How to buy a coffee maker

A couple of weeks ago, the hubs and I set off on a grand adventure to purchase a coffee maker amid all of the post-holiday sales. Not only did we come home with a great new coffee maker, but we also got an education in how to choose the right one from our neighbor who works at Bloomingdale's (and, conveniently, specializes in coffee makers).

Here are a few helpful hints for any one you out there in the market for a new brewer.

The showerhead is important. I didn't even know that coffee makers had showerheads. Did you? It's basically where the water pours over the grounds. The wider it is, the more evenly your coffee will brew. You know how sometimes your grounds will end up with a giant well in the middle after a brew? Well, not so with our new coffee maker.

A built-in grinder is a bad idea. Because the steam from the brewing coffee will ruin the beans. True story.

Old Navy sweater, vest, jeans, boots and bag, F21 scarf, TKO watch

A thermal carafe is fine, if you don't mind waiting the extra few minutes for it to warm up. We ended up with a classic glass carafe, but I realize the extra few minutes to let the thermal carafe get hot isn't really that big of a deal, particularly since I especially wanted a new coffee maker so we could program it to brew in the morning.

Is that it? Is that all we learned? I guess so. Oh, well, it's still helpful stuff. Also, our new fancy-schmancy coffee maker has a water filter and everything.

Also, check out these bracelets I made at the craft party my friend and I hosted in November. True, they were supposed to be gifts. (Hey, they might still be... eventually. Maybe.) But I just had to test them out. Here's how to make 'em.