Cozy home - How to choose an automatic coffee machine

When you want really good and high-quality coffee, but messing with the Turks and learning the art of a barista — no, it’s time to buy an automatic coffee machine. They say this device does everything for us. How an automatic coffee machine actually works and how to choose one is in this guide.

Why not a coffee maker? Only a coffee machine can prepare a drink with minimal participation from you. Advanced coffee machines are able to fully automatically prepare complex milk drinks with the temperature and volume you choose — you just need to pour water and milk, add coffee beans and select the desired program.

Ample opportunities in the preparation of coffee drinks determine the complex technical structure of the automatic coffee machine and the presence of many characteristics that affect various aspects of coffee preparation. Let’s figure out what you should pay attention to when choosing a coffee machine.

Automatic coffee machine device

From the user’s point of view, the device of an automatic coffee machine is quite simple: you just need to fill the grain into a special compartment, set the desired grind, fill the water container, select the type of drink on the control panel and place the cup under the dispenser.

The coffee machine itself will grind the coffee bean, form a dense coffee “pellet” in the brewing unit and use a pump to force water through it under pressure, and then drop the coffee pellet into the waste coffee container. This is the basic principle of the coffee machine. With an automatic milk frother, the device can also heat and froth milk for your drink.

Characteristics of coffee machines

Cappuccinatore

A cappuccinatore is a device for heating milk and frothing milk used in milk coffee drinks such as cappuccino, latte, macchiato, etc. The cappuccinatore in a coffee machine can be manual or automatic.

The manual cappuccinatore is a tube through which hot steam is supplied under pressure. To froth milk with such a cappuccinatore, you need to lower the steam pipe into a container with milk and independently control the process of heating and the formation of milk foam.

Coffee machines with a manual cappuccinatore are much cheaper, but making foam with it requires some skill and experience, and also takes some time.

The automatic cappuccinatore allows you to prepare foam literally by pressing a button. The disadvantage of an automatic cappuccinatore (except for the high price) is one — after use it needs to be washed. If this is not done in time, the acidified milk residues will irreparably spoil the taste of the drink during subsequent preparations.

Automatic milk frothers can take milk from the built-in milk container or from an external container. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. The built-in container does not spoil the appearance of the machine, and it cannot be accidentally knocked over.

This option can be good for offices and public spaces. When using an external container, washing the cappuccinatore is simplified, and the intake tube can be lowered directly into the milk carton, taking it out of the refrigerator immediately before preparation — the coffee machine will take the required amount by itself. At home, this option may be more practical.

Used coffee and grind

All automatic coffee machines have a built-in grinder and can use coffee beans. This coffee machine compares favorably with coffee makers — freshly ground grain has a much more intense aroma.
But keep in mind that not all coffee machines can use pre-ground coffee.

It is impossible to pour ground coffee into the coffee grinder for grains — it will clog the millstones, disassembly and cleaning of the coffee grinder will be required. If you want to be able to use both grain and ground coffee, please note that the model supports both types — usually such a coffee machine has a separate tray for ground coffee.

Advanced models can even have several bins for different grains. For example, one tank can be used for dark roasted beans for milk drinks, and the second tank for lighter roasted beans for making “black coffee” with a bright taste. However, it is worth considering that part of the ground grain may remain in the coffee machine channel, therefore, in order to completely switch from one grain to another, it is necessary to carry out an intermediate brewing cycle.

To fine-tune the coffee machine for different grains, pay attention to adjusting the degree of grinding. The grinding of beans affects extraction — the extraction of soluble substances from coffee that determine the taste and aroma properties of the drink. The coarser the grind, the slower the extraction. An under-extracted coffee will have an immature flavor with a lot of acidity, while an «over-extracted» coffee will have a more bitter taste and higher caffeine content.

Also, grinding adjustment is necessary when using grains of different degrees of roasting. Lighter grains take longer to extract and therefore require finer grinding. Dark roast beans are the opposite. However, chasing the number of degrees is not worth it. With the initial correct adjustment of the coffee grinder, 3-5 degrees of grinding will be enough in most cases.

Functionality in the preparation of drinks

Coffee strength control is implemented differently in different machines, and the taste of “strong” and “soft” coffee on different machines may differ. The canonically “correct” way is to control the strength by adjusting the dose of ground coffee at a constant temperature and extraction time. This method makes the machine more expensive as it requires an adjustable coffee spout.
Controlling the strength by changing the temperature or cooking time is easier to implement, but leads to a change in the taste of the drink.

As a rule, the «strength» of coffee refers to the intensity of its taste. The caffeine content also increases from an increase in the amount of dry grain, but is a side factor. Also, do not confuse the strength of coffee with bitterness. Bitterness, acidity and sweetness are related to the taste profile of the drink and are regulated by grain grinding, temperature and water volume.

Adjusting the temperature may be necessary to bring out the full flavor of different grains. So, for the preparation of medium roasted coffee, it is recommended to use water with a temperature of 91–93 ° C, for light roasting, a temperature higher than 93–95 ° C is needed, for dark roasting, 88–91 ° C. Also, the temperature control will allow you to customize the drink according to personal preferences. It should be borne in mind that in most devices the temperature is not regulated by degrees, but by a conditional scale.

If you prefer hot coffee, pay attention to the presence of an auto-warming plate and the cup warming function — using warm dishes will reduce heat loss. However, keep in mind that the cup warming platform will take some time after being turned on to heat up.

Also, the taste of coffee can be affected by pre-wetting — a coffee machine with this function will moisten the ground beans for a few seconds before starting watering and extraction. During this process, carbon dioxide is released from the grain, which is especially important for freshly roasted grains. In some models, the duration of prewetting can be adjusted manually. Also, in many models, this function is called «Aroma» — prewetting really affects the disclosure of the aroma of the drink.

Adjusting the volume of the drink will also simplify the use of the device for lovers of non-standard volumes. If the volume of the drink is not set, then, for example, for large cups, you will have to start the standard preparation program twice.

Control

With a large number of functions and a wide range of settings, convenient operation is extremely important. The presence of a display on the device makes it much more informative, and the familiar touch type of control will greatly simplify setting up the coffee machine. This will be especially true in coffee machines, where drinks can be programmed by yourself, creating new recipes.
Smartphone control is also designed to simplify interaction with the coffee machine. The types of connection and the possibility of such interaction must be specified in the characteristics of a particular model.

Also, among the additional functions, you should pay attention to the auto-off function, so as not to worry if you forgot to turn off the appliance in a hurry. However, if you are preparing coffee only for yourself, it is better to turn off the device immediately after making coffee: this way you will save the life of the heating element, prevent the formation of excessive scale, and also save on electricity.

By the way, some models have an energy-saving mode, thanks to which, after a while of inactivity, the device turns off the water heating and goes into “standby mode”.
Also, when choosing a coffee machine, you can take into account the variations in the preparation of drinks. However, if your favorite drink is not on the list, you should not immediately dismiss the model. In fact, milk drinks differ in the proportions of coffee, milk and milk foam, so if these parameters are adjustable in the selected model, then you can recreate the recipe of your favorite drink.

Design and technical features

The volume in the characteristics of the device, as a rule, reflects the capacity of the water tank. It should be borne in mind that part of the water will absorb the ground grain, and another part will be spent on washing the internal elements, so the yield of finished coffee will be much less than the initially filled volume of water.

This parameter, like the volume of the milk container and the volume of the grain container, is more important for offices and cafes: the larger the capacity, the less often you will have to refill/fill. At home, chasing large volumes makes little sense, especially since bulk coffee machines are more expensive. It is best to always use fresh water, and store the bulk of the grain in a container without access to air.

Also, with intensive use of the device, it is worth paying attention to the possibility of simultaneous preparation of two cups. And here there is a small nuance: some devices have a double dispenser for black coffee, but only one outlet for milk, so milk drinks will still have to be prepared in turn.

There are two main types of heaters. The boiler heats the entire volume of water at the same time, and in the thermoblock, the water is heated while passing through its heat exchanger. It is believed that the boiler heats up longer and provides a more stable temperature, and the thermoblock, due to its small volume, reaches the operating temperature faster, but is less thermally stable.

In practice, these two types of heaters are often combined: a thermoblock is used to brew coffee, and a small boiler is used to generate steam for a cappuccinatore. Pump pressure is important for making espresso. With the correct brewing of this drink, the pressure in the brewing unit should be 8-9 bar, for this the pressure of the pump itself should be about 15 bar. If the pump pressure is lower, the espresso taste may be less than ideal.

Choices

If you are looking for a model for the home, you do not need large volumes and only the main functionality is important, inexpensive models may suit you. If you want to get milky coffee drinks at the touch of a button, then look at models with an automatic cappuccinatore. Looking for a device for the office? Then choose from models with a volumetric tank.

If you want to customize the drink as much as possible for your parameters, then you will need the functions of controlling the strength, adjusting the volume and temperature. If the coffee machine is your next gadget, then choose models with the usual display and touch controls.