Traditional Coffee Brewed vs Machine Brewed, What’s the Difference?

If you’re looking for a delicious, fresh, and hot cup of coffee at home, you need to know about the two most common ways of brewing coffee. Namely, brewing from a coffee maker and making it on the stove.


This article will detail what’s involved in each process so you can choose which is best for your needs.

Similarities in Brewing Coffee Through a Coffee Maker Versus a Stove

First, let’s examine the similarities between the two processes. The two processes may be more similar than you think.

Similarity #1: Grinding the Beans

When making coffee by either method, you typically have to grind your beans. Before you can use your freshly opened bag of beans, you have to grind them. You can use a blade grinder or a burr grinder. The latter will ensure that the surface area exposed by the bean is consistent and more even across all the specks of coffee grounds.

Similarity #2: Coalescing and Extracting

The two processes have the same goal. The goal is to create a complex mixture of hot water and soluble coffee oils broken down into smaller, more easily digested undertones and aromas.

Similarity #3: A Filter Is Required

For both processes, a filter is required to separate the coffee grounds from the final product. It’s different depending on what you choose, but either way, a filter will separate your grounds from your coffee.

Similarity #4: Making Sure All Parts Are Clean

This method is essential for coffee machines and stovetop boiling utensils as well. Making sure this process is done correctly requires good hygiene and regular cleaning. In the long run, it’ll save you time and money if you invest in proper cleaning equipment to ensure a properly cleaned machine at all times.

Differences in Brewing Coffee Through a Coffee Maker Versus a Stove

Now that we know about the similarities between coffee brewing methods, it’s time to get into the details of how the two approaches differ.


Difference #1: Coffee machines brew a certain amount of coffee at a time, which might not seem like a big deal to some homebrewers who are just getting started. However, it’s important to note that commercial coffee makers can be set to force-brew, ensuring that you’ll never have to run out of coffee on short notice.


Difference #2: The most obvious difference is how much control you have when making your coffee with a coffee maker machine. You can program the time it takes for the water to boil, dispense it into the system, and ensure plenty of water going through the grounds. In contrast, when making coffee on a stove, you have to do everything by yourself.


Difference #3: Commercial coffee makers come with permanent or disposable filters, while home brewers use either one of the two.


Difference #4: The speed at which you can brew your coffee is another significant difference between commercial coffee makers and homebrewers. A commercial coffee maker can brew a fresh pot within a minute, while making your own requires anywhere from five to fifteen minutes if you’re brewing on a stove.


Difference #5: The taste of the final product is also affected by how it was brewed. The taste of coffee comes from its volatile oils, which you can attribute to specific components in the beans. Boiling water will remove most of the volatile oils present in the beans, which takes more than a minute. The faster you boil water, the more volatile oils are destroyed.


Difference #6: There is great potential for adverse reactions when making coffee on a stove. Usually, most folks don’t have the luxury of a fully enclosed brewer or an insulated pot in a stovetop situation.

Making Coffee With Commercial Coffee Makers

The process of making coffee with commercial coffee makers is relatively simple. You’ll have to load your filter with the coffee grounds first, then fill the water up to a certain level. Then, you wait for the water to boil and let it dispense into the coffee maker. After that’s done, you wait for the coffee maker to drip out any extra water and then remove your freshly brewed cup of coffee from its container.


This process makes the coffee differ in taste and look. Different commercial coffee makers have different methods of doing this. Let’s take a deeper look into how commercial coffee makers work below:

Espresso Machines:

The process of making coffee with espresso machines is very different from that of a standard pot. Espresso machines can make only one cup at a time, but that’s all they need to do.


This type of coffee maker makes coffee by forcing pressurized water through finely-ground beans. Let us tell you, the taste is well worth it. It’s also the most expensive type of coffee maker you can buy. The process of making coffee using an espresso machine is very simple. You’ll have to put the beans in the filter, then fill it up with plenty of water.


Then you’ll have to place a cup underneath the machine that will catch all the dripping water when it has finished brewing your coffee. Most espresso machines are manual, so you’ll have to check on them frequently to make sure they’re working correctly.


The tamping tool is required to ensure that each coffee bean is pressed into the filter. This tool is important because the extraction ratio of the beans to water is different depending on how much you tamp it down.


Many espresso machines come with a timer as well, which is excellent if you like to make coffee at a particular time every day. Espresso machines also come with fancy features such as milk frothing, specialty drinks, oils, and syrups, among other things.


A milk frother jug is used to make milk foam for various kinds of coffee. These can be shaken by hand, but automatic frothers are available as well. Professionals use steamers to create perfect froth for their customers with ease. Most people use it with their espresso machine, which affects the taste the most.


The taste of the coffee produced by espresso machines is very flavorful, as the heat does not lose the oils and aromas of the coffee beans. So, if you’re willing to spend a lot of money on a machine that can make you only one cup of coffee at a time, this may be the right choice for you instead of your usual homebrewing.

Pour-Over Coffee Makers:

Pour-over coffee makers are among the most popular types of commercial coffee makers. They’re easy to use, and you can make great coffee with them. The process is simple. You’ll have to put the water and the grounds in the carafe, then let it sit for about one minute before pouring it over a filter into your cup.


Pour-over machines also come with all types of features, such as timers, so you can set when you want your fresh cup of coffee brewed and ready. Most pour-over machines are designed for small to medium-sized cups, so you can’t use them for large vessels.


There isn’t much to say about the process of making coffee with a pour-over machine. You’ll have to watch how the water is being boiled, and once it starts flowing into the carafe, you’ll have to keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t leak.


Famous pour-over coffee makers tend to have glass carafes, which have their benefits. Because the walls are transparent, you can quickly check how much water it has left for a more extended period. In addition, the carafe is easy to clean since it’s made out of glass, so you don’t have to worry about all that coffee-related mess.


A burr grinder is typically used to grind coffee beans before they reach the filter. Pour-over coffee makers are known for their very long waiting time, which is why it’s a must to have a burr grinder if you decide to use this. Grinding fresh coffee beans will increase the quality of your coffee.


The process of making coffee with a pour-over machine is what makes the difference between good coffee and great ones. You’ll have to pay attention to your pouring speed as well as your water pressure when boiling it. Such aspects tend to be noticed in home brewing.

Steeping Machines:

These are among the most innovative types of commercial coffee makers. Steeping machines take your regular drip coffee maker and elevate it into the twenty-first century, where you can control how your coffee turns out to be. You’ll have to load the coffee grounds into the machine, then sit back and relax as it does the rest.


The process of making coffee with a steep machine is also straightforward. The water will run through a filter over your ground beans. No control over how strong or weak your cup of coffee will be, though, as steeping machines are all-in-one devices that will handle everything from grinding beans to steeping them and even delivering them to you.


On top of all that, you can make it the same way you always do with your drip coffee maker. Most people use these for entertaining guests and relatives that come over. The advantage of using a steeping machine over other types is that it can make any ground coffee you want. This advantage means that you have the freedom to experiment with all sorts of beans and still be able to make your favorite coffee the way you like it.


You’ll have to spend some time adjusting the timer before you start making coffee, but once you’re done, there’s no need to worry about anything as steeping machines are designed to do everything for you. The process of making coffee with a steeping machine also takes quite a while, so make sure to set it up before you start using your regular drip coffeemaker.


Steeping machines tend to produce strong coffee. If you like to drink yours with milk or sugar, we suggest that you use fewer grounds when placing them into the machine. If you use too much, the coffee will be way too strong, and it won’t taste anything like what you’re used to.

Double Boiler Coffee Makers

These are still among the most popular types of commercial coffee makers. Double boilers are designed to make coffee so that you’ll never have to worry about making a cup of coffee for yourself again.


The process of making coffee with a double boiler is very simple. Pour some water into the vessel, then place it in the microwave. After a minute, your brew will be ready on your table. There is no need to wear any oven mitts or gloves when using this since we’re talking about microwave ovens.


If you decide to use a double boiler coffee machine, you’ll need to make sure that your bucket or pot is completely dry. Otherwise, you’ll burn the ground beans due to the high temperatures.


Double boiler machines aren’t for everyone. Even though they’re very simple and easy to use, they’re not as convenient as other commercial coffee makers, like drip machines.


It’s important to set the timer before putting your water and beans in the pot. This way, you’ll know when to take it out from the microwave, which should be done after a minute in approximate increments of 5 minutes each. A good rule of thumb is to count how many seconds you feel the steam coming from the water.


If you’re using whole beans rather than ground coffee, make sure that they are fresh because they tend to taste fresher when used immediately after grinding; this will also help you achieve your coffee’s excellent strength and temperature.


Double-boiler coffee machines are straightforward to use. The process of making coffee with one is so simple that you may even be able to learn how to do it without reading a manual. The only thing that you’ll have to pay attention to is proper cleaning of this type of coffee maker because the filters can be filthy after a while and fill up with water.

Satellite Coffee Brewers

These are among the most modern types of commercial coffee makers. With satellite coffee brewers, you’ll have all the latest features you could only dream about when making your coffee at home.


Satellite coffee brewers come in different sizes and serve other purposes. There’s no single one that fits all people, and most of them are pretty much designed to make certain types of coffee.


These machines can be connected to your TV and work similarly to a coffee maker. They have a decent assortment of features, but if you’re looking for more or less advanced features, some go beyond this.


Satellite coffee brewers can produce cups in no time. Most have an automatic shut-off timer that ensures that you don’t burn the coffee or waste your beverage. Just turn it on, wait for the light to turn green, indicating it’s ready and then pour some coffee into your mug.


The process of making coffee with a satellite coffee brewer is very simple. If you’re using a machine, place your cup underneath it and press a button. That’s it. The device will do everything for you, from grinding your beans to making coffee.


Some of these coffee brewers have a digital counter that reminds you when it’s time to empty the coffee maker. This reminder is handy if you forget about it or want to make sure that there are enough grounds and water in the device to preserve the flavor of your beverage.


The resulting taste of coffee made with satellite coffeemakers is very similar to what you’d get when making it yourself. Except, you can change the setting with the help of several different features to customize the taste. They may cost some money if you’re living on a tight budget, but their main drawback is that they’re not exactly easy to clean.


Satellite coffee brewers allow you to make absolutely any type of coffee, including those that require espresso, without even having to learn how to use a manual drip coffee maker or other kinds of appliances.

Making Coffee With Homebrew Coffee Makers

A stovetop coffee maker is one of the simplest to use. Homebrew coffee makers consist of various coffee brewers that you can use in the comfort of your own home with ease. No need to worry about buying coffee beans or specialty equipment, as a stovetop coffee maker is all you need to make delicious coffee in your kitchen.


Here are some of the various homebrew coffee makers you can buy today:

Stovetop Espresso Brewing/Moka Pot

The Moka pot is a stovetop coffee maker that can make both espresso and regular coffee. This type of coffee maker is probably the most common one in existence, mainly due to its ease of use. You can use it to make various types of coffee, depending on what kind you are brewing.


If you are looking for something more sophisticated but still don’t want to spend too much money, another option would be the stovetop espresso maker or an espresso machine. An espresso maker is a device that brings convenience into your kitchen and allows you to make quality espresso without ever having to leave your house.


Espresso machines are compatible with pre-ground and ground coffee. They are designed in a way that makes it possible for you to brew rich, delicious espresso with ease, even in places where you don’t have an electric socket or running water.


A stovetop coffee maker is very easy to use. It doesn’t take much time and effort to learn how to use one. Before buying, please read the instructions to know how to clean it and learn the general rules of making coffee. In most cases, you’ll have to fill it up with water just under the minimum line on the side of your pot. The ratio between coffee grounds and water is usually two tablespoons for every 6 ounces of liquid.


You’ll know that you need to add more water when you start hearing gurgling noises coming from your stovetop coffee maker or if your beverage starts overflowing in the wake of boiling. On the other hand, if the water hasn’t reached this level, you probably need to add more coffee grounds.
Always make sure that you wait until all the steam and water have escaped before opening the pot or letting it cool off. You should also make sure that your stovetop coffee maker has not become too hot to touch.


If you’re using a stovetop coffee pot without any filtration system, ensure that you clean it out thoroughly each time you use it. You can use this coffee brewer to make a variety of different kinds of coffee. You can make espresso, Americano, long blacks or lattes with ease.


The taste and aroma of the beverage get mixed when you make it with a stovetop coffee pot since the coffee pot is used while it’s still hot.

Vacuum Pot

Siphon coffee makers can also be called vacuum coffee makers, and they are usually used to make coffee similar to how it is made with a French press. This type of coffee maker uses a vacuum siphon as its central element. It may look old-fashioned, but it’s a great appliance that can produce quality coffee with ease and speed.


This device requires hot water to heat the bottom half of the pot, and then this hot water is cooled down by placing it on top of ice or in some other cool place. The coffee grounds added to this pot float to the top and mix with the grounds.


As soon as you pour out your cup of coffee, more hot water goes through it from underneath, making sure that all the grounds are soaked well and come out well when you press a filter on top.


Some vacuum coffee makers have a special filter that keeps the coffee grounds floating all over your cup. The filter has a basket in which you can place it to take up less space than other types of filters.


Vacuum coffee makers usually come with a carafe that prevents the grounds from spilling out of the pot when you pour it out. You can also filter your coffee with this pot if you want to or leave it like it is.


The taste you get from a vacuum pot is full and rich. This taste is because the filter leaves minimal sediment in your cup. You can even use it to brew tea, though you’ll have to modify the brewing time if you don’t like your tea too strong.

Conclusion

Making good coffee at home is easier than you might think. All it takes to make great-tasting coffee at home is a little bit of time and effort. You don’t have to spend much money unless you want to take a route that requires more specialized equipment, such as French press coffee makers, espresso machines or vacuum pot brewers.


Commercial coffee makers produce the kind of coffee that you would expect from a coffee shop. Homebrewing can be pretty delectable as well.


The taste in each method varies depending on the process. The difference between commercially produced coffee and coffee produced at home on a stove is minimal. If you are a coffee connoisseur like me and are looking to make coffee for yourself or your family, you will not find a better product than what is made at home.