Electric Espresso Makers: Sling a Quality Drink

Electric espresso makers are now the industry standard, and are becoming the standard for at-home baristas. While a four-spout model can easily run upwards of $3000, you can purchase a quality electric espresso maker for under $100 from many retailers. You may be familiar with the Café Moka model. It's aluminum, it's squat, and it's difficult to use.

Using an Electric Espresso Maker

It's easy to use and clean an electric espresso maker. While there are propane espresso makers, these are a minority. In fact, many propane espresso makers are dual-phase, able to be operated with propane gas or electric. The process of producing espresso is simple, although you may have a method that you adher to.

Great espresso is essential. Espresso is not, in fact, a bean, but refers to the method of preparation. An extremely fine powder is used in electric espresso makers, unlike with other methods drip coffee, which features medium-sized grains, and French press coffee, which is some of the largest you'll find.

Grind the espresso into that fine powder. This should be ground every time a drink is made. A lack of freshness makes for a big lack of taste. Next, take a little bit of the coffee and place it in a metal filter basket, about 3/4 full. Now you are going to tamp it-there is an optimal pressure for electric espresso makers, and you'll learn it quickly. It should be firm, with no powder adrift on top of the espresso.

Now, on electric espresso makers, you simply insert the basket and swing the handle of the basket into place. Make sure the reservoir in the electric espresso maker has water in it, and push the button. Within seconds, you will have a shot of delicious espresso. Often electric espresso makers are fitted for double shots-make sure you have two cups ready.

Often, electric espresso makers have a separate wand for frothing milk. Most electric espresso makers are designed to shoot out water at a steaming gallop. This intensity is necessary for the finely frothed milk that espresso drinkers demand when they ask for a cappucinno or latte. The milk should be heated to around 145°. Too cold, and the milk doesn't sweeten. Too hot, and the milk can burn.

How do you know if your electric espresso maker is functioning right? Listen for a delicate whirring noise during the espresso pull, and a distinctive breathy whirring noise when the milk is frothed. And of course, the look of your espresso. It should have a delicate red-brown foam at the top. This is the crema, or schiuma. If you've got that, you've got espresso!