Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Espresso Machines Make The Best Tasting Coffee

By Albert Blue

Sales of coffee are soaring in America. One of the largest areas of sales are in espresso, cappuccinos, and lattes. While you may think that it is only possible to get a good espresso at a drive through coffee stand, by choosing from the many espresso coffee machines available for home brewing, you can make a great cup of espresso at home.

Some inexpensive electric espresso coffee machines can be purchased in the thirty to fifty dollar range.

Some of these inexpensive espresso coffee machines can make a great cup of espresso, although purist insist that a steam driven machine can only make strong coffee since it cannot force the water through the ground coffee at the correct pressure for a real cup of espresso to be made.

These inexpensive espresso machines also often have a valve that allows to steam to be redirected through a side vent for steaming milk.

The more expensive espresso machines pump driven espresso coffee machines begin at about one hundred fifty dollars and can range up to over five thousand dollars. They have a pump that forces the heated steam through the coffee grounds at the correct pressure to make a true espresso.

If you are purchasing the more expensive machine and steaming milk is important to you, be sure that the machine you choose has this feature, as several of this type of machine do not offer the option.

If you want to enjoy your espresso like they do in Italy, choose one of the stovetop models. They are readily available in the United States. Any type of stove, hotplate or even campfire will provide all the heat that is needed for a great cup of espresso every time. It only takes three to five minutes to brew a very fine cup of espresso. Most people can tell no difference in this espresso than that of the most expensive of the pump driven machines.

. Remember that espresso cups are very small, generally 1. 5 to 2 ounces. If you buy a nine cup espresso maker, it will only produce 18 ounces of espresso at one time. That is about enough to fill one large coffee mug, but enough to make two quads from the local coffee shop. You should only expect to make two coffees for the average American using the nine ounce espresso maker.

The only complaints about the stovetop espresso coffee makers were for the cheapest of models that were made in PRC rather than in Italy. These models tend to have internal parts break and replacement parts are not available, making it necessary to replace the entire espresso maker.

Users of all models of espresso coffee machines agree that the key to making a good cup of espresso, no matter which machine you are using is to choose the best coffee you can afford and to grind them fresh. Often the difference between a home brewed cup of espresso and the coffee you pay three to five dollars for at the drive trough is simply the beans that you choose.

Do not buy beans in large quantities unless you make large amounts of espresso every day. Coffee beans are best when used within a week after roasting and ground fresh for each brewing of coffee.

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