Thanks to Moccamaster for providing the KBGV Select in exchange for this review. All thoughts are my own.

Growing up, coffee was not one of my parent's staple drinks of choice. My grandfather would make it, but my mom much preferred a cup of hot tea over a cup of joe. I really don't remember my dad drinking the fiery hot beverage as he would saunter out the door with a Pepsi in his hand. 

It wasn't until college that I learned to enjoy this beverage, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't all that great-poor brewers, cheap beans, and coffee that sits on the shelf for an extended life period looses flavor rather quickly. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that I learned there were actually different methods for making a great cup of coffee, including the art of the pour over.

For those of you who don't know, the pour over method allows the consumer to control their own coffee taste by choosing water temps, size of coffee grinds, and even how slow the water goes through a filter. Yet, this method is extremely time-consuming, especially for those of us who have to rush out the door at superman speed as we seek to get the dog walked, the kids to school, and ourselves to our offices on time. 

This Mother's Day, do your mom a favor and put away that Keurig or coffee mate machine. Purchase Moccamaster; a premium pour over coffee brewer that will have your great tasting cup of java ready in four- six minutes! Built in the Netherlands by hand, this machine is super simple to set up and with a flick of the button, allows a great tasting cup of coffee!

After my small little 4 cup machine's handle broke, I decided to look into decent coffee makers. I've always gone with the pretty standard cheap versions found in the big box stores, but I've started to recognize that they don't really provide a full flavorful experience. 

When I came across Moccamaster, I was extremely excited to test it out. I was sent the Moccamaster KBGV Select and have had it about a month. I don't drink coffee every day as it often messes with my acid reflux, but I love being able to ease my way into Saturdays with a good flavorful brew! 

So this machine needs some assembly, but following the insert's chart, it is super easy to set up. I do recommend reading the chart before starting out. If you are like me, you will want to jump right in but going through all the steps as you pull everything out of the box will help you identify the various pieces.

The Moccamaster KBGV Select arrives with the base, glass carafe, 9 hole outlet arm, cool water reservoir, brew basket (& I just found 3 filters stuck behind the French & Spanish manuals after a month, so yes, open everything up), and the lids for the baskets/ reservoir. 

Assembly

Follow the instructions to set up the reservoir tank, the 9 hole arm, and brew basket. After the brew basket is in place, the glass carafe can be set onto the hot plate. '

The 9 hole arm is the component that will send water from the reservoir tank to the filter basket. It will be hot when the machine is on. It's attached by inserting the hole into the connector within the water tank. 

This is probably the feature I dislike the most. It's removable, so it's very easy to knock off when placing the filter basket under it, especially if there's a struggle to get the filter basket into the grooves correctly. 

Filters

The Moccamaster KBGV Select uses #4 cone-shaped filters. While you "can" use other sized filters, I don't really recommend it. Smaller filters will have a tendency to curl inward, which means all the grinds will get into your coffee. 

They do not recommend reusable filters, citing inconsistent extraction times and difficulty cleaning. As someone who dislikes throwing away a paper filter every day, I do struggle with this, as I had a reusable filter in my last machine, but I understand the reasoning. Paper Oxygen-whitened filters work with the water temp, coffee grinds, and machine to great a better tasting cup. 

Making Coffee

Using medium to medium-coarse grind, preferably done at home, is suggested as pre-bagged coffee can be ground too finely. The insert provides a recommended water- to- coffee ratio for the best tastes. The industry standard is 2 tbsp to every 6 oz of water, so for a 4-cup brew, use 3 level scoops. 

Water selections: Fresh, Tap, Filters, or bottled water is recommended, but if you have a reverse osmosis filter on your taps, that is not recommended as it can damage the brewer's boiling element. 

Fill up the water reservoir with your needs. The recommendation is to not go lower than 4 cups in an 8-10 brewer to get the greatest taste possible. I've done 2, and it's been okay, but 4 is definitely better.  

Add the filter & coffee to the brew basket and place in the appropriate slot, making sure the arm isn't knocked loose.  

Altitude can affect the water temp. Sea-level, where I live, is at 212 F. 

The machine offers two buttons: on/ off switch and 4/8 cup switches. Make the appropriate selections and watch your machine brew a great cup of coffee rather quickly! 

Cleaning

The Coffee carafe is not dishwasher safe and should be hand washed. The machine can be wiped down using a damp cloth. Every 100 cycles, descale your machine using Durgol or Urnex, and then brew 2 full water tanks before brewing coffee again. 

Why Moccamaster as opposed to run-of-the-mill- big box brand?

Making a good cup of coffee is all about water temps, time, agitation (or turbulence), and dissolved solubles. For Moccamaster, the Golden Cup of great coffee comes with all of these key components, working together to dissolve coffee grinds into a flavorful, powerful cup. 

Moms will save money with Moccamaster because, if it's set up the night before, it's fast enough to brew while getting the kids ready for school or camp, which means that you can pour your coffee and not waste time at the drive-thru. 

Moms will also likely savor their coffee more, because it does taste better than the average cup found with other machines. The perfect consistency means that moms will be happier because they have found their morning or evening moments with a great cup of tasting coffee that doesn't take as long as other methods, like the pour over or French press. 

With its special handmade designs, the Moccamaster will far outlast any machine in your household and even comes with a 5 yr warranty! 

While the machine does use plastic, they are BPA, BPS, BPF, and phthalate-free. Plastic alleviates heat, especially with back to back brews, so that parts don't overheat and are relatively inexpensive to replace if something does break. 

Turning off on its own after 100 minutes, you don't have to worry about accidentally leaving your coffee pot on all day! 

The KBGV Select also stops the water when the carafe is removed, so less likely to worry about messy spills.

I'd say the only thing I wish it did have is a timer option for those of us who might not be morning people and just want it to start automatically in the morning. I've read that those who are smart plug enabled have ways of making this happen, along with timers to attach to the machine, but I'm not that tech-savvy in my apartment. 

Moccamaster does have several other coffee maker options, with a quiz to help you determine the best one for your needs. For me, the KBGV Select is absolutely perfect! I have traveled some recently and definitely notice a difference in the taste of my coffee at home (regardless of the type of beans) versus say, Starbucks or DD, or even hotel coffee. 

The Moccamaster might turn you into a coffee fanatic because each cup tastes so delicious! I highly recommend that you purchase a Moccamaster KBGV Select for Mother's Day this year. Not only will the mom in your life be well- caffeinated, they will save time, money, and energy!

 It does seem like an investment at the Moccamaster price, but I only had my last coffee maker a year before it gave up the ghost, so with the 5-year warranty, and the way it's built, the Moccamaster will be around for years to come, especially since the company has had 60 years to perfect the art of their handmade machines! 

Another thing I've noticed, is that with the Moccamaster, because of the heated water levels and the way it consistently pours over beans, the acid in coffee isn't as bad as it is in other machines. I use the same kind of coffee as I did in my previous machine, and would have some terrible moments, but it seems that the consistency made with the Moccamaster helps prevent some of that roughness on my stomach. 

This Mother's Day, purchase a Moccamaster KBGV Select. 

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