The Perfect Coffee Machine For Being Stuck At Home

Late last week, something tragic happened: Our coffeepot broke. Someone who shall remain nameless had the temerity (or, more accurately, maladroitness) to drop the pot, shattering it into a million tiny little pieces. I arose up that morning to the devastating news that, for the first time in as long as I can remember, there would be no coffee greeting my awakening.

This problem was not easily remedied. In the days immediately following the fiasco, one of the members of my household had to make a Starbucks run each morning. This solution may have stuck a Band-Aid on the issue, but it was clearly not economical in the long run. No, we needed a new coffeepot. But which one?

I’m not exactly sure who came up with the idea to eschew the traditional 12-cup Mr. Coffee machine you can buy at the Giant for $25. Still, someone did, and as a result, a 45-cup Hamilton Beach “coffee urn” arrived at our doorstep via Amazon Prime two days later. The thing was HUGE:

We’ve only been using the “coffee urn” for a few days now, but its advantages and disadvantages are quickly becoming clear. For one, the “formula” on how to make the coffee (i.e., the grounds to water ratio) is completely different from the typical drip coffee machine we were used to. Our first attempt at morning coffee was borderline undrinkable it was so weak. But we get a little bit closer to brewing the perfect cup on each attempt, and I’m optimistic that we can get there soon.

The coffee urn’s biggest selling point is that it stays hot all day, as long as you keep it plugged in. The quality of the coffee will not diminish as the day goes on, as in the case with joe made in your traditional coffeepot. This has proved quite the boon during quarantine, when you want just one cup for an after-lunch pick-me-up, but do not want to go through the hassle of brewing a whole new pot. The jury may still be out on if this is actually a better buy than what it replaced. But for just $49.99 there is no question it offers great value.