Complete Espresso Machine Buying Guide

Manual Espresso Makers Put the Control in Your Hands

Get hands-on experience with a manual espresso machine

If you're looking for a real hands-on experience and enjoy the idea of introducing a little romance into your espresso making, a manual espresso maker might be the right type of machine for you. These machines offer the most control over the overall taste and consistency of your espresso by allowing you to manipulate all the factors that combine to create the perfect shot. You won't find a better way to channel your inner barista and impress your family and friends with your knowledge and know how when it comes making fantastic espresso. More and more, in fact, the art of espresso and coffee making is becoming considered a gastronomic specialty.

A Few Simple Steps to the Perfect Shot
There are a few ways that both piston lever and manual lever espresso machines let you find your artisanal touch. First of all, with a manual machine you control the pre-infusion, or the amount of time water sits over the bed of coffee. Once you have really gotten to know your machine, you will be able to better tell an optimum amount of time to pre-infuse based on the roast and grind of your coffee, your dose, and your particular machine's water temperatures.

Secondly, most manual machines are designed to let you steam and brew at the same time. In other words, the water in the boiler is under pressure and maintained at an ideal temperature to prevent your coffee from being scorched so you won't end up with bitter burnt shots. The Gaggia Achille 11400 Machine is a good example of a machine that steams well and pulls a perfect shot, provided you're well enough acquainted with all of its ins and outs.

Finally, a manual espresso maker will allow you to determine not only how much water flows through the bed of coffee but also when you introduce extra water. By pushing the lever down repeatedly on models like La Pavoni Professional Lever Machine, you open the valve between boiler and machine allowing the piston to fill back up. You can introduce extra water into your brew after half or even a quarter of the initial water has been used to make your espresso mild, strong, or eye popping extra strength.

Practice Makes Perfect
The amount of control that a manual espresso maker allows the at-home barista is a big draw for anyone with and adventurous spirit and appetite for experimentation and by and large the primary reason to invest in a manual machine; but buyers beware. These manual machines can also prove to be a source of endless frustration if you don't have that spirit of trepidation necessary to pull shot after shot in countless combinations of grinds, roasts, varying amounts of time spent pre-infusing, and figuring out exactly when to add extra water. Manual espresso makers require a lot of patience and can frustrate, infuriate, and sometimes even leave you feeling downright disappointed on the road to creating barista quality espresso, but they can also produce the best shots of espresso you'll ever taste. If you ever find yourself idealizing the romantic notion of creating the perfect shot of espresso or daydreaming about sidewalk cafes in Paris or Milan, consider owning a manual espresso maker.

• Manual espresso machines operate using either a spring piston lever mechanism or a direct lever mechanism.
• Spring piston lever machines make use of an internal calibrated spring to force water through your coffee grinds at just the right pressure.
• Direct lever machines require that you apply direct pressure to force water through a bed of coffee grinds by pumping a lever manually without the assistance of a spring piston lever mechanism.
• Manual machines are available in a wide variety of finishes including copper, stainless steel and brushed steel.
• The lever on a spring piston machine rests in the elevated position while direct lever machines rest with the lever in the down position.

• Manual espresso machines offer the most control over the final outcome of your espresso.
• When using a manual espresso maker, you decide how long the pre-infusion takes place.
• These machines allow you to control how much water flows over the bed of grounds.
• You are able to determine the optimal amount of time to pull the shot.
• The better acquainted you are with your manual espresso machine, the better your espresso!

Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines Put You in Control with Ease
It's really no wonder semi-automatic espresso makers are the most popular machines among home espresso enthusiasts. These machines offer the best of both worlds: they give the home barista a good amount of control over the final outcome while still managing to simplify the process by regulating temperature and pump pressure automatically. Whether you have just recently acquired a passion for making espresso at home or if you're a seasoned coffee shop pro with years of experience, taking some of the guess work out of pulling the perfect shot makes it that much easier to create your favorite coffee drinks. You'll save time while rushing to get out of the door in the morning, coffee in hand, as well as make time to relax after dinner with friends and conversation over a hot shot of espresso without sacrificing the level of manual control needed to cater to your specific taste.

Because semi-automatic espresso makers allow you turn the pump on and off whenever you like, you have total control over the cumulative water flow for every shot you make. They also maintain a good brewing temperature by automatically switching off the internal heating element whenever a significant drop in the boiler temperature is detected. Plus there is no pumping water through the bed of grinds as with manual machines; the pump pressure is maintained automatically to drastically improve the final outcome of every cup.

Add a Little Steam to Your Brew?
If you run into trouble when choosing a semi-automatic espresso maker to suit your needs and your taste, it won't be for a lack of options. Most manufacturers like DeLonghi, Gaggia, and La Pavoni offer a variety of different models in a variety of finishes, any of which would lend sophistication and urban charm to your kitchen. Most manufacturers also produce both single and dual boiler machines.

When choosing between the two, it's important to remember that a single boiler machine, the more common model, has one boiler and two thermostats inside. One of these thermostats regulates the temperature for the brewing espresso while the other, set at a much higher temperature, produces steam for steaming milk. Because the machine switches from one thermostat to the other when you press a button or flip a switch, these machines cannot brew and steam at the same time.

On the other hand, when using a dual boiler semi-automatic espresso maker, the two independent boilers allow for both steaming and brewing at the same time since one maintains water at boiling temperatures and the other at steaming temperatures.

This apparent advantage may seem like enough to tip the scale of any espresso enthusiast in the dual boiler machine's direction, but the smart shopper will first consider these two points. First, the price point is much higher on dual boiler machines and second, they consume an enormous amount of energy and might not exactly be deemed "green."

Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines Turn Your House into a Coffee House
All things considered, a semi-automatic espresso machine is an excellent investment that is sure to pay off for anyone who truly appreciates authentic coffee house flavors and aromas. You can easily enjoy the drinks you love while keeping the level of control you need to create the perfect shot.

Semi-automatic espresso machine features:

• Programmable buttons allow semi-automatic espresso machines to dispense as much or as little liquid as you like.
• Attached steam wands allow you to froth and steam milk.
• Many semi-automatic machines include pressure stats to effectively monitor temperature.
• Stainless steel housing makes these machines real conversation pieces.

What customers like:

• Semi automatic espresso makers are by far the most popular among those who make espresso at home.
• Temperature and pump pressure are automatic, unlike in manual machines, taking some of the guess work out of pulling the perfect shot.
• Semi-automatic machines allow you to turn the pump on and off so you can choose to end a shot whenever you like.
• Most semi-automatic models are more reasonably priced than fully automatic machines.
• All semi-automatic machines are available in either single or dual boiler models.

Super-Automatic Espresso Makers: the Best Without the Mess
When you're truly looking for the finest and freshest shot espresso with the least bit of guess work involved, a super-automatic espresso maker will not fail to deliver. It's no wonder these machines have long been considered the epitome of luxury and sophistication for avid coffee drinkers. All the work is basically done for you with a simple press of a button.

If you typically find yourself in a rush every morning while trying to make it to work on time and can't spare even one extra minute to pump and pull manual or semi automatic levers, then a super-automatic espresso maker is the right machine for you. Just set it and forget it. What could be easier than programming the temperature, strength, and size of your espresso with the touch of a button before hopping into the shower every morning or before bedtime? By the time you're dressed and ready to go, so is your shot made hot, fresh, and just the way you like it. And when it's time to clean up, there's no need to get your hands dirty. With a built-in automatic self-cleaning function, keeping your super automatic espresso maker working like brand new is a breeze.

Convenience of the Highest Quality
They're called automatic simply because they automate the amount and delivery of water that travels through the bed of coffee grounds under a predetermined amount of pressure for you. With the touch of a button, a super-automatic espresso maker will automatically grind your coffee beans, tamp them down firmly, and then deliver the appropriate amount of hot water for the ideal amount of time. This all ensures that smooth and rich espresso without a hint of bitterness from over-extraction.

Machines made by DeLonghi offer a unique feature in which the beans are ground just seconds before they're used without being transferred to an auxiliary tube before entering the brewing system. This ensures the freshest and most authentic shot possible. Other machines made by manufacturers like Expobar and Capresso offer fully integrated brewing systems that allow you to both brew espresso and steam or froth milk to make your favorite drink without ever even moving your cup.

Super-Automatic Espresso Makers Are More than Just Pretty
Don't let all the amazing perks fool you. Super-automatic espresso machines are still able to brew shots that even the most enthusiastic of coffee lovers would have succumb to. The addition of cup warmers, hot water spouts for tea and hot chocolate, and instant reheat functions further the innovation. Technology, practicality, and elegance have come together in today's super-automatic espresso makers to give even the savviest coffee aficionado something to buzz about.

• Digital programmable menu settings allow you to automatically adjust start and stop time.
• You can easily adjust the temperature and strength of your coffee with digital programming.
• Choose the size of your shot, short or long, with the touch of a button.
• Most super-automatic espresso makers feature a self-cleaning function.
• The steam wand allows you to produce steam or frothed mild for lattes, macchiatos, or cappuccinos.

What customers like:

• Super-automatic espresso makers leave the work entirely up to the machine.
• You'll save time and energy while still enjoying the perfect shot of espresso.
• With a super-automatic espresso machine, your coffee is ground right before it's brewed for the freshest results.
• Instant reheat functions, cup warmers, and hot water spouts are all perks of super-automatic machines that marry technology with luxury.