BJ Roasters

- The Site for Coffee Lovers -

Coffee Art

January 14th, 2010

admin

Imagine yourself relaxing into your favorite chair, at your favorite table by the window, holding your warm cappuccino. You savor the aroma and admire the frothy, foamy peak your barista brought to life. It's nice and peaceful. No noisy chatter. Just quiet.

And here's the best part: your car keys are sitting on your dresser, and you're still in your pajamas. And that talented barista who has mastered the art of foam? That's you! You've created your own quaint little cafe right here at home, with your very own coffee espresso machine.

Think this is impossible? Think again! There are many different types of espresso machines on the market that are made especially for home use, ranging from very basic and affordable, right up to the same machines used by professional baristas.

However, before you rush into investing in a coffee espresso machine, take some time to do your homework and consider your needs and preferences. How often do you plan to make espresso drinks at home? Do you also drink a lot of brewed coffee? (Some machines have dual brewing capabilities.) How important is the milk frothing capability to you? If you have preferences in any areas such as these, this will help you narrow down the possibilities.

Also consider any preferences you may have about how your espresso drinks are made. For instance, my favorite part of an espresso shot is the crema - that's the caramel-colored, creamy foam that forms on a perfectly pulled shot. When you pour shots from a shot glass into the mug, most of the crema gets left behind, so I prefer a coffee espresso machine that is tall enough to fit the whole mug, so I can enjoy the entire shot in my drink.

Here are the basic types of coffee espresso machines on the market:

What is the Pump Coffee Espresso Machine?

This is the best but most expensive type of machine to buy. The pump coffee espresso machine is called this because they use a pump to keep the water pressure at the appropriate level, which produces the best and most consistent shot of espresso. These machines are primarily made for commercial use, and are usually very large, heavy, and noisy, but can be used at home.

About the Piston Coffee Espresso Machine

This type of machine uses a piston or lever system to manually maintain the optimum pressure required for a great shot of espresso. This type of coffee espresso machine requires little maintenance, and is much quieter than the pump machines. However, the lever may require a good deal of arm strength to keep the pressure at the right level, and it may take some practice to get the timing down. But if you're willing to experiment and work out the process, you'll be rewarded by a great shot, and a sense of accomplishment.

About the Steam Coffee Espresso Machine

This type of coffee espresso machine is typically smaller, easily accessible and relatively affordable, using heat to produce steam instead of a pump or piston to create the pressure. While the lower prices are definitely an advantage for steam machines, if you're very particular about the quality of your espresso shots, you may find that the steam does not always produced the optimum pressure for the best tasting coffee. Also, maintaining enough steam to both pull shots and steam milk at the same time is sometimes difficult.

About Moka Pots

This type of machine costs the least of all the options, and requires only your stovetop. The moka pot is a two-part pot which uses boiling water and the steam to create pressure, which pushes the boiling water up through the espresso grounds rather than gravity simply pulling heated what down. The coffee tastes great, but since you cannot froth milk with a moka pot, it's not for you if you really like your lattes and cappuccinos. But if you like a good espresso or a shot in the dark (brewed coffee with a shot of espresso added) and have a limited budget, give the moka pot a try.

Don't be put off by the high prices on a coffee espresso machine. Take a few moments to consider what that daily latte is costing you. A latte can cost you as much as $4. If you're like me, you average about five a week. That's $975 a year! Over the course of time you may find that dropping the money once up front is worth the investment - especially when you consider the convenience of enjoying your favorite espresso beverage at home.

So take a little time to consider each of these options and how they fit with your preferences and needs. Whichever coffee espresso machine you choose to create your own cafe at home, you'll be making your own espresso drinks for you and your friends and family - with or without the frothy foam peaks - in no time.

About the Author:

Damen Choy, editor of Bulk Coffee Direct Coffee-Bean-Direct.com provides timely information about the coffee market, as well as tips and ideas for coffee lovers and their friends. Visit organic coffee to know the many benefits of buying organic coffee beans.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Coffee Espresso Machine: Tips for Buying the Perfect One for You

Coffee Candy Chews Bag 13.2 Ounces (376 Grams)

$9.95

Between cups of brewed gourmet coffee, you can enjoy the essence of our premium beans with our coffee candy chews. While the majority of coffee candies are artificially flavored, we use only the

Dark Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans Bag 6 Ounces (170 Grams)

$9.95

Both coffee and cacao beans have a long history in Costa Rica. Hundreds of years ago cacao beans were first used as currency by indigenous tribes. Before the introduction of coffee in the early 1700s,

Dark Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans Canister 7 Ounces (200 Grams)

$9.95

Both coffee and cacao beans have a long history in Costa Rica. Hundreds of years ago cacao beans were first used as currency by indigenous tribes. Before the introduction of coffee in the early 1700s,

French Coffee Press 6 Cup French Press Chrome

$24.99

Like many of the best inventions, the French Coffee Press seems to have resulted from an accident. Legend has it that around the mid 1800s, the serendipitous incident happened on a hillside when

	Cuisinart DCC-RWF1 Replacement Coffeemaker Water Filters, Set of 2 List Price: $14.99 Sale Price: $4.45 Used From: $4.99
	Cuisinart DCC-RWF Coffee Water Filter Replacement

	Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp 1.7-Liter Stainless Steel Cordless Electric Kettle List Price: $185.00 Sale Price: Too low to display Used From: $68.73
	This Cuisinart Perfectemp Cordless Electric Programmable Kettle offers latest innovation for this product category%2E Heating water will never be easier with this handsome brushed stainless steel kettle%2E Great for making tea%2C hot chocolate or instant soups%2E It will quickly bring 1%2E75 quarts of water to a boil and then turn itself off%2E

	Cuisinart DCC-1200PRC 12-Cup Replacement Carafe-Black List Price: $33.00 Sale Price: $19.79 Used From: $17.99
	Cuisinart DCC-1200PRC 12-Cup Replacement Coffee Carafe

	Greatest Hits List Price: $15.98 Sale Price: $7.99 Used From: $7.95
	Japanese version release, a compilation of the Irish singer/songwriter's finest featuring two new tracks including the single ' You're The World To Me'. Greatest Hits is the first compilation to feature songs from Gray's entire recording career, a period that encompasses seven albums, numerous record labels and a cumulative 11 million albums sold worldwide...

	Putumayo Presents: French Cafe List Price: $14.98 Sale Price: $7.98 Used From: $4.84
	Although far from definitive (no Edith Piaf in sight!), this enchanting compilation delivers a perfect aural snapshot of what spending a late summer afternoon in a French cafe actually feels like. The supreme elegance and understated approach that lie at the core of these 13 tracks will delight fans of sophisticated pop...

Ladies of the Canyon
List Price: $7.98
Sale Price: $4.08
Used From: $2.95

Joni Mitchell's third album offers a bridge between the artful but sometimes dour meditations of her earlier work and the more mature, confessional revelations of the classics that would follow. Voice and guitar still hew to the pretty filigree of a folk poet, but there's the giggling rush of rock & roll freedom in "Big Yellow Taxi," and the formal metaphor of her older songs ("The Circle Game," already oft-covered by the time of this recording) yields to the more impressionistic images of the new ones ("Woodstock")...

	The All New Espresso 101 A Complete Video Course in Espresso and Brewed Coffee Sale Price: $38.00 Used From: $44.50
	This video features the history of coffee, the coffee bean-planting, growing, harvesting, Roasting and Blending, making perfect espresso, the art of steaming and foaming milk, how to prepare espresso bar drinks, brewed coffee primer and more~!

	RoomMates RMK1043SCS Dinosaurs Peel & Stick Wall Decals List Price: $12.99 Sale Price: $8.99
	RoomMates Dinosaurs Peel & Stick AppliqueThe Jurassic Age is here! These are realistic and beautifully painted peel and stick dinosaurs that will plunge your room back to a time when these impressive animals walked the earth! Great for classrooms too...