Testing Out a New Coffee Maker This Week

I needed a new coffee maker after the old one started leaking last month. The drip tray had cracked right down the middle, and no amount of tape was going to fix it for long. Every morning I would hear that faint drip-drip sound echoing off the tile floor while I waited for the pot to finish, and the smell of stale coffee grounds clung to the counter even after I wiped it down. Ren mentioned seeing one on sale, so I drove over to the store in Willow Creek after work on Tuesday. The parking lot was half empty, which made it easy to find a spot near the entrance, but the automatic doors kept sticking open and letting in the warm evening air that smelled like asphalt and cut grass.

The model I picked was pretty basic, just a programmable one with a glass carafe. I grabbed it along with a pack of paper filters and headed back before traffic got too bad on the main road. On the way home I stopped for gas and ended up getting a small bag of the hickory roast beans they keep by the register. It was more than I usually buy at once, but the price was decent. The beans rattled around in the paper bag on the passenger seat the rest of the drive, and I caught myself thinking about how the old machine would have burned through them too fast anyway. When I got home the kitchen light was already on, and Ren had left a note on the fridge about picking up milk on Thursday.

Once I got it set up at home, I ran a cycle with just water to clean it out. The instructions said it would take about eight minutes, and that seemed about right. I stood there listening to the gurgling sound and watching the steam rise, then wiped down the outside with a damp cloth that left little streaks on the black plastic. I made the first pot the next morning before heading to a client meeting. It brewed evenly, and the timer worked without any fuss. The kitchen filled with that fresh, slightly nutty aroma that made the whole room feel warmer even though the window was open and a breeze was coming in. Ren tried it too and said it tasted smoother than the last one, which was probably because the old machine had been on its way out for a while. We both stood at the counter for a minute longer than usual, just sipping and watching the neighbor’s dog bark at a squirrel in the yard.

I have been using it every morning since. Some days I set it the night before if I know the alarm is going to be early. Other mornings I just hit the button once I am up and moving around the kitchen. The counter space it takes up is about the same as the old one, so that worked out fine. I washed the carafe by hand the first couple of times instead of putting it in the dishwasher. The glass felt heavier than I remembered, and the water from the faucet made a soft splashing sound against the sides while I swirled it around to get the last bits of grounds out.

Yesterday I had to run a couple of other errands in the same direction, so I went back and picked up an extra pack of filters. They were out of the brand I usually get, so I tried a different one. It seems fine so far. I also noticed they had started stocking that new oat creamer Lissa had told me about, so I added one to the cart. It was on the top shelf and I had to reach a little, but it was worth it. The bottle was cold from the cooler and left a faint ring of condensation on the checkout counter while I waited for the cashier to ring everything up. On the way out I passed the little display of travel mugs and almost grabbed one before deciding the ones already at home were still good enough.