Coffee Makers have been around for a very long time, there are many different ways to make coffee. Some of these coffee makers date back to ancient times. The original coffee maker was the Turkish Ibrik, this is a container made out of copper with a long handle. These are commonly used in the Middle East, even today. The Turkish Ibrik makes a very strong brew because it is not filtered.

Most people don't like the idea of eating coffee grounds, and so will need something to filter the coffee too. There are a lot of different coffee makers around, There are some important things which you should look out for when choosing a coffee maker.

Most coffee makers use the drip method of making coffee, this is because it's fairly inexpensive. You pour water into the top where it is heated. The water will then pass through the coffee grounds and collect in a glass jug which is heated to stop the coffee getting cold. A typical home coffee maker, such as a machine, works in this way.

There are however many more extravagant methods to brew coffee, it is important that whichever coffee maker you choose it has the right features for you.

Many coffee makers have a lot of controls on them, in fact you could be forgiven for confusing some coffee makers with modern stereos! The controls you might be interested in include LCD displays to tell you when the coffee will be ready, temperature and brew controls.

The absolute minimum control that you need is the degree of brew, however if you can then get a coffee maker with more controls. If you always forget to turn it off when you've finished then you might like to look for a coffee maker which has an auto switch off function. If you want to take the pot before the coffee has finished being brewed then you should get a model with an auto shut off valve, this will stop the water coming out once you have removed the pot.

If you use your coffee maker while it is still dark then you should consider using an LCD display that has a bright back light, this allows you time before you have to switch the light on!

Cleaning coffee makers has never been the nicest of jobs, however recently it has been made a lot easier. Coffee pods are small amounts of coffee which are already contained in their paper filters. These filter the coffee very well and can simply be thrown away, they are similar to a tea bag, only for coffee!

There are various different models of coffee makers available that have filters built in, these are perfect for modern day use. Filters to put in these coffee makers are quite expensive, however surely nice tasting coffee is worth it.

You can purchase washable coffee filters, however these are a pain to clean. Using pods is much easier, of course there is an environmental argument about throwing so much paper away just for a cup of coffee, but that's up to you.

Some very high end coffee makers also have built in bean grinders. Personally I prefer separate devices as I find it much easier to clean that way.

You don't need modern ways of doing anything, the old ways of brewing coffee work just fine. You just need to find a method of brewing coffee which you like, it's all down to personal preference.