Most of us of cannot imagine mornings without a cup of hot and energizing coffee. True, brewing good coffee is a real art that requires diligence and sometimes special skill. True, if you lack them, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy great coffee just at home. Coffee machines are the solution for all coffee fans. What's the difference between automatic and semi-automatic coffee machines? What to look for when buying this device? Here are some helpful tips that will come in handy.
Proper grinding of coffee beans is one of the most important steps to enjoying a fragrant coffee. It should also be borne in mind that different coffee drinks do not have the same amount of ground coffee beans. For example, tonic Espresso coffee should be ground as finely as possible, while black coffee is better for coarser ground coffee. So, here's what you need to know about bean grinders and coffee machines: If you decide to buy a semi-automatic coffee grinder, you'll need an additional accessory, the coffee grinder. Modern coffee grinders allow you to choose how finely you want to grind the coffee, so you shouldn't have any problems. A completely different situation with an automatic coffee machine. Here you will have to mechanically adjust the coffee grinding process in the coffee machine itself. Of course, you will learn everything in the long run, but the first generations can be challenging.
The taste of coffee is greatly influenced by the temperature of the water. The hotter the water, the bitter the coffee, and the colder the water, revealing the sour notes of the coffee. According to coffee experts, the optimum temperature for coffee is 90-93 degrees. Experimenting with different water temperatures allows you to get a variety of coffee aftertaste and detect unconventional flavors and aromas. Automatic coffee machines usually have a pre-set optimum water temperature of 92 degrees, and most often this setting cannot be changed. True, there are more and more automatic coffee machines that have this feature. Semi-automatic coffee machines feature a feature that allows you to set the water temperature yourself.
In automatic coffee machines the optimum pressure is set at the factory and it is better not to change this parameter as it may not be possible to reset the coffee machine later. In semi-automatic coffee machines the pressure changes depending on how finely ground the coffee beans are and how they are roasted. For example, when making light roasting coffee, the pressure increases and dark roasting decreases. The key is to properly form and compress the coffee capsule through which the pressure pushes the water. Automatic coffee machines form the coffee capsule automatically, so you do not have to turn your head to prevent something from happening. And with a semi-automatic coffee machine, you'll have to make the coffee capsule yourself with a special scoop. It is quite a complex process that requires skill and experience. If the coffee capsule is formed with poor quality, the pressure during the preparation of the coffee will damage the "defective" part of the capsule and the water, without absorbing the coffee, will begin to seep through it. This means that you will not drink coffee and not even a coffee drink, but hot water with a coffee spice.
If you are a milk coffee lover, you should definitely pay attention to those coffee machines that have the function of warming and shaking milk. The good news is that many modern coffee machines have this feature, so you will definitely be able to choose one that fits your expectations.
The automatic coffee machine heats the milk and pours it into the coffee. Everything is simple, all you have to do is press one button and you can enjoy bleached coffee. On the other hand, you should know that this type of coffee machine is unlikely to produce a smooth, fluffy and sweet milk froth. When making coffee in a semi-automatic coffee machine, the milk is whipped separately, but even this does not guarantee a frothy foam. To get it, you need to practice and improve your skills. In addition, it is important to remember that milk cannot overheat as it will lose its consistency and nutrients.
For the coffee machine to function properly and produce excellent coffee, it must be properly maintained. Maintenance of automatic coffee machines is divided into daily and preventive. Every day you should remove coffee residue from the machine and clean the cappuccino maker. But there are coffee machines that automatically clean up every lovely day and you don't need to do anything. Preventive maintenance of the coffee machine consists of descaling and cleaning the entire coffee machine mechanism. True, those who do not like household chores very much should not worry, as they only need to put special cleaning products in the appropriate places, and all the other work is done by the coffee machine itself. How often do I clean my coffee machine? Approximately every 200 cups unless otherwise recommended by the manufacturer. Of course, counting the cups would not be very sensible, so smart coffee machines let you know when it comes to "bathing".
Maintenance of semi-automatic coffee machines varies. After each cup of coffee, a teaspoon must be cleaned and a general cleaning should be done in the evening. Preventive coffee machine maintenance is no different from automatic coffee machine.
It is certainly not possible to say that an automatic coffee machine is better than a semi-automatic one, or vice versa. It really depends on your lifestyle, pace and habits. An automatic coffee machine is a great choice if you do not want or have time to make coffee. At the touch of a button, the automatic coffee machine will prepare you with the desired strength and type of coffee in a matter of minutes. On the other hand, the taste of coffee will be much more pronounced if you make the drink with a semi-automatic coffee machine. However, when you purchase such a coffee machine, you have to accept that the coffee preparation process will take longer and may not succeed at first, so if you are not ready to learn the secrets of coffee making, you should still prefer an automatic coffee machine.
Choose the coffee machine that suits you best.
In buyers guide you can also check out our other useful and practical tips to help you choose the technique you are interested in.
