Coffee Makers for Meal Prep
Coffee is an important part of most of our days, fueling our mornings and energizing our evenings. There’s a long standing joke that the more inconvenient the coffee is to make the better that it will taste.
Take a quick peek into the world of coffee and you’ll find some of the most elaborate contraptions imaginable as baristas try to capture delicate flavors and notes. All that is wonderful, but for meal prep we want to retain that convenience in order to save time.
Coffee doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out process that, in all honesty, only marginally improves the outcome. Instead, we’ve found shortcuts that don’t sacrifice flavor while still providing creative flexibility for different drinks an methods.
Drip Coffee
A classic, drip coffee is extremely popular in the United States and is often associated with old-school diners, donut shops, and midwest farmers. They’ve become a staple of western breakfasts, going hand-in-hand with eggs and toast.
Drip coffee machines hold coffee grounds above a glass pitcher with a water tank attached to the back. When on, the machine drips hot water above the coffee grounds, letting the infused fluid drain into the glass below.
Since drip coffee is so common during morning routines a lot of the more deluxe machines include special features like timers and auto-start modes that make your pre-coffee mornings a lot easier to manage.
Electric Kettle
If coffee isn’t your thing, or you just need heated water, electric kettles are exceptional kitchen appliances. Unlike their stovetop counterparts, electric kettles can bring water to a rolling boil within minutes making it easier than ever to enjoy a nice, warm cup of tea.
Popular throughout most of the world, especially Europe and Asia, electric kettles also bring the added feature of simply providing heated water. This can be especially helpful if you are cooking noodles or rehydrating dried ingredients.
Not only are electric kettles incredibly convenient, they’re also faster than alternative methods which pair well with meal prepping. As the old saying goes ‘a watched pot never boils,’ but an electric kettle is not a pot and only takes moments!
Espresso Machine
If you’re feeling luxurious, espresso machines can turn a simple kitchen into a boutique cafe in an instant. Designed with multiple attachments in mind, espresso machines can do a lot more than just pour a nice shot of espresso.
Most machines are built with frothers and other features that help separate layers and consistencies for more cafe-style drinks like mochas and lattes. Elaborate for meal prep? Maybe, but smaller, more condensed drinks like espresso are quicker to consume, giving time back to you in more discreet ways.
Not all espresso machines are expensive luxury items either. There are plenty of affordable and budget-friendly options available, giving everyone the opportunity to explore a wider range of coffee drinks.
French Press
Subtle, eloquent, refined perhaps, the french press is a great way to produce coffee without using bulky appliances. Even better is that they are easy to portion, helping users judge how much coffee to make for themselves and others.
A french press features a glass pitcher with a large circular filter inside that is pushed down to separate hot water from the coffee grounds while still letting the coffee brew. Once ready, you can pour coffee directly from the press into your cup.
What makes a french press even more exciting is that it can be used around the kitchen with other ingredients because the press is built to infuse liquids while separating ingredients.
Single Serve Coffee
Despite their initial ecological scare, single-serve coffee pods have adapted to be more sustainable while still remaining the office break room king. These appliances are incredibly convenient, complimenting morning meal prep routines perfectly.
These appliances have also gained a lot of traction with larger coffee business and home name brands, making it easy to find familiar blends and brands. But if that’s not enough, these devices aren’t just locked to drip coffee, there are plenty of models that also focus on espresso and other drinks too.
If environmentalism is still making you hesitant, it should also be noted that a lot of these companies are introducing recycling programs, including bags with shipping addresses so that you can return used pods without throwing them in the garbage.