What Coffee Beans Do You Use For An Espresso Machine Combo
While espresso can be made with any kind of coffee bean, certain characteristics produce a far tastier result. First, the roast. Espresso is generally best with dark roast coffee because darker beans are sweeter, more balanced, and less acidic than light ones. When you come across bags of coffee labeled âespresso roast,â itâs mainly because the beans have been roasted at high temperatures for a long time. Another detail to keep in mind, especially for those who buy pre-ground coffee, is that espresso requires a very fine grind size. If it’s too coarse, your espresso will be weak, watery, and lack crema. Thereâs a chance your go-to coffee beans can brew both drip coffee and espresso, especially if itâs a French or Italian roast, but when in doubt, see what brewing method the brand recommends.
How To Properly Choose Your Espresso Machine
- Budget.
Since espresso machines can range from under $100 to more than $3000, your budget plays a huge role in how you choose your espresso machine. You also have to consider the cost of accessories that arent included with the machine as well as your ingredients every week. Your budget will also determine the number of features on your espresso machine, so determine which features are a must-have to help you set your budget.
- Time.
Some espresso machines use advanced heating technology and smart settings to speed up the time it takes to make your coffee through dual nozzles for two cups at once, dual boilers to make the espresso and steam the milk simultaneously, or advanced heating systems to reduce the time it takes to get up to temperature. If youre the impatient type or have minimal time in the morning, these features will quickly prove useful.
- Maintenance.
Some espresso machines require minimal maintenance and some need to be cleaned after every use by hand, so make sure you know what youre signing up for when you make your purchase to avoid getting stuck with a machine that requires too much maintenance for your tastes. Some machines will auto-rinse themselves after use and some espresso machines come apart easier for more thorough cleaning, which makes maintenance a lot easier, so watch out for those features as well.
- Ease of Use.
- Settings.
- Accessories.
- Single Vs. Double Boiler.
- Built-in Grinder.
Measure Out The Coffee
If you have a ground coffee machine, it should come with a measuring spoon, so its easy to know how much coffee to use. This will usually be around 7g of ground coffee for a single espresso, or 14g for a large espresso or two single espressos. For a double-shot, you use the larger metal filter basket . This fits into the portafilter that you attach to the machine.
Preparing your coffee:
- Check that the filter basket is clean.
- Put the basket in the portafilter.
- Spoon in your coffee.
- Pat down the coffee using the tamper .
- It is important that the coffee is evenly pressed into the basket, so that it is relatively compact and has a level top. This allows water to spread evenly through the grounds. Don’t overdo it, though, as if it’s too firmly compacted this will prevent proper extraction.
- Fit the portafilter into your machine.
If you have a bean-to-cup machine, your machine will do all the work for you. All you need to do is tip your coffee beans into the machine and it will grind and tamp the correct amount for you.
If you have a capsule machine, all you need to do is pick your desired capsule and pop it in the machine.
You May Like: Does A Dunkaccino Have Caffeine
Illy The Best Italian Coffee For Espresso
This is a classic in the espresso community. Illy is a traditional Italian company that for many years was almost synonymous with espresso.
In spite of being a big and somewhat industrial enterprise, theres no doubt that Illy puts a lot of care into selecting the right beans for their blends. That means sweet cherries with only a few defects.
This is the same kind of coffee that the world barista champions used only 16 years ago. They are medium roast and will suit almost any brewing style.
Illy is not going to win any competitions in the highly snobby and advanced coffee world we have today, but it also wont disappoint in the cup no matter how you brew it.
This one is preground, so you dont need a grinder. If you have a proper setup with your own grinder, then make sure to go for the whole-beans option.
Is An Espresso Machine Better Than A Coffee Maker
When deciding between purchasing an espresso machine or a coffee maker, it all depends on what you will be brewing.
If you like brewing a regular cup of coffee and are on a tighter budget, youll want to get a coffee maker.
But, if youre willing to spend more money to make authentic, rich shots of espresso, an espresso machine is what youre looking for.
Also Check: Most Caffinated Drink
What Are Espresso Beans
Many people think that Espresso and Coffee are two different things and some other beans are used for making espresso.
But contrary to common belief Espresso beans are just a type of coffee beans with some distinct features. These features are:
- Espresso beans are roasted for longer times to make them more concentrated. Roasting for longer periods remove the oiliness and acidity from the beans and the beans became more dark.
- Espresso beans are ground to more fine particles than normal coffee beans. This has to be done, as mentioned above, high-pressure water is used for brewing Espresso Coffee so the particles should be small enough so that the water extracts through every particle easily.
- Espresso beans have rich coffee flavor as it is more concentrated and it is liked by most of the people around the world.
Also Read: How to make Vanilla Coffee at home?
The Best Espresso Recipe
Total Time: 5 minutes
What You Need
- Espresso Machine: Because of the pressure required, you need a bone fide espresso machine that can get up to pressure and produce consistent hot water. If you dont have an espresso machine or the budget for one, jump down to How to Make Espresso Without a Machine.
- Burr Grinder: In the espresso world, our magic word is consistency. A great burr grinder is going to be the most consistent source of even, finely ground coffee.
Ingredients
- Filtered Water: You want to use filtered water, especially if you have hard water. Coffee is mostly water, so quality water is a must!
- 18 to 20g Coffee: Any coffee will work, but we recommended these coffee beans for espresso.
Directions
Step 1: Turn on your espresso machine and give it time to warm up.
Step 2: Once your machine is heated and you’re ready to start brewing, place your portafilter on the scale and tare out the weight.
Step 3: Grind the coffee into your portafilter until you reach your desired weight, 18 to 20g for a double shot.
Step 4: Even out the bed of coffee in your portafiliter, either through a distribution tool or with your index finger. The goal is to make sure the coffee is level and evenly distributed across the whole basket.
Step 5: Use your tamper to compress your coffee down with a fair amount of pressure. It’s very important that you tamp straight down in order to achieve an even puck. If you tamp at an angle, the extraction of your coffee will be compromised.
Read Also: Decaf Coffee With Lowest Caffeine Content
How To Make Espresso With An Espresso Machine
Does The Machine Come With A Built
Without a good grinder, an espresso machine is just a paperweight, said Phillips. The quality of your grinder will be the limiting factor for the quality of your espresso setup. He said you should look for a grinder designed specifically for espresso with a stepless grind adjustment that allows you to make very tiny adjustments to your grind size. Some machines come with built-in grinders while these are convenient, Phillips warned that they break down or get to the point of performing poorly relatively quickly.
You May Like: Folgers Decaffeination Process
How To Make Cappuccino Using A Delonghi
Do you prefer some milk into your drink? Interestingly, DeLonghi espresso machines are designed with two thermostats in the stainless boiler.
While one thermostat is responsible for brewing espresso, the other one will reliably brew froth milk. You can achieve that through the following steps:
- Fill the pitcher with the right amount of milk.
- Position the stainless steel pitcher directly under the steamer arm and ensure that the steamer nozzle is partially submerged into the milk.
- Turn the steam control knob to initiate the frothing process by releasing steam.
- Turn off the knob once you achieve the right temperature.
- Take off your milk pitcher and tap the bottom of the pitcher gently on your countertop to help break any bubbles.
- Transfer the espresso shot you made earlier into a large latte cup and mix it with the frothed milk.
Make Your Shot Of Espresso
Return the portafilter into its rightful place in the machine and turn it to fit securely.
Put an espresso cup on the tray directly underneath the sprout.
Turn the knob to the right to begin brewing. That should deliver you your single shot or double shot espresso into the cup.
The machine mixes the water with the ground beans under pressure to deliver steaming espresso cups.
Recommended Reading: Nespresso Decaffeination Process
What Drinks Can Be Made Using An Espresso Machine
Other Options We Tested
- Mr Coffee All-in-One Occasions Coffee Maker: This maker had a lot of potential due to its impressive-tasting coffee, but it had way too many internal issues. While testing with it, water consecutively spilled out the back of the maker, leading it to be an unreliable option. We also didn’t love its faintly lit LED interface.
- Jura A1 Piano:The other super-automatic coffee and espresso maker we tested alongside the Miele was the Jura A1. While both showed up in their sleek designs, fast recovery times, and effortless coffee experience, when it came down to the taste tests, the Jura’s drinks tasted very watery. We inevitably went with the Miele, which had well-rounded texture and bold flavor.
- Nescafe Dulce Gusto Coffee Machine:While the Nescafe has convenience on its side for a streamlined way to get to your morning coffee, it did not outperform the Nespresso Vertuo, a similar concept. While this product could be reconsidered in future tests because of its impressive foam, it did not earn a high enough rating in our blind taste tests to add it to the current list.
- Keurig K-Cafe Single-Serve K-Cup Coffee, Latte and Cappuccino Maker:An earlier version of this list included the Keurig K-Cafe, but after testing it alongside this group of espresso and coffee combo makers, it did not perform in taste. When we sat down our taste testers, the Keurig drinks were rated a bit lower than most on the list, and while it hits a 5 in ease of use, there’s not enough else to back it up.
Read Also: Most Caffeinated Drink Starbucks
Best Coffee Beans For Espresso
There’s actually no such thing as an espresso bean, and the best coffee for espresso is subjective. Technically, any coffee can be brewed as espresso. But there are coffee blends specifically formulated for espresso that taste best as espresso drinks.
That said, although some cafes have started offering single-origin espresso shots, by and large espresso is made with blends specifically designed for espresso. What matters most, from the point of view of the barista, is how the beans are ground. While drip coffee is best when the beans are a medium grind , for espresso, the beans need to be finely ground and the consistency of the grind is essential.
Keep Learning And Improving
As you refine your technique, youll definitely want to dig deeper into online tutorials and YouTube videos . Or, if you want to go really far down the rabbit hole, Scott Raos The Professional Baristas Handbook is chock full of both espresso theory and science. And with coffee having the renaissance that it is, local coffee companies in many major cities offer barista classes that can give the hands-on experience that no amount of reading will provide.
Further reading
Recommended Reading: Flavia Coffee Machine Packets
So Different From An Espresso Machine With A Portafilter
Apparently, you should use the same coffee for the appliances which are called the same and work the same, so why not just use any beans labelled Espresso Roast? There are several reasons for it! The first reason worth mentioning is roast profile. Beans from many speciality roasteries are quite light in colour, despite being labelled espresso. This is fine when we use professional grinders dedicated for espresso with large diameter burrs.
Sadly, in case of automatic espresso machines, manufacturers often make compromises. The first compromise is made over burrs of built-in grinders. In order to avoid rusting of steel burrs, some manufacturers use ceramic ones, which impairs grind quality, especially when it comes to fine grind. It is also worthwhile mentioning that many automatic espresso machines are treated like workhorses and havent been serviced for a year, two or more while being in service, which has a negative effect on coffee flavour.
Grinding Your Coffee Beans
You will then take the roasted coffee beans that you bought and place them in the coffee grinder. Grind coffee beans as you fill it in your portafilter or you can use any container to collect the grounded coffee powder. Make sure your coffee beans are finely grounded by confirming its texture using your fingers, if you think that the coffee powder is smooth enough, you can proceed to the next step.
You May Like: Decaf Coffee With Least Caffeine
Measure And Grind Your Beans
Set your grinder to a fine grind size, dont worry too much about what perfect looks like right now, well come back to this.
Place your portafilter on your scale and tare the scale out, then fill your portafilter with around 20 grams of ground coffee. It is a good idea to write down how much you used so that you can remain consistent during the dialing in phase.
Your machines portafilter has a capacity recommended by the manufacturer. It is prudent to work within the range theyve provided as some portafilters are larger or smaller than others!
If youre lucky enough to have an espresso machine with a built-in grinder, simply grind into your portafilter. I use the Breville barista express read about it here.
- Save
Ideally youll have a little mountain of ground coffee in your portafilter basket. Use your hand to shave away the excess coffee, push it into the nooks and crannies and smooth it down so you can start applying pressure with your tamper .
- Save
Smoothing excess coffee