Top 5: Ron Eisenberg
The owner of Chef Central names his top five recommended coffee makers.
If you’ve resolved to cut back on your Starbucks habit in the New Year, read on. Wake up and smell the coffee in your own kitchen, as coffee connoisseur Ron Eisenberg, founder of “culinary superstore” Chef Central—with locations in Hartsdale and Paramus, New Jersey—spills the beans on his five favorite home-brewing systems.
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1) Double Wall Insulated 8-Cup French Press (Bodum) $99.99 While French-press brewing results in the most full-bodied flavor, as the coffee is in contact with the water for the longest period of time, says Eisenberg, the coffee produced this way usually doesn’t stay hot for very long after brewing. This model, he says, solves that problem with its unique double-wall insulated design. |
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2) Moccamaster KBG741 (Technivorm) $279.99 Made in Holland, this electric auto-drip machine brews coffee at a very hot 195° F to 200° F, which is, says Eisenberg, the optimal temperature according to coffee experts. Consistently rated highly by consumer and trade publications and coffee associations, it features a particularly long-lasting, high-quality copper boiling element. |
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3) The YouBrew (Breville) $279.99 From an innovative Australian company, this machine, with a built-in burr grinder for additional freshness, allows you to choose just how you want your coffee—either brewed into the insulated stainless-steel carafe or right into your cup or travel mug. The cup-at-a-time option, says Eisenberg, is a great way to grab a quick cup of joe on the go. |
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4) Lattissima Plus Capsule System (DeLonghi/Nespresso) $399.99 Eisenberg raves about the restaurant-quality cappuccinos and lattes this individual capsule machine delivers at the easy touch of one button. “Ever since I opened Chef Central thirteen years ago, my mother was asking me which espresso machine she should buy,” says Eisenberg. “Because they were always too complicated and finicky, I never let her get one—until this one was introduced.” Mom—and everyone she’s turned on to it—loves it, he adds. |
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5) ENA 9 One Touch (Jura) $1,600 This is the machine that Eisenberg has in his own kitchen and uses daily. A Swiss-made super-automatic beverage center that offers full grinding, tamping, brewing, and steaming capabilities, it delivers espresso, coffee, cappuccino, latte macchiato, and other specialty drinks at the touch of a button. “It’s great at parties for doing custom drinks for your friends and family,” he says. |
