Cafe At Home – How To Equip Your Kitchen With The Best Coffee Makers

Taxidermy and felines aren’t the hot topics they were before, but when people were getting stuffed cats, the taxidermist could have used all sorts of methods to get their pelts off. Similarly, there’s more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to kitchen coffee makers. But first, you’ve got to know what sort of coffee you like.

Are you into something from a French Press? Are you interested in some sort of Keurig derivative? What about espresso; are you on the market for a handheld espresso machine? Stovetop options exist as well, then there’s AeroPress, coffee bags, vacuum or siphon pot methods, percolators, manual pour-over options, and machine pour-over devices.

You can look at some popular home-made coffee preparation methods here. Different methods will give the brew a different taste. Caffeine content can shift, too. Going the cold brew route will produce a beverage that tastes smoother and has more caffeine. That being said, traditional brewing methods of the grind-and-brew variety are still the most popular.

So first, when equipping your kitchen, figure out what sort of coffee you prefer. For some people, it’s more about getting that caffeine hit in as quick and uncomplicated a way as possible. For others, it’s about taste. Still others seek to maximize certain elements of the brews they prefer. Figure out where you’re at, then start looking into machines.

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The Most Popular Method

Here, we’ll examine the most popular coffee-preparation method, the “grind-and-brew”. Basically, coffee grounds are often purchased from the grocery store, and then put into a filter through which hot water drips. The resulting brew is collected in a pot, and it can be of any size in proper balance against the grounds used.

A lot of people like to grind their own beans rather than purchase pre-ground coffee. This increases flavor and freshness, and the process of grinding has an invigorating quality that’s collaterally effective at helping you wake up in the morning. The thing is, many coffee makers don’t come with grinders built in, so you’ve got to purchase a separate device.

A trend that’s totally revitalizing coffee preparation is machines that come with such grinders built-in. You can eliminate a step in the prep process while keeping high-quality taste and freshness. Sometimes doing this will actually save money, too. If you buy devices separately, you’ll generally have to pay more. Also, you’ll need an additional power outlet.

It makes sense to look at a bunch of different coffee makers of the grind and brew variety to help you find the best possible units for your kitchen. Certain websites will collect multiple devices in one place to make the process easier for customers. For example, Coffee Or Bust lists some of the best grind and brew coffee maker options on the market in one place.

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Make A Habit Out Of Doing Things Right

Do you know how you always stay “on the ball”? You do things right, and make a habit out of it. Once things become routine, difficulty ebbs, and your body goes into a sort of autopilot mode. When the process is as simple as pouring in the beans and hitting the button, that even frees up time. But you do want to be regular.

Many kitchen devices don’t get used because they aren’t made part of their owner’s regular routine. With coffee makers, that’s going to be easier than with some other preparation devices.

Lastly, be sure you get the right beans. If you’re using the best machine in the world to prepare nasty beans, your coffee will never taste right. So in brief: know what you like, get the right machine, get the right beans, and be habitual about making your coffee. Such action will equip you and your kitchen with the coffee you like most.

Source: MyFriendsCoffee

5 Advantages of LED Track Lighting In Your Home

Track lights have traditionally been used to highlight art or other noteworthy heirlooms. However, in recent years, they’ve become more integrated into the average American home. When used in conjunction with LED lighting, they offer the consumer a contemporary, energy-efficient choice for lighting newer homes.

To save some money on purchasing costs, consult with an LED manufacturer and retailer directly to get deals on larger bulk purchases. This is the ideal way to go if you have a large renovation project on the horizon.

Read on to learn the advantages of installing LED track lighting in your home!

1. Energy Efficiency
This is the main reason people choose LED lights nowadays. They are energy efficient, not only because all of the lights are connected in one sequence, but also because they require less energy and emit less heat than traditional incandescent light bulbs.

This can save you 70% to 80% on your electric bill compared to other types of lighting, making them popular for businesses that want to cut costs and homeowners who want to slash their electric bill.

2. Many Style Options
Track lights allow for a great variety of design options. They can be arranged to fit the style of every room in your home. Consider this - you can slide the lights over by the Christmas tree or menorah to highlight holiday decorations in the winter, then by springtime, slide them back to showcase new art.

Each lamp and every bulb can be customized for your needs. You can mix and match different colors and styles if you want. The choices are limitless!

Keep in mind that with some track lighting systems, you can’t have certain lights on the track turned off while others are on. They will all either be on or off in this case. Though, you should be able to find track lights that can be dimmed to make up for this.

3. Save on Space and Electricity Costs
Installing individual lights throughout a room can take up a lot of space and require a lot of wiring, especially if they’re installed in the ceiling. Track lights are all installed along one track that’s outside of the ceiling and walls, and connecting them to power is simple.

This will save you time, money, and space while providing you with plenty of light in the places you need it.

4. Add Task-Specific Lighting to Different Rooms
Since you can put different lamps along the track, you can have lower-hanging lights in one area of your kitchen, including a central island, and higher lights throughout the rest of the kitchen. You can swivel the lights toward your workspace as needed, or shine them on a kitchen countertop when rolling dough or chopping veggies.

You’re only limited by the length of the track, and you can get tracks in many different shapes to fit your needs. You can even install a track with two circuits so that you can control the central lights and outer lights separately.

5. Highlight What’s Important
Want to show off your collection of art or important certificates or degrees? Track lighting can also function as spotlighting for art or display pieces. They are a great option for highlighting anything from a priceless family heirloom to your kid’s kindergarten artwork.

Get Busy!
Whether you’re looking to add some directed light to an already lit room or using track lights as your main source of light in a kitchen or bathroom, track lights will get the job done efficiently and easily. They’re great for someone who can’t settle on one design for their house because they allow for changes so easily, and they free up valuable power outlet and ceiling space.

If you are remodeling your home electrical system and want to move from recessed or drop ceiling lighting to track lighting, it is best to consult with a local electrician to discover your best options. Once they’re properly installed, you can adjust them however you like to fit your needs.

Paired with other types of lights, track lights can help to fill in any gaps that might be missing, and they give you light where and when you need it. Even better, they help the environment when paired with LED bulbs and help your wallet.

Jennifer Bell is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast and avid beachgoer operating out of Southern New Jersey.