LeeBoy Senior Member Joined: 27 Sep 2002 Posts: 1 Location: Medford Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Pasquini Livia 90 Grinder: Innova Vac Pot: Ummm No Drip: Sorry No Roaster: Commercial
Posted Thu Apr 17, 2003, 10:17am Subject: "Which machine do I need?" I have the answer...
Which Espresso Machine is the best for me?
Ahh...The big question. There may be bigger ones but as the coffee culture becomes a larger part of our lives, it is a question that should be taken seriously. As with any art, the master is only as good as the tools he/she is using.
When beginning our search for the perfect cup, it is important to first understand what it takes to make a quality cup of coffee. Good coffee/espresso begins with good water. There is a distinct difference in the taste of water from different locations and different purity levels. It is recommended to use a good filtered water with a low mineral content. Distilled water has the least mineral content and will be the best* for your machine but it does not necessarily have the best taste. Most importantly find a water without chlorine, lead, fertilizer and other impurities that are often found in tap water. These impurities can change the chemical composition of the coffee and adversely affect the flavor and aroma. Some machines even offer a built in water filtration system. Another important factor in achieving coffee nirvana is finding an excellent bean. In searching for good coffee beans you should look for coffee that is of the Aribica species, fresh roasted and roasted to your taste. Usually commercially roasted beans at your local grocery store will not cut it. They are mass produced and it can take a year or more before the coffee even hits the shelves. The best source of good coffee is a local micro-roaster who roasts coffee fresh daily. As you develop your palate for coffee you will notice that different coffees from around the world have different characteristics. Finding your favorite blend will take time and experience. Different roasts also give different characteristics. Dark roasts such as Italian and French roasts full bodied and have smokier, sweeter flavors. Cinnamon to City and other light roasts are light to medium bodied and usually have more bitter acidic flavors.
Choosing the proper equipment is an essential part of the brewing process. As we go about our search for the right machine there are several questions that we should ask ourselves. How many drinks will be made a day? Do I plan on entertaining? What drinks will I primarily be making? Would I enjoy learning the art of making espresso or am I looking for ease of use? What is my espresso budget? Answering these questions will help to narrow down the massive field of espresso machines. As you may have already noticed there are a lot of machines to choose from.
As we look at the different machines that are available we should carefully examine several aspects of the models that we are to consider for purchase. Possibly the biggest performance affecting factor is the boiler size and material. Brass, stainless steel and copper are best for longevity as they are the least corrosive when exposed to hot water. Brass and stainless steel are usually found on commercial and pro-consumer espresso machines and also serve to maintain a more consistent brewing temperature. Aluminum boilers tend to heat up a bit more quickly but are often found on lesser expensive models and may corrode more easily than brass or stainless steel. Machines targeted toward ease of use often use aluminum boilers with powerful heating elements to increase performance and reduce initial heat up time. The boiler size can also affect heat up time, recovery time, drink production capacity and brew temperature consistency. For the person that will only be making 1-2 drinks a day, a 3-5 ounce boiler like those found in the Gaggia, Capresso and Saeco semi-automatic machines will work great. The medium size boiler (7-12 ounce capacity) found in Rancilio, Solis Crema, Francis Francis and other quality machines offers superior temperature consistency, better performance for making several drinks in a row and a lower recovery time if any. Machines with larger boiler sizes will usually produce a drier more powerful steam as well. The down side to a machine with a larger boiler is that the initial heat up time can be 2-5 minutes longer than that of a machine with a small boiler. The Pasquini, Wega, ECM Giotto and Rancilio S24 and other light commercial or pro-consumer machines offer large boilers measuring a liter or more in capacity. The large size boilers allow for continuous brewing with no recovery time between drinks. Often these machines will offer a dual heat exchange on the boiler allowing the user to brew espresso and froth milk at the same time. A very nice feature, especially when entertaining or making several drinks at a time. These machines may take 15 minutes or more to initially heat up. However, some can be left on 24 hours a day without harming the machine as the temperatures and water levels are closely regulated by multiple thermostats and sensors.
Lets examine the question - "ease of use or discover the art of making espresso?". Achieving a good extraction can be difficult and often frustrating, especially for the beginner. If you just want good coffee without the learning curve that it takes to become a Barista than you have two options. Either a semi-automatic with a pressurized porta-filter or a super-automatic. The pressurized porta-filter found on many espresso machines such as the Solis SL series, the Saeco Semi-Autos, the Capresso Semi-Autos and others, virtually guarantees a good extraction every time. The machine will not brew until the proper amount of pressure is built up in the portafilter handle. With a standard/commercial style portafilter you must find the right grind and apply the correct tamp pressure in order to get a successful extraction. Too little a tamp or too coarse a grind and the water will pass right through. Conversely, too fine a grind and too firm a tamp will yield a very bitter cup with no crema, that is if the pump can push water through at all. It takes skill and patience to find that sweet spot. It has been said that the best cup can be produced by a manual machine with a standard portafilter. You have to decide if your love of coffee is worth the effort for that perfect cup.
One of the most common misconceptions about espresso machines is that "the higher the bar pressure rating of the pump, the better the machine". This assumption is not at all accurate. In fact a proper extraction only requires 9-10 bars of pressure. If the pump has to use more than this then the shot will be over extracted and will certainly not taste right. The truth is that most espresso machines with a reciprocating pump, all use the same pump manufactured by the same company. If the machine has a pump then it probably has plenty of power to brew espresso. There is only one thing to consider regarding the pump. Rotary or reciprocating (vibrating). The reciprocating pump is much smaller and less expensive and is made for light to medium duty home and office use. The rotary pump is much heavier duty and is found on commercial machines and some pro-consumer units. The rotary pump provides a more consistent pressure and will be capable of producing up to 70 drinks per hour. It is also much bulkier and it must be plumbed in to a water line (versus a self-contained water tank) and is much more expensive. The Wega line of machines have the option of the rotary or reciprocating pump.
There are several other important factors to consider when selecting your equipment. The design, construction and additional features all play an important role in choosing the right machine. The design may not necessarily affect performance or the final product but remember you are going to have to look at this machine for a long time. Make sure it is aesthetically pleasing as well. Features such as a 3-way solenoid valve offers instant pressure relief when the brewing is finished leaving a dry coffee puck for easy cleaning and removes the chance of splatter from built up pressure, or a cup warming surface - it makes sense to put hot espresso into a warm cup. Automatic features allow you to simply press a button and the proper amount will be brewed automatically while you are preparing the milk for a latte. Rapid steam systems allow you to switch between brewing and steaming functions with little or no wait time where a machine without this feature may take up to a minute to switch between functions. Decide which features are most important to you and find the machine that best matches your needs in your price range.
If you want to do it right, then you must not overlook the coffee grinder. Coffee begins to go stale only hours after being ground. Essential oils and gases are lost from the bean soon after the coffee is ground. Choosing a good grinder is absolutely essential for machines that have manual/commercial style portafilters. You will need to be able to adjust the grind setting accurately depending on the bean type you are using and based on the quality of espresso that is brewed. The proper grind is essential in creating the right amount of pressure for a proper extraction. One way to tell if you have the right amount of pressure is to time your shot. A single shot measuring 1.5 ounces should take 15-20 seconds to brew. A double shot measuring 3 ounces should take 30-35 seconds to brew. Adjust your grind accordingly. Espresso machines that use a pressurized porta-filter system will work with almost any grind. However, to ensure freshness, a good grinder is still recommended. To read more about the different types of grinders click on this link. http://aabreecoffee.com/genguidtocof.html
To sum it all up, there are a lot of really great machines to choose from. Use your new found knowledge to pick a machine that will meet your needs. Keep it clean, use good water and good beans and you will be on your way to coffee nirvana.
Posted Thu Jul 10, 2003, 10:13pm Subject: Re: "Which machine do I need?" I have the answer...
which machine do I need...I don't have the answer! Boyfriend left me and he always cooked and made coffee. Now I need a machine with a PHD (push here dummy) button. I drink starbuck's breve latte's. I am truly challenged in the kitchen and need easy, simple and fast! Can anyone reccomend the right machine for me? (used to have the starbuck's italia, didn't get custody and was too complicated and the frothing took too long).
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