We will start in the 1960s with the percolator, which boiled the water until a build up of pressure sent it up and over the coffee grounds. Most people will understand that boiling water and coffee is not a good combination. Add to this the fact that the coffee grounds were used multiple times and you will understand the taste produced was not ideal. However the percolator remained the height of sophistication until the mid seventies, with the advent of the filter method.

This was a cheaper alternative to the percolator and vastly improved the taste of the resulting drink. A couple of spoons of coffee grounds were placed on filter paper and just off the boil water slowly passed over them and through the paper, dripping into a glass jug below. Developments in this particular method included ready made coffee and filter paper sachets in various shapes, and adjustments to the filter machines to ensure the even spread of water over all the grounds.

The 1990s saw the advent of the espresso maker in the US. Already a favorite in Europe, the fashionable strong dark liquid became a popular after dinner treat and various machines were introduced to make the perfect espresso. The basic principle is similar to the percolator, with pressurized hot water forced through the coffee grinds and up into a container, it is the grinds themselves that are different. Espresso is made from a finely ground dark roast, producing a distinctive flavor. The addition of frothy warm milk to espresso to produce either a cappuccino or latte meant further expansion of the coffee maker industry and made coffee available to a wider variety of tastes.

A simple coffee making method that graces many European dining tables is the plunger. The coffee is placed in a glass jug, and nearly boiling water added to it. A filter that fits perfectly inside the jug, and has a long rod like handle, the length of the jug, extending above it, is placed in the top. The grounds are allowed to steep in the water for a few minutes before the filter is pushed down through the jug, collecting the grinds at the base and leaving a rich liquid that can be poured straight into a waiting coffee cup.

Although we may feel coffee making is a new and fashionable phenomena, it is worth noting that coffee has been around for at least two and a half thousand years. Methods of brewing the coffee grounds can be traced back to this time, and one of the oldest must be the Ibrik, a Turkish invention. Water was placed in a copper container and the ground coffee added directly. The strong drink was poured from the container with most of the grounds being caught by grooves in its lip.

However you choose to make your perfect brew, the range of coffee makers on the market today will guarantee a stylish addition to your kitchen or dining area. Don't be afraid to experiment to be sure your chosen machine produces coffee suitable to your tastes before you make that purchase.