Getting To Know The Different Type Of Espresso Machine
Coffee is often referred to as the world’s favorite drink. In the US alone, statistics show that over 50% of Americans over 18 years of age-this represents over 150 million people-drink coffee everyday. It is for probably for this reason why American celebrity Martha Quinn once quoted that “I don’t know how people live without coffee, I really don’t”. With the popularity of this drink, a number of coffee makers such as espresso machines are now available for consumers to use in preparing a cup of their favorite beverage.
An espresso machine is a specialized piece of coffee-making equipment used to create a very strong Italian coffee called espresso. Espresso, alternatively, is particularly a way of preparing coffee. It is made by forcing a shot of water at high pressure through very finely ground coffee. The components that make up these machines include a water tank, pump, boiler, and a brew head used to hold the portalifter.
Various types of espresso machines are now available in the market for consumers to choose from. Most of these machines differ in their drive mechanism. The drive mechanisms of these espresso coffee makers may be piston-driven, steam-driven, pump-driven, or air pump-driven. Piston-driven espresso machines, which were developed by Achille Gaggia in Italy ini 1945, operate by pressurizing hot water through the use of a lever pumped by the operator. Steam-driven espresso coffee makers, on the other, hand, operate by forcing water through the coffee by using steam or steam pressure.
Another form of espresso machine is the pump-driven espresso maker where water is mechanically or electrically pumped through the coffee at a slightly cooler and more espresso-appropriate temperature. These machines employ a pump, rather than a lever, to make espresso. Lastly are air-pump machines where compressed air is used to push hot water through the coffee grounds. Aside from these four forms of espresso makers, espresso machines are also available as manual espresso makers, semi-automatic and automatic espresso machines, and super automatic espresso machines.
With the number of different types of espresso machines now available in the market, one should carefully choose the best one before making any purchase decision. One of the important things to remember when purchasing these items is to get a good grinder. Remember that a quality grinder is crucial to good espresso. It is also important to consider the machine’s recovery time. This refers to the amount of time the machine takes to heat back and is an important feature if you plan on making more than one drink at a time. It is also important to consider the amount of money which will be allocated for the purchase of said device. This amount can be identified based on how long you want this product to be working. Lastly, it is also important to consider various accessories that would be included in the machine such as tampers, saucers and cups, knock boxes, steaming pitchers, and cleaning supplies.
Coffee makers such as espresso machines are great additions to one’s kitchen. These machines would definitely allow one to prepare his/her desired brew of coffee whenever he/she craves to drink one. Nonetheless, it is a must to keenly choose among the different types of these machines now available in the market before making any purchase decision.
Cheyenne Barray is a coffee enthusiast from Germany. With her love for said beverage, Cheyenne collects different types of coffee machines and “espressomaschine” (the German word for Espresso Machine) she uses in inventing different brews of coffee.
