How To Choose The Best Coffee Maker Or Espresso Machine For You

Coffee lovers have come a long way since the days when retired NBL players were plugging coffee makers on television. In the late 1990's what America thought was just a Seattle fad like grunge music and the ever re-occurring "torn jeans" fashion statement turned out to be an evolution of Java worship that would make Juan Valdez proud. Today, the ordinary "cup of Joe" born from a percolating coffee pot is but memory for coffee connoisseurs and practically unheard of by the younger generation born into the hip and trendy coffee-house scene.

It's not surprising that with all the Mochachinos, Caramel Latte's and Cappucino Royales tempting us around every corner these days, that Americans have become spoiled and good old Taster's Choice isn't cuttin' it! It's also not a shocker that smart coffee drinkers are fed up with having to pay up to $7 bucks a pop to get a "Grande" version of something that can be easily recreated at home for pennies. Thank you Seattle for your introduction to fabulous coffee creations and also for inspiring the new wave of home espresso machines and deluxe coffee makers.

Espresso Machine Or Coffee Maker?


Fancy Coffee Drinkers - If you haven't been paying attention to what's happening behind the Starbucks counter when you order you mint mocha caffe' latte' you may not notice that the base of your steamy frothy drink is just regular coffee. It's only the ingredients added and preparation involved that make it the delicious masterpiece you're willing to pay $5.95 for. A quality coffee maker, a good roast of freshly ground beans, a few household ingredients and a little creativity you can make ten of them for that price; in the comfort of your home.

Strong Coffee & Espresso Lovers - Bean enthusiasts who can't get enough caffeine and enjoy the deep effervescence, rugged taste and instant kick of a dark strong roast can appreciate a small espresso machine for the home. They are as easy to use as a coffee pot with the capability of making one or two portions at a time. Most models come equipped with a coffee press and steamer to prepare milk for Cappuccino.
Frappuccino & Iced Coffee Fans - Which ever type of coffee maker you choose, be sure to invest in a good blender if you like mocha smoothies, frappuccino and iced coffee. All you have to do to recreate these coffee-house favorites is throw your coffee or espresso into a blender and ice, ice cream, chocolate or caramel syrup and give it a whirl. That's what Starbucks does.

Restaurant Coffee Maker Upgrades - If you're a restaurant owner, there's no better time than now to get on the Seattle coffee bandwagon -- if you haven't since 1992. It's not a fad, and the coffee craze is here to stay. Coffee preparation has become a gourmet art and coffee drinking has evolved to proportions beyond return.
So thank you Seattle. For improving the way America drinks coffee, listens to music and for bringing back the flannel shirt.

Best Espresso and Espresso Machine Terms

People around the world are fans of coffee. In various areas people love various types. Then some people love their coffee in any form or fashion. Other coffee connoisseurs enjoy only particular types. There are many particular types to choose from, coffee, cappuccino, latte, americano, or espresso which is the base of the other drinks. For those who stand at the menu looking confused, here is some help.

Espresso or Caffè espresso is a concentrated traditional Italian coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee with an espresso machine. Espresso is the base for other drinks, such as lattes, cappuccino, macchiato, mochas, and americanos.

A latte or caffe latte is a coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk.
A cappuccino is an Italian coffee drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk froth.
Macchiato or Caffe macchiato is a coffee drink, made out of espresso with a small amount of milk.
Americano or Caffe Americano is a style of coffee prepared by adding hot water to espresso, giving a similar strength but different flavor from regular drip coffee.
Mocha or caffe mocha is similar to a latte but with chocolate added.
Now here are some other terms you may need to know.
Barista is Italian for bartender. These are what the coffee house employees are called who prepare and serve the various espresso-based drinks.
The demitasse cup is where most of these drinks start. This is a preheated cup that the Barista uses for their espresso pull.
Pull this may also be called a shot, this is the amount "pulled" from the machine to form a shot of espresso.
Espresso machine is needed to create espresso from coffee beans. There are a wide variety of machines available that can make the process from manual, semi-automatic, automatic to super-automatic. The super automatic even has a coffee grinder.
Grinder is what you need to create fresh coffee and espresso grounds. Espresso needs finer (or longer) grinding than coffee.
Blade grinders produce heat from friction which for coffee aficionados would lessen or taint the natural flavor. Although many people own this affordable grinder.
Burr Coffee Grinders keep the flavor and aroma of the coffee beans intact. Even better is the conical burr grinders which create consistently sized grind for the coffee or espresso which makes it great for tamping.
Tamp is compression of the espresso grounds for use in the espresso machine.
Steam wand is used to steam or froth liquids. Steamed and frothed milk is used in several different espresso based drinks.

Latte art is a showcase at some coffee houses. By carefully pouring steamed milk into a shot of espresso a trained barista can create a pattern or design. The art is further created by drawing a stir stick or similar through the foam to create designs. They may also sprinkle confectioners sugar or cinnamon or add syrups like chocolate syrup to help create a design.