Not all coffees and coffee machines are the same, and not all users have the same tastes and needs. When it comes to buying a coffee machine, we cannot get carried away by the great offers we see everywhere, with slogans like a 50% discount! Buy your coffee machine now and pay in easy payments! Take 50 capsules with the purchase of your new coffee machine!
The price of a coffee machine cannot be assessed in the short term, as in many cases, the cost of the coffee (in the long term) far exceeds the cost of the coffee machine itself. Before the price, you should think about your tastes and habits, as you may be a person who loves espresso and not preparations with milk, or vice versa. You may be someone who needs your coffee ready in minutes or someone who can delight in its preparation.
Choosing a coffee machine according to coffee body and aroma
The best choice is undoubtedly the French Press for lovers of full-bodied, aromatic coffee. With this type of coffee maker, you have to choose the beans and grind very carefully because when the technique is perfected, you can detect all the roasting notes and aromas added during the roast process.
However, because the use of the French press requires more technique and dedication, the time taken to prepare a good coffee will always be longer than when using other systems. It is essential to use freshly ground coffee, obtaining a rather coarse grind to appreciate all the nuances of the coffee bean. If you want to know more about this coffee preparation system, visit our article How is coffee prepared using the French press method?
Choosing a coffee machine according to the brewing time
Suppose you are one of those people who need their coffee now! Your best option is a capsule coffee machine or espresso machine. Nowadays, some coffee machines prepare a cup of coffee in less than 2 minutes, thanks to the use of thermoblocks instead of traditional boilers.
If you opt for a capsule machine, you will lose a slight flavour and aroma. Still, you will gain efficiency since this coffee machine does not need either preparation before making the coffee or cleaning after finishing it. On the contrary, with espresso machines, you will enjoy a more personal coffee as you choose the beans, but you will lose practicality as you will need to clean the filter holder after serving your drink.
With an espresso or a capsule coffee machine, the flavours are usually intense and concentrated, so in both cases, it is more difficult to distinguish the nuances of the bean compared to what happened with the French press.
Choice of coffee machine according to cleaning and maintenance
As we have already mentioned in the previous section, capsule coffee machines will be ideal for you if you are one of those people for whom cleanliness and ease of maintenance are a priority. Italian coffee machines are also easy to maintain due to their lack of technology; there is virtually nothing else to do apart from cleaning them with soap and water after each use.
However, care must be taken when cleaning the components of Italian coffee machines as not all of them are dishwasher safe. If you break the rubber seal next to the filter, the coffee machine will be unusable until you replace the gasket.
Choosing a coffee machine according to the amount of coffee to be brewed
Drip coffee makers are ideal if you prepare your coffee in advance and large quantities. They are slower brewing but allow you to prepare a lot of coffee and have it ready to drink when you want it. Those with a thermal carafe will maintain the optimum coffee temperature for several hours, making them ideal for large families or offices.
That said, it should be noted that some models of French Presses and Italian coffee machines can brew quantities of around one litre. However, in these two systems, the coffee loses many of its qualities if not drunk on the spot.
Choosing a coffee machine on the basis of long-term costs
If you are concerned about your budget and the long-term cost of having a coffee maker at home, drip coffee makers are generally the most cost-effective, as neither the price of the coffee maker is excessive nor the cost of the coffee. The most expensive are capsule coffee machines, especially in the long term, as the cheapest capsules do not go below 0.20 cents.
Considering only the coffee machine’s price- not the coffee’s cost – the cheapest is, of course, Italian and French press coffee machines. This makes sense when considering that these coffee machines have very few technological components. For just £10, you can take home any of the more basic models.
Choosing a coffee machine based on your espresso needs
If you are an espresso lover, there is no doubt that you should choose a manual espresso machine, although nowadays, many capsule coffee machines, such as Nespresso, offer great results. The problem with capsule coffee machines versus traditional espresso machines is that you are dependent on the coffee blends that the manufacturers make in their capsules. In contrast, you decide which coffee beans to use with a manual espresso machine.
Choosing a coffee machine for personalisation of coffee
If you like to personalise the preparation of your coffees, and you have specific skills for this, opt for a bean to cup coffee machine. These so-called super-automatic machines control all the parameters of the final coffee beverage but require initial configuration.
With bean to cup coffee machines, you will have the freshness of a freshly ground coffee bean, the desired amount of water and milk, as well as being able to program different drinks and save them in the machine’s internal memory.
Capsule coffee machines such as Dolce Gusto or Tassimo have milk and chocolate beverage capsules. And although they do not have the configuration capacity of super-automatic machines, they are very practical for families with members with different tastes. Other capsule or espresso machines, which do not make the drink with milk directly, can froth milk with an extra accessory.
In any case, if no option convinces you, you can always prepare coffee without a coffee machine.
