So I’m in Lowes for some project materials and I pass by their appliance section. I need a new coffee maker as my $19.99 Mr. Coffee from Target isn’t getting the caffeine elixir hot enough anymore. I check out their array of coffee makers. I shouldn’t be, but I’m shocked at how many of them are the same plastic pieces of crap, just with varying degrees of unnecessary features.

One has a built-in grinder. One has a charcoal filter to make the water taste better. After the charcoal filter runs out, you can buy a new filter. Several of them are embedded with extra digital functions, clocks, alarms, one will start making coffee at a pre-set time. One coffee-maker has a function that cuts off the drip so you can pour coffee while it’s being made. These various add-ons justify prices of $20-$60 more than the entry-level Mr. Coffee.

There’s a reason hobos make coffee in a sock. It’s not that hard. You heat the water, you pass it through grinds, and sieve it into a receptacle.

I didn’t buy any. Instead, I may toss the Mr. Tepid Coffee and try out the french press that’s been languishing in the cupboard. I’ll know by the boiling water on the stove that the water is hot and ready to be poured in, no circuit boards required.

UPDATE: I have tried the french press, a Bodum. The french press really releases the natural aroma and flavors of the coffee. Delicious.

I have also learned that you don’t need nearly as much grinds in the french press as you do the Mr. Coffee, which is why I have 6 posts done by 9:30 and my intestinal tract has, shall we say, been put through proverbial wringer this morning.

(Photo: thefuturistics)

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