Everything You Should Know About Espresso Machine Models

The Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine

Senseo and Nespresso machines are examples of semi-automatic espresso machines. Semi-automatic machines have both advantages and disadvantages. The best known and used examples are undoubtedly the Senseo and the Nespresso. Nespresso is the pioneer by arriving first with its capsules on the market. A contribution from us is necessary for these machines.

Some devices work with pre-ground coffee, others with pellets (compressed coffee, such as capsules) and still others with coffee beans.

A semi-automatic espresso machine is easier to maintain. So, there is a huge selection here too! A big advantage is that you have the choice of the strength and type of coffee (e.g., Vienna or others) that you want for each cup. These devices are easier to maintain than fully automatic variants.

In a semi-automatic machine, the coffee beans are not ground automatically, and coffee and water must be added more often, sometimes for each cup requested. An electric pump is used. The pressure always remains at the same level and the result is always good.

A good espresso depends a lot on pressure. The stronger it is, the better the espresso will be. A pump with a pressure of 15 bars is the minimum necessary for a device of this kind.

The Automatic Espresso Machine: The Espresso Machine – Steam

For these automatic machines, it is not necessary to refill the water or the coffee beans with each cup. In other words, there will be no waiting time when you want a coffee. It will not be necessary either to remove the remains of coffee in the piston each time. A simple press of a button is enough to prepare a good cup of coffee. Provided there is enough coffee and water, the machine will go through all the necessary steps until it delivers your coffee.

The machines have a large water tank or can be connected directly to a water supply. For normal use, filling the tank once a day is sufficient. The number of cups of coffee that can be made at the same time is often limited to two.

Steam, essential in this system, is produced by boiling the water.

Make Coffee with The Manual Lever

Manual devices are very heavy and difficult to use. These are old-school machines, making espresso the same way it did at the very beginning of its history.

Fill the filter and tamp the coffee. Then you must get rid of some leftover coffee and put the filter back in the device. The difficulty is that the handle must be pulled down at a steady speed, which is much harder than it looks. In addition, the coffee must be perfectly ground. The quality of the coffee therefore varies greatly depending on the speed, pressure, and movement of the lever.

The Water Inlet

The volume of the water tank is an important point. If several people in the family drink coffee, then more water is needed.

Most water tanks can be inserted or removed from the device from the front. Some machines can be directly connected to the water supply, but certain conditions must first be met.

The unit should have a solenoid valve so that the supply of clean water can be controlled. An expansion valve will also be placed to adapt the pressure in the water pipe to that required for the My (next) Espresso Machine. Naturally, you will also need a non-return valve to prevent dirty water from being brought up to the machine.