Espresso Machine Maine

An espresso machine is a piece of equipment which uses a pressurized boiler to force steam through the coffee into a shotglass or cup. An espresso machine is used to produce the traditionally Italian coffee beverage called espresso.

The literal meaning of the word "espresso" is, made on the spur of the moment. It is an adjective applied to foods and drinks that are made at the moment of asking, and in Italy it is chiefly used to describe coffee, so that it has become a noun: when you ask for "an espresso" in a bar or restaurant it always meant a coffee.

This new method of making coffee was developed at the end of the 19th century (the first machine was shown at the Paris Fair in 1855) to overcome the drawbacks of the other methods, in particular the time they take (several minutes) and the consequent loss of aroma when the coffee is kept hot instead of being consumed immediately. The new machine had to be able to make one or two coffees at a time quickly, so that the customer had only to wait a few moments to be served. In order to make the water pass more speedily through the measured amount of ground coffee, the inventors had the idea of putting the water under pressure. Initially the steam provided this pressure that the barman skillfully regulated by means of various taps: making espresso coffee in those days was a real art. The first manufacturer of espresso machines was Bezzerra (1901), followed in the next 50 years by seven other Italians and two Frenchmen.

There are basically 5 types of espresso machines on the market today: Steam Driven They use steam to force the water through the grounds instead of a pump and only generate about 3 atmospheres or bars of pressure. They also heat the water too much which scalds the coffee.

Manual A manual espresso machines uses a lever that the operator uses to force the water through the grounds instead of an electric pump.

Semi-Automatic A Semi automatic machine lets you add the coffee to the portafilter manually, and the pump starts and stops when the user pushes the brew button. The machine also requires that you clean the portafilter after each brewing. Since the user manually starts and stops the brew cycle, this machine gives you the most control over the quality of your shots.

Automatic They have the same components as a semi automatic except they have electronic controls to start and stop the brew cycle at preset levels. Most can be programmed to stop short for a ristretto or long for a lungo.

Super Automatic machines If money is no object, and you just want decent espresso without learning a skill, then look no further. Super automatics have the grinder built-in. All you have to do is add the whole beans and let the machine do the rest.

It will grind the beans, tamp the grounds into the filter, and brew to your preset amount. It will even dump the used grounds in its internal waste box.