"I'm talking about a time that people under twenty can't know..." It was the time before... capsules and the third and fourth waves of specialty coffee. The time when the dominant coffee was the filter, a filter that slept all day on the hot plate built into a plastic coffee maker! And then, the wave of capsules and pods arrived, putting many filter coffee makers in the closet. The filter has never deserved its nickname of "sock juice"! In a country where espresso is the standard of quality, where crema is king, capsules offer an irresistible comparative advantage. So much so that in just a few years, they have succeeded in cleaning up the house for individuals and professionals. The younger generations are discovering the existence of these old filter coffee machines, like memories inherited from another time.
However, not all countries have experienced the same vindictiveness. Among our neighbors, far or near, the filter has remained and remains king. There, it is the pod manufacturers who have had to adapt so that the consumer can continue to drink long coffee or other filters.
Moreover, even among specialty coffee lovers, many early adopters and enthusiasts have sometimes quickly tired of the ad hoc preparation rituals which, although they fascinate them by their beauty and taste interest, are nonetheless very time-consuming. Indeed, the daily practice of almost all people is a coffee of pleasure and not of professionalism. So on weekends, maybe? But during the week, ergonomics prevails!
Does this mean we have to sacrifice quality and go back to the old days? The answer is no. Manufacturers in countries that are keen on filtering and often pioneers of specialty coffee say no. They don't want to let the train pass or to be left behind. They do not want to let the upmarket or specialty coffee train pass them by. Associations such as the SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) are launching certifications for domestic equipment and supporting manufacturers in their new requirements. The result is quite convincing, since brands such as Moccamaster, Bonavita, Wilfa or KitchenAid are raising filter coffee makers and equipment to a level never before achieved for domestic use.
KitchenAid responds to this new qualitative demand without losing the average customer. We will limit ourselves to the only coffee maker called "filter coffee brewer" which seems to us, for the time being, the most precise and the only one labelled by the European Coffee Brewing Center (SIC). Having, moreover, carried out a series of tests of the offers of competitors - Wilfa, Moccamaster, Bonavita in particular - this top-of-the-range but affordable model intrigued us.
KitchenAid among other manufacturers
This brand has an interesting positioning because it addresses both professionals and individuals; it has also made coffee its new hobbyhorse. Thus, several products have been or will be released under the Artisan range: the very surprising and convincing vacuum coffee maker, a fully integrated siphon coffee maker; the poorly named but efficient cold brew machine, a very happy coffee maker with integrated scale; a brand new espresso machine and finally a filter coffee maker with two levels of finish: the basic one called "simplified" and the expert one, which we have tested The only thing missing is the coffee itself to complete the KitchenAid offer!
A new generation filter coffee maker, finally!
There are many reasons for satisfaction. The design could perhaps use a little more lightness, but KitchenAid provides all the facilities for use: filling the water tank, emptying the coffee tank, cleaning, delayed start-up, automatic rinsing, simple and very didactic instructions, easy programming, readable screen. But all this only makes better coffee! To do this, KitchenAid has drawn on barista techniques: the water is heated continuously throughout the tank, and not just at the time of brewing; thermal stability is thus optimal, and in this respect the carafe is preheated to avoid any thermal shock and therefore cooling of the coffee. The temperature is set at 93°C, i.e. a temperature of around 90°C suitable for all coffees. The coffee basket containing the filter and the grind is easy to remove and to fill, but above all it closes in a very hermetic way. Thus, oxidation, the first danger of ground coffee, is limited even if the coffee remains in the coffee maker for a long time for a delayed extraction. This allows a real preservation of the aromas.
The erosion of the water on the coffee is also inspired by the baristas, since the distribution is done after a pre-infusion, by regular intermittence and by avoiding any submersion of the coffee. In order to avoid digging a central channel, the distribution is distributed as a shower head over the entire grind. It is a bit technical but it is one of the keys to a quality coffee that favors the expression of aromas. Finally, the volume of water diffused is adjustable thanks to a hidden knob. The result lives up to expectations as you get an ultra-aromatic, fine and flawless coffee. Moreover, if you prefer a fuller-bodied coffee, you can opt for the "very roasted coffee" button, which allows you to choose between two types of roasting - light or dark - and thus to choose two different extractions. It is the water distribution that changes.
An ideal coffee maker?
Almost, at least for the result in the cup, because the coffee is particularly aromatic. A success then and a rather happy future since this model seems to have been conceived as the best possible compromise today. As if KitchenAid was keeping some "under the foot" for a next series, notably with the water temperature control, the equipment of a washable metal filter or for the piston coffee maker, in addition to the scale, an integrated thermometer
