Choosing Your Coffee Maker ...

Britain Hooked on Quality Coffee!

There’s little doubt that Britain has got hooked on drinking quality coffee; all you need to do is count the amount of coffee shops on your high street as well as the many different coffee drinks that are being served to satisfy the UK’s ever growing caffeine habit.

But when it comes to reproducing that coffee shop taste at home or in the office, what kind of coffee machine is best for you?

There’s absolutely no point in getting a filter machine if your favorite drink is a cappuccino or latte, likewise, why would you buy the latest espresso or bean to cup coffee machine if you need to make several cups of coffee at once.

Before you even start investigating the purchase of a new coffee maker, you think about HOW you like your coffee (filter, espresso, latte or cappuccino), how much coffee you want to prepare, how often you plan to use your machine (several times a day, daily, one in a while), ease of use and how much money you are looking to spend.

This brief guide has been designed to try and help you understand a little more about the different types of coffee makers available on the market, so you can make an informed decision on the kind of machine that will deliver your favorite drink the way you like it.

Cafetieres, Stove Tops & French Presses

Cafetieres, also known as French Presses, take the form of a glass container with a wire filter attached to a plunger. They’re perfect if you only want to make a few cups as it’s so easy to prepare the exact amount of coffee you need. Another great benefit is that they’re good value for money, as well as looking great!

Electric filter coffee machines are usually very easy to use. Switch your coffee maker at the mains, water simply drips slowly through a basket of coffee grounds straight into a pot or carafe, most with thermos pots and hot plates to keep the coffee warm. You do not need to boil the water first.

There are 2 different models, either with permanent filter or paper holders. Permanent filters save you money but they are usually more messy to clean and will taint. In contrast, paper filters are more hygienic and you simply throw them away after you’re finished.

Percolators work the opposite way, you simply place your ground coffee into a holder at the top and the water in the bottom part. The boiled water is forced up a vertical pipe then over and through the filter, with the brewed coffee sitting at the bottom. Percolators are recommended for those who want to experiment with the strength of their filter coffee.

The Bialetti Moka Express stove-top espresso pot is an icon from the golden age of Art Deco design. All pressure valves are fitted with top quality stainless steel springs and ball bearings for safety and durability. Produces a strong Italian style coffee.

Espresso & Cappuccino Makers

Espresso machines are steam-driven coffee makers that produce a short and strong coffee. As you know espresso coffee is much richer and more concentrated than filter and is the base for a variety of very popular drinks such as the espresso, americano, ristretto, cappuccino or latte. There are two maintypes of espresso makers the pressure machines and pump coffee machines, the latter being the more expensive:

Pressure espresso machines – Water is boiled in a chamber creating pressure and steam, eventually there’s enough pressure which forces the boiling water through the coffee grounds. The steam is ready to be used for frothing milk for a cappuccino for example. The more discerning espresso aficionado might argue that the water produced can be too hot to make a genuine espresso and the bar pressure might not be sufficient to make a really quality espresso with thick crema.

Pump machines – These are usually more expensive than pressure machines mentioned above. Pump machines are equipped with a separate tank and feature a thermostat-controlled boiler with ‘Thermoblock’ system that heats up the water to between 85-92°Celcius which is the optimum temperature for producing a barista espresso coffee. The hot water is sent through the coffee holder and grounds at the correct bar pressure, the higher the pressure the better, especially if you are looking to produce that so important ‘crema’. Some models have a separate Thermoblock system to froth the milk, as it needs to be heated at a different temperature.