The primary purpose of the best coffee maker is to make sure hot coffee is ready and waiting when someone goes back for a cup. Most versions achieve this with one of two types of carafes. They are either a coffee maker thermal carafe vs glass. Both keep coffee warm, but they do so in different ways.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Glass options are cheaper up-front, while thermal versions save money in the long run.
- A steel thermal carafe will last longer than a glass version.
- Glass carafes may burn cups of coffee, but thermal carafes will not.
Glass Vs Thermal Carafes: What’s the Difference?
The most significant difference is how they maintain hot drinks. Glass options rely on a hot plate to stay warm, whereas thermal versions reduce heat transfer and heat loss through the use of insulation, offering great-tasting coffee for hours. If you drink more than coffee, you make want to consider a coffee maker vs electric kettle.
Insider Tip
If you already own paper filters or a reusable filter, make sure your new coffee pot fits the filters you have
Price
Glass carafes are less expensive up-front, so choose the glass option if you’re looking for an inexpensive drip coffee maker. However, if you can invest a little more money, thermal carafe options are a better long-term investment because they have longer service lives. On the other hand, a thermal coffee maker will keep coffee too hot for people who prefer iced coffee, affecting their value for some coffee lovers.
Durability
Glass containers are likely to shatter if dropped or knocked into something. They may also break if the hot plate is left on the coffee level drops, overheating the glass. A thermal steel carafe, on the other hand, is far more durable. They usually last longer, saving a regular coffee drinker substantial money over time.
Affect on Coffee Taste
Glass carafes often hold onto coffee oil which may affect the flavor in a cup of coffee. These versions also require warming plates to provide hot drinks. If left on this heat source, drinks may take on a burnt or stale flavor. Not only is this unpleasant to drink, but it means someone has to brew a new pot of coffee, using more coffee grounds and filters unless the machine has a permanent filter. You may even want to compare coffee maker permanent filter vs paper.
A thermal steel carafe, however, will keep coffee hot through insulation. This does not affect the taste of the coffee and avoids the need for another brew cycle. A steel carafe offers delicious coffee over a longer period of time, saving on emergency trips to the coffee shop.
Warning
If the coffee level in a glass pot gets too low, it may shatter.
F.A.Q.S
How Long Does The Thermal Coffee Maker Keep Coffee Hot?
Well-constructed carafes made of a stainless steel material will keep their contents warm for up to seven hours. This is a substantially longer period of time than a drip coffee maker with a glass carafe can offer without depleting the coffee level.
Which Makes Better Coffee?
A coffee machine with a thermal carafe makes overall better drinks. It will maintain the flavor of fresh coffee longer thanks to its use of insulation. It also doesn’t burn the coffee because it does not require a heat source, saving overall brew time in the day of a coffee fanatic.
Which Is Better For Your Coffee?
Both options will keep coffee hot, but a thermal carafe will offer the best-tasting coffee possible throughout a long day.
Do I clean the coffee maker with the thermal carafe?
A thermal coffee maker can be cleaned the same way as a budget coffee maker. You run hot water through the machine without adding coffee grounds to the filter basket. You then rinse out any ground coffee that was washed into the carafe.
STAT: Some early designs were also based on an acrylic brew chamber, but it quickly became apparent that high-grade stainless steel was better suited to this project due to its high thermal conductivity and chemically inert nature. (source)
REFERENCES:
- https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/68846/772614362-MIT.pdf?sequence=2
- https://www.latrobe.edu.au/nest/science-coffee-physics-can-perfect-caffeine-hit/
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/coffee/r
- https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2020/09/29/how-to-brew-the-perfect-cup-of-coffee/
- https://hospitalityinsights.ehl.edu/coffee-facts
