How an Automatic Espresso Machine - And Its Owner - Conquered My Heart

A few years ago, I was a single, scientific student, and I knew nothing about coffee, let alone espresso. In February 2004, my life changed a lot. I met Luc in a history of jazz course, and something sparked between us. He clearly stood out of the crowd with his elegant looks, his fashionable clothes and his confident personality.

First Date

I will always remember the first time he invited me to his apartment for dinner. Apart from his place being super neat and tidy, he was keenly planning on impressing me and had prepared honey-mustard scallops as an entrée, grilled marinara chicken with colorful vegetables and risotto on the side as the main dish, and had bought fancy pastries for dessert. As if that wasn’t enough, he offered to accompany the pastries with a cappuccino.

A Cappuccino with That?

I pleasantly accepted, not knowing what to expect: in my mind, a high-class coffee consisted of a regular cup of otherwise undrinkable brown stuff topped with commercial whipped garnish... What a surprise when he brought me a cozy-looking, inch-high fluffy milk froth-covered, cinnamon-sprinkled cup of pure palate delight! I remembered seeing something like it in a restaurant before, but had never tasted any type of coffee except percolator a few desperate times.

I have to say this gourmet coffee was the icing on the cake! I was impressed! Luc admitted much later that his semi-automatic espresso machine was his weapon of choice to seduce me completely.

So now you have it: the true story of how I came to drink espresso-based beverages, and why we were inspired to start the www.my-best-coffee.com website.

Key Concepts to Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines

Today, I know so much more about espresso, coffee beans, brewing machines and their special features, and there are two concepts that I must share with you.

Single vs Double Boiler

Luc had to leave me at the dinning room table while he was in the kitchen for a while preparing our cappuccinos because his Krups model had a single boiler. It meant that after he had brewed my espresso at the right water temperature, he had to wait for the water to heat up enough to create sufficient steam to froth the milk. He then had to wait again for the water to cool down to the right brewing temperature to pull his own shot and repeat the steam part.

Had his machine had a double boiler, the tasks of making the espresso and steaming the milk would each have had their own dedicated boiler, eliminating the need to wait for a cool down in between cappuccinos. This way, we would have spent a bit more time together…

What Is the Difference Between Automatic and Semi-Automatic?

The other point I wish to make is the difference between what we call semi-automated models and automated models. In both cases, the steps to preparing the coffee include manual grinding and tamping. But once the ideal brewing temperature is reached, the semi-automated one will require the user to start and stop the brewing manually when the desired amount of liquid is obtained in the cup. On the other hand, the automatic device is equipped with espresso quantity buttons and only requires the user to press one of these single-touch presets to start the brew. It automatically stops thanks to its internal water flow sensor, in conformity with the selected size.

Comparing models

Do you want to impress your guests or your taste buds? Read through this chart to find out which model you will prefer according to your taste and budget.

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