We like to drink coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. So much so we moved to Colombia. That’s not the actual reason we moved to Colombia but I was hoping to use this to prove my point as to how much we like coffee. While kitting the boat out we decided to by a 12 v coffee machine so we could make lovely, fresh coffee while underway! How nice does that sound?! The wind in the sails, the sea gliding and bubbling behind you, the sun shining down and a freshly brewed cup of coffee in your hand. Mmmm. Nice.
The reality is this. When underway it is normally pretty wank. There is normally 25 – 30 knots of wind trying to blow the boat over. You have to walk sideways down below when you need the loo, dodging stuff flying towards you that you thought you had stowed away but apparently hadn’t, while your husband smugly pees over the back of the boat. The dog is only in the cockpit as he has a safety line chaining him to it and the sea behind you is trying to get into the cockpit to eat you and spit out your soggy, tired bones.
So how well did our 12 v coffee machine work? Well for us, it doesn’t work. It’s shite. It’s like a shite coffee machine that lives in shitesville who is having a really shite day. It has the world’s shortest lead which means it has to be 1 foot from any cigarette lighter socket which is great when they are in useable (is that a word?) places but when in really stupid places like we have, as shown below is not helpful. It took FOREVER to brew a pot by which time the machine had timed itself out and turned off. It makes 2 cups (not the coffee machines fault), but seriously? Who just drinks 1 cup of coffee??? Even 2 cups if you are flying Hans Solo.
So in fairness to the 12 v coffee machine we decided to try it in a marina, where we could balance it like a circus act without the risk of throwing water and coffee granules everywhere. Unfortunately it’s still shite. It would be quicker to walk to the airport with bare feet across broken glass, fly to Colombia, grow your own coffee bush, grind the beans between your angry teeth and then fly back again than this machine can make coffee.
So in conclusion, from our personal point of view this is not worth the money, and will be relocated to the bin area where some other sucker will be lured by it’s sleek good looks and promise of coffee at sea only to be horribly disappointed.
What we would recommend however are a normal 240 v coffee machine when you are plugged in and an awesome stainless steel french press when underway, proudly displayed below.
