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Hot Water: The Secret to a More Versatile Coffee Machine

Hot Water: The Secret to a More Versatile Coffee Machine

Admit that you’re curious if coffee machines help boil water! There may be many other questions in regards coffee machine and hot water going on in your mind.

See the simple answer to that is coffee machines don’t boil water, they just heat it to some extent but not too much so that it doesn’t compromise the quality of the machine.

However, there are many coffee machines with dispensers that help to keep the water hot for your use, my pick for the best coffee machine with a hot dispenser is the Cuisinart Coffee Plus 12 programmable coffee maker.

Now, this blog is for you and all the queries you have in mind regarding coffee machines and hot water.

Can Coffee Machines Dispense Hot Water?

A woman pouring coffee from coffee maker
Coffee machines can dispense water

Yes! The market has a huge competition for coffee makers, there are plenty of designs that serve hot dispensers with coffee makers.

A coffee maker with a hot water dispenser increases usability and functionality. The water dispenser could be used for tea, oatmeal, or anything else. A dedicated mechanism is installed in the best coffee makers with a hot water dispenser.

This system is designed to pour approximately a cup of hot water in a single-serve style.

Of course, if the filter basket is left empty, any coffee maker can function as a hot water dispenser. However, in many cases, that may not be the best solution. The dedicated dispenser system is more useful in terms of functionality and usage.

If you’re unfamiliar with the parts of a coffee machine, have a look at my article here.

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Can A Coffee Maker Be Used As A Kettle?

An electric kettle placed on countertop
A coffee maker can be used as a kettle

Yes, it can be used as a kettle but I’d suggest that you shouldn’t compromise on the quality of the coffee machine.

There are two types of coffee makers: countertop and stovetop. Stovetop coffee makers typically produce thick, strong-tasting coffee. Percolators, on the other hand, do not produce the best-tasting coffee. They are more of a backup plan for when you don’t have access to a countertop coffee maker, such as when camping.

Coffee makers are used for the obvious reason, coffee, but they also have other applications. You can brew hot tea in a coffee maker and heat water almost to the boiling point. This means you can brew tea just as easily. Rinse out your brew basket between tea and coffee to keep the flavors as intended.

While coffee makers do not boil water, they can achieve a temperature that is close to it. The average temperature of water in a coffee maker is between 180 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature range produces the best brew by heating the water to the optimal temperature for extracting flavor from the ground beans. Water temperature standards are even set by various coffee associations.

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Are There Coffee Machines That Dispense Hot Water?

Yes, the market has quite a competition. There are some great coffee machines with water dispensers, let’s look at some of my best picks for the best coffee makers with hot water dispensers:

The table below shows the price of the top best coffee makers with hot dispensers:

Coffee makersPrice
Cuisinart Coffee Plus 12-
Programmable Coffeemaker
$99.95
Hamilton Beach 49980A 2-Way
Coffee maker
$74.99
Cuisinart SS 700 Single Serving
Brewing System
$79.99
Mr. Coffee Versatile Brew 12 Cup Programmable
Coffee Maker
$60.18
List of coffee makers with their market value.

Cuisinart Coffee Plus 12-Programmable Coffeemaker

The Cuisinart Coffee Plus 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker is a fully automatic machine with a programmable brewing start time, auto shutoff, and self-cleaning functionality. It has a temperature-controlled heater plate with three heat settings that can brew up to 12 cups of coffee at a time.

The drip tray can be easily removed for cleaning. The only minor flaw is that the carafe has an inner lip that prevents all of the coffee from pouring out.

This machine has a separate hot water system from the coffee maker that delivers hot water to a hot water dispenser on demand for making any other hot beverage or soups.

Overall, I believe that this is one of the best coffee makers with hot water dispensers available!

Here’s a video on how to make your new Cuisinart coffee plus 12 programmable coffee makers work:

Cuisinart Coffee Plus 12 Programmable Coffee Maker

Hamilton Beach 49980A 2-Way Coffee maker

The Hamilton Beach 49980A 2-Way Brewer Coffee Maker can make one cup of coffee at a time or a full 12-cup carafe. It’s fully programmable, so you can start your brew while you sleep and wake up to a hot, fresh cup of coffee.

The brew strength selector button allows you to customize the strength of your coffee. There’s a warming plate to keep your beverage warm, as well as an auto shut-off to keep your coffee from burning.

The water reservoir’s small opening makes getting water into it difficult. We also had to double-check the time when we set the timer at night because the clock was gradually losing time.

You may need to double-check it when you program it to ensure that it begins brewing when you want it to.

Cuisinart SS 700 Single Serving Brewing System

The Cuisinart SS-700 Single Serve Brewing System has a fully programmable control panel. The brew option button lets you make a variety of brews, including iced beverages.

The large 80-ounce reservoir is removable, making it simple to fill. You can brew up to 12 cups of coffee at once or one cup at a time. The drip tray can be removed for cleaning. The mug opening on the individual side is tall enough to accommodate any size mug, from the standard travel mug to the smallest cup.

Sometimes, Cuisinart stops working suddenly. This time you should contact Cuisinart, and they explain to you to go through a lengthy, detailed process to get it working again.

According to the reviews, this appears to be a common problem with this coffee maker. If you repeat the process, it will last for a few years before you need to replace it.

Mr. Coffee Versatile Brew 12 Cup Programmable Coffee Maker

The Mr. Coffee Versatile Brew 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker has a delay brew button that allows you to prepare the pot and delay brewing until you are ready. There’s also a brew strength selector to customize how strong or weak you want your coffee to be.

If you’re brewing a pot and want to grab a cup before it’s finished, the “Grab-A-Cup” auto-pause will stop the brew while you pour your cup and resume when the carafe is replaced. A light on the machine’s face indicates whether it is still turned on.

Because the reservoir is small, it does not hold enough to brew a full pot and still has some leftovers for other hot beverages.

The paper coffee filters are not durable. They tend to collapse, allowing grounds to enter the carafe. The hot water dispenser functions properly, but the lever is difficult to operate.

How Do Coffee Machines Heat Water So Fast?

A pressure measuring unit
A pressure measuring unit

Because of their unique structure and clever design, most modern coffee makers heat water quickly.

The first type of coffee maker, which includes some drip models, heats water by pushing it from a reservoir through a small metal tube into a cup or carafe. Because only a small amount of water is passing through the metal tube, the coffee maker can heat it quickly.

The second category of coffee makers, which includes some Nespresso machines, is distinguished by “on-demand” hot water. This means that a coffee maker is constantly heating water. When a user wants to brew a cup of coffee, the machine is prepared to use the hot water for coffee extraction.

How Does Espresso Machine Heat Water?

espresso machine brewing two shots of espresso
An Espresso machine brewing two shots of espresso

Espresso machines heat water with the help of convention.

The HX or heat exchange boiler is the most common type of espresso machine.

Essentially, there is a coffee boiler wrapped in a steam boiler. The steam boiler heats the water used to make the espressos, which is why it is known as a heat exchange boiler. Coffee water circulates from the heat exchange to the groups and back in the HX boiler machine’s groups to heat them.

When the temperature difference causes the water to move inside the machine, this is referred to as convention. Because of the heat mass and the simplified design of the HX boiler, there is little temperature difference between shots. Another advantage is that there aren’t many parts that need to be serviced or maintained.

Final Thought

Coffee machines are the hype nowadays, it’s better to buy one with a hot water dispenser so that you don’t end up ruining the functionality of the espresso machine.

My pick for the best coffee machines with a hot dispenser are:

  • Cuisinart Coffee Plus 12 programmable coffee maker
  • Hamilton Beach 49980A 2-Way coffee maker
  • Cuisinart SS 700 Single Serving Brewing System
  • Mr. Coffee Versatile Brew 12 Cup Programmable Coffee Maker

With this, I hope all your queries have been answered.

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