September 29 is National Coffee Day in the US, an informal holiday that celebrates the beloved caffeinated beverage.
To get an idea of how to make the best brew at home, Business Insider consulted the CEO of FIKA, Lars Akerlund. With 17 locations around Manhattan, FIKA is one of the New York’s fastest growing coffee chains.
Akerlund says he uses a Technivorm Moccamaster in his own home. In his opinion, it’s the best coffee maker on the market.
The Moccamaster has mastered the brew cycle, Akerlund says, because the machine keeps the water temperature and brewing time incredibly consistent.
Most machines make a mediocre brew for two reasons: They can't keep the water at a uniform temperature and the brew cycle is either too short or too long. This means that, even with the most expensive coffee grounds, they can't extract the full flavor from the beans.
The Moccamaster, on the other hand, uses a highly-conducive copper lining to boil the water in seconds. The water stays at 200 degrees, and comes out of a shower head-like device that sprinkles it over the whole basket of coffee grounds. That maximizes the flavor from all of the grounds so you get the most value out of the beans.
Before the machine drips the coffee into the pot, it also keeps the liquid in the basket for 30 seconds, which immediately and uniformly extracts the beans' flavor.
Akerlund is not the only fan of the Moccamaster. America's Test Kitchen, an organization that rates recipes and appliances, dubbed the Moccamaster "the best automatic drip coffee maker." On Amazon, over 420 users have given it an average of 4.4 out of 5 stars.
The 10-cup machine is handmade in the Netherlands and comes in a variety of models. The higher-priced ones feature thermal carafes (rather than glass), which keep your coffee even hotter. You can buy them in silver or black from Amazon or Technivorm's site.
Ranging from $269 to $365 depending on the model, the Moccamaster isn't for the casual coffee drinker. But Akerlund swears it's worth it.