Stainless Steel Carafe – Buy A Beautiful Coffee Carafe!
Purchasing a stainless steel carafe can mean two very different things. Are you buying a replacement carafe for your coffee or tea maker or are your intentions to protect your favorite beverage during special occasions in a thermal (insulated) carafe?
Shop for all brands of carafes here.
If you are purchasing a replacement or new carafe for your tea or coffee maker, generally stainless steel or glass are the main options available. Of course, most of these carafes have some plastic components on the lid and handle but by in large, most carafes are either glass or stainless steel.
A Lady And Her Carafe
The thermal carafes are generally made of stainless steel and are insulated for longer usage periods. If you are drinking your beverage immediately after brewing, it does not matter what type of carafe you use but if your intentions are to maintain the beverage temperature over a long period of time, stainless steel is the choice.
Have you ever drank a cup of coffee from the office coffee maker which has been sitting in the glass pot for a long period of time? Over the course of the morning, the coffee machine continues to heat the beverage in the glass carafe and in essence, continually keeps the coffee or tea “cooking.” The result is the beverage becomes unpleasantly “burned” and the taste bitter and acidic. In addition, the beverage, most likely coffee, looses water through evaporation and the result is a much stronger coffee. If this ever happens, a stainless steel carafe should be the vessel used.
Replacement Stainless Steel Carafes
If you are looking for a replacement carafe (sometimes called a brew-in carafe), look no further then Amazon.com. As many of you may know, Amazon is a place that carries almost every manufacturer of carafes, customer testimonials and quality customer service to boot. Look at the reviews and testimonials or just browse the carafe section to see what is available. Brew-in carafes are designed specifically to fit into the beverage maker unit – a great time saver for people on the go. If you have a specific make and model of coffee or tea machine, there are a limited number of carafes you can buy for that model. Be sure to know the make and model number for your current machine to be sure you get the correct carafe.
With most coffee or tea machines, certain carafes are manufactured for a certain model or brand of machine but if you are buying a carafe to hold your cold or hot beverage, there were a couple on Amazon I thought were absolutely lovely or had a very practical application to them. If you have any practical experience with these particular carafes, I would love to hear from you!
Nissan 51 Ounce Stainless Steel Carafe
Nisson Thermos
This carafe seems to be a hot item online as there are quite a few testimonials to its use and function on Amazon. This Thermos® product boasts a leak-proof top which opens with a one hand push of the button. The double wall vaccum insulation technology called TherMax® locks in the temperature for extended periods because of the stainless steel interior and exterior. The large top opening makes filling the carafe very, easy. This unbreakable carafe is tough enough for daily use but elegant for the dinner party indoors or out. At under forty dollars, this carafe will stand up to a lifetime worth of use. Truly worth the price.
Zojirushi Carafe
Out of all the reviews on Amazon, the Zojirushi Thermal Carafe seemed to have provoked the most passionate testimonials. If keeping your beverage hot for an extended period of time is of paramount importance to you, this carafe seems to fit the bill. Read the first testimonial here. This carafe has a glass interior so the only washing that is required is rinsing it with warm water. Holding 34 ounces of liquid, this carafe is made for daily use.
What Should I be Looking For In a Carafe?
The above carafes are really for more practical, daily use. Most people want a carafe that can keep their beverage hot for hours without sacrificing taste. The prices vary significantly, depending on their intended use. For example, if you have frequent dinner parties where having coffee on hand for three or four hours is the norm, a carafe with a sleek design that compliments the dinner ware may be in order. Seeing Uncle Joe’s Thermal Carafe with your bridal dinnerware may not be so tasteful. Let’s go over some of the features you may need to think about.
Features
Here is a list of features you may want to consider when purchasing your carafe.
1. How much coffee do you need to have ready at one time? If you need a carafe for large parties, a 12 cup carafe may be in order.
2. Glass or Steel? If you are going to be using a carafe that is going to be carried around, a stainless steel vacuum is what you need to consider. A glass vacuum is great but if dropped, can break.
3. Price? What can you afford? Your budget has a lot to do with what you can buy and what features are available. Your decision to purchase a quality carafe should not be based on price alone or any one particular characteristic. Figure out how much you can spend and don’t go over that price.
4. Beauty or the Beast? If you have to look at a carafe on the counter every day, style may have some importance to your decision. Again, Uncle Jim’s Thermos container from his automotive shop days may not make that coffee taste too good when there is a little left-over car paint on the side of the container. Consider design if you are a bit picky in this area – otherwise you may not even give the carafe a chance to do it’s job after you have purchased it.
Whatever carafe you decide to consider or purchase, remember, at the end of the day, only you, your family or guests and the hot beverage you served them will know how much time you took to find a stainless steel carafe that fits a lifestyle! Good Luck.
If you would like to consider a few other retailers that specialize in stainless steel carafes, let me give you some names:
1. Whole Lotta Love – Carafes
2. Beverage Factory- Carafes
3. Zojirushi – Carafes
Here is a great video of a team of glassblowers making a glass carafe! Cool!