You’ve decided that you want to acquire an espresso machine that can make coffee just as well as the baristas, have you? Hooray! The challenge that many individuals confront, though, is asking themselves, “Where should I start?” We don’t blame you for feeling a bit bewildered about everything since there are so many machines available on the market and so many accessories to take into consideration. Don’t be concerned. The following are some top-notch pointers that can assist you in selecting a machine that is of high quality and offers fantastic value…
Before I get to actual brands, here are a couple of tips about machine choice:
The grinder is the most important part of the set-up.
Let’s begin with a piece of advice about the grinder, which at first glance may seem to be arranged in an unusual order:
No matter how well the coffee is packaged, the flavour won’t be at its peak for more than a few minutes after it has been ground. Because of this, you should always grind your beans just before you begin the process of preparing coffee. It is necessary for the grinder to be able to generate extremely even and minute particles without accidentally burning the coffee during the grinding process. Not all grinders are capable of doing this; in fact, very few of them do. The Mini Mazzer comes highly recommended from us. Although it is one of the more expensive choices, purchasing it will allow you to reduce the overall amount of money you have to invest in your machine. Interesting, huh? It also has a lifetime guarantee, so after you have it, you won’t have to worry about it again.
Start with the grinder if you want to be able to make coffee that is of genuine cafe quality every morning (you can always use it to make the best plunger coffee around if you can’t afford the machine yet). If your objective is to be able to produce coffee that is of true cafe quality every morning.
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Purchase a brand that only makes coffee machines.
Or at the very least a brand that is mostly concerned with coffee. For example, does the company that makes the equipment you’re interested in also produce food processors and electric toothbrushes? If so, where is their real passion for coffee? A company that specialises in producing just one kind of product is going to devote a great deal of time and resources to ensuring that their product is easy to use. Additionally, this type of company will want their machinery to be durable and effective so that they can maintain their reputation.
Purchase a machine that is serviceable.
When you put electronics, hot water, and a lot of pressure into one unit, you can be sure that it will eventually break down and need service. There is no use in investing hundreds or thousands of dollars if you are going to have to get rid of your computer because it was not designed to be maintained. Or, even worse, it might be functional, but the importer hasn’t bothered to bring in any replacement components for the machine (it happens). When you find a machine that piques your interest, be sure to inquire about the locations of service centres that are nearby. And if you want to be really thorough, you could call that service provider to find out how long the model of the equipment has been around and whether there is a sufficient supply of components accessible, just in case anything goes wrong.
Choose the machine that’s right for you.
If you have been paying attention, you should have be aware that a quality grinder may be rather expensive (about $900), but that the investment is well worth it. As a result, we have developed a selection of equipment that spans the spectrum from entry-level solutions with reduced prices to the most cutting-edge professional machines.
Presso: Approximately $200
This espresso machine operates only by physical labour. Do not be fooled by the cheap price of this espresso machine; when used in conjunction with the tiny Mazzer grinder and the appropriate method, it is capable of producing a coffee extraction that is superior to that produced by the majority of home machines. The only drawback is that the milk frother attachment has to be manually operated. However, hey! Why spend more money to begin with if you want your espresso black, without any milk?
La Pavoni Eurobar. Approximately $1000
The increase in cost when upgrading to a La Pavoni may seem to be rather substantial. On the other hand, our research has shown that the machines whose costs fall somewhere in the middle are not serviceable, which means that they become obsolete after a year or so. Massive fail.
The La Pavoni collection features high-quality household machines that are simple to operate and maintain. They are ideal for providing you and your spouse with a cup of coffee in the morning, but it’s possible that they won’t be able to keep up with the demand if you have a bigger group around.
Because it is impossible to know if the machine’s former owner maintained it frequently or not, purchasing a used one is often not something that we would suggest. However, a competent service company can relatively quickly rebuild a La Pavoni range, which means that if you can get your hands on a cheap secondhand one and can afford to spend an additional $200–300 on a decent service, it is well worth it. If you opt to purchase a pre-owned vehicle, we suggest the EPL, Plus, or Eurobar types; however, you should avoid purchasing one of the newer models since it will be more difficult and expensive to maintain it.
E61 Group Head Type Machines $2400+
These machines are intended for coffee enthusiasts who take their hobby very seriously. You can prepare coffee that is on par with that served in cafes all day, every day, with the E61 series, and it will undoubtedly wow your friends and family. The majority of the machines in this category are constructed using commercial components, making them quite comparable to those that can be found in your preferred coffee shop. This also indicates that they are built to last for a long time, have a high level of durability, and are simple to maintain.
Despite this, the quality of each of these models varies quite a bit from one another. The quality of coffee extracted by each method is very comparable; the primary difference is in the steam pressure used. This will determine how many jugs of milk you will be able to process in a row before the machine becomes overworked and stops functioning properly. We strongly suggest that you compare the capacity of the boilers and spend some time trying out the equipment for yourself. A spin around the block, if you will!
The Vibiemme Domobar Junior and Super, the Faema Compact, the Cimbali Junior, the Rocket E61, the Fiorenzato, and the Argosini are just some of the brands that are included in this assortment.
Look after your new family member!
After you have selected and purchased your equipment, the next step is to ensure that you use water that has been adequately filtered, that you clean it frequently, and that you have it serviced once every 12 to 18 months to ensure that it has a long life and continues to provide you with delicious coffee.
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And of course getting yourself trained adequately to ensure you get the most out of your investment!
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