Coffee, Tea and Me» RT Cunningham

Buying a New Coffee Maker – the Search is Over

RT Cunningham — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:09:35 +0000

Back in April, I lamented the lack of coffee makers in the city where I live. It turns out I may or may not have been wrong, depending on a single factor. How's that for being ambiguous? I and the wife looked through the appliance stores in the city, but we didn't look anywhere at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. We actually did look, but it was before a lot of things were built or reorganized.

Royal Subic, SM Olongapo and the Ayala Mall at Subic

Either early this year, or last year (I don't remember – sue me, I'm old), the Royal Subic store was completely renovated. The interior was remodeled and confused everyone as to where everything was until they got themselves organized. The wife and I had checked what they had available as far as appliances were concerned and they didn't have much.

We knew they were moving in large plasma and LCD TV's but every time we shopped, we ignored everything else they were adding to that section of the store. A couple of days ago, while I was waiting for a different store to open (and the Royal Subic was already open for the day), I and a relative spent about 20 minutes inside the store, just looking and killing time. It was then that I noticed the GE refrigerators, and electronic section and a small appliances section.

In the appliance section, I spotted three different coffee makers, each of them automatic drip, ranging in price from about 700 pesos (about $16) to 4000 pesos (about $93). I didn't take a good, hard look at them because I didn't have the money on me to buy anything there. One was a Phillips brand, that I remember and it was the most expensive.

Even if I had not found those particular coffee makers, time is on my side. The SM Olongapo mall will be finished this month and I'm sure they would carry them. Even so, if they didn't, the new Ayala mall near the gate at Subic would and it's supposed to be finished early next year.

Still Missing

As I mentioned once before, I still need other items and one of those items is a new iced tea maker. I am sick of doing it the old-fashioned way, with a saucepan on the stove.

There are still other appliances that I need, but along with the iced tea maker, they'll be arriving whenever the cargo box from my son in Phoenix arrives – I don't even think it's been sent yet.

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The Cuisinart DCC-1100 Coffeemaker

RT Cunningham — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 05:29:58 +0000

The Cuisinart DCC-1100 coffee maker is has a little more red on it than I care for, but red is what the wife likes so I have to consider it. It's an older model than the Cuisinart DCC-1150 Coffee Maker I virtually reviewed almost two years ago, but it holds 12 cups vs. 10 cups. The 1150 only comes in black or white, but this one comes in only red. Of course, that may be because, as I'm writing this, there are only six of them left at Amazon.

Features

Fully automatic coffeemaker with 24-hour programmability
12-cup carafe with ergonomic handle, dripless spout, and knuckle guard
1 to 4 cup setting; brew pause; self cleaning; 60-second reset
Gold-tone coffee filter and charcoal water filter ensure great-tasting coffee
Measures approximately 8 by 8 by 14-1/4 inches; 3-year limited warranty

The only confusing part above is the 1 to 4-cup setting. Does this mean it only brews 1-4 cups, but holds up to 12 cups in the carafe? Since I have to order my coffee maker, I'm going to pass on this one just for that reason. My questions have to be answered before I place an order.

Non-Features

Other than the features that come in higher-end coffee makers, this particular model comes with everything a normal person would know to want. There's nothing I could add to it myself.

Pricing and Availability

As I mentioned earlier, only six of these are left at Amazon. It sells for $79.99, unless you find one in Walmart or something, where you'll probably find it cheaper.

Amazon Reviews

It seems the design quirks are what detract from this model. The permanent filter won't stand up by itself, so the coffee grounds have to be added while the filter is in the machine. There are ways around that, of course, like propping it up against something or by using filling a paper filter and using that to fill the permanent filter.

Condensation inside the machine seems to be an issue with some people, but not me. Because of the relatively high humidity in the Philippines, there's condensation on just about anything during temperature changes – all the time.

Other than these minor quirks, it seems to be a good machine all-around. If you can find one at a local store, you'll have a better idea of what it's capable of – don't expect to get it through Amazon.

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Red Coffee Makers

RT Cunningham — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 03:56:39 +0000

I don't know how she did it, but my wife weaseled the facts about red coffee makers at Amazon out of me. It had to be a Jedi mind trick or something. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Actually, I think she cheated and read my article on the Hamilton Beach 43253 Ensemble 12-cup Coffeemaker (and she's not supposed to know this website exists). Ah well, I guess I should never underestimate the power of women and gossip in small groups.

Red Coffee Makers at Amazon

I'm afraid, no matter what I want, I will end up ordering a red coffee maker of some kind or another from Amazon. That is, if I want to sleep in the same bed as my wife.

I brought up the Amazon website and did a search for "red coffee maker" and lo and behold, there are many to choose from. I'm going to list all the 12-cup automatic drip coffee makers that fit within my price range and nothing else, and in the order displayed to me:

Hamilton Beach 43253 Ensemble 12-Cup Coffeemaker with Glass Carafe, Red
Cuisinart DCC-1200MR Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Metallic Red
Mr. Coffee SKX26 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Red (that's an ugly red)
Mr. Coffee EJX36 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Stainless Steel
Mr. Coffee TFX26 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Red
Cuisinart DCC-1100R 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Red
43603 Brewer by Hamilton Beach
Mr. Coffee FTX49 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Black/Red
Kalorik 12-c. Metallic Programmable Coffee Maker, Red.
Betty Crocker Appliances BR-736U 12-Cup Red Coffeemaker (that's an ugly red)
Better Chef 12-Cup Coffee Maker, Red (that's an ugly red)
Red Metallic Programmable Twelve Cup Coffee Maker (I think it's the same as the Kalorik above)

I specifically ignored the 8-cup, 10-cup and even the 14-cup coffee makers. 10 cups at a time is not enough and 14 cups is too much, at least in my opinion. Since I'm the one buying, it's my opinion that counts.

Ugly Red Coffee Makers

If I'm going to give in to my wife's desires, and order a red coffee maker, it can't be a shade of red that makes me want to gag. The small, lead-in image at the upper left of this article is an example of a color that makes me want to give up my lunch in the worst kind of way.

I'll be examining all of the red coffee makers I've listed, regardless of the puke factor. As I write about them, I'll link to them in the list above. As of right now, as I write this, I have already examined one (virtually, of course) and I've linked to my article on it. If you want to know more than what I write, you can go to Amazon and look for yourself.

I do more than just look at the pictures, the specifications and the price. I also read all the reviews. I don't have much time either. The wife wants to get a cargo box shipped in December (2011) to arrive here (the Philippines) within three months of that date. I'll do my best.

After I'm Done

Did I say done? It seems like I'm never done with anything and dealing with coffee makers is no exception. I'm supposed to look for permanent coffee filters and which coffee makers they're compatible with. It would really suck if I can't find one that works with the coffee maker I finally select.

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Hamilton Beach 43253 Ensemble 12-Cup Coffeemaker

RT Cunningham — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:25:05 +0000

If I buy this red coffee maker, it will only be because I'm trying to please the wife. You see, she has this thing about the color red. If she had her way, everything we own would be one shade of red or another. We had a 1990 Toyota Corolla once and, as you can probably guess, it was red. Fortunately, I don't make my purchasing decisions based on color alone. There has to be something else that compels me to make my selection. Nevertheless, when I spotted the Hamilton Beach 43253 Ensemble 12-Cup Coffeemaker on Amazon, I just had to take a look and read the reviews.

Features

The features seem as if they should apply to just about any decent coffee maker, with minor exceptions like exact size and such:

12-cup coffeemaker with user-friendly control panel and digital display
Programmable clock/timer for "wake-up" coffee; brew-pause function
Glass carafe with stay-cool handle, measuring marks, and drip-free pour spout
Nonstick hot plate; 2-hour automatic shut-off for safety; easy-to-clean removable parts
Measures approximately 11 by 8 by 14 inches; 1-year limited warranty

Non-Features

This is a relatively inexpensive automatic drip coffee maker and as such, some of the features the higher-priced models include just aren't there. You get what you pay for, and this coffee maker is no exception.

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I really don't need a removable water tank, bean grinder or cup warming plate. On the other hand, there aren't any strength settings either, something I've come to expect in any coffee maker I buy. I don't care about the timer, but it seems like every coffee maker beyond the ultra-cheap has it installed.

Pricing and Availability

If it's on Amazon, I'm sure it's available all over the place, including the local Walmart store (if you're in the US, that is). I can't buy this locally with our lack of coffee makers and I'm not sure I would want to.

The coffee maker sells for $41.99 (on up) on Amazon and I don't know what your local prices may be. Even if I buy it, I would have it shipped by a relative in the US who sends me a couple of cargo boxes each year.

Amazon Reviews

I didn't notice it until I read the review, but the top of the carafe doesn't leave room for more than 12 cups if you overfill the water tank. I suppose it's not a big deal, but a person could be in for a surprise if he or she isn't paying attention.

Other than that, I didn't really read anything bad about this coffee maker. The only recommendation I noted was that a permanent coffee filter was recommended because they work well with it.

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It's Time to Get a New Iced Tea Maker and other Appliances

RT Cunningham — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:13:52 +0000

I need a new iced tea maker because a few weeks ago, my local electric company did something stupid and overloaded the 110v line coming into my house. The end result is that everything using 110v (that was plugged in at the time) no longer works. I know how to make iced tea the old-fashioned way, so it's more of an inconvenience than anything else. Still, it burns my butt that I have to replace appliances due to the actions of stupid people. I would sue those clowns, but it would probably cost me more in the long run than just replacing everything I need replaced.

A New Iced Tea Maker

I still have the burned out Hamilton Beach Iced Tea Maker. I'll probably toss the machine while saving the decanter (or pitcher, if you prefer that term) once I get a replacement. They're not sold locally, so I have to rely on my wife to send a new one (she's in the United States until she decides she's had enough of our son's family) and it may or may not be the same brand.

It really doesn't matter which brand of ice tea maker I use, as long as it isn't more complicated than doing the saucepan routine with the teabags.

A New Coffee Maker

Luckily, I didn't own one when everything got fried. It was one of those "wait for the opportunity" kind of things because the only brand I found locally wasn't very good. I would prefer a locally made coffee maker with 220 voltage because then I wouldn't have to unplug it all the time when not in use.

I'm okay with instant coffee – I really don't have much of a choice until my wife or my son decide to send me something that's a lot better than what I can find here.

Other Appliances

An old TV, which used either 110v or 220v was plugged into the 110v line. It was my other son's TV (the one that lives with me) that he bought in 2005. It was a CRT, so it needed to be replaced anyway. He's using my 19" LCD TV temporarily – I never watch TV anyway.

My rice cooker, made in Japan, was purchased in the US, so it ran on 110v. Yep, it got fried too. I've temporarily replaced it with a local brand, but that rice cooker sucks. It burns the rice if I leave it plugged in. I need my wife to send another one because neither of us is going to be hunting for rice cookers outside of Olongapo.

I'm sure other appliances got fried, but I can't think of any right now. I have brain freeze.

Anyway… I'll be sure to mention what I get when I get it. I shouldn't complain about anything at all, though, because it's not like I'm working for living anymore. I have all the time in the world, or so it seems.

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Sweet Tea Southern Fried Chicken

RT Cunningham — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 03:42:59 +0000

If there's anything I like better than the beverages of coffee and tea, it's the food that's prepared with either of them. Now, rather than try to convince you that I know anything about cooking more than the average household food, here's a video from SmashMouthonTV:

Sweet Tea Southern Fried Chicken

SmashMouth on TV

Finding the SmashMouthonTV channel on YouTube was pretty easy after Allyn Hane shared the information about SmashMouth TV. Allyn is a pretty familiar face, being the popular video blogger at Blogger Illustrated (never mind the fact that he's whacked nearly all of the content there due to… umm… discontent, I think).

Anyway, I think Allyn is doing all of the videos for SmashMouthonTV himself – probably in return for a frequent feast. Heck, I'd do it too if I knew anything at all about doing videos (and I don't care to learn, really).

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Iced Coffee Recipes

RT Cunningham — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 13:21:03 +0000

A friend of mine sent me these iced coffee recipes. If you like them, you should check out Cathy's website, The Frazzled Homemaker, as well as her Keurig B40 review. I haven't had a chance to try either one yet, but it's definitely going to happen. Here we go:

A Low Fat Iced Coffee

This recipe only has 84 calories per serving. Cathy drinks this when she's tying to lose weight but still wants her iced coffee.

1 cup low fat chocolate milk
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules or 1/4 cup strong black coffee
1 cup ice cubes (about 9)
2 tablespoons fat free whipped topping

Add milk, coffee or coffee granules & ice cubes to blender.
Blend on high until mixture is smooth and frothy.
Fill up 2 glasses with the coffee mixture and top with 1 tablespoon whipped cream.

Very Rich Iced Coffee

Cathy sometimes serves this when I'm entertaining and her guests always rave about it.

Caramel Topping (the kind used for ice cream sundaes)
Chocolate Fudge Topping (also used on ice cream)
1 cup Cool Strong Coffee
Milk, if desired
Icecubes
Whipped Cream
Shaved Chocolate or Cocoa Powder, if desired

In a blender, mix a heaping tablespoon each of the ice cream toppings, the cool coffee and ice cubes to fill the blender 3/4 full.
You can add a little milk too, if desired.
Blend until it has the consistency of a slushy.
Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cocoa powder or shaved chocolate, if desired.

My Pre-Consumption Recipe Review

I have to say that both recipes appear to be delicious, with the second one being devilishly so and guaranteed to add a pound or two to my waistline if I don't do something to work it off. Of course, the true test comes when I get a chance to actually make the drinks. I probably won't comment on the outcome and I probably don't have to.

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You know you Drink too much Coffee when…

RT Cunningham — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 07:59:02 +0000

I, like everyone else I know, tend to pick up phrases and other amusing things concerning practically anything. This then is a list of silliness regarding the act of drinking coffee. It's not original and I've weeded out the worst of the worst. Enjoy!

Silly Coffee Notes

You know you drink too much coffee when…

All your kids are named "Joe."
Instant coffee takes too long.
Juan Valdez named his donkey after you.
People can test their batteries in your ears.
People get dizzy just watching you.
People use your hands to blend their margaritas.
Starbucks owns the mortgage on your house.
The Taster's Choice couple wants to adopt you.
The nurse needs a scientific calculator to take your pulse.
The only time you stand still is during an earthquake.
When someone says. "How are you?", you say, "Good to the last drop."
You answer the door before people knock.
You buy milk by the barrel.
You can jump-start your car without cables.
You can outlast the Energizer bunny.
You can take a picture of yourself from ten feet away without using the timer.
You can type sixty words per minute… with your feet.
You can't even remember your second cup.
You channel surf faster without a remote.
You chew on other people's fingernails.
You don't get mad, you get steamed.
You don't need a hammer to pound in nails.
You don't sweat, you percolate.
You don't tan, you roast.
You don't wait for the water to boil anymore.
You forget to unwrap candy bars before eating them.
You get a speeding ticket even when you're parked.
You get drunk just so you can sober up.
You go to AA meetings just for the free coffee.
You go to sleep just so you can wake up and smell the coffee.
You grind your coffee beans in your mouth.
You have a bumper sticker that says: "Coffee drinkers are good in the sack."
You have a conniption fit over spilled milk.
You have a picture of your coffee mug on your coffee mug.
You have to watch videos in fast-forward.
You haven't blinked since the last lunar eclipse.
You help your dog chase its tail.
You introduce your spouse as your "Coffee mate."
You just completed another sweater and you don't know how to knit.
You lick your coffee pot clean.
You name your cats "Cream" and "Sugar."
You short out motion detectors.
You ski uphill.
You sleep with your eyes open.
You soak your dentures in coffee overnight.
You speed walk in your sleep.
You spend every vacation visiting "Maxwell House."
You think CPR stands for "Coffee Provides Resuscitation."
You think being called a "drip" is a compliment.
You walk twenty miles on your treadmill before you realize it's not plugged in.
You want to be cremated just so you can spend the rest of eternity in a coffee can.
You want to come back as a coffee mug in your next life.
You're offended when people use the word "brew" to mean beer.
You're so wired, you pick up FM radio.
You're the employee of the month at the local coffee house and you don't even work there.
You've built a miniature city out of little plastic stirrers.
You've built a miniature city out of little wooden stir sticks.
You've worn out the handle on your favorite mug.
You've worn out your third pair of athletic shoes this week.
You've worn the finish off your coffee table.
Your T-shirt says, "Decaffeinated coffee is the devil's coffee."
Your Thermos is on wheels.
Your eyes stay open when you sneeze.
Your first-aid kit contains two pints of coffee with an I.V. hookup.
Your life's goal IS to "amount to a hill of beans."
Your lips are permanently stuck in the sipping position.
Your lover uses soft lights, romantic music, and a glass of iced coffee to get you in the mood.
Your nervous twitch registers on the Richter scale.
Your only source of nutrition comes from "Sweet & Low."
Your taste buds are so numb you could drink your lava lamp.
Your three favorite things in life are… coffee before and coffee after.

Okay, some of those are just lame. Sue me!

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Drinking Hot Tea vs. Hot Coffee

RT Cunningham — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 19:29:09 +0000

One of the things I've noticed about myself lately is that I drink way too much coffee. It's not really a bad thing, in my opinion, because what I consider too much isn't what others might consider too much. I don't like cold coffee (iced coffee or anything like that) because then I drink more than when I drink hot coffee. Although I've cut down to under 10 cups of coffee in a 24-hour period, I have a different reason for saying it's too much. All types of coffee (whether flavored or not) are starting to taste the same to me.

Let's Try Hot Tea

I don't always drink hot coffee. By saying less than 10 cups a day, I'm leaving the actual number open to interpretation. I've been known to drink no coffee at all for days at a time, but when I do drink coffee, it tends to be 4 to 6 cups a day.

When it comes to iced tea, however, I only drink it when it's hot (when I've spent a lot of time outdoors) and that's only when I don't want to drink plain cold water. I never drink hot tea and I recently started wondering why.

In some places, people drink hot tea like I drink hot coffee. It can't be bad or they wouldn't be doing it. I'm going try to switch to drinking hot tea for about a month, instead of hot coffee, to see if I'll like it better. I'm not going to use instant tea; I'll be using tea bags and this is going to take some work since I'm not familiar with doing it by the cup.

Tea Varieties

Just like coffee, there are many varieties of tea. Of course, I'm talking about tea that comes from a tea plant, not some other concoction called tea.

I don't like flavored coffee and I don't like flavored tea. While I prefer the regular black tea, I'm not opposed to green tea or other versions.

I'm limited in what kinds of tea I can drink by the availability of what I can buy locally. Black tea and green tea varieties are in abundance while the others are not. I also have to be careful that it's not tainted with added flavoring that I don't like, like lemon (or raspberry or just about any fruit flavor). I don't mind cinnamon, but I don't like it like that very often.

Coffee or Tea instead of other Beverages

People may wonder why I talk about coffee and tea. Well, it's because I don't talk about other beverages. When it comes to expenses, even though coffee isn't that cheap anymore, it's still cheaper than a lot of other beverages.

I don't drink plain water, coffee or tea exclusively. I also drink fruit juices and on occasion, some kind of alcoholic beverage. My primary beverages, at least in the foreseeable future, are always going to be plain water, coffee and tea, so I'd be lying if I said otherwise.

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Hot Coffee in a Can?

RT Cunningham — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:48:51 +0000

I recently received an e-mail message from a visitor concerning "ready-to-drink" coffee and tea. I didn't know he was talking about self-heating cans. I thought he was talking about iced coffee, or cold coffee in a can. I plead ignorance – innovations like hot coffee in a can wouldn't appear as quickly in my neck of the woods, the Philippines, as they would in Australia or the United States.

Research – Cold Coffee in a Can

If you're familiar with the Starbucks Frappucino line, you're probably also familiar with other coffee brands in a can. I've been familiar with them since 1987, when I was stationed on Okinawa. In fact, the canned coffee brand I popped out of vending machines was UCC Coffee.

As you may have guessed, I wasn't impressed when I returned to the United States in 1988 and found iced coffee in the local supermarkets. It was already old hat to me. Even when the Starbucks coffee started appearing everywhere (in bottles), I was less than enthusiastic about it.

Research – Hot Coffee in a Can

Since I missed the big start of hot coffee in a can, I had to do some research and I didn't know where to start until my e-mail contact mentioned Hot-Can. It was interesting information, to say the least.

The idea isn't new. Self-heating containers have been around since before World War II. What's new is the technology behind it, which was only developed within the last decade. An eye-opening article, "Kitchen in a can for people on the go", explains it very well.

I didn't see any hot coffee in a can products before I moved away from the United States and I haven't seen any since arriving in the Philippines. This tells me that they're just barely taking off. Well, since Nestlé joined in, and Nestlé Philippines is a prominent company in the Philippines, I expect that I'll find these products somewhere soon, even if I have to look for them specifically.

Price Points

I don't know how much the hot coffee in a can sells for. Since I buy most of my food at the Royal Subic store at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, I expect the price to be comparable to the prices in the US, Australia and New Zealand since they import from those places (among others).

It wouldn't do me any good to find the prices online – they may or may not even be close to what I would pay here. Nevertheless, I'm interested in taste testing some hot canned coffee as soon as I can.

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