Selecting an Espresso Machine

You want to buy an espresso machine for home use, but which one? Why are there so many different espresso machines? And what is the difference between an espresso machine costing £40 or £50 and one costing many hundreds of pounds? In this article we provide a comparison between some of the different types of espresso machine available and explain what you need to consider when buying one.

Different Types of Espresso Machine

Pressure Machines
Pump Espresso Machines
Lever-Operated Machines
Bean-to-Cup Machines
Other Features
Style

Pressure Machines

The cheaper domestic espresso machines are generally pressure machines - water is boiled in a chamber and the pressure of the steam forces the water through the ground coffee to make espresso. The same steam is used for frothing milk to make cappuccino.

The disadvantage with this system is that the water is at boiling point, which is too hot to make an authentic espresso, and there is usually not enough steam for a good quantity of cappuccino. In addition, you have to wait for the machine to cool down before you can open the reservoir to refill it. Pressure Machines cost from around £40 and upward.

back to top

Pump Espresso Machines

A pump espresso machine, on the other hand, has a boiler that heats the water to 85-90 degrees - the ideal temperature for espresso – and a separate tank that can be refilled even when the boiler is hot.

In some machines the water is forced through the coffee manually by pulling on a lever (lever-operated machines, see below) but most have an electric pump. This is the same system that is used in bar espresso machines so you get a perfect, bar-quality espresso.

The pump pressure is also important; a pressure of 8-10 bar is adequate for a good espresso but to produce a controlled jet of steam for cappuccino you need more pressure - 15 bar is more than adequate.

Gaggia, KitchenAid and La Pavoni make pump espresso machines ranging in price from £200 to around £500.

back to top

Lever-Operated Espresso Machines

Instead of an electric pump, in a lever-operated espresso machine the water is heated in an electric boiler and is then forced through the coffee by pulling on a lever, similar to a beer pump, which does take a certain amount of skill, although with a bit of practice this is easily learnt.

Lever-operated espresso machines are often made from chrome or copper and brass and are bought as much for their looks as for their function. La Pavoni make a range of lever-operated espresso machines and prices start from around £300.

back to top

Bean-to-Cup Machines

The ultimate coffee making machine is a fully automated 'bean-to-cup' machine. Put water in the tank and coffee beans in the hopper and it will grind the beans and produce a perfect cup of espresso, or longer coffee drink, at the touch of a button. Milk for cappuccino or latte can be steamed and frothed manually, although most machines also have automatic frothers to draw milk from a carton or jug directly into a cup.

Basic models have a few simple pre-sets while the more expensive models have programmable buttons for setting user preferences. Some top-end models have digital displays, programming and even Internet connectivity. The Jura Impressa range are some of the most advanced bean-to-cup espresso machines you can buy. Prices range from around £500 to over £1000.

See our Jura Impressa Buyer Guide for more information on the Jura range.

back to top

Other Features

There are a host of different features that you will find on the various coffee machines available:
Some machines have brass (or even gold-plated) fittings and solenoid valves to ensure that the coffee is delivered at the right temperature and pressure.

A heated cup-warming tray will warm your espresso cups before serving, which is important as the small quantity in an espresso will quickly go cold otherwise.

All espresso machines have steam wands for frothing milk for cappuccinos or lattes but some machines have automatic milk frothers. These devices draw milk from a carton or jug, add steam, and dispense perfectly frothed milk directly into the cup to make cappuccino.

Most machines have a single tank used both for heating the water for the coffee and to generate steam. After making the coffee a button is pressed to heat the water up to boiling point to generate the steam. This generally takes around 30 seconds. Some machines can produce instant steam, either by having a second tank just for this purpose, or by using a thermoblock heat exchanger system (similar to a power shower).

Some of the bean-to-cup machines have automatic cleaning and descaling programs to help maintain the machine in top condition. The Jura Impressa range has built-in water filters to help prevent scaling from occurring.

The Jura Impressa F90 has Internet connectivity available as an optional extra. This allows a greater variety of user choices to be programmed via a PC and also allows the service engineers to run remote diagnostic checks on the machine if there is a problem.

back to top

Style

All machines are built on a metal frame with a steel boiler but some have an outer cover made from ABS (a tough plastic material), often with a 'metallic' finish. You may prefer the more robust appearance of a solid metal-bodied machine.

In the end, your buying decision will be as much about style as anything else. Do you want a traditional-looking machine or something more modern? Futuristic or 1950's retro?

silvernutmeg.com stocks a wide range of espresso machines and accessories from various manufacturers including Gaggia, Jura, KitchenAid, and La Pavoni.

Our Customer Services team is trained in the differences between the different types of espresso machine. If you are thinking of buying an espresso machine, please give us a call. We can guide you through the various options to help select the right machine for you.

back to top