Which Espresso Machine Is Best for You
Making an original espresso is an art that demands practice. Where every single step is crucial to bring the taste of original espresso, a quality espresso machine is one of the important components that ensure the delight of your favorite coffee cup. If the machine falls short of offering good ease of use and user control, a whole experience of brewing espresso will be ruined and so will be the taste of your mouth.
Today, when market is thronging with varied options, selecting a right espresso machine as per one’s needs has become the most cumbersome task. The broad categories of espresso machines given below will certainly lighten the mist of confusion and help you in your buying decision:
Types of Espresso Machine
Manual Espresso
Izzo Pompei 1 Group Spring Lever Espresso Machine
La Pavoni Europiccola Manual Espresso Machine EPBB-8
La Pavoni Europiccola Manual Espresso Machine EPC-8
Manual espresso machine was the first machine invented to make espresso. It is still the same and may interest you if you are an avid espresso traditionalist and coffee culture enthusiast. It has a piston that requires a pull to force the water through the coffee grounds. This may not excite an average coffee drinker as the consistent pulling of the piston requires time and practice to master. Here, the ease of use is minimal and learning curve is at maximum.
But, if you learn to pull the great shot, the machine is just like any other expensive model in its extraction from the coffee grounds. For those who love the ritual of brewing and claim to be espresso purists, manual espresso machine promises all you want in a single package but of course with an effort.
Semi-automatic Espresso
Izzo Alex Duetto IV Espresso Machine
La Cimbali DT1 Junior Case Espresso Machine
La Spaziale S1 Mini Vivaldi II Espresso Machine
Semi-automatic espresso machine are the most common home espresso machines. These machines are easy to use in comparison to manual machines and are suitable for those who do not mind learning a little skill to make a wonderful espresso.
The machine, as the name suggests, performs its function in semi automatic mode. A user manually starts the brewing cycle by the on/off switch and stops the process in the similar way when the extraction completes. Semi-automatic machine gives the user a control over the quality of the espresso. To develop good froth for cappuccinos and lattes, you have the steam wand. Amongst all the categories of machines, semi-automatic espresso machine is the least expensive. Generally, these machines do not come with grinders.
Fully-automatic Espresso
Bezzera BZ07 Commercial Espresso Machine
Bezzera BZ16 Commercial Espresso Machine
La Spaziale S1 Dream Espresso Machine
Fully-automatic espresso machine performs extraction process just the way as semi-automatic machine does. The only difference lies in its one touch system. The user only needs to switch on the button to start an extraction process. The machine will continue its function until the preset volume of coffee has been collected. After this, it will stop automatically. This machine is easy to use and you do not need to learn the necessary skills.
Fully-automatic machines are more commonly used in cafes and restaurants than homes. The options for home users in this category are less and those which are available are the modified models of semi-automatics. The quality of espresso you get from these machines are not much better.
Super-automatic Espresso
These machines are simply super-automatic in their use. You do not need to do anything except add the coffee beans into it. Accompanied with water reservoir and grinder, it will do the entire ritual on its own. The machine will grind the poured material, tamp the ground beans into the filter and extract the concentration to your preset volume. The left over of the coffee will be disposed on its own in the internal dump box.
These machines are latest in technology and comes with a wide set of features that do not restrict your control and also ensure you get coffee of superior quality. But, its pricing can force you to think twice before taking final decision.