If you have experienced the unfortunate, but not uncommon experience of breaking a coffee carafe, you will probably be in the market for a replacement. Replacement carafes can be broken down into two main categories, glass and stainless steel. Stainless steel carafes are usually insulated while glass carafes are not. There are benefits of both types, but in the log run many people feel that the stainless steel carafe is the best choice.
There are a number of different types of coffee carafes ranging from simple glass containers that rest on a heating element to well insulated thermal carafes that keep the coffee warm by the use of an insulated container. If you are drinking your coffee immediately after brewing, the type of carafe doesn't really matter much. However, if you brew your coffee and refresh your cup throughout the morning or day, a thermal coffee carafe is the best replacement carafe for you.
When you brew coffee, it starts out hot. As one would expect, over time the coffee cools down. If you are using a non-thermal carafe, it is necessary to keep heating the coffee to maintain the temperature. Over time, the coffee gets "over-cooked" and the liquid slowly evaporates. This results in the coffee getting a distinctive and unpleasant "burnt" flavor and also decreases the water content, making the coffee stronger and bitter.
Thermal carafes solve this problem by using insulated containers to maintain the initial heat rather than constantly reheating the coffee. Similar to a thermos, layers of insulation prevent heat from leaving the container. A thermal carafe also usually has a tightly fitting lid that aids in preventing both heat loss and evaporation.
In addition to keeping coffee warm without the necessity of constantly heating the coffee, most thermal carafes are made of metal, usually stainless steel. This helps prevent the breakage that is so common with thin glass carafes. Even though purchasing a thermal replacement carafe may be more expensive than a standard glass carafe, it will last longer and save money in the long run.
An added benefit of thermal carafes is that once the coffee has been brewed, the coffee machine turns off automatically, unlike the standard machine in which the heating element stays on until manually turned off. Although the energy saved each time isn't a huge amount, over time it can add up significantly, especially if you drink coffee every day.
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Price : $99.99
