Intrigued by the Technivorm Moccamaster craze?
Automatic drip-filter machines are a mainstay of offices and cafes around the globe and keep millions of us caffeinated every day. They can also churn out amazing cups of coffee – one of the more popular among coffee buffs lately is the Moccamaster.
Given the interest in the machine we at The Coffee Bazaar thought we would take a closer look.
Moccamaster KBG 741 Filter Coffee Machine
There are very few bells and whistles here – no timer, no in-built grinder – but the Moccamaster looks great, is super simple to use, and most importantly, of course, makes consistently great coffee.
It’s not the cheapest machine of its type out there, but it’s a robust, great quality product that we’re pretty sure you’ll love.
Design
The Moccamaster has been produced in the Netherlands by Dutch outfit Technivorm since 1968. It was developed by Industrial Engineer Gerard C. Smit, who collaborated closely with coffee associations to develop a machine that maximises the flavour in each cup.
The machines are designed to keep water temperature and percolation at optimal levels for a well-extracted brew. The process starts when water from the reservoir is heated by a copper filter below to an optimal 92-94 degrees temperatures for brewing. Hot water is then sprayed over coffee grounds in the filter basket by the machines unique nine-holed water outlet that evenly spreads the water over the grounds before the coffee drips through into the collection jug below via a long filling tube which helps ensure a homogeneous coffee taste. The machine also features an intelligent hot plate which can be used to keep your coffee at a perfect temperature of 85 degrees in case you don’t want to drink it straight away.
The KBG model has nothing to do with Russia. The model features a glass collection jug which looks much better than separate versions sold with a stainless steel thermal jug. These might be more convenient for offices and cafes, where coffee will most likely not be drunk immediately after brewing. That said, the hotplate on the KGB will keep your coffee warm anyway so the benefits of the thermal jug are negligible.
Looks
Moccamaster has an iconic design and comes in fifteen different colours giving you a number of options if you are looking for something to chime with the rest of your kitchen, workspace or business.
Although capable of producing up to ten cups of coffee at a time, the machine is relatively compact and measures just 39 centimetres high, 32 wide and 17 centimetres deep. There is a fairly unusual contrast between the square water chamber and circular jug too. Each machine is a beautiful mix of straight lines, curves and right angles.
Technivorm Build Quality
Each unit comes with a five-year manufacturer’s warranty, underscoring Technivorm’s faith in the quality of the build. The Moccamasters are all hand-built and tested in the Netherlands and made from components sourced from Europe.
Functionality
Using the machine could not be easier. Fill the tank with water and add a paper filter and coffee grounds to the basket – then sit back and let the Moccamaster do its thing. It is ridiculously quick – making 1.25 litres of coffee – 10 cups – in around 6 mins. This is largely due to the Moccamaster’s copper boiling element which rapidly heats the water.
While you can buy Moccamaster brand coffee filters for use with the machine, any standard 1 x 4 filter paper will work, which keeps things straightforward as you don’t need to remember to order specific filters.
Moccamaster Brewing tips
For best results always use freshly ground coffee. Use around 60 grams of coffee ground to a sugar-like granular size per litre of water. That’s what Moccamaster recommend and we found it to be a really good guideline. Play around with things a little if you like – but as a starting point that is a golden ratio.
When placing the 1 x 4 filters into the machine fold the long and short tabs down to get a better fit with the filter basket. Pre-rinsing filters is something coffee savants tend to recommend to get rid of any “papery” flavour or chemicals left from the bleaching process. We’re not sure what if any difference this makes or if it’s important – but do it anyway because…why not?
Clean your filter basket and jug after every use giving them a rinse under the tap. Descale the water tank every 100 brews (Essentially every-time you open a new pack of filters) for best flavour and to ensure the longevity of the components inside.
Overall Verdict on the Moccamaster
The Moccamaster looks great, is easy to use and delivers on its promise of producing a damn fine cup of coffee every-time you use it. Not too strong, not too weak – not overdeveloped not underdeveloped. It really is filter coffee in the Goldilocks zone. Not only that, but the machine also looks great and is built to last.
While the machine makes great coffee and its build quality is excellent – it has no extra bells and whistles. It would have been great to have a programmable timer for instance, so that you can wake up to a fresh brew. That said, fans may argue the super fast brew times negate the need for such a function. Other machines blend functionalities and can grind and brew drip filter coffee for you – but the Moccamaster assumes you already have the means to crush beans, or are well stocked for ground coffee.
Yes it’s robust – but coming in at around twice the price of some rival machines on the market, some may question whether it is worth it. Class is class however – and if you’re splashing out on a filter machine few come classier than this.
4.5 Stars out of 5