Coffee was first discovered in the 15th century, its popularity exploded with the coffee houses in the 18th century, the most famous being Lloyds, this is where the insurance company derives its name, due to the fact that many merchants and insurance brokers did business there.
Although many people now use instant coffee for convenience sake there are many who feel that the use of a coffee maker is the only way to make `real' coffee.
The filter coffee maker is in effect a small water boiler. Cold water is placed in the water container and coffee is placed in a paper filter over the coffee jug. An element in the base of the water container boils the water, which is forced up a tube and expelled into the filter as it expands. As the water passes through the coffee powder in the filter, it is turned into coffee and drops into the jug below. Once all of the water has boiled, the element in the water container automatically switches off to stop it burning out. The plate on which the coffee jug sits is heated via a low power element to keep the coffee in the jug hot and ready for consumption.
