Types of Espresso Machine – Complete Buyer’s Guide & Pro Tips
You have to agree: Espresso machines are some of the humans’ best inventions ever.
If you are an avid coffee drinker, you have to thank the brilliant inventors of these technological advances.
Thanks to these elaborate supermachines, you can easily and flawlessly make cups over cups over cups of perfectly-brewed espresso each time.
Well… Unless you actually know how to use it properly, of course. And if you’ve got the expert barista skills on how to make espresso.
Learning how to use an espresso machine correctly is crucial if you want to keep customers lining up to your door.
Every coffee shop has an espresso machine but how you use it is basically a life or death kind of a situation for the business. Just because you have a shiny, bulky espresso machine does not mean you can already make great drinks out of it.
Techniques are just as important as the tool.
You need to have both if you want to consistently make the finest cup of coffee.
Do you want to be the town’s favorite barista because you make the best espresso all the time?
Do you want to keep perfecting your espresso-making skills and eventually start your very own coffee business?
Well, that’s why you’re here: To keep learning the ropes, refine your skills, and open up great opportunities in your life as a barista who can brew the finest espresso your loyal patrons can’t resist!
And to begin, you need to know which espresso machine to use that will help you achieve all of these things.
So let’s dig in the fascinating world of espresso machines, the different types and features, and what’s the best one that suits your barista skills and know-how.
Components of an Espresso Machine
To understand better how to use espresso machines, let’s talk about the different parts of this complex system.
Learn the components of the best espresso maker and how each piece works, so you can equip yourself better with the knowledge to choose which type you need!
Steam Wand
The steam wand is an important component of an espresso machine.
You need to generate steam as it is responsible for texturing milk.
Inside the espresso machine, the steam wand links to a regulating steam valve which connects to the top of the main boiler. When the steam valve opens, the boiler pressure releases and is directed through the steam wand and out the steam wand tip.
Steam Tip
Now another component espresso machines have is the steam tip.
This part has flattened sides so a wrench can easily unscrew it for cleaning.
Also, a variety of aftermarket steam tips are manufactured for increasing milk texture and steaming speed. Changing the steam tip is normally unnecessary, but it is a simple, inexpensive way to modify your espresso machine.
Portafilter
The portafilter is the device with the handle that locks into the espresso machine. The portafilter basket is the seated basket containing the screen that the brewed espresso filters through.
Basket
There are several different basket sizes in espresso machines but the main differences lie in their capacity: single, double, and triple. Generally, a single basket should hold 6-8 grams of ground espresso, a double basket should hold 12-18 grams, and a triple basket should hold 19-23 grams.
What’s the Ideal Basket Size?
There is sometimes confusion with the basket sizes and what constitutes a single, double or triple shot of espresso. In Europe, a single shot is comprised of approximately 6-8 grams of espresso grounds, however, in America, a single shot is comprised of approximately 12-18 grams of espresso grounds.
Therefore, in America, a double basket is considered to yield a single espresso shot.
Types of Espresso Machines – Which One Should You Use?
Espresso machines come in different types, each with its unique features.
The key to choosing the best among the rest of the espresso makers is in determining your personal skill level, competency, and understanding of brewing coffee.
Super-Automatic Espresso Machines
A super automatic espresso machine is the simplest type of espresso maker to operate.
Just a push of a button is all it takes to get it to work.
If you have a friend who owns an espresso machine or perhaps you’ve seen your favorite local bookstores have coffee machines, chances are, these are semi-automatic.
Essentially, the coffee beans are held in a hopper above the machine. When you press the button, the grinder kicks on for a programmed time.
Then, whole beans go through the grinder and grounds are directed through a chute. They are then dosed down into a chamber and a piston inserts into the chamber automatically to compress the coffee bed.
A predetermined amount of hot water in the tank runs through the coffee bed and the mechanical arm discards the used coffee puck. Lastly, the chamber moves back into the ready position.
And there you go – it’s ready for you to pull that espresso shot!
Super automatic espresso machines keep things pretty simple, right?
What Are The Best Types of Espresso Machines For Home Use?
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If you’re a newbie barista, a super automatic espresso machine can make your life 100 times easier.
Not sure about the perfect water temperature? The desirable water level? Or grind settings?
Super automatic machines do the dirty work for you.
You only need minimal education and skill to operate this machine, and it’s basically hands-off.
Setting it up is quick and easy, and you can expect to produce a consistently decent cup of espresso each time.
(Read: Not the best cup.)
But if you want to level up your barista skills, you are better off with another espresso machine that allows you to tweak the grind settings, water temperature, dose, extraction process and all those nuances impacting the flavor, body, and aroma of your coffee.
And yes, they also require a good amount of effort, although skill and technique are golden.
Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines
Semi automatic espresso machines would be the next hierarchical step up.
You can see these in most of your downtown coffee shops. As these are a little more complex to use with a more sophisticated operation style, they require a deeper understanding of coffee and increased technical aptitude.
A semi-auto has a funky-looking handle, which is called a portafilter. It carries a filtering basket that holds your ground coffee. This contraption locks into the underside of the espresso machine group head, and this is where the brewing magic happens.
Are Semi Auto Espresso Machines Suitable for Beginner or Pro Level Baristas?
A semi-automatic espresso machine is definitely a hands-on piece of equipment.
You are responsible for grinding the coffee beans, dosing it right into the basket, compressing and tamping the coffee, fitting the portafilter into the group head, pushing a button to start and stop the shot…
And you clean up the mess after all that work is done.
The only thing the machine does is to heat the water and apply pressure.
So if you want to give semi automatic espresso machines a try, it is important that you know how to adjust your grind, dose your water and coffee appropriately, and compact the coffee grounds the right way to pull a perfect shot of espresso each time.
Manual Espresso Machines
Have you ever seen those espresso machines with giant, protruding paddles and behind it is an operator who’s busy at work?
Yep, those are manual espresso makers right there!
These machines are a beast BUT a lot of fun to play on.
You are in absolute control of every single bit – even to the tiniest detail like water temperature, water level, and the extraction process.
Unlike automatic espresso machines, manual lets you call the shots when it’s time to start or stop a shot, and even when it comes to controlling the amount of water you want to pass through the ground coffee.
If you consider your understanding of coffee principles pretty advanced, you’re a well-organized, meticulous, and patient barista, then you can definitely make coffee magic with manual espresso machines.
Lever/ Antique Espresso Machines
Lever machines are your classic, rustic, vintage, antique espresso machines.
These espresso makers may be a bit clunky unlike those new kids on the block but they are making a comeback because of the awesome things these machines can do. And yes, the aesthetics aren’t bad at all.
Lever machines have a boiler that links to a water chamber with a spring-activated piston. When you pull the lever, this actuates the spring and the piston increases the chamber pressure.
Water then forces its way through the coffee bed.
Then…Boom. Your espresso should be ready in a few.
Why Old School is Cool
The unique thing about lever machines is that they are extremely mechanical.
There are very few and sometimes even zero electronic components in this espresso machine. It’s all manual, which is great if you want to be in perfect control of the coffee-making process.
The maintenance of these machines can be cumbersome but not overly.
As the spring depresses throughout the duration of the shot the pressure gently decreases as well. This results in very tasty, velvety shots that are unique and unlike anything else.
Preparing the espresso for a lever machine requires the same steps as a Semi Automatic espresso machine or a Manual.
Although lever machines are mechanically different, the technical skills required to operate them are pretty much the same as a manual machine.
Both home and commercial versions of lever machines are widely available. They’re also relatively affordable and a good option for folks on a budget of around $1,000.
Conclusion
Learning how to use an espresso machine the right way can greatly impact your reputation and success as a barista.
And of course, it helps to have the right techniques to perfectly complement the machine you choose to use.
By knowing which espresso machine to buy and how to operate them correctly, as well as keeping them well-maintained when the day is done, you can elevate yourself from being an average barista to a pro-level coffee-making genius with greater opportunities knocking at your door!