Ever wondered why the coffee you brew at home isn’t as good as what you’d get at your local café? The answer is simple: It’s all in the tools. Your Mr. Coffee Machine just doesn’t have the brewing power of a professional model.
Proper pressure, temperature control, and brewing coffee at the optimal temperature allows you to fully immerse yourself in the divine flavors of your unique, choice blend.
Can it be done at home? The Moccamaster KBT741 may be the answer.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Drip Coffee Maker
If you’re like other coffee lovers who don’t have much time in the morning to get ready, a drip coffee maker is likely the best option for you. All you have to do is drop in your coffee grinds, add water, and press a button.
By the time you’re done getting dressed and ready to conquer the day, your coffee is done.
On the other hand, manual coffee brewing processes such as pour-over coffee require you to stir the grinds, pour the water, control the flow, and adjust your filter. This process is time-consuming. Although this is a preferred method in the specialty world because it results in a richer and bolder flavor, it’s not practical for people who prefer a ready-to-drink cup of java on their way out the door.
If that sounds like you, then a drip coffee maker should be on your radar. But don’t just purchase any old drip, coffee maker. The best ones can filter water, brew at an optimal temperature, and keep your coffee hot while you prep for the day. These features help improve the taste of your coffee. Tap water tends to be somewhat metallic or acidic, which can affect the taste of your coffee and take away from the flavors.
Also, if your coffee is done brewing before you’ve finished your morning routine, it will cool off and you likely won’t be able to enjoy it while it’s hot. This forces you to interrupt your routine and start brewing right before you finish so that your coffee doesn’t get cold. This is inconvenient and can cause you to lose precious time time that you can’t afford to lose in your strict routine.
Plus, if your coffee isn’t brewed at the right temperature, to begin with, it won’t deliver the exquisite flavors you crave. You won’t have to worry about any of those issues with the Technivorm Moccamaster 741.
Technivorm Moccamaster KBT741 Overview
The Moccamaster 741 promises to maintain the perfect brewing temperature from start to finish. When your coffee is done brewing, the thermal carafe will ensure your beverage will stay hot and fresh for up to an hour, It claims to brew at a consistent 200 degrees Fahrenheit, which keeps in line with the perfect coffee brewing temperature of 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. The Moccamaster 741 can brew up to 10 cups in six minutes.
This model’s design and composition allow ideal water saturation, even extraction, and the perfect coffee bloom. The Moccamaster 741 is equipped with a 1.25-liter thermal carafe with two lids (a brew-thru and travel lid), filter basket, spray head, water chamber, water filter, and User Manual.
The Moccamaster 741 has a polished aluminum, scratch-resistant finish, which means your machine will continue to look great on your countertop over time.
Things We Like
- Temperature control capability
- Elegant design
- Auto-off function after brew cycle
- ECBC and SCA approved
- 5-year warranty
Room for Improvement
- Pricey
- Takes up a lot of counter space
- Doesn’t have a timer or automated features
Features & Benefits
The Moccamaster 741 is an excellent drip coffee maker that promises to keep your coffee hot without compromising flavor, quality, and integrity. Below are some of the machine’s most notable features:
Ideal Brewing Temperature
Like most other drip coffee makers, the Moccamaster 741 features a boiler that heats water to the optimal temperature. However, what’s unique about this coffee maker is the fact that it has a thermal stainless steel carafe that maintains your coffee’s temperature for up to one hour.
The travel lid that comes with the carafe helps to keep the coffee hot even longer. However, if you have heightened taste buds, you might notice a subtle note of stainless steel. In that case, you can switch out your stainless steel carafe with a glass one.
Either way, if you’re one of those coffee lovers who take a minute to get ready for the day, then you don’t have to worry about cold java when using the Moccamaster 741. Most avid coffee drinkers know the pain of having to reheat coffee in the microwave or brewing a brand new batch. But if you don’t have time for that in the mornings, then those options go out the window.
If you can’t get the hot coffee you so desperately crave, you might opt to not have it at all, which can be torture if you’re one to yearn for that caffeine fix each morning. With the Moccamaster 741, you can save the valuable time spent reheating your coffee or stopping by Starbucks on your way to the office.
Drinking hot coffee comes with a wide range of benefits. It has higher levels of antioxidants than cold brew. Antioxidants help decrease the risk of many health conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Hot coffee can also uplift your mood and can reduce the negative effects of sleep deprivation.
By brewing your coffee with the Moccamaster 741, you don’t ever have to worry about drinking a cold cup of coffee again.
Plus, hot coffee is known to provide a sense of warmth that helps wake you up and make you feel “alive” in the morning. Besides, according to science, higher serving temperatures for foods and beverages make everything taste better as they heighten the tongue’s sensitivity to the perfect harmony of sweetness and bitterness.
On the other hand, at lower temperatures, sourness and saltiness are a lot more noticeable. While this research doesn’t talk directly about coffee, we can reasonably conclude that a higher serving temperature is needed to bring out the bitter and sweet flavors, while at the same time, masking its sourness.
Even Extraction
To brew a superior cup of joe with your coffee maker, it’s all about achieving the perfect coffee-to-water ratio. This is what’s called even extraction, which has to do with evenly distributing water over your coffee grinds, allowing for flawlessly balanced flavors. An uneven distribution will often result in bitter or sour coffee.
Water dissolves a lot of the coffee’s flavors. When these flavors dissolve, they’ll ultimately determine how your coffee will taste once the brew is complete. But not all of the coffee’s flavors are pleasant. If a coffee maker extracts all flavors, then it will often produce a bitter cup of joe.
The key is to create that perfect balance, where the machine doesn’t over-extract or under-extract the coffee. Overextraction can produce coffee that’s almost too potent.
On the other hand, when coffee is under-extracted, it means the machine hasn’t extracted enough flavor. When this happens, it leaves behind the good flavors that help balance out unpalatable tastes, such as sourness, bitterness, and saltiness.
The Moccamaster 741’s efficient brewing cycle allows for the proper agitation, ideal water saturation time, and blooming to create a seamless extraction.
Durable and Removable Parts
The Moccamaster 741 has removable parts, which comes in handy if you need to maintain or replace them over time. There’s no need to go out and purchase a brand new model or use your warranty if you can easily swap out faulty parts.
Plus, the fact that its boiler is made of copper ensures durability and extends the life of your machine.
Large Carafe
If you like to brew lots of coffee at a time, then the Moccamaster 741 is your match. This machine has a 10-cup (40 oz.) brewing capacity, which is an ideal amount for larger households and people who like to drink coffee at different times throughout the morning. You can refill your cup without having to brew all over again.
Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCA) Certification
The Moccamaster’s constant temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit is certified by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and the European Coffee Brewing Centre (ECBC). This means that it meets and exceeds the Golden Cup Standards.
Coffee makers that meet these standards produce coffee at the optimal brewing temperature, maintain the right coffee-to-water ratio, and achieve a uniform extraction. As a result, you get premium-flavored coffee.
The Moccamaster ensures that your coffee has the optimal balance of bitterness and sweetness. Precise flavor extraction and correct brewing temperatures combine to brew high-quality coffee, which is similar to what you’d get at a high-end coffee shop.
Alternatives
For the coffeeholic who value the temperature, flavor, and overall quality of coffee, then the Moccamaster is a handy go-to. But like with any other product, it’s not for everyone. We’ve put together a list of alternatives that are similar to the Moccamaster but have different features and price tags.
Bonavita BV1900TS
Because of the Moccamaster 741’s premium price, we knew that some of our readers wouldn’t go for this machine. That’s why the Bonavita BV1900TS made this list. It’s SCAA-certified, just like the Moccamaster and it makes a superior cup of coffee, far better than what a standard drip coffee maker can produce. The difference? It’s more budget-friendly than the Moccamaster 741.
Keurig K-Elite
If you’re not crazy about the Moccamaster’s ability to churn out a large volume of coffee, then you’re in luck. Maybe you don’t drink a lot of coffee. Perhaps one cup a day is just enough for you. Single-serve drip coffee makers are your best bet.
You can’t go wrong with the Keurig K-Elite. It brews consistently flavorful coffee and comes with a variety of brew options, including regular, strong, iced, and hot water.
OXO Barista Brain Coffee Maker
Maybe you’re one of those people who loves a drip coffee maker that comes with automated features. Unfortunately, the Moccamaster won’t automatically start up for you in the morning. You have to manually turn it on yourself.
With the OXO Barista Brain Coffee Maker, you can program it to turn itself on any time you want. So if you enjoy the luxury of being able to grab a cup as soon as you wake up, this machine is an excellent option for your needs. For more advanced programmability, take a look at the Breville Precision Brewer.
Cuisinart Coffee on Demand DCC-3000
If you value price above all, then the Cuisinart Coffee on Demand DCC-3000 is the way to go. It’s a lot more affordable than the Moccamaster (less than $100). Plus, it has similar features such as a water filter, automatic shutoff, and temperature control. It’s also programmable up to 24 hours in advance, a key feature the Moccamaster lacks.
Technivorm Moccamaster 59462 KBG
If you’re the impatient type who doesn’t like to wait for a complete brew cycle to pour yourself a cup, then the Moccamaster 59462 KBG may be a better option for you. This is especially true if you value ease-of-use and minimal button operation.
The main difference between the Moccamaster KBT and the KGBT is that the latter has an auto drip-stop function. This means that the placement of the carafe affects the coffee flow. In other words, if you remove the carafe, the coffee will automatically stop flowing.
When you replace the carafe, the coffee starts back flowing again. With the KBT model, you’d have to manually pause the brewing cycle to pour a cup.
Make Barista-Quality Coffee at Home
Despite its high price tag, you won’t be disappointed with the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT741. You’ll get delicious, quality coffee fast. Luckily, this isn’t the only drip coffee maker on the market that delivers top-of-the-shelf java. From self-serve machines to automatic brewers, you have a ton of choices. But do us a favor and take some time to pick the best coffee maker for your needs.
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