Sure, there would be this or that cafe that gives great espresso. Unfortunately, it is difficult to get that experience back home when entertaining your guests.

Hey folks, this term "best coffee maker" is difficult to define. Let me give you an example, if you are used to drinking coffee from a single serve coffee maker then suddenly someone comes along and rave about how good bunn drip coffee maker can brew good coffee, would the bunn be the best coffee maker?

So, am I right to say that for the single coffee drinker, they would have their own best and similarly for the drip coffee drinker. The thing is, it is a matter of perspective and things would get even more complicated when you bring in more variables.

As the world gets more connected and subsequently smaller, we know that there are millions of people all over the world that enjoys coffee. (Fact: Coffee remains the second most traded commodity even with the changes in eating and drinking pattern)

But, the way that they enjoy the beverage is very different. For example, in the west, we all know that coffee is best taken neat. Whereas in South East Asia, people likes to drink their coffee with sweeten condensed milk. Then, somewhere in North ASia, Mongolia, the folks drink their coffee with salt.

Now, how would the benchmark for best coffee be to these 3 groups of folks? To make it even more complicated, not all them are using Bunn, Tassimo or even the very sleek francisfrancis. In fact, a large part of the coffee drinkers have never used a coffee maker before.

Surprising fact huh? What you saw in this picture beside is how folks in South East Asia makes their coffee, they call this "coffee tarik" or pull coffee, the finished product would have froth similar to a cappuccino but it is not 1/3 espresso, 1/3 milk, 1/3 froth. For this coffee tarik, it is simply, coffee with sweetened condensed milk.

Again, you would have note that while coffee is a very enjoyed beverage, the way they brew it, the way it is enjoyed is very different around the world. However, one thing remains constant -people loves coffee, which can only meant that there is a best coffee to all of them.

And, that is what we are going to find out! This is never a lens about which coffee maker makes better coffee, however, it should be how to find that great coffee.

In fact, after reading this wall of word, you might like to check out a site with some great stories about people that have their best coffee from vending machines, side way stalls coffee and even coffee brewed from coffee socks.

You see folks, coffee on its own is just a drink similar to any other beverage to keep you perk up. However, the essence to enjoying things remains the same -it has to be shared.

The best coffee comes from a great coffee moment and no one person can create a moment, so if you are always looking for the best coffee or a great coffee, round up your love ones, head to your favorite coffee shop, chat on something and that folks, might be the best coffee you ever have...

Just some more blurring about coffee makers. Since I am consider sort of an expert in coffee, people come to me for "caffeine" matters. It ranges from how to make a good coffee to when their child should be drinking coffee.

And I can safely say that at any of this sort of Q&A, they bound to be a guy that asked me opinions on the best coffee maker.

Sure, everyone is interested to get a coffee maker that is the greatest and hopefully the most cost effective, however, I must say that the search would always be on going.

As technology improves, there would be better coffee maker coming out, so if your focus is on getting that best coffee machine, you probably would not reach that goal.

This coffee has been the staple coffee for at least 3 generations of folks in Singapore, the Chinese, the malays and the indians all drink from it.

Many of these folks cannot go through a day if they are without this coffee. Sounds like a great coffee right?

Well, it doesn't come from any great coffee machines or great baristas, just your usual uncles or aunties that brew this great coffee...

So, maybe it is time to quit thinking about how to find that best coffee maker and maybe just enjoyed the coffee moment?

Come on, please do not tell me that nobody has ever thought about this -we could run out of coffee!

In the first place, who have ever thought that we would run short on rice? Now, with escalating price, everyone is producing rice.

Then, there are the many farmers that are already farming alternative fuels due to high oil prices.

So, what if the coffee folks decided to plant either of this, and the coffee crops get lesser. They might not be a total no coffee situation.

It might be worse, paying best coffee pricing for sub-standard coffee! Can anyone of you imagine paying Kopi Lupwak coffee pricing for a indonesian robusta?

Well, that might happen and looking at the over consumption that we are having, it might happen very soon...

Have you ever thought about how many types of espresso makers are there? The truth is there are too many...

Recently, I saw an article that break it down simply and logically. There are 2 categories and 5 main types of espresso makers.

The 2 categories are those using electricity and those that do not.

Non electrical
In this category, there are 2 main types, the moka pots and the neapolitan brewers. Both brewers uses stove fire and according to the writer, these are the only 2 that do not uses electricity.

Electrical espresso maker

Then of course, there are all other espresso maker that uses electricity. The 3 main types are the

a. Piston espresso maker -the most famous of this is the La Pavoni espresso machine. You need lots of biceps power to get a good brew

b. Steam power -coffee lovers usually shun this espresso maker as they feels that the pressure given by the steam is not enough and does not do a good espresso.

This espresso machine is cheaper in terms of cost than the pump espresso machines.

c. Pump Espresso maker -this is where you get your automatic, super automatic espresso machines. With a pump driven motor, these espresso machine produces good pressure to extract the coffee essence and is also strong enough to froth milk for the many milk based gourmet coffees.

Check out the link below for more information about espresso maker

After reading this lens, some folks asked me if I know about the vending machines business and whether it is a good side income, if it would still be profitable.

The answer is this, if you are doing it alone or with a few friends, yes, it would still be making you a good income if the location and negotiation is done correctly.

However, if you asked any big companies, i.e. Coke or Atlas vending, they would tell you that this is segment of business that is bleeding them dry!

Why would that be the case right? If, they are enjoying better cost savings, how can a more efficient model under a bigger company be losing money.

This is my personally thought: Well, there are many executives that are sitting around and attending meetings to "grow the business".

Whereas, for the small companies, everyone is working hard, no one is sitting around! So, there you have it, vending machines still make money unless you are in the big companies, which any case, they are paying you money to attend meetings, so not too bad on that huh!

Have you heard about coffee pods? If you are into coffee and loves your coffee, then you would probably have heard of single serve coffee makers, and the "bullets" that are supposed to be used on it.

These coffee pods are superbly simple to use. All you need to do is to add in the coffee pods, press a button and then enjoy a cup of fresh coffee.

While coffee pods have been used as a generic name, that used to meant coffee pods, t-disc and k-cups, coffee pods actually meant e.s.e pods.

They are the first generation single serve coffee makers' coffee "bullets" and are given the name coffee pods.

This coffee is good totally because of the single serve coffee makers and its coffee pods, so here is a technology that affects the coffee...