Espresso Making Machine

The different types of espresso machines are discussed here

Espresso Makers

The usual method of brewing coffee including those used in the coffee makers is to soaking grounds coffee in hot water. Another method of brewing is known as espresso and coffee brewed this way is known as espresso coffee. The definition of espresso from the web

---Espresso is a strong, flavorful coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water through finely ground roasted coffee beans. In Italian, espresso means "to press", and refers to the pressure applied to the water as it is forced through the grinds. The spelling "expresso" seen occasionally, is not correct. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espresso

And another definition :-

A brewing method that extracts the heart of the bean. It was invented in Italy at the turn of the century. A pump-driven machine forces hot water through fine grounds at around nine atmospheres of pressure. It should take between 18 to 23 seconds to extract a good shot. This will produce from 3/4 to one ounce of great liquid. This produces a sweet, thick and rich, smooth shot of espresso. Comes from the Latin word "Expresere" which means "to press out." www.geocities.com/Paris/Salon/2549/glossary.html

Espresso machine are divided into four main types and these are manual, semi-automatic, fully automatic and super automatic .Below is a discussion of each and how they work.

The Manual Machine :- It is also known as the piston machine as it consist of a piston which generates the require pressure for making espresso coffee. As the name suggest, this is a fully manual espresso machine. All the preparation work is done manually. You fill a portafilter handle with ground coffee, tamp down and compact the coffee, brush off any loose coffee grounds and lock the handle to the machine and finally pull the machine handle. The process is easy but with a manual machine, it takes skill and experience to produce a cup of perfect espresso. Hence it is not easy to use a manual machine and the learning cure is high too. Having said that the coffee that they are capable of extracting is on par with the best machines.

The Semi-Automatic :- These made use of electric pump machines. These succeeded the piston machine because they are quite easy to use. The electric pump easily produce the necessary pressure without the inconsistencies as compared to the human powered manual machine. Hence because of this the semi-automatic machine quickly replaced the piston machines and became a popular choice for cafes and the home.

Operating in semiautomatic mode means that the user starts the pump with an on/off switch and stops the pumping action when the extraction is complete. The extraction takes about 20 to 25 seconds so the user will wait for the coffee process to complete and then switch off the machine. Thus using this machine is easy and the learning curve is average. Also they are more consistent in producing excellent espresso coffee.

The Fully-Automatic :- These machines work in the same manner as the semi-automatics with the difference that they are a one touch system. This means the user will start the extraction by activating a switch. The machine will then continue to extract until a predetermined volume of espresso has been extracted and then it will stop on its own. This is very helpful function for when the user has other tasks to perform. The ease of use is very good and the learning curve is average too. As such fully automatic machines are preferred in cafes and restaurants but are also available for the home.

The Super-Automatics :- Developing further from the fully-automatic machines, there are machines that are known as super-automatics. These machines perform the entire espresso making process for the user in a fraction of the time. They contain water reservoirs and integrated coffee grinders. This is push button technology at it's best. Press the brew button and it will grind the right amount of beans, tamp the ground beans, extract a predetermined amount of coffee and then it will dispose of the puck (left over coffee) into an internal dump box. This type of machine is getting very popular.

Cleaning and maintenance for the above machines are fairly standard. However the maintenance and cleaning of the super-automatics is the least required as some of them are self -cleaning with their own cleaning cycles, decalcification cycles and auto-rinse cycles.How's that for super convenience. The only thing to take care off is to ensure that water and ground coffee is available and the internal dump box are not full. Even these the super-automatic will indicate to the users that it need filling up or the dump box need to be cleared.

So when it comes to buying an espresso machine how to we decide. Let's take the position of a home user. Most likely home users concern is with the quality produced of the end product and the consistency in producing it. In this sense go for the semi-automatic as it meet the requirement mentioned and more suitable both on the budget and for home use. We can dispense with the super-automatic as that's an overkill for home user. Then how about the manual type? Well one reason that's not recommended is the fact that it is not easy to use and the learning curve is steep. It's meant for the experience individuals,a hobbyist or other coffee culture enthusiast who enjoys the ritual of making espresso. If you are one of them then by all means go for it.