Coffee makers have become one of the most popular devices in the office break room or kitchen at home.
For many coffee lovers, coffee makers offer a convenient way to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to brewing. But have you ever wondered why the devices are more effective in heating water than your standard water heater?
It takes about 45 seconds to 5 minutes before your cup of coffee is brewed and ready to drink.
This post will have an in-depth look at what goes on inside the coffee maker for it to heat water quickly.
There are three ways coffee makers heat water. They include:
- Using a hot water tube for heating.
- Using a boiler, thermo-block, or thermo-coils and hot water reservoir.
- Using a hot water tube and hot water reservoir.
Stick around to learn more about how coffee makers work and how they heat water fast.
How Coffee Makers Work
Before understanding why your coffee maker heats water fast, it is crucial to know how they work.
Like most heaters, coffee makers work in the same way. They have a heating element that transfers heat to the water, warming it up. The element is a highly resistant conductor that heats up as current flows through it.
In addition, coffee makers have a thermostat that helps regulate the drip coffee machine or expresso’s temperature.
When the desired water temperature is reached, the thermostat switches off, cutting off current flow to the heating element.
Lastly, coffee makers also have a reservoir that holds water. It is the biggest component of the appliance.
Though all devices have a cold water reservoir that feeds water to the heating element, other makers also have a hot water reservoir for on-demand supply.
3 Ways Coffee Makers Heat Water
Most machines have the same basic procedure to get your hot cup of coffee. However, it is not a secret that different coffee makers heat water faster than others. It all depends on the type of coffee maker you own.
Most modern appliances are designed with unique features to ensure water is heated faster and stays hot for longer. Let us look at some of these features.
1. Hot Water Tube
The first type of coffee maker is the hot water tube coffee maker.
The appliance uses a metal tube connected to the heating element to heat water into a cup. This tube runs from the bottom of the coffee maker to the faucet.
The machine pump pushes a small amount of water through the metal tube, allowing the water to get heated faster.
Hot tube coffee makers are some of the market’s most common and affordable appliances. Drip coffee makers and single-serve pods are the perfect examples of coffee makers that use a hot tube to heat water.
One downside of metal tube heaters is that they only brew coffee a few cups at a time because only a small amount of water passes through the pipe for heating.
Additionally, it also takes longer for the water to heat up.
2. Boilers, Thermo-Blocks, and Thermo-Coils
Unlike hot water tube appliances, these machines use a boiler, thermo-block, or thermo-coils to heat water fast.
Boiler coffee makers have a water pump that pushes water into the boiler container, which is heated up.
Additionally, thermo-coils and thermo-blocks work the same way. The metal blocks and coils heat water, passing its length to the desired temperature.
Espresso and Nespresso machines are the common coffee makers that use boilers, thermo-blocks, and thermo-coils for heating water.
One advantage of these coffee makers is that they have an additional reservoir that stores hot water. The heating system helps keep the water in the reservoir at the optimum temperature.
It only takes a few seconds for the Nespresso and Espresso machine to heat your brewing water.
3. Combined Hot Tube and Hot Water Reservoir
Modern coffee makers like the Keurig coffee machine combine hot water tube technology with a hot water reservoir.
As the water passes through the heating tube, some of it is kept in a reservoir for later brewing. The machine has a one-way valve on the reservoir or tube in the heating element to prevent water from moving in the wrong direction.
The hot water reservoir cuts down on the time it takes to heat the water to the desired temperature.
Takeaway
You might be surprised that your coffee maker heats water faster than other heaters in the house. This is because the machines are uniquely designed to heat the water in record time to enjoy your morning cup.
There are mainly three ways that coffee makers heat water. The first set of machines uses a hot water tube to heat water.
The second set uses a boiler, thermo-block, or thermo-coils to heat water and has a water reservoir for continuous water heating.
Though the third set uses the hot water tube, it also has a reservoir for the on-demand hot water.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does It Take for Coffee Makers To Heat Up Water?
The time taken to heat water depends on the type of coffee machine you own.
However, it takes about 45 seconds to 5 minutes for the water to be ready for brewing.
What Does It Mean When the Pump in the Coffee Maker Makes a Loud Noise?
The main reason why the pump in the machine might be making a loud noise is due to low water flow. Therefore, filling the water reservoir should solve the problem.
