The Baking Queen

Thanks to the commercialized coffee industry espresso has become of of the worlds most popular coffee based drinks. Espresso coffee machines can be found in coffee houses as well as the average persons home these days and there are many options available.

All the way back in 1901 the world was introduced to the first espresso maker. Through the years several models have come and went. Common to almost all models, however, is the portafilter system. The portafilter is a small wire basket that holds the coffee grounds you are using. Also popularly found on espresso machines are steam wands which are used to steam milk and then froth it for specific coffee beverages.

There are several variations of the espresso maker as discussed below. Each have their own pros and cons and the usage is dependent upon what each person prefers.

Piston: The founder of the espresso coffee maker maker Gaggia, Achille Gaggia, invented a piston driven version in Italy around 1945. Gaggia’s version uses a handle and manual pumping action to push the heated water through the coffee grounds. The commonly used term, “pulling a shot”, derives from the usage of this machine because of the need to pull the handle several times to complete the task. There are two different styles of the piston espresso coffee machines. The manual version which works by the operator pushing the water through by way of the handle alone and the spring driven version that uses a tensioned spring to build up the pressure.

Pump: The pump style espresso coffee maker works by way of a motorized pump that builds the energy needed to brew the drink for you. These are the most common style of coffee machine found in coffee shops. Commercial grade pump coffee machines attach directly to the plumbing in a building while cheaper home versions come with a built in hold reservoir. Commercial level espresso machines are generally much quicker at fully creating the drinks then the home use versions.

Steam: Steam driven makers work just the way the sound. Water is forced through the coffee using steam pressure. The very first espresso machines were steam powered and is still used today in low end coffee makers used in homes. They are still used because of the cheap manufacturing cost and lack of need for moving parts.

Air Pressure: Commonly known as the Hanpresso, the air pressure espresso maker was introduced on store shelves in 2007 by the creator Nielsen Innovations. This small machine makes only one cup of coffee at a time though. It uses a hand held pump to push pressurized air through a chamber.

The process of choosing the right espresso maker for your needs is a fairly simple one once you understand the vagaries of each type. You can easily choose what will work best for you by considering the application you will be using it in. For example, will it be used in a office building, occasional home use or in an actual coffee shop? Brand and added function will effect the price of each one, but the basis of every model is still the same. All are manufactured to provide you and others with great Italian based drinks.

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