Espresso machines - general information
History
The literal
meaning of the word "espresso" is, made on the spur of the moment. It is an
adjective applied to foods and drinks that are made at the moment of asking, and
in Italy it is chiefly used to describe coffee, so that it has become a noun:
when you ask for "an espresso" in a bar or restaurant it always meant a
coffee.
This new method of making coffee was developed at the end of the
19th century (the first machine was shown at the Paris Fair in 1855) to overcome
the drawbacks of the other methods, in particular the time they take (several
minutes) and the consequent loss of aroma when the coffee is kept hot instead of
being consumed immediately. The new machine had to be able to make one or two
coffees at a time quickly, so that the customer had only to wait a few moments
to be served. In order to make the water pass more speedily through the measured
amount of ground coffee, the inventors had the idea of putting the water under
pressure. Initially the steam provided this pressure that the barman skillfully
regulated by means of various taps: making espresso coffee in those days was a
real art. The first manufacturer of espresso machines was Bezzerra (1901),
followed in the next 50 years by seven other Italians and two Frenchmen.
Espresso Machine - Basics
An espresso
machine is a piece of equipment which uses a pressurized boiler to force steam
through the coffee into a shot glass or cup. An espresso machine is used to
produce the traditionally Italian coffee beverage called espresso.
Types of Espresso Machines
There are basically 5 types of espresso machines
on the market today: Steam Driven They use steam to force the water
through the grounds instead of a pump and only generate about 3 atmospheres or
bars of pressure. They also heat the water too much which scalds the
coffee.
Manual A manual espresso machines uses a lever that the
operator uses to force the water through the grounds instead of an electric
pump.
Semi-Automatic A Semi automatic machine lets you add the
coffee to the portafilter manually, and the pump starts and stops when the user
pushes the brew button. The machine also requires that you clean the portafilter
after each brewing. Since the user manually starts and stops the brew cycle,
this machine gives you the most control over the quality of your shots.
Automatic They have the same components as a semi automatic
except they have electronic controls to start and stop the brew cycle at preset
levels. Most can be programmed to stop short for a ristretto or long for a
lungo.
Super Automatic machines If money is no object, and you
just want decent espresso without learning a skill, then look no further. Super
automatics have the grinder built-in. All you have to do is add the whole beans
and let the machine do the rest.
It will grind the beans, tamp the
grounds into the filter, and brew to your preset amount. It will even dump the
used grounds in its internal waste box.
How it works
An espresso
machine works by forcing almost boiling water through packed coffee grounds.
In order to properly brew espresso, getting full extraction with
consistency, a minimum of about 9 to 10 bars of pressure is necessary. Most pump
espresso machines will generate from 9 to 18 bars of pressure.
The boiler
on the espresso machine is what is responsible for heating the water and
maintaining it at the proper temperature for brewing and steaming milk.
How to prepare espresso
Instructions may vary depending on the type of machine you have, but the
basics are the same for all:
1)Pour cold, clear water into your machine's
water chamber and make sure the boiler cap is secured. One shot of espresso is
about 1 ounce. For a double shot, use two ounces. Some machines let you make as
many as four shots at once.
2)Place the coffee basket in the filter
holder and lightly pack in the ground coffee. Your filter should have a measure
for how much espresso you are making.
3)Brush off any grounds on the
sides and top of the filter and place the filter holder in the
machine.
4)Place the provided glass carafe (if your machine comes with
one) under the spout and turn on the machine. The machine will heat the water to
the proper temperature and force the water through the coffee grounds. Use a cup
if your machine doesn't come with a carafe.
5)When the coffee starts to
flow into the cup, it should have brown foam on its top. When the foam becomes
almost white in color, the good-tasting liquid is no longer flowing. Remove the
cup immediately.
Tips
Beans selected and roasted
specifically for espresso are available in major grocery stores or coffee
specialty shops.
If you are serious about espresso, purchase an espresso
grinder and grind the beans just before brewing. Otherwise, buy your espresso
beans in small amounts and have the shop grind them for you.
The quality
of machine has a lot to do with good espresso.
Maintenance & Cleaning
The purpose of cleaning your espresso equipment is to
achieve better control of the brewing process and to obtain the
freshest taste in coffee. By cleaning your equipment on a regular
basis, you can help save on replacement parts and increase the life
expectancy of your equipment. The following procedures should be
followed on a regular basis:
- Give the steam wand a quick "shot of steam" after frothing your milk (use a clean moist washcloth over the hole to prevent a mess). Then use the moist cloth to clean the steam wand immediately. If the milk has dried, use a plastic pot scrubber to clean the wand. Or soak the steam wand in hot water to remove any caked-on milk. Use of steel wool scouring pads will eventually remove the chrome plating. Clean the steam jet hole with a pin, paper clip or a similar tool.
- Flush the group head by turning on the pump for a few seconds, without the portafilter in place, after the last coffee session of the day (this has the added benefit of always ensuring the machine is fully primed).
- Remove drip trays and clean them. (They can be put in the dishwasher, occasionally, top rack only if plastic; otherwise they may morph into interesting but unusable shapes from the heating element)
Things to consider when shopping for espresso
machine
Price:
Espresso machines are definitely not cheap, but in the
long term can make you save a lot of money for all the coffee bought in coffee
shops. Price changes depending on the material of the machine (metal vs.
plastic). The better the quality the better the functionality and of course the
higher the price you have to pay.
Type:
As mentioned before
there are 5 different types of Espresso Machines. Go through all the types and
choose the one that suits you best.
Boiler:
The boiler is
made of aluminum, brass, copper or stainless steel. Aluminum heats the fastest,
but brass and stainless steel retain heat longer. If you plan to heat small
quantities of coffee for personal use then aluminum is the best decision
Another consideration is boiler size. Smaller boilers (3-5 oz.) heat up
faster and are great for 1 or 2 cups, but they generally require more recovery
time and may not maintain temperature as consistently as a larger (7-12 oz.)
boiler. As a general rule the bigger the boiler the more expensive the machine
is.