It is my job to test coffee manufacturers here in Tekdar, and I take it so seriously that I trained as a barista so I can bring you the best advice when you are choosing a machine for your kitchen.
I have tested some of the best aspresso machines from big brands, including Dlongi, Jura, Brevil and Gagia, and during that time I felt great for the factors that would make the biggest difference on drinking coffee at home.
Here I have chosen five things that matters the most to me, and which I think you should keep in mind while researching your next big purchase. Most of this advice applies to bean-to-cover coffee manufacturers, but there are some ideas (such as boiler types) which are also fully applied to manual machines.
There are some factors on which you will not like it very much. For example, the overwhelming majority of bean-to-cover coffee machines use the thermoblock heating system. These are a good option to make drinks at home because they heat up quickly and accurately, but they do not allow you to drink coffee and steam milk together – Breville dual boiler espresso machine There is a rare exception.
Of course, coffee is very personal, and when choosing a machine for your home you will also have your own checklist of requirements. For example, you want an aspresso machine that is capable of making cold-brue coffee, or with an automatic milk froth. Which factors matter the most to you? Tell us in the comments.
1. A quality mill
If you are considering buying a bean-to-cover machine, which has been made a coffee grinder, then there are some important factors to consider.
First of all, even if your coffee machine mill is not great, this coffee is better than buying pre-ground. Coffee beans begin to lose their aroma within a few minutes of grinding, so preparing themselves is always the best option. This is because the coffee is reduced by exposure to the air, and the ground coffee has a much larger surface area than the volume ratio compared to the entire beans, so it loses its aroma very fast.
When you are looking at the grinder, one word should be kept in mind: stability. You want all your coffee grounds for the same size particles, and it is for the below. Many home aspresso machines contain stainless steel boar, which are hot compared to ceramic, and become flew rapidly, but since you are only grinding a small amount of coffee at a time, it is unlikely to be a problem.
However, ceramic bors are usually better for stability in small pieces sizes, which you want for aspresso, so if you can find a home coffee machine with ceramic boar, it is well worth checking.
All the bean-to-cover aspresso machines will allow you to adjust the grinding size manually, whether they suggest or can do it automatically. You can usually do using a dial on the edge of the machine, or by rotating the bean hopper. Look for a machine that gives you fine control over the piece size; A small adjustment may be a difference between sour, over-intercosed aspresso and a completely balanced, a shot of sweet tasting shots.
If you are choosing a bean-to-cover coffee machine, also see how easy it is to separate the mill for cleaning. Over time, your coffee will manufacture oil and debris from beans, which can affect its performance and taste of your coffee (no one wants stale oil in their fresh ground coffee).
It may look clear that you should be able to separate the mill for thorough cleaning, but this is not always possible. Some coffee manufacturers will come up with instructions, suggest that you should only brush the grinder, but this is not enough for me. I want to clean it properly.
2. A water filter (or a fitting ability)
Coffee is mostly water, so a filter to remove impurities that can affect the taste of your drink, always welcome. You don’t want to delete All Minerals (distilled water prevents sensors that prevent water levels in the tank from functioning properly, and can make the taste of coffee flat) but is a happy medium.
I have tested most espresso machines that recently fit you a water filter inside the tank. They are easy to attach, and either push or screw in place. However, the machine does not always come with one provided, which is a matter of shame because some of them may cost half a month salary. They can be expensive to buy separately, so take a look at how much they cost when choosing a machine that uses them.
If your tap water is extremely difficult, it is worth considering installing a filter under the sink, or using a jug with a filter to fill your coffee machine – and although it is difficult, be sure to run the machine disillusion program regularly.
3. Proper cleaning work
I have already mentioned the cleaning of the mill, but I want to be able to clean the entire machine properly – and it is not always easy.
After testing a coffee maker, I always run a complete gamal of cleaning programs, so it is as close to the mint situation as possible, and it is interesting to see how diversity it is. Commercial espresso machines have a backwash function, which involves applying a scoop of a cleaning tablet or powder in an empty basket (without hole), fit it into a portfilater handle, and then running a cycle to clean all the remains from the browing group.
These things are really clean, but so far I have seen only one couple’s Espresso machines with a backwash cycle. This is something that you should ideally used to use at the end of every day (compared to the desaling very often) but most home aspresso machines do just rolling the decoction group with warm water. SEZ Barista Touch Impress with cold extraction is a notable exception, coming with an empty basket and a whole array of cleaning products. Full mark, sage.
Another feature that I appreciate is the ability to purify all the water from the machine by draining the circuit and evaporating the water from the boiler. This makes the machine safe for store or transport, and I have seen it on a couple of bean-to-coup aspresso manufacturers, but not many.
4. Looks good – and practicality
Call me shallow, but I am not going to show off that when I am choosing an aspresso machine, it does not matter with beauty. We are not talking about a blender that is going away in a wardrobe – your coffee machine is going to be at the counter all the time, and this can be the first thing when people come to your kitchen.
It is not necessary that this brush should be a heavy piece of stainless steel. Some of the best bean-to-cover coffee machines I tested is a case that is mostly made of plastic, and until you can tell, it is completely fine.
For example, D’Longi La Specialista Touch is mostly plastic on the outside, but it looks like a brushed metal and attracted a lot of praise when I was using it in TECHRADAR’s test kitchen. What is Not there. The attraction is fingerprint, which is excellent.
I have a small kitchen, so I also look for coffee machines with a relatively small footprint, and which is not too long. I sometimes struggle to use especially large bean-to-cover coffee machines because I cannot take legumes in the hopper without taking out the machine from under my wardrobe.
The water tanks behind the machine are another rebade, as they are difficult to access until you keep your coffee maker on an island. Give me a tank that sits on the edge of the machine (eg jura j10) or a slide out from the front on any day (such as D’Longi Primdona Aromatic).
5. Parts, servicing and warranty
A coffee machine is a major investment, so it is worth considering what is the after sale service before taking a dip. This is one of the reasons that considering one of the big brands is a good idea, as they have more likely to help good customer.
For example, if you choose a delngi coffee machine, you will benefit from the minimum guarantee of two years, and will serve at licensed repair centers using the original parts. If your machine is out of its guarantee period, the company can still inspect and repair it for the fee, and it also supports coffee manufacturers above nine years of age.
When you buy a machine from an authorized dealer, Jura provides a 25 -month warranty, and the company can repair, or you can buy spare parts if you want to change something yourself.
