Coffee has long been a vital component of human society and will undoubtedly continue to be so. Numerous techniques have been used to make the ideal cup of coffee. Nowadays, a lot of people use Keurigs or what is known as classic coffee makers. Some civilizations still prepare Greek and Turkish coffee in a particular coffee pot. Another piece of equipment for brewing coffee is a coffee urn, but what precisely is one?
What is a Coffee Urn?
A coffee urn was almost a need in the past when young families frequently hosted dinner parties with 20–30 guests. Every suburban homemaker had one, a West Bend or Hamilton Beach, to match her kitchen appliances in Avocado, Harvest Gold, or Burnt Orange.
The simplest way to define a coffee urn is as a coffee maker with a high capacity for brewing coffee at once. Even though the word “urn” conjures up a morbid image, these coffee makers are anything but morbid. To efficiently serve oneself a cup of coffee, these coffee makers typically incorporate a spout at the base of the appliance. They used to resemble an urn more closely, but today they appear to be enormous metal coffee bins.
A large, often metal container that can make enormous amounts of coffee and keep it warm for a long time is called a coffee urn. Most are electric, although others use internal fuel sources like oil, propane, or others to heat. At large gatherings and feasts, urns are typical since they spare hosts the hassle of frequently refreshing smaller pots or carafes. Most places make coffee readily available via a central faucet, allowing guests to dispense however much they desire while keeping the remaining supply warm.
What is the Use of Coffee Urn?
One of the main benefits of utilizing a coffee urn is that they are enormous coffee pots that can produce a lot of coffee at once, with some models able to create up to 200 cups at once. A coffee urn is typically used at hotel events, banquets, meetings, and gatherings.
At workplaces and office gatherings
Giving someone a hot cup of coffee during work or a company meeting is the most acceptable method to make them pleased. A coffee urn will be an excellent choice if your office has many employees. There won’t be caffeine-deficient folks fighting over a cup of coffee as they wait for more to brew because these coffee makers can serve at least 30 people at once.
Whenever You Cater an Event
Coffee is one of those drinks that at least one person will request no matter the hour, whether you are catering an event in the morning or the evening. To ensure they have enough freshly brewed coffee to satisfy the customers’ needs, caterers frequently employ coffee urns. By using a coffee urn, they may prepare enough coffee at once without having to brew it more quickly and inconvenience other people.
In the case of a Camping Trip
A few non-electric coffee urns are the ideal addition to a camping vacation. However, if your campsite has access to electricity, you can still use an electric coffee urn. You’ll want to rapidly distribute morning coffee while camping with a group of folks. By doing this, you’ll have fewer irate morning people in addition to saving time.
As a Restaurant Owner
Most eateries offer coffee service no matter what time of day it is. A coffee urn is a terrific choice if you’re operating a restaurant and want to ensure you have enough coffee to suit the needs of your patrons. If you have a coffee urn, you won’t need to stop in the middle of a customer rush to brew extra coffee. Although it’s less uncommon, there’s always a danger you’ll run out of coffee when serving from a coffee urn.
Best Coffee Urns in the Market
Selecting the ideal model might be difficult. What characteristics should you prioritize, and how can you locate the most excellent deal?
Best overall Focus Foodservice Regalware Coffee Urn (60-cup)
An outstanding device for holding larger cups is the Focus Foodservice Regalware Coffee Urn. Because of the non-drip function, making a mess will be the least of your concerns with this urn. Steel is used in the machine’s construction to increase its sturdiness and strength. With the ability to make 60 cups of coffee, this coffee urn is also quite effective, making it ideal for gatherings or small cafés. The built-in dual thermostat warms coffee more quickly and maintains its heat longer.
Best Value Hamilton Beach 45-cup Coffee Urn
Due to its enormous capacity of 45 cups per hour, the Hamilton Beach Coffee Urn 40515R is a dependable coffee urn for crowds and social occasions. You can fill smaller mugs and bigger decanters quickly thanks to the two-way dispenser’s integration of single and continuous servings. This coffee urn has a light indicator and water level markings. The level marker can measure water, and the fair indication will let you know when the coffee is ready. The machine is simple to use, and cleanup is also straightforward. The most excellent option for the money is this coffee urn. It is substantially less expensive than most coffee urns.
American Continental Coffee-Urn (50-cup)
The Continental Electric PS-SQ018 Coffee Urn is a dependable alternative for club events and social gatherings because of its big 50-cup capacity and integrated self-service option. The drip tray reduces clutter. In addition to a timer, there are computerized programming options to keep the water hot and reheat the coffee. The viewing window lets you observe the water level, and the side rubber handles make transfer simple. The stainless-steel coating on this coffee urn makes cleaning a breeze and increases the urn’s toughness.
Coffee urns in stainless steel from Hamilton Beach (60-cup)
Frequently lifting and opening a coffee urn’s lid to check the level determines how quickly coffee cools. This problem is solved with the Hamilton Beach D50065, which has a transparent window that lets you check the level of the coffee. With a 60-cup capacity and a speed of one cup per minute, the Hamilton Beach D50065 makes serving a large group of people at once more accessible. The temperature of the coffee is additionally maintained via a warm stay feature. Because of the stainless-steel exterior, cleaning is a breeze, and indicator lights let you know when it is on or when the water is ready.
West Bend Commercial Aluminum Coffee Urn (100-cup)
The West Bend 33600 Aluminum Commercial Coffee Urn is made to serve a big crowd efficiently. It is very effective and dependable due to its 100-cup capacity and 1-cup per minute speed. With automated temperature control, coffee stays hot for a long time. A flexible dripless faucet is available for either single or continuous serves. Thanks to its heat-resistant base and insulated handles, you can carry the machine easily. Cleaning is made simple by the structure and the extra cleaning equipment. A light indication has been added to simplify the process and alert you when the brewing process is complete. Water level markers are also present.
Maintenance and Cleaning
One of the most common criticisms of coffee urns is that they may be very challenging to clean, partly because each has so many different parts. It can be challenging to thoroughly clean electric models because they are typically incapable of being submerged in water. If at all feasible, immerse urns in hot, soapy water for several hours to help get rid of the flavor of stale or old coffee.
Cleaning is much simpler if all that was in the urn was coffee. In making a perfectly balanced cup of coffee straight from the fixture, adding sugar and possibly even cream to the water chamber can be tempting, but this is nearly generally discouraged by manufacturers and food safety experts. If the urn is not well cleaned, adding sugar and dairy products increase the chance of bacterial growth and may also block the internal brewing processes. Most of the time, additions will sink to the bottom, causing some cups to be incredibly sweet or creamy while others will be nearly bitter in comparison.