Electric Pump Espresso Machine, What To Look For
July 30, 2010 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
So you have decided that you would like to purchase a home electric pump espresso machine. The only problem is, is that you don’t have the first idea of what to look for to make sure you get a quality machine.There are some items that you should think about before you pay your money.
How the machine is put together is also a consideration to think about. It should feel like it has some weight to it and that the components are heavy duty and not just a hunk of plastic that will break over time. An example of a quality constructed machine is the Delonghi Caffe Nero BCO264B.
You will also want to know about the brewing and steaming temperatures. Ideally the machine will have separate thermostats for each. The steaming temperature should be 260 degrees and the brewing should take place at 195 degrees.
In order to attain the temperatures needed to brew and steam you will want to make sure that the espresso machine that your thinking of purchasing provides at a minimum 750 watts of power.
Additionally, to achieve great espresso drinks and coffee, you’ll want an extraction pressure of 6-9 atmospheres. This might be stated as 90-130 P.S.I., with 130 P.S.I. being the perfect pressure.
The porta filter is another concern. I have seen some really cheap and lightweight porta filters.I personally would require it to have some heft to it not unlike a commercial one.
When you look at the steam wand you’ll want one that swivels and can fit the steaming pitcher under it easily.
A few other items to look for are the size of the water bin, whether or not the pump is self priming, and if there are status lights to let you know if the water is done heating or if the power is on or off.
These are just some of the basic things to look for in an electric pump home espresso machine. My personal favorite machine is the DeLonghi Caffe Nero combination espresso machine.The combination machine is an excellent choice if you have differing tastes in your home regarding coffee drinks.