Today we are going to review two coffee pots that are certified by the Specialty Coffee Association.
But who is the Specialty Coffee Association and why does their seal of approval matter?
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is a non-profit organization that consists of people who are devoted to coffee quality and culture.
They’re committed to sustainable coffee which means they do anything and everything helping roasters, shops and farms prosper.
The SCA has a board of scientists that specialize in perfect coffee.
They put each machine that is submitted through rigorous testing for brewing time and temperature.
Here are two amazing home coffee brewers that are certified by the Specialty Coffee Association.
Though they are incredibly similar because they come from the same coffee family, they have some subtle differences that are worth mentioning.
I’ll set out the specs and overall user reviews for both so that you can make your most informed purchase!
The Bonavita bv1900ts aka 8 Cup One-Touch
This intuitive coffee maker is built of 3 parts: a water tank, the brewing station and the carafe.
The reservoir holds 40 oz of water– which is equivalent to 8 standard 5 oz cups of joe.
The brewing station is made up three units that work together to provide well rounded batches of coffee.
#1 Flat bottomed basket– this design makes more balanced cups of coffee because the grounds are laid level and the water has even contact throughout the bed, as opposed to the conical design that funnels the water through the bottom and sides leaving some of the coffee under extracted and some over extracted.
#2 Shower head– the choice to have several spray heads ensures that the water covers the entire surface of the grounds, rather than older makers that have a singular spout that drenches the middle and leaves the rest of the bed untouched.
#3 Waved filter– this design helps the water move within the filter in a natural current so that the coffee molecules can be broken down evenly.
The carafe conveniently fits just below the filter basket and keeps coffee hot for at least 4 hours. As an added bonus, the manufacturer has made it dish washer safe!
All of this tasty power is packed into a nice counter-space friendly model.
It’s about a foot tall and is 10 inches wide, so it will fit nicely under all standard cabinetry.
The style of this home brewing system is complimented by the super simple and superior preparation and use.
With it’s one button operation, there’s no fumbling with different settings. This is the perfect coffee maker for busy, no nonsense people. With just a flip of a switch, your coffee is in the works.
But there is a step that can be utilized or skipped, depending on how you like your coffee.
You can “pre-infuse your coffee” if you like bold, strong cups.
To pre-infuse your grounds, simply hold down the brewing button down for 5 seconds.
Think of this process as being virtually the same as the first bloom step you take when making a pour over.
Check out my pour over vs single serve drip coffee comparison here for more details.
But the gist is this: by pre-infusing your grounds, they release a first batch of CO2 and expand. This expansion makes a more even bed for the water to brew through.
After pre-infusion, the 200 degree water flows through the grounds basket, producing well rounded cups of coffee in 6 minutes (or less depending on the number of cups.)
And as an added bonus, the whole machine switches off automatically after the brewing process is done.
Not too shabby, right? Just wait til you meet the upgrade!
Allow me to introduce the Bonavita bv1900td aka Bonavita 8-Cup One-Touch Digital Coffee Maker!
The new and improved 8 cup One Touch is ever so slightly larger than it’s older brother. It can still fit nicely under most cabinets, standing at about 12.2 inches hgh. But it is a bit bulkier taking just over 6.8 inches of counter top.
The upgrades don’t stop there! In addition to the standards, they have added a modern twist to give you the optimal coffee experience.
Just like it’s predecessor, this model can be broken up into different parts.
The water reservoir is identical to the previous model–holding enough water to make 8 average American sized cups.
The flat-bottomed, waved filter basket + shower head combo have continued in this update because they produce tried and true even batches.
The carafe is identical to the one mentioned before in all of it’s stainless steel, highly insulated, dishwasher safe glory.
So what is the difference between the Bonavita bv1900ts and the Bonavita bv1900td?
The 1 word difference between the two commercial titles is the dead give away!
The bv1900ts is called the 8-cup One Touch and the bv1900td is called the 8-cup One Touch digital.
This newer model comes equipped with a digital clock and programmable auto-start function.
Though this machine still has the option to pre-infuse, and therefore bloom, each cycle, you can now set it to brew before you get up out of bed every morning!
Here’s how it works!
As soon as you plug in your new machine, you will notice that the clock will be blinking.
To set the time just click the hour and minute buttons to match your watch. Then click the program button to save the setting.
If you need to change that time for any reason, be it daylight savings or a change in time zone, just hold down either button until the numbers begin to flash again and set using the instructions I just mentioned.
To set the auto-start function just press the program button and then input the hour and minute you want the brew to begin. Once you click the program button again to save the time, it will stay illuminated to indicate that you have a future brew time set.
If you need to change that time for any reason, just press the program button again and restart this process.
(You’ll know that you’re setting the timer and not to clock because, when setting the timer, the back light on the buttons will blink until you hit program again.)
So the choice between the two really depends on whether or not you want your coffee made like clock work.
If this article has helped you make up your mind about which is better, click on either of the images to make your purchase today!