you just open the top, pop that in and brew your coffee, then you take it out and throw it away, that saves a lot of the mess you get when you have to clean the grinds out of some of the other machines.

Have a think about what I said above and see how often you really want to use your coffee maker, then you'll know which one you should choose.

Coffee has become a staple of the world as well as American life. It gives you that extra jolt needed to get through a busy and hectic day. However, many of us do not realize that there is a complex process involved before that fresh cup of brew gets to your cup.

Coffee is only grown in one United States state, Hawaii. Therefore, almost all of the coffee you drink is harvested and grown in other countries around the world ranging from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Tropic of Cancer, also known as the "Bean Belt". This brings up a very good question. How does coffee transported from halfway around the world reach us in such a fresh and tasty form?

There is normally one coffee harvest per year. North of the equator, the harvest often takes place between September and March. However, south of the equator prime picking time is between April and May. Coffee is usually picked by hand. When first grown, coffee looks similar and is referred to as a cherry that encases the coffee bean. The picker usually picks all of the cherries off of the plant, or selectively chooses the cherries that are ready to be harvested.

Once the cherries are picked, they must be immediately processed to keep their integrity. They can be processed through a dry or wet method. Next, the dried beans are shipped and stored in bags made of jute, sisal, or are placed in large freight containers. At this stage, the beans are referred to as green coffee.

Once shipped, the beans are heated in large drums and roasted. After this, the beans are placed into a cooling tray and some are ground for use in a home coffee pot. The beans or grinds are now ready to be sent to various destinations for purchase. However, freshness needs to be maintained in order for coffee to have the right aroma and flavor.

In order to secure freshness, the beans or grinds are kept away from light, heat, and moisture. Oxygen increases the deterioration rate of the bean. Therefore, roasted beans or grinds are placed into an airtight container and kept in a cool, dry place. Many of these containers have a smaller lining that ensures freshness. In addition, the coffee is not stored on shelves for more than 2 weeks if it is in the bean form, and possibly only a few days for grinds.

Coffee harvesting, picking and roasting is considered an art by many. There are many steps involved in bringing that perfect fresh cup of joe to your home or favorite coffee shop!