Posts from — January 2008

Electric espresso makers are now the industry standard, and are becoming the standard for at-home baristas. While a four-spout model can easily run upwards of $3000, you can purchase a quality electric espresso maker for under $100 from many retailers. You may be familiar with the Café Moka model. It’s aluminum, it’s squat, and it’s difficult to use.

Using an Electric Espresso Maker

It’s easy to use and clean an electric espresso maker. While there are propane espresso makers, these are a minority. In fact, many propane espresso makers are dual-phase, able to be operated with propane gas or electric. The process of producing espresso is simple, although you may have a method that you adher to.

Great espresso is essential. Espresso is not, in fact, a bean, but refers to the method of preparation. An extremely fine powder is used in electric espresso makers, unlike with other methods drip coffee, which features medium-sized grains, and French press coffee, which is some of the largest you’ll find.

Grind the espresso into that fine powder. This should be ground every time a drink is made. A lack of freshness makes for a big lack of taste. Next, take a little bit of the coffee and place it in a metal filter basket, about 3/4 full. Now you are going to tamp it—there is an optimal pressure for electric espresso makers, and you’ll learn it quickly. It should be firm, with no powder adrift on top of the espresso.

Now, on electric espresso makers, you simply insert the basket and swing the handle of the basket into place. Make sure the reservoir in the electric espresso maker has water in it, and push the button. Within seconds, you will have a shot of delicious espresso. Often electric espresso makers are fitted for double shots—make sure you have two cups ready.

Often, electric espresso makers have a separate wand for frothing milk. Most electric espresso makers are designed to shoot out water at a steaming gallop. This intensity is necessary for the finely frothed milk that espresso drinkers demand when they ask for a cappucinno or latte. The milk should be heated to around 145°. Too cold, and the milk doesn’t sweeten. Too hot, and the milk can burn.

How do you know if your electric espresso maker is functioning right? Listen for a delicate whirring noise during the espresso pull, and a distinctive breathy whirring noise when the milk is frothed. And of course, the look of your espresso. It should have a delicate red-brown foam at the top. This is the crema, or schiuma. If you’ve got that, you’ve got espresso!

If you want to make a purchase that you will never end up regretting, go with a Delonghi coffee maker. With a Delonghi coffee maker you know that you will be getting delicious, perfectly brewed coffee each and every time, and never again have to worry about getting charred or burnt roasts.

The Selection

There is the 14-cup programmable Delonghi coffee maker for one, which features a 14-cup capacity, 24-hour programmable timer which is convenient and easy to use, internal water level indicator which lets you know how much water is left in the tank, permanent gold-tone filter, shower head design, aroma button, and freshness indicator with LED lights that illuminate every 15 minutes for the first hour to let you know how long the coffee has been brewed.

There is also an advanced water filtration system used here which helps to optimize the taste of your coffee by eliminating any off-flavors that are caused by chlorine, a decalcification warning which uses an indicator light to let you know when it is time to clean the machine, a non-stick warming plate, and a pause n’ serve function which allows you to interrupt the brewing cycle to pour a cup of coffee before the full brew is complete.

This is an ideal Delonghi coffee maker for the average household and one that is truly high quality but also affordable. If you are shopping for your first coffee maker this is definitely one that should be considered, and one that will not break your budget.

Another Delonghi coffee maker that you may want to consider is the Delonghi EC701 Espresso Machine. This is a durable and full featured machine, one that produces a perfect shot of authentic espresso, cup after cup. Two portafilters are included with the machine, one that uses convenient ESE espresso pods and the other which enhances the brewing process to ensure full espresso extraction.

A few of the many features offered include rugged stainless steel housing, 15 bar electric pump, anti-drip design, ESE pod compatible, Sempre Crema portafilter, cappuccino system frother, removable drip tray, on/off indicator light, integral coffee tamper, cup warming surface with rails, and more.

Making the Decision

You may find it a bit difficult to make a decision, what with the various different models available to you, but as long as you take a bit of time and consider the different features and components that you need, then you will be able to find the perfect coffee maker for you.

It was not too long ago that getting a beverage from a coffee vending machine was done so out of desperation as their reputation for providing a good cup of coffee was not real good. Typically, the drinks produced were either too strong, too weak or just downright nasty and despite the complaints of those that bought drinks from a coffee vending machine, buy them they did. It may have been because of the some of the fancy cups they used because in most cases it was not because of great tasting coffee.

Typically, many of the old style coffee vending machines simply provided hot water that was run through a portion of instant coffee that did not always completely dissolve during the process. The result was often hot water with some grounds floating on the top of the water or settled on the bottom of the cup and tasted more like coffee that was made two or three days previously. However, after years of complaining about the drinks produced by a coffee vending machine manufacturers finally made headway in making their product more pleasing to coffee drinkers.

Today, a coffee vending machine can produce a cup of brew that might even be close to the coffee produced at home in a brewer. Once activated, some of the machines grind the right amount of beans, run water heated to 110-degrees through the grounds and pour the coffee into an insulated cup.

Most Machine Coffee May Be Good But Not Great

Travelers and many others who work for a company that provide a lunch room may be limited in their sources of a good cup of coffee and if they feel a need for a burst of caffeine will buy a cup from a coffee vending machine. Even with the improvements made to the machines and improved quality of the finished product, it will never equal the product available from a coffee shop or that brewed at home.

However, there are going to be some that enjoy the brew made by a coffee vending machine, but remember that a machine is a machine and cannot adjust they way it was instructed to brew the coffee. A coffee vending machine will produce coffee that it too strong for some and too weak for others and still, to this day, will carry the stigma that the drink was made by a coffee vending machine, therefore it cannot possibly be good.

Convenience Of A Coffee Maker With Grinder Ends If It Breaks

Convenience is what drives people to buy a coffee maker with grinder built in, but that same convenience is what may drive many away from such devices. It is no secret that coffee tastes so much better when it is made with freshly ground beans and many would rather buy whole beans and grind them to the texture that suits their own tastes. Once coffee beans have been ground they begin to lose their flavor and using a coffee maker with grinder where the grounds are made seconds before being used can provide the best tasting coffee available.

The problem most people confront is if one or the other should happen to break. They either have a coffee maker with a useless piece of equipment attached to it or they have a grinder for their beans that is slightly larger than a coffee maker. In these instances, they will need to replace the entire coffee maker with grinder even though only part of the unit is defective.

Another potential issue with having a coffee maker with grinder built in is in cleaning the grinder part of the machine. With coffee makers, the brew pot can be cleaned in the sink and water with a little vinegar can be run through the machine to keep the pipes clean. However, al good coffee beans have some oil on them and cleaning the grinding portion of the coffee maker with grinder can be a tough job.

Built In Units Offer Additional Challenges

As more coffee drinkers seek more conveniences in their home, coffee makers that can be built into the wall or cabinet are becoming increasingly popular. They do not take up space on the countertop and when connected to a water line do not require manual filling of the water reservoir. Building in a coffee maker with grinder is also adding to convenience of the homeowner, but cleaning them presents additional challenges.

When looking for a coffee maker with grinder, whether it is going to be built into the wall or free standing on the counter, be sure to understand how the blades of the grinder can be cleaned and how often they should be cleaned to prevent a build up of old grounds from affecting the taste of the coffee. The reputation of the brand should also be considered, with the understanding that if one part breaks, you will need to replaced the entire unit.

Bunn coffee makers have a large legacy to live up to. The Illinoise-based company was the first to master the automatic drip both for household and domestic use, and the company still thrives today. While Italian brands like De Longhi have rather cornered the market on large-scale espresso machines, Bunn remains a large player in people’s homes, which prominently feature Bunn.

The Bunn-O-Matic Company

Called the Bunn-O-Matic Coffee and Tea company, Bunn has been through a lot. The advent of coffee shops and upstart coffee equipment producers has driven Bunn to produce a quality product. They tend to be a little more expensive, but well worth it. But what do you do when your slightly-expensive Bunn Coffee Maker breaks? Parts. You need parts.

Where to Get Them

You’ll probably have to used the same sources as retailer to obtain Bunn Coffee Maker parts. Luckily, you don’t have to be a major retailer to gain access to Bunn Coffee maker parts. That’s right, just use the internet. With retail sites, rating sights, and corporate merchants, you have a full spread of Bunn Coffee Maker parts available. Just try and look for that broken on/off switch. I bet it’s on there.

Protect Yourself on the Internet

Keeping your information absolutely private on the Internet is virtually impossible these days. You may feel inundated by the amount of people trying to sell you something or get your money. You may spy a great deal, but it’s not worth risking your identity over, I can guarantee it. Saving a couple of dollars, even for Bunn Coffee Maker parts, never worth a shady deal If you have any doubts, you can always look for their rating on the BBB.

Protect Yourself at Home

When installing new parts in your Bunn Coffee maker, always be sure to take basic precautions. Always, always unplug the machine. Bunns can use a very high voltage and it’s important not to endanger yourself even for a quality cup of Bunn coffee. Before starting, pull out everything you will need, including the parts. Another great tip is to grab something—a tea saucer, nearly anything–to catch any screws.

By following these simple steps, you can sure that your Bunn-O-Matic and you will have a very happy life together.

Oh, and while you’re struggling with that Bunn? Their customer service number is (800) 532-2866. Remember that if you’re nice to them, they gotta be nice to you? Right? Now, if only we could get all those people onto some Bunn-brewed coffee.