For many potential home baristas the cost of owning espresso machines has prevented their dreams from coming true. This is certainly no longer the case with a wide variety of very sophisticated to elegant and simple home espresso makers available at incredibly low prices. Historically the best of these machines ranged in the thousands of dollars, now there are excellent options available at well under one thousand and a huge range of different machines under two thousand dollars.
If you are thinking that seems like a lot for a coffee machine, think about the cost of a typical espresso, latte or cappuccino at your favorite coffee shop. For most people a monthly budget of at least a hundred dollars for their favorite international style brew isn't out of the question. In just one year alone you have spent enough money in double lattes or cappuccinos to more than fund your home espresso maker. Plus you also don't have the convenience of brewing up a beverage whenever you want right in the comfort of your own home.
The new models of espresso machines make brewing the perfect espresso shot a snap. Many have good quality burr or disc grinders over the baskets, allowing for the freshest tasting coffee possible. In addition some models have an option to set the amount of ground coffee, by weight, which is added to the basket before being tamped. The coffee amount, which is known as the dose, can be between seven and ten or more ounces per brewing. Adjustable grinders can also allow you to determine which dose and grind combination works best for your likes. You can easily set the weight of coffee per shot brewed by a simple push of a button, controlling the strength of the espresso produced with each brewing.
Tamping, which is essential in a good espresso, can also be done by the coffee machine itself. Appliances that have automatic tamping will always produce the same cup of coffee each and every time. This takes a lot of guesswork out of producing espresso since uniformity and consistency is all at the touch of a button. These types of buttons or digital controls also mean that you can tweak your espresso to get just the right combination for your personal taste. Saving different settings is also possible on some model options, meaning you can easily switch back and forth between different preferences.
Another key feature to home espresso machines is the pump pressure to produce the steam used for frothing milk. Frothers with multiple fine holes produce the best steam, leading to light, airy and oh so delicious cappuccinos and other coffee drinks. Cleaning should also be a breeze since the wands for frothing swing away from the machine and a burst of steam and a clean lint free cloth is all that is required to remove any milk residue.
Since espresso makers tend to be much heavier than coffee makers most are designed with easy portability in mind. This can include recessed wheels on the base that provide the option to slide the machine across the counter. Others have convenient areas for picking up the machine while still others have unique features to fit nicely into the corner of your kitchen counter area.
Home espresso machines are a great addition to any kitchen. Coffee lovers will quickly learn to appreciate how easy the new models are and the difference technology makes in brewing the perfect shot of espresso. Soon you will be brewing up a morning latte and an after dinner cappuccino with the style of a true barista.
Author Resource:-
Sandy Winslow is a writer on numerous topics including kitchen appliances. There are a great number of models and options for choosing just the right level of simplicity or sophistication for home espresso machines.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://article2008.com/images/feed-icon.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://article2008.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites