Buying a Coffee and Espresso Maker
Whether you like a full pot of drip coffee or an espresso, a coffee maker and espresso maker is a must for your kitchen. We have a wide range of styles and features at Target to meet your requirements.
With an espresso machine, high pressure forces water through ground beans in just a few seconds. The grounds are then tamped in order to compact them evenly and then interlock.
Here are a few examples of
When purchasing an espresso maker or coffee machine, there are many factors to consider. The features will determine the machine's functionality and suitability to your needs. Find features that provide convenience, improve the quality of your beverage and allow you to customize your beverage.
Coffee- and espresso-makers can be simple, like the traditional Bialetti Moka Express non-electric coffee brewer that uses an oven to heat water that slowly drips over the ground beans. Some models offer more sophisticated options, like dual boilers that allow you to make espresso as well as steam or frothed the milk simultaneously. Digital displays can also alert you when your tank is in need of topping up or when it's time to empty or descale the grounds bin, and when other maintenance tasks are due.
Most modern coffee and espresso makers employ the same brewing method that involves pouring hot water over ground or pre-ground beans that are placed in filters. Many are designed to stop the brewing process automatically at the correct time to allow you to take a fresh cup of coffee each morning. Some models also allow you to select the strength you prefer, and some have adjustable temperature settings to give you the best flavor.
The top of the line of coffee and espresso machines is the super-automatic, which is designed to do everything for you. They usually have an integrated grinder, which means they can grind and brew your coffee with fresh beans. They'll typically include a separate steam wand to make cappuccinos and lattes. They may also have a menu which allows you to choose from a variety of drinks including hot chocolate.
If you live in a smaller kitchen, choose an ultra-compact model to save counter space. You should consider a multi-cup machine that can be used with different sizes of cups if you have several people in your household with different preferences for coffee. If you're an espresso enthusiast, search for models that allow you to adjust the strength of the brew and the ratio of water to coffee, so you can have the perfect cup every time.
A good warranty and responsive customer service are other important aspects to take into consideration when choosing an espresso maker and coffee maker. Warranty periods vary between one and three years depending on the manufacturer.
Ease of Use
You require more than a traditional drip-filter coffee maker to make a coffeehouse type beverage at home. To brew espresso, highly pressurized water is forced through finely ground coffee beans at high speed. The result is a few "shots" of caffeine that have a thick, creamy crema on top. The majority of espresso and combination coffee machines make use of a portafilter steaming arm and basket for this process, whereas others rely on pre-packaged pods or filters, or allow you to grind and measure beans by hand.
The kind of machine you choose will depend on how spacious and hands-on you'd like to make it. A manual machine will give you the most control however it does require an enormous amount of work: You'll need grind the beans, hand-tamp the coffee and then take your shots. Semiautomatic machines can be accomplished in a few steps, including grinding and tapping. However, they require more work than automated machines. Fully automated coffee and espresso makers make a full pot of drips or an entire cup of espresso at the press of a button.
You'll also want to consider whether you're making coffee for one or more people. Some models, such as the Nespresso Vertuo Plus can brew three cups of espresso or coffee at a time. This is a convenient alternative for those who prefer making their own coffee in the morning, but may not be ideal if you are making for a large group.
A coffee maker and espresso maker with a dual boiler allows you to simultaneously brew and steam milk, which means you don't have to wait for one process to cool down before the other starts. This feature is especially useful for those who plan to make cappuccinos and lattes.
A coffee and espresso maker that has a removable water reservoir is less likely to develop mineral deposits than one that doesn't. It is still necessary to clean the reservoir periodically however you'll save some time by not having to empty and replace the entire pot of water. Another factor that can contribute to mineral buildup is the hardness of the water you drink: A water that is harder to soften produces more dissolved minerals, which makes your machine need descaling more frequently. Soft or filtered water is more gentle to work with and reduces the frequency of descaling.
Ease of Cleaning
A coffee or espresso maker is a major purchase for many homeowners, and it requires regular care to ensure its performance and longevity at the highest levels. Whether you use drip coffee makers or an espresso machine, proper cleaning of the carafe and other parts that can be removed is a crucial element of the maintenance process. Use vinegar or a descaling solution once every week to keep your appliance. Some models come with sensors that illuminate when it's time to clean.
While vinegar is fine for sinks and countertops, the acidity can damage the rubber seals and components of your coffee and espresso maker, thereby limiting the life of the machine. Many brands, including Lavazza and Smeg, also advise against use vinegar to clean your coffee maker as it may invalidate the warranty.
To clean your espresso maker or coffee maker, remove the portafilter from the group. With a nylon brush or scrubby pad, remove any coffee grounds from the portafilter and the basket. Clean them thoroughly with hot water, and dry them using a clean towel. Next, clean your brewing group. Place a cleaning tablet in the blind filter. Perform an automatic backflush. You can also manually flush your machine by placing a cleaning tablet solution in the portafilter and activating the brewing program and then pause for 10 seconds. Repeat this procedure until the water flow is constant. This indicates that your machine has been descaled.
The brew mesh needs to be soaked up by the water as it runs through the espresso machine. The mesh may become filled with coffee residue when it is dirty. This can adversely affect the extraction. To ensure that the mesh remains in good shape Calatrello suggests removing it once a month cleaning it with a brush and soaking it overnight in hot water with the aid of a cleansing tablet that dissolves in it.
If you own a fully-automatic coffee maker and espresso maker, you can clean the machine by removing the water reservoir and filling it up with fresh water, putting in a cleaning tablet and running a backflush application. You should also wipe the inside of the pot and water reservoir to remove any traces and staining. You'll need to wash and dry the carafe as well as the water reservoir before you put the appliance back together.
Ease of Maintenance
If you want to brew coffee or espresso in a short time at the go, select an automatic model. It doesn't need any effort from you. The models are built with the basket with ground coffee beans, water heated to the correct temperature, and then released into the ground.
These machines are perfect for those who love the making of coffee but don't want to spend much time learning the techniques and skills required to create the finest tasting drinks. These machines are easy to operate and are easy to clean. The results are similar to drip coffee maker.
To keep your machine in good condition, make sure to remove the grounds used up from the portafilter after every use, and then clean the grouphead and portafilter. It is also necessary to regularly backflush your machine. This is done by locking the filter inside the grouphead and then running the cycle of brewing several times until the water is clean. This is a job that coffeehouses perform at the end of each day, but which home owners can easily perform every few days or, alternatively, once a week with detergent for an even more thorough clean.
You'll also need to clean your steam wand, milk reservoir as well as other components of the machine regularly. We recommend cleaning them at least once every week. You can do this by cleaning all areas of your machine with a vinegar-soapy mixture of water (check the manual before you start because some manufacturers don't recommend vinegar). Lastly, you should change your filter frequently as hard water tends to build up mineral residue faster than soft or filtered water. This can make your espresso or coffee maker not to run, or have a different taste. To keep this from happening, you should purchase an espresso maker and coffee maker with an instrument to measure the water hardness.