Today, buying a coffee machine is a bit more complicated that simply investing in a percolator. But it’s much more fun because there is so much more to choose from and prices vary greatly. The first thing you have to establish is what sort of coffee you enjoy, what do you order most when you visit a coffeehouse. It might be a latte, a cappuccino or a plain old filter. You’ll want to buy a coffee maker that makes your favourite brew.
You might also want to consider how often you’re going to use your machine. You don’t want to invest in an item that costs a fortune but that you only use once a year for special guests. Finally you need to consider how much coffee you’re going to make at any one time. So it’s up to you. Do you want a filter coffee maker, a percolator, a cafetier, an espresso machine or a new-fangled Nespresso ‘pod’ machine?
Coffee Makers from our Featured Retailers
Filter Coffee Makers
Filter makers are easy to use. You don’t even need to boil water as they generally have a thermos, or heat retaining, pot and a hotplate on which it rests. It works by allowing water from above to drip through a basket, or cone, filled with ground coffee and infuse in a pot below. In Europe, cones tend to be deeper so the water penetrates right through the coffee. A smaller machine might incorporate a flatter cone that means the water doesn’t filter through all of the coffee, so the drink is of a lesser quality. Cones can be paper replaceable ones or permanent ones. Buying replaceable cones might cost a bit more but they’re more hygienic as you just throw them away with the used coffee when finished. Permanent ones need cleaning out.
Percolators
Percolators work the opposite way to filters. You put ground coffee into a basket-like holder at the top and water into a container underneath. When the water is boiled, steam is forced up through the filter and the coffee is infused into the bottom of the container. A glass dome at the top tells you how strong or week the brew is by its colour. The benefit of this is that unlike using a plain filter machine you can vary the strength of your drink.
Espresso Makers
Espresso machines are for those who like a good, strong cup of coffee. The coffee you get from it is definitely a richer brew and it’s used to make both late and cappuccino variations. Espresso machines are steam driven and come in two varieties, pressure and pump.
With pressure machines water is boiled in a compartment to produce steam and pressure. When enough pressure has built up the boiling water is forced through the finely ground coffee. You have to make sure there is enough pressure generated, though.
Pump machines are more expensive. They have a separate tank and thermostatically controlled boiler. A thermoblock system heats the water to between 85and 92 degrees centigrade – that’s the best temperature for coffee. Water is forced through the coffee at the right pressure so there’s little chance of getting it wrong.
Buying An Espresso Maker
Here are a few points to consider when buying an espresso maker.
The thermoblock boiler heats up the water to around 90 degrees C. It works via a pump. The trick is not to scald the coffee as this can make it taste bitter. There are thermoblock systems that froth milk as well. They need to operate at 120 degrees C.
An espresso has to have a good ‘crema’ – that’s the pure coffee extract you find on top of the brew, rather like the head on a beer. To get this the steam has to hit the coffee at the right speed. That means at a pressure of 15 – 19 bar. Again, if it’s too slow the coffee may taste bitter.
A valve usually controls the water flow. More expensive machines use a more sophisticated solenoid system that regulates pressure and shuts off when the process has finished.
The filter basket that holds the coffee granules should be kept warm. More expensive models use brass ones that retain the heat for longer, rather than the usual aluminium ones.
Higher wattage machines that boil the water more quickly are useful if you want to make several cups.
Making your perfect espresso
Making a fine espresso means getting the perfect ‘crema’. The crema should give off a rich aroma and leave a lingering taste in the mouth. To test how good it is put a little sugar on top. If the crema is right it should take its time to drop through to the bottom.
Baristas, the coffee making experts, tamp their espresso. This means that after they’ve filled the filter basket with coffee they tap on the top of it with a flattening devise called a tamper before locking it into the machine. This levels the coffee out so the water filters through evenly. Too much tamp, though, and the water will take too long to go through, so a little practice needed here. Some coffee machines have a built in tamper mechanism.
Cappuccino is an espresso with frothed milk. You should use full fat or semi-skimmed, not skimmed and it must be fresh. Use a stainless steel jug and fill it to half full with cold milk. Use the steam mechanism, or steam wand, to heat the milk. When the base of the jug it’s too hot to touch, the froth is ready. Tap the jug to remove any large bubbles and spoon the froth onto your espresso. Now you have the perfect cappuccino.
Nespresso System
Brought to the public’s eye through the clever George Clooney advertisements, this ‘pod’ system is another way to produce espresso coffee. After blending and grinding, the coffee is hermetically sealed in a pod, or, small capsule, which keeps it fresh for up to nine months. Pods can be bought through mail order or online. Most brands of coffee now offer a nespresso system, although the range of coffees can be limited. It’s clean, efficient and produces a good brew, though. No mess to clean up after use.
Cafetiere
Probably the most popular way to produce a ‘decent’ cup of coffee, the cafetiere has been around for a while. A metal filter that’s incorporated into a plunger tops a glass bowl. Just put as much coffee as you need into the bowl, fill it with boiling water and let it brew. Then push down the plunger to filter the coffee. You can buy cafetieres in a number of sizes from one cup fillers to many.
Coffee Grinders
You might want to buy you coffee as beans rather than ready-ground. If so you’ll need a grinder. Coffee grinders come in two types: blade or burr.
Blade grinders slice the beans very finely. They are less expensive but they can grind unevenly. If ground for too long using this grinder the coffee can end up tasting slightly burnt.
Burr grinders work a bit like a pestle and mortar and grind more evenly. They use either a wheel or cone burr. Wheel burrs spin quickly and can be noisy. Cone ones spin more slowly and tend not to clog up. They’re less noisy as well, but more expensive.
Different Grinds For Different Coffee makers
You can buy or grind your own coffee in different grinds from course to extra-fine. Each suits a particular kind of coffee maker.
Coarse grind should be used in percolators and cafetieres.
Medium grind is for flat-bottomed filter machines.
Fine grind suits cone filter machines.
Extra-fine is used in espresso makers.
Maintaining your coffee maker
Keeping your coffee maker clean is a good idea for both hygiene reasons and for insuring a great cup of coffee. When cleaning always use fresh water. It contains more oxygen that helps in the cleaning process. Never use detergents in coffee machines. Clean as thoroughly as possible to get out any residue of coffee oils. Left in they will affect the taste of the next brew you make. You should de-scale your coffee maker two or three times a year depending on how often you use it.