If you love good coffee, owning an espresso machine is probably the next best solution to visiting a café. A good machine combined with some quality coffee, some patience and practice can turn you into a true barista by bringing the black invigorating beverage straight into your home kitchen.
The effort you input in preparing your drink is one of the key factors that decide which type of espresso machine to buy. The models available on the market range from manual tosemi-automatic, fully automatic, and super automatic. The difference between these machines is that some of them require you to do most of the work, while others automate certain tasks like grinding the beans, regulating the pressure of water, or keeping track of time.
The below list was specially designed to help you choose the best espresso machine that suits your needs. If your time is limited, and you don’t want to spend hours learning in-depth details about different espresso makers, check our suggestions that will help you find the best machine for you:
1. Types of Espresso Machines:There are four main categories of espresso machines: semi-automatic, fully automatic, manual, and super automatic.
• The
semi-automatic and
fully automatic machines enjoy the highest popularity on the market due to their convenience. The semi-automatic ones feature an electric brewing pumpwhich can be turned on or off by the user. The fully automatic machines, on the other hand, do not allow the user to control the pump, as they are in charge of regulating the amount of water traveling through the system.
• The
manual machines require more physical labour, as well as a bit of craftsmanship, for the user must manually push water through it. Nevertheless, these machines provide the same exquisite espresso as the automatic ones.
• The
super automatic machines are more sophisticated than the semi and fully automatic ones. They complete all the processes involved in the brewing of the beverage, from grinding the coffee to filling and tamping the filter basket and dumping the used coffee grounds into an internal container. Moreover, they can froth milk for preparing a latte or a cappuccino with the aid of a steam wand or an automatic milk frothing system.
2. Types of Espresso Beverages:Baristas always use exotic names when you request a coffee drink. To better understand the “nomenclature,” you should keep in mind that the most popular beverages on the market are made of a shot or more of espresso, steamed milk, and a layer of foam placed on top to give the drink an artistic aura. We offer you a list of some of the most popular drinks sold in coffee shops that can be recreated at home with the aid of a good espresso machine:
• Cappuccino – it is made out of a double espresso shot, hot milk and a layer of froth or milk foam. It can also be served with nutmeg or cinnamon.
• Caffè Latte or Café au lait – it containsespresso and steamed milk.
• Caffè Americano – it is made out of espresso and hot water added to taste.
• Espresso con panna – it is an Italian delight whose literary translation reveals “espresso with whipped cream”.
• Flat white – contains a double shot of espresso mixed with steamed milk.
• Macchiato – is the lighter version of an espresso, for it contains a spoonful of steamed milk.
