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Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025

Most people drink coffee. We drink the black juice not only because we want to get caffeine, but also because there is a kind of ceremony to it. Coffee-making and especially espresso-drinking has developed a particularly great culture in recent centuries, which we now do in a mechanized form - for this we need a coffee maker and a coffee grinder. Coffee is fundamentally surrounded by a kind of mystique, and it is difficult to determine at first which coffee maker can and should be used to prepare black soup. It doesn't matter how you carry out the individual processes either. We didn't know either before, but luckily there were two baristas in our immediate environment, so we finally had the right knowledge to prepare this article.

Let's see which coffee maker and coffee grinder you did best!

contents

Coffee makers and coffee grinders can be classified into several categories, depending on the purpose for which these devices are intended. Since in the preparation process the grinding takes place before the coffee is made, that's why we start with these. We tried to select the devices according to all kinds of needs, both in terms of function and price range, but we left out catering industry machines. Let's see what the list consisted of!


These are the best coffee grinders and coffee makers (2025)

The coffee grinders and coffee makers on our list have been selected based on the following criteria:

  • more than 10 years, based on our own experience as testers
  • based on the instructions and work experience of our barista friends
  • we all own several models and use them on a daily basis
  • based on the service experience and long-term tests of our previous partners
  • based on individual research, which is based on domestic and international customer opinions
  • based on opinions read in various forums and special groups

Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 2

Source: Hario

Hario Mini Mill Slim Plus or Hibrew G4 manual coffee grinder (coffee grinder) - Absolute zero point to start from

The advantages of the coffee grinder:

  • manual cone grinder
  • ceramic grinding knives
  • nice looking item
  • this is the minimum that is worth buying
  • its use contributes to the formality of the coffee

Specification

  • Type: ceramic stone
  • Performance: what your hands can handle 
  • Coffee bean container: 24 gramm 
  • Coffee basket size: anything
  • Grinding time: as fast as you are
  • Grinding delicacy: 24 steps
  • Speed: one grade
  • Extras: none
  • Display: none
  • Where are you grinding?: into an arm or holder

Who we recommend it to

The Hario Mini Mill is a product of a Japanese company and is usually recommended as a beginner manual grinder with a grinding blade. It doesn't have any extras, apart from the fact that the grinding distance can be adjusted very easily, and that it is a fundamentally reliable brand. Since one of the important elements of manual grinding is formality, many people like such devices and manual operation really has something magical about it. We recommend it to those who are just getting to know this topic and who definitely want a beginner manual grinder at a low price.

Why is it out of stock?

Hario Mini Mill Slim Plus is in the 30-40 USD price range, so we can't say that you should spend all the money in the world on it. Actually, this is a decent entry-level car, nothing more, from the workshop of the Japanese company. A good alternative is the Hibrew G4 conical grinder, which you can get for a similar price, but I think its quality is better, but it doesn't have such a big name as the Japanese product. Since their prices are similar, everyone can decide which one to take home, we have linked both.

Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 3

Source: Hebrew

Hibrew G3 coffee grinder (coffee grinder) - Conical Chinese, especially for little

The advantages of the coffee grinder:

  • cone grinder
  • filigree, fits in a small space
  • adjustable grinding time and basket size
  • large coffee bean container, infrequent filling
  • it has a powder blower

Specification

  • Type: conical coffee grinder
  • Performance: 50 W 
  • Coffee bean container: 210 gramm 
  • Coffee basket size: 51, 54, 58 mm
  • Grinding time: adjustable
  • Grinding delicacy: 34 steps
  • Speed: one grade
  • Extras: coffee container
  • Display: by
  • Where are you grinding?: into an arm or holder

Who we recommend it to

The Hibrew G3 is a Chinese coffee grinder, and anyone who would underestimate China as a tea nation would do well to know that roughly 200 million people already drink coffee regularly. Hibrew is a real sleeper brand, they produce quite good, but not outstanding devices at a low price, which are perfect for experiencing what coffee grinding is all about. We recommend it to those who are just getting to know this topic, but want a grinder with great knowledge to try out.

Why is it out of stock?

When we bought the Hibrew G3 in the editorial along with a Catler grinder - which is a Graef 800 - only the Hibrew was about 50% cheaper and could do more. First of all, the coffee bean container is quite large, 210 grams, which also has a powder blower, and on the other hand, the grinding fineness can be adjusted in 34 steps. It also has a display where you can set the size of the coffee basket, the number of servings, and the grinding time. It has one problem: if you grind a lot with it, it starts to get dirty, in which case you have to peel it off.

Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 4

Source: Hebrew

Hibrew G5 coffee grinder (coffee grinder) - cone grinder for gram lovers

The advantages of the coffee grinder:

  • cone grinder
  • adjustable speed
  • filigree, fits in a small space
  • It can be tilted forward by 15 degrees
  • surprisingly good quality materials
  • it has a powder blower

Specification

  • Type: conical coffee grinder
  • Performance: 165 W 
  • Coffee bean container: approx. 50 grams 
  • Coffee basket size: cannot be adjusted
  • Grinding time: cannot be set
  • Grinding delicacy: 36 steps
  • Speed: two grades
  • Extras: powder blower, coffee container
  • Display: by
  • Where are you grinding?: into holder

Who we recommend it to

The Hibrew G5 is a fine art coffee grinder that is much smaller than the G3, but blessed with an order of magnitude higher quality materials. The entire body is made of milled aluminum, the coffee container must be placed on a non-slip rubber surface containing a magnet, the overall effect is very good. As an extra, the structure can tilt forward by 15 degrees for better spreading. We recommend it to those who like to gram and check everything themselves and are looking for a very small device that can even be carried.

Why is it out of stock?

In addition to the shockingly good quality, the Hibrew G5 model equipped with conical grinding knives also has a powder blower, which can be used to remove not too much residue from the machine, which is important even if its grinding efficiency is 99,8%. Setting the speed is a rare function of cheaper grinders, but it can grind both slowly - 400 rpm - and fast - 500 rpm - which allows for further fine-tuning. Important: you have to weigh the coffee here, because the coffee bean container is small, so we recommend this to our readers who like to do crafts. Anyway, I think the Hibrew G5 is a knock-off of the Kaffia ITOP Zero, which costs three or four times as much.

Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 5

Source: Graef

Graef CM 800 coffee grinder (coffee grinder) - Famous entry-level model

The advantages of the coffee grinder:

  • cone grinder
  • large container of coffee beans
  • minimal littering
  • portafilter holder at the front
  • they mainly used metal and not plastic

Specification

  • Type: conical coffee grinder
  • Performance: 128 W 
  • Coffee bean container: approx. 350 grams 
  • Coffee basket size: mechanically adjustable 
  • Grinding time: cannot be set
  • Grinding delicacy: 40 steps
  • Speed: one grade
  • Extras: coffee container
  • Display: none
  • Where are you grinding?: into an arm or holder

Who we recommend it to

Graef is a big name in the market of coffee grinders, its sub-brand is Catler, which used to offer the same technology at a cheaper price. The Graef CM 800 is their entry-level model - 801 is silver, 802 is black - which does not offer many extras, but in return it grinds in a fairly good quality and especially consistently. We recommend it to those who believe in the power of big brands, a good service background is important, and they don't want a lot of extra functions, instead the point is consistent performance.

Why is it out of stock?

The Graef CM 800/Catler CG8011 cone grinder does not have a display to control the grinding process. Instead, the portafilter must be inserted into one of the two types of holders, and then the microswitch behind the ring must be pressed to start the grinding process. What is very good about the CM 800 is the large bean container and the precise adjustment. We love the movement of the aluminum mode switch, when the grinder arrived, we clicked it several times, just because it holds back so pleasantly. The Catler CG8011 is identical to the Graef CM 800 series except for one or two small things.

Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 6

Source: Alsa

Siguro GR-K630SU Inneo coffee grinder (coffee grinder) - A great grinder from the Alza stable

The advantages of the coffee grinder:

  • cone grinder
  • large container of coffee beans
  • minimal littering
  • portafilter holder at the front
  • they mainly used metal and not plastic

Specification

  • Type: conical coffee grinder
  • Performance: 165 W 
  • Coffee bean container: approx. 350 grams 
  • Coffee basket size: grinds in holder 
  • Grinding time: adjustable
  • Grinding delicacy: 51 steps
  • Speed: one grade
  • Extras: coffee container, powder blower
  • Display: by
  • Where are you grinding?: in holder or arm

Who we recommend it to

Siguro GR-K630SU Inneno is the own brand product of the Alza store. Many people underestimate these devices, even though our experience with them is particularly good, and the underlying service is excellent. They are characterized by a 3-year warranty, a low price, and a wider functionality than the big names. We recommend it to those who want a well-constructed all-in-one with a long warranty, quick access, and decent performance.

Why is it out of stock?

The Siguro GR-K630SU Inneo technology is the same as the previously mentioned cone knife pieces, but it grinds directly in an antistatic coffee holder, but it can also be used in a portafilter, from a particularly large coffee bean container, which is 350 grams. You can control the grinding time, but the length of the grinding can also be specified in the number of cups. The contents of the package are a powder blower, i.e. a pump that blows out coffee powder, which is called an airpress here. An attractive compact package, perfect for getting started.


Which didn't make the list, but is worth noting

We didn't include the flat disc coffee grinders on the list, because their price can easily be 250-300 USD, and it is unlikely that the average person would buy one at home, but those who want it are Barazza, Eureka - Mignon series -, Lelit, Gaggia, Mahlkönig, etc. . look between brands. Then there is the Baratza Sette series, which is a conical grinder where the center stone is fixed and the outer one rotates - the opposite of the traditional solution - and there are thousands of other solutions on the market. If you are a lover of hand grinders and money is not an issue, you should check out Comandante's products.


Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 7

Source: Bialetti

Bialetti Brikka coffee maker - A great vintage product with speco valve

The advantages of a coffee machine with a knocker:

  • good quality
  • brings the retro feeling
  • special Bialetti valve
  • we wouldn't call it expensive
  • better taste than traditional kotogyós

Specification

  • Type: clucking
  • Performance: N/A 
  • Pressure: approx. 1,5 bar 
  • Type of coffee drink: "cooter" 
  • Extras: special valve

Who we recommend it to

I don't think there is a person who doesn't have the phenomenon of the clattering coffee maker, which our grandparents heated on the gas stove. The original of these was produced by the Bialetti company, whose modern variant is the Bialetti Brikka series. We recommend it to those who don't want to produce the flavor and crema of espresso, but don't want to make the coffee as bitter as with traditional coffee makers and like to get involved in the process.

Why is it out of stock?

The main advantage of the Bialetti Brikka is the unique, pressure-regulating valve, so the coffee can be prepared at a higher pressure. It has a slightly more espresso-like flavor, but the mixture is thinner, with less crema, because the acids and aromas dissolve differently. But even this is much better than in the case of traditional kotogyós, and the flavor will be stronger and more intense. Moreover, it is not a particularly big deal to buy either, you can get it for a few tens of thousands of forints. Take a good coffee grinder with you, because you will need a larger grain size than espresso.


Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 8

Source: Hario

Hario V60 drip coffee maker - The legendary V60 where gravity works

Advantages of drip coffee brewing:

  • cheap
  • control over the entire process
  • handmade has its own charm
  • the liquid flows differently due to the ribbed casing
  • specific taste, with different notes compared to espresso

Specification

  • Type: filter
  • Performance: N/A 
  • Pressure: 0 bar, gravity release 
  • Type of coffee drink: filter, dripper
  • Extras: ribbed sidewall

Who we recommend it to

The Hario V60 is a popular pour-over type coffee maker, in this sense it cannot even be called a coffee maker, since you prepare everything by hand, the rest is done by steeping and gravity. A big advantage is that you can set everything manually, so the Hario V60 offers a lot of variation. We recommend it to those who swear by manual coffee making, who like filter solutions, and who prefer a cleaner, lighter color and a softer taste compared to espresso.

Why is it out of stock?

The specialty of the Hario V60 is that its conically tapering mantle is ribbed, so the water flows down the filter inserted in a different way, thus changing the dissolution rate, creating a softer, fruitier taste and a brighter end result. Anyone who likes to peddle by hand, measure water temperature, gram, fiddle with paper, fabric, colored and non-colored filters will love it. The truth is that a manual coffee machine can fit easily next to an espresso machine, be it a Hario V60, Chemex, French Press or Aeropress, because the initial cost of these is very low.


Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 9

Source: De'Longhi

De'Longhi Dedica EC685 Espresso Coffee Machine - Entry level, copied by many

Advantages of the espresso coffee machine:

  • classic espresso
  • for some reason everyone copies this
  • compact entry-level machine, with fairly good use of materials
  • it has a steam pipe, you can use it to make milk foam for milk drinks
  • you can buy a lot of accessories for De'Longhi products

Specification

  • Type: espresso
  • Heating element: thermal block
  • Performance: 1350 W
  • Pump pressure: 15 bar 
  • Water capacity: 1,1 liter 
  • Type of coffee drink: espresso-based and milk drinks
  • Milk frother: by
  • Extras: automatic shutdown
  • Portafilter: 51mm
  • What do you expect?: 1 or 2 serving espresso basket, ESE POD

Who we recommend it to

We have a De'Longhi Dedica EC685 in our editorial office, and if there is a basic espresso coffee machine, this is it. Many people make extremely similar machines, Hibrew, BlitzHome, Auchan's Qilive brand, and they look suspiciously like this machine. Compact design, small size, reliable operation, these are its main features. We recommend it to those who want a basic espresso coffee machine and don't want to tune it later or move on to rougher coffee machines and have little space.

Why is it out of stock?

The De'Longhi Dedica EC685 is the machine with which we really started our journey into the world of espresso coffee making. We have accumulated countless accessories, portafilters, filters, tampers, mirrors, coffee needles and I could list more. We have brewed thousands of coffees with it in the last couple of years and it still holds up. It doesn't do anything extra, but you can make milky drinks quite well with it, it has an in-house service, and it's easy to use. It is even good as a gift, for those who are not into the hobby of making espresso.


READ THE DETAILED TEST OF THE DE'LONGHI DEDICA EC685 COFFEE MAKER!
(soon)


Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 10

Source: Hebrew

Hibrew H10B semi-automatic espresso coffee machine - Chinese De'Longhi upgraded with pressure sensor

Advantages of the espresso coffee machine:

  • De'Longhi on steroids
  • pressure control sensor
  • convincing build quality, small dimensions
  • compact entry-level machine, with fairly good use of materials
  • it has a steam pipe, you can use it to make milk foam for milk drinks

Specification

  • Type: espresso
  • Heating element: thermal block
  • Performance: 1450 W
  • Pump pressure: 19 bar 
  • Water capacity: 0,8 liter 
  • Type of coffee drink: espresso-based and milk drinks
  • Milk frother: by
  • Extras: automatic shutdown
  • Portafilter: 51mm
  • What do you expect?: 1 or 2 serving espresso basket, ESE POD

Who we recommend it to

There have been some lousy Hibrew products that we would never recommend, but the Hibrew H10B is just the opposite. This is also suspiciously similar to the aforementioned De'Longhi, which is good because it fits in a small space, and its quality is also quite good. This one knows so much more than the Slovenian counterpart that it has a pressure gauge, so a much more precise post-check can be done with its help. We recommend it to those who want equipment that offers more than western brands for little money, with a pressure gauge, a better portafilter and 3 different coffee baskets.

Why is it out of stock?

Even laymen can notice a few things about the Hibrew H10B espresso coffee machine at first glance: its portafilter is much better than traditional solutions, it has a pressure gauge and 3 baskets are added, one of which is non-pressurized. This means that if the grind is uniform and the tampering is good, you don't need the traditional pressure booster coffee basket, but if you mess something up, the pressure sensor will indicate it. A more precise process, more options for intervention, better quality espresso, especially since it also allows you to adjust the temperature.

Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 11

Source: Hebrew

Hibrew H14 Barista Duo espresso coffee machine - An all-in-one machine for a small space

Advantages of the espresso coffee machine:

  • precook function
  • an all-in-one solution with a grinder
  • barely bigger than compact machines
  • blower on the grinder, for easier cleaning
  • it has a steam pipe, you can use it to make milk foam for milk drinks

Specification

  • Type: espresso
  • Heating element: thermal block
  • Performance: 1150 W
  • Pump pressure: 20 bar 
  • Water capacity: 0,7 liter 
  • Type of coffee drink: espresso-based and milk drinks
  • Milk frother: by
  • Extras: automatic switch-off, coffee grinder, pre-soak, powder blower
  • Portafilter: 51mm
  • What do you expect?: 1 or 2 serving espresso basket, ESE POD

Who we recommend it to

Many people like automatic espresso coffee machines because they fit in a small space and their capabilities are perfectly sufficient for a two-person household. Although the Hibrew H14 Barista Duo is not automatic, it does not support plain lever solutions either, as it also has a grinder, not just a coffee maker. We recommend it to those who have a very small kitchen and want to place a coffee maker and a grinder at the same time in a small space, but do not want to pay the price of an automatic machine.

Why is it out of stock?

The Hibrew H14 does the same thing as entry-level lever espresso coffee makers, so it makes espresso and milky drinks using the steam pipe, but it also has a built-in grinder. You have to pay for compactness on the capacity side, in return everything is in one place. It can also accept the portafilter with the help of a plastic bushing, it also has a pre-soaking function, which helps better dissolution, and it has a powder blower, which means it can blow out stuck coffee grounds.

Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 12

Source: Hebrew

Hibrew H1B espresso coffee machine - Nespresso and Dolce Gusto capsules, machine with ESE POD

Advantages of the espresso coffee machine:

  • 6 in 1 solution
  • perfect travel car
  • nice design, solid material use
  • has improved a lot compared to the predecessor model
  • it costs no more than a Nespresso capsule coffee machine

Specification

  • Type: espresso
  • Heating element: thermal block
  • Performance: 1450 W
  • Pump pressure: 19 bar 
  • Water capacity: 0,6 liter 
  • Type of coffee drink: espresso-based drinks
  • Milk frother: none
  • Extras: pre-cooking, temperature setting
  • Portafilter: not lever
  • What do you expect?: ground coffee, Nespresso and Dolce Gusto capsules, ESE POD

Who we recommend it to

If coffee makers have a Swiss army knife, it is the Hibrew H1B. It's half espresso, half capsule, but it also accepts ESE PODs and even makes tea if you want. A true compact travel companion, we know someone who takes it with them on vacation and uses not the never-cleaned hotel room monstrosity, but this one, in a safe and hygienic capsule. We recommend it to those who are looking for a machine for multiple uses and do not despise the fact that sometimes this and sometimes that end up in the coffee maker.

Why is it out of stock?

The Hibrew H1B is actually an adapter espresso machine. The head module has to be replaced in it, which consists of placing a container suitable for receiving coffee grounds, a capsule profile, and an ESE POD holder. It handles all of these. What's more, you can even create a frothy milk drink from a double capsule, even though it doesn't have a steam pipe. It also has a pre-cooking function, which is said to release more flavors. It is also important that it accepts 95 mm glasses, which doesn't seem important until you want to put one under it. It's extra that you can control the temperature, so the little machine allows you to do a lot of things.

Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 13

Source: Krups

Nespresso Krups Essenza Mini XN1101 Nespresso capsule coffee machine - Good coffee for a small kitchen

Advantages of the capsule espresso coffee machine:

  • Krups quality
  • classic encapsulation
  • clean, minimalist design
  • Compatible with Nespresso capsules
  • ultra compact, takes up one of the smallest spaces

Specification

  • Type: capsule espresso
  • Heating element: thermal block
  • Performance: 1200 W
  • Pump pressure: 19 bar 
  • Water capacity: 0,6 l
  • Type of coffee drink: capsule-based drinks
  • Milk frother: none
  • Extras: small
  • Portafilter: not lever
  • What do you expect?: Nespresso capsule

Who we recommend it to

Krups is a relatively famous manufacturer that also develops products for other manufacturers' encapsulation systems. The Krups XN110110 Nespresso can't do anything extra, you can put Nespresso capsules in it, which it prepares. Instead, it is very small. Normally, I don't give examples of dimensions, but here it is worth mentioning that it is 20,4×8,4×33 cm and only 2,34 kg. Laughing, you can put it in a backpack or a larger women's bag. We recommend it to those who cannot give up their usual environment and want to take their capsule coffee maker with them.

Why is it out of stock?

Capsule coffee makers are made for those who put a lot of effort into the whole coffee ceremony, but in return want to get pretty good quality very quickly. Shall I introduce you? Then the unpronounceable Nespresso Krups Essenza Mini XN1101 is for you. It brews coffee as fast as hell, the strength and flavor depend only on the capsule, you don't have to deal with the grounds, it fits in a small space and looks good. And of course they also give you free refills.


Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 14

Source: Philips

Philips Series 3300 Panarello Plus EP3324/40 automatic espresso coffee machine - For those who want everything at once, but without the work

Advantages of the automatic espresso coffee machine:

  • it also does what you don't think
  • you can parameterize the settings to ROM
  • Philips touch panel machines are quite hot
  • compared to that, he is not that big, he knows everything
  • he grinds, cooks, takes care of the waste, froths milk, knows everything

Specification

  • Type: automatic espresso machine
  • Grinding mill: ceramics
  • Grinding delicacy: 12 steps
  • Heating element: thermal block
  • Bean hopper capacity: 275 g
  • Performance: 1500 W
  • Pump pressure: 15 bar 
  • Water capacity: 1,8 l
  • Type of coffee drink: espresso-based and milk drinks 
  • Milk frother: by
  • Extras: automatic, display
  • Portafilter: not lever
  • What do you expect?: ground coffee, coffee beans

Who we recommend it to

Many people do not like automatic espresso machines, because their lifespan is on paper shorter than that of manual solutions. Instead, everything is handled automatically, grinding, compacting, coffee making, throwing out the grounds, you only have to press a touch panel. We recommend it to those who are not afraid of complex technology, but want to drink quality espresso, but are not at all interested in the process of making coffee, only the end result.

Why is it out of stock?

Philips has one of the strangest nomenclature, with almost unrememberable names. Panarello refers to the milk frother arm and EP3 is the series. It knows everything that is on the market right now, all presented in a very user-friendly way. You have to enter your wishes on a touch panel and then wait for the final result. The coffee maker even cleans itself, conveying a particularly comfortable and premium feeling of life. As long as the various tanks are not full, because then you just have to empty them and grease this and that. Its predecessor, the Philips Series 3000 EP3221/40, has been working for one of our colleagues for years.


Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 15

Source: Gaggia

Gaggia Classic Evo Pro Espresso Coffee Machine - For hobbyists who appreciate fine details

The advantages of the lever espresso coffee machine:

  • excellent heat retention
  • this is an original Gaggia
  • boiler instead of thermo block
  • premium quality and material use
  • Fits 58 mm catering industry standard

Specification

  • Type: semi-automatic espresso machine
  • Heating element: steel boiler
  • Performance: 1050 W
  • Pump pressure: 15 bar 
  • Water capacity: 2,1 l
  • Type of coffee drink: espresso-based and milk drinks 
  • Milk frother: by
  • Extras: various filter baskets, premium materials, cup warmer, automatic switch-off
  • Portafilter 58mm
  • What do you expect?: 58 mm filter, ESE POD

Who we recommend it to

Gaggia is one of the big names among Italian manufacturers - which actually belongs to Philips -, reliable, with great material quality and, what is important, that they have a suitable service background, so they can be repaired. These machines work for decades and are much closer to the catering industry standard than consumer models, and they are also available in countless colors. We recommend it to those who have a deeper interest in making espresso, who might later touch the machine, replace it, repair it, and plan for many years.

Why is it out of stock?

For Gaggia machines like the Classic Evo Pro, things work much like they did for the older Porsche 911 models. Which vintage, what materials - mostly copper -, PID control or not, how can it be tuned, etc. The Gaggia Classic Evo Pro accepts a 58 mm industrial standard portafilter, has a boiler, keeps the heat much better and more evenly than the smaller solutions, they have a normal, high-pressure water pump and I could list more. If you just licked the edge of your mouth at these expressions, then this is the machine for you, if you don't even know what it's about, or if you're just looking at it all from above, then it's definitely not your espresso coffee maker.


Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 16

Source: Rancilio

Rancilio Silvia V6E espresso coffee machine - Premium brand with later tuning options 

The advantages of the lever espresso coffee machine:

  • upper $800 category
  • big name, like Gaggia
  • premium quality and material use
  • copper boiler for ideal and even heat retention
  • Fits 58 mm catering industry standard

Specification

  • Type: semi-automatic espresso machine
  • Heating element: copper boiler
  • Performance: 1110 W
  • Pump pressure: 15 bar 
  • Water capacity: 2,5 l
  • Type of coffee drink: espresso-based and milk drinks 
  • Milk frother: by
  • Extras: various filter baskets, premium materials, cup warmer, automatic switch-off
  • Portafilter 58mm
  • What do you expect?: 58 mm filter, ESE POD

Who we recommend it to

The Rancilio Siliva V6E is roughly a step above the Gaggia Classic Pro Evo in terms of price, but the goal is the same: adaptation to the hospitality industry 58 mm standard, repairability, durability, and longevity. We recommend it to those who are more interested in making espresso, and not only the use of external materials, but also the internal technical details, such as the boiler made of copper, are interesting.

Why is it out of stock?

The logic of the Rancilio Silvia V6E is similar to the Gaggia, but it is priced higher, not by chance. Even better use of materials, even more copper, a bigger and better boiler, which is extremely important when it comes to maintaining even heat. Don't be fooled by the switches, these are also rather industrial elements and are made to last for many years. Unfortunately, the Silvia is only available in two colors, they didn't shoot what the Gaggia did, that they also offer some wilder shades. This is no longer a disposable toy category, in return you can count on its service for years. Anyway, this is the only home coffee maker they make, all their other equipment is industrial.


Which didn't make the list, but is worth noting

Many things have been left out, especially the catering industry's large machines, but they are so large that it is highly unlikely that they would fit in an average kitchen, for example a McDonald's La Cimbali would take up half the kitchen counter. The above Gaggia, Rancilio, Jura and other more serious brands also have much more expensive, double-boiler solutions, as well as usable but bottom-shelf models, such as the machines available in Aldi or Lidl, the Sencor coffee maker variants, Klarstein coffee makers, Hauser coffee makers, and countless others. . Only time will tell how durable these will be, but thermo block coffee makers are often not worth repairing, which is why they are often called "disposable".

It is also worth knowing that a coffee machine branded with the Saeco name can be used for many things. This brand is owned by Philips, but the Jura and Gaggia brands, for example, also use Saeco components, since both former brands were acquired by the latter. So there is a lot of overlap, without breaking it down it is often impossible to know which one contains exactly what. Perhaps it is worth inquiring or having a look at service centers, perhaps they have the most experience in terms of repairability.

Pretty much the same is true for Nestlé owned by Nespresso also for the capsule coffee machine ecosystem, here the capsule system has been adopted by many manufacturers and is developing machines here. Nestlé also owns the Nescafé Dolce Gusto also, so it's the same parent company, but different systems of coffee capsules. Krups is a manufacturer of capsule coffee machines that use the Nespresso and Dolce Gusto systems, while the To Tchibo have their own Cafissimo under the name There is not much difference between them, only the format is a little different.



A little coffee history

The coffee we know today is the ground form of the roasted and then ground berry fruits of two shrubby plants of the Coffea genus, Coffea arabica (75-80%) and Coffea robusta (about 20%). However, the coffee bush is not native to Europe and many other areas of the world, so the first question is how the sap spread throughout the world.

According to legend, Ethiopian shepherds discovered the invigorating effects of the coffee crop roughly 2500 years ago as their goats grazed the coffee beans. This information was handed over to the monks, and the first concoctions were made from roasted coffee beans.

Another legend says that an Arab doctor named Rhazes used coffee - quawa - as medicine, and he mentioned the plant in his work Al-Haiwi. What seems certain is that in the 15th century Sufi monks in Yemen already used coffee relatively frequently, due to its invigorating effect, while in the 16th century it was also known throughout Syria and Egypt. There is also a Hungarian aspect to the matter, as the term "black soup" used in our language comes from the 17th century and is linked to Turkish subjugation and Thököly. In our language, we use the expression "The black soup is still behind" not only for coffee, but also in a figurative sense.

Nevertheless, at home we don't drink coffee the Turkish way, but rather the Italian/Austrian way. Coffee as we know it today is mostly associated with Italy, and this nation is also very proud of its coffee culture, the roots of which go back to the 16th century, to Venice, when coffee consumption was first established in Italy. In the early 1700s, the Serenissima Republic of Venice was one of the first European states to import coffee beans. Coffee is not indigenous to Italy, the method of preparing the coffee is associated with the Italians, which highlights the aroma of the coffee. If Italy, then All espresso brewing methods. The essence of this method of preparation is that, compared to previous procedures, the ground coffee can be extracted much faster, so that the largest amount can be served as quickly as possible in cafes and restaurants.

The prototype of the espresso coffee maker made its debut at the 1855 World Exhibition in Paris, the first piece of which was ready for production in 1901 Louis Bezzera made by a Milanese engineer. Following Bezerra's patent, mass production began, the modernized models of which can still be found in coffee houses to this day, while the serial production of machines used in the hospitality industry Desire Pavoni started based on his plans. It is linked here Achille gaggia his name - and, of course, the Gaggia brand that distributes premium coffee machines - who developed the high-pressure system that is still known today, with which a denser, cream-like drink could be made in 1948.

Threading the line of home coffee making into the story, we have to mention it Alfonso Bialetti - the Bialetti brand still exists today - the name of the person who invented the "knocking" design in 1933, which hasn't changed much in the last 100 years, except that there are already electric versions of it. At first, the product was named Moka Express and had an aluminum body, where the coffee grounds were placed on top and the water on the bottom, and as a result of heating, the rising pressure drove the former through the latter. Such devices were already used by our grandparents in Hungary in the 50s, and the coffee maker with a clatter was a classic accessory in the kitchens of the time.

Going back to the beginning of the story, coffee is native to Ethiopia, which is why this country is one of the largest producers of the plant to this day. It is worth mentioning that the coffee bush has spread to many other countries, which is why the three largest producers are now Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia, where coffee is not native, followed by Indonesia in terms of volume. The coffee bush only lives in very special conditions, above 900 meters, deadheads in areas where the necessary living conditions can really be ensured - there are also lower-lying plantations - as fertile soil, high and even rainfall and temperatures between 15 and 24 °C are essential for them. Of the two types of plants, robust coffee is the more undemanding. It is more resistant, tolerates heat and high humidity better, and its production area is in the tropical plains below 900 meters. Primarily in West Africa and in Indonesia are grown, other coffee-producing countries prefer Arabica.

The process of making coffee

As mentioned earlier, coffee is a shrub plant that produces fruit in the form of berries. This green crop is harvested by the coffee producers and then exported abroad, where the roasting plants are located - the world's largest coffee chain is Starbucks, which also owns countless roasting plants - where the coffee is roasted using some process. Different types of coffee can also be mixed - in fact, if you pick up a bag of ground coffee, it almost always contains robusta and arabica - just as in the case of wines, the desired end product is achieved by mixing different grape varieties.

Although it is basically possible to roast coffee beans at home, we will not deal with this stage of coffee making due to its complexity. We start from the fact that consumers buy already roasted coffee beans, that is the first key step will be its processing, grinding.

We would like to introduce two important concepts a little better: coffee is not ground, but ground, and not brewed, but prepared, at least according to the jargon. Despite this, the terms coffee grinder and coffee maker have spread in common language, so we will use them - actually incorrectly - as synonyms for the former, but where possible we will stick to the correct name.

Backtracking it is for grinding, this is usually the first step, i.e. the conversion of coffee beans – which are nothing but already roasted coffee beans – into ground coffee, which anyone can do at home, in their kitchen, without any particular difficulties. Later on, you will see that this is a not so simple process, but the main point for now is that the coarseness/fineness of the grind is determined by the form in which you want to prepare the coffee.

The next step will be filling the coffee maker with liquid and coffee powder. Actually the coffee making its different moments are really separated here, since it really doesn't matter whether you fill the coffee grounds into a coffee maker, an espresso maker, a French press or anything else. Of course, there are a thousand other little things, for example, few people think that coffee is 96% water, and that the quality of the final product can be drastically improved by changing the quality of this raw material. This will also be discussed, but let's start with coffee grinders and coffee grinding.


Everything you need to know about coffee grinders (coffee grinders).

Although in the Hungarian language the coffee grinder word is also widespread, officially for a coffee grinder such equipment should be called For the sake of simplicity, we will use both as synonyms, so that faithful coffee Nazis close their eyes to the word coffee grinder. But why a coffee grinder and not a coffee grinder, what is the problem with the word grinder anyway? In order to get the right quality juice at the end of the coffee-making process, the drink has to go through countless steps, and many criteria must be met in the process. One is that the coffee grounds must not burn during grinding. Typical grinders work with a so-called propeller blade. It works as follows: an electric motor rotates a pair of knives at the end of a shaft at high speed, which shreds the material inserted into the grinder, sometimes producing powder, sometimes chips. What kitchen products can be prepared this way? For example, processing poppy seeds, different vegetables for cream soups, blending fruits, and I could go on and on.

Here, the main point is to create the most pulpy and soft material during the cooking process, so the grinder practically destroys the material so that it can be processed as easily as possible during cooking. What do we not do with coffee? We do not cook, but prepare, so it is particularly important that the grains do not burn, but at high speed the propeller slot "poppy grinder" it does exactly that with coffee. There is also another problem with this type of grinding: it is not possible to properly compress the coffee afterwards, that is, to tamper. Due to the high pressure, the water rushes through ground coffee that is too finely chopped or cut into large pieces in a few seconds, the aromas do not have time to dissolve and the end result is an undrinkable ball.

That's why coffee grinders don't have propeller blades inside, but beans conical, also known as conical knife grinder head – in English conical burr – or else flat disk – flat burr – there is a knife head that grinds the coffee beans at a slow speed.

How does the type of knives affect the grind? In the following three things for sure:

  • homogeneity, or consistency
  • grinding loss
  • heating temperature

In order to be able to choose the right coffee grinder, you need to familiarize yourself more deeply with the above concepts.

Coffee grinders and homogeneity

When the coffee beans are ground, the end result should be consistent. This means that, ideally, the grains of the grind are the same size and adapted to the drink shape you want to make. Under the container of every coffee grinder, there is a scale with which you can adjust the grinding fineness. This can be scaled in various ways, we have seen all kinds between 50 and 20 steps. These steps are organized into sections by the manufacturers, so that you are aware of which coffee-making method a given size fits, the further steps within the sections only help fine-tuning.

IMPORTANT! Coffee grinders have a 0 point, where the two grinding knives meet. The setting must be done during operation, without coffee beans, so that you can hear the sound of where the stones meet. Grinding must be set coarser than this, because if the stones rub against each other, it will damage the coffee grinder in the long run.

Why adjust the grinding coarseness? Because some types of coffee require a different grain size. Starting from the largest to the smallest, the following categories are distinguished (the scale is based on the designation of Hebrew grinders, other manufacturers may differ from this):

  • french press (Aeropress) – for piston coffee machines (this is the largest grain size)
  • for over - literally pour over, this is what we call filter coffee in Hungarian
  • drip coffee – in Hungarian we call it drip coffee, it is actually a machine filter coffee
  • mocca – kotyogós in Hungarian (only the Hungarian language uses this term)
  • All espresso brewing methods – this is what we also know as espresso
  • turkish – Turkish coffee (this is the smallest grain size)

Source: Hebrew manual

Of course, after grinding, from the grinder a into filter basket - basket - or other holder, the grind does not fall out completely homogeneously, but small lumps and channels form in the material. That is why they usually mix it with a special tool, a with a coffee needle - also known as the WDT tool -, which increases homogeneity, but more on that later.

Why is all this important?

because because when we put the coffee cake in the basket, we are really doing nothing but creating a valve of our own making. The water will flow through this with a relatively high pressure - all kinds of things are written, the manufacturers love to mention 20 bar, but the truth will be between 9-15 - relatively slowly. If your valves are not homogeneous, but have holes and channels in places, neither the flow nor the release of flavors will be uniform, and so neither will the end result.

Grinding loss of coffee grinders

When the coffee grinder grinds the coffee beans, it does so with relatively high efficiency, but the output and input mass do not usually match 100%. On the one hand, because the coffee grounds stick to the knives and other parts, and on the other hand, because they are all scattered during the grinding process. The coffee grinders grinding loss it is usually determined by weighing the weight of the coffee beans before grinding, and then the ground after grinding. The difference between the two will be the grinding loss.

Why is it a problem that coffee sticks to individual parts? This is because the older coffee "contaminates" the newer one, so a single grind includes not only ground coffee made from the same coffee beans, but also the remains of earlier, older, more oxidized coffee. At least this is the theory, in practice if you are not a barista or this is not your life, you will notice this effect less, but that still makes it exist.

Grinding loss can be reduced with a special pump - blower, which will be discussed later, but the main thing is that it can blow out the dust stuck to the inside of the machine. Frequent cleaning also helps the grinders produce less waste, for this we use battery-powered air blowers, for example AMNVOLT TF1 Pro great for such purposes.

How hot does the coffee grinder get during operation

Any process in which grinding knives are pressed together and where materials are ground between them involves friction. The result of the friction is that the coffee grounds heat up, which leads to oxidation. Because of this, the dissolution of substances changes - extraction or extraction -, in extreme cases, the surface of the coffee grounds will burn and the taste will be scratchy and bitter.

For this reason, coffee grinders are designed to avoid this process as much as possible. This can be solved with internal layout and good ventilation, and one grinder does not have to grind coffee for 40 people at the same time. Catering industry machines are also prepared for this type of use, and their speed can also be adjusted.

Is a conical knife or flat disc grinder better?

There are two types of coffee grinders, a conical knife and the flat disk grinders. In fact, these are not even knives, but grinding knives, which crush the coffee beans. Both have their advantages, but there is one particularly big difference between them: the price. Entry-level models of conical knife grinders can be had for around $70-$100, while flat disc grinders are much more expensive, but of course there are a thousand other things that determine their pricing.

Let's start with with a conical knife grinder. You have to imagine this as a cone sitting on a shaft with transverse rib edges, which, during rotation, press the coffee beans against the opposite pair located on the side wall, while their rotation pushes the material down. We also use several of these - Catler (Graef) and Hibrew models - and they serve the average household perfectly.

Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 18 Conical and flat knife grinder

Source: ONSK Kaffe

Advantages of the conical knife grinder:

  • cheap
  • easy to clean
  • heats up less

Disadvantages of the conical knife grinder:

  • grinding is not as consistent as with disc grinders

The other variant is a plane disc grinder, which in places for a flat grinding knife also called Here, the knives are positioned parallel to each other - actually under and above each other - and the coffee beans that fall between them are crushed by rotating sideways. Since the grinding must be done along a single plane, the end result will be more consistent. A good disc, on the other hand, is more difficult to make, which is why it is more expensive.

The advantages of the flat disc grinder:

  • gives a very uniform result (in technical terms: the deviation of the particle size is small)

Disadvantages of the flat disc grinder:

  • expensive
  • heats up better

The blades of coffee grinders - also known as grinder blades - can be made of stainless steel or ceramic. The former is cheaper, but wears out more, as it is not as hard as ceramic, by definition the latter is more resistant, but more expensive. Everyone can decide which one to choose according to their wallet.

Should I buy a manual or electric coffee grinder?

Basically, in this matter, we think there is no right or wrong choice, both categories have their own advantages.

A manual coffee grinder is worth buying if you want to make a small amount of coffee, roughly 1-4 portions per day, or if formality is important to you. A nice hand grinder can also contribute to the session with its appearance, because it looks good on the table. Here, the distance between the grinding knives can be adjusted by mechanically tightening or loosening the stones. Certain types of Comandante are considered to be the top of the coffee grinders, and the Hario Mini Mill is usually recommended in the entry category.

Electric coffee grinders are made for those who don't want to fuss too much with the preparation or who drink a large amount in a day. For a two-person household, where 3 to 3 servings of coffee are consumed per day, you can easily buy a basic grinder with a conical blade. These are basically relatively small-capacity but fast-working devices with countless additional functions, which we will explain below.

Other aspects of choosing a coffee grinder

You can choose a coffee grinder based on countless other parameters, and there are even some where it is not at all clear which is the better choice within a parameter. We will now take these in turn.

The size of the coffee bean container

Every grinder has a holder on top – officially bean container or hopper - into which the coffee beans go. These are typically containers made of transparent plastic that can be turned sideways. This allows you to set the distance between the grinding knives, i.e. the fineness of the grinding. The most important feature of the coffee bean container is its space.

The space size determines two things: how often the coffee grinder needs to be refilled - this is a convenience extra - and how often the coffee beans receive oxygen, where, in principle, less is better. There are more expensive grinders and combination coffee makers where the top of the bean container is hermetically sealed to reduce oxidation. For the same reason, they used to put a valve on the side of the coffee bean packaging, which can be used to squeeze the air out of it.

The smaller grinders, which are used to produce enough coffee grounds for 1-2 shots – 1 grams are needed for 9 shot of espresso, usually have a bean container of less than 80 grams, the larger ones are equipped with 80-250 gram containers, while industrial equipment is equipped with 250+ gram containers. Those who focus on comfort should choose solutions with larger tanks.

Where does the grind go?

At the bottom of the coffee grinder there is usually a pipe or a profile into which the filter basket containing portafilter - this is the object with a handle, into which the filter is placed - it can be hung. However, there are also solutions where the coffee grinder presses the ground into a container. These are usually made of antistatic plastic so that the coffee does not stick to them. One of the most annoying is when these are painted black or smoked glass-like - that is, dark brown - which looks good in press photos, but is useless in reality. You simply cannot see how many coffee grounds are in it, whether or not there is material stuck in it. We typically grind the coffee immediately in the portafilter, or in special cases - for example, if we want to drink it later, but need to clean the device - in a transparent container.

Sound effects

Coffee grinders are not the quietest equipment in the world, after all, mechanical crushing takes place inside them. The whole family can be woken up early in the morning, so we prefer quieter models. These are the devices that rotate more slowly, but the speed cannot be adjusted in the case of most entry-level models. The rule of thumb here is that quieter is better.

Combi machines: coffee grinder and coffee maker in one

Basically, most coffee makers do not include a coffee grinder, but there are combined solutions, a kind of 2-in-1 models. The advantage of these is that they save space, in return the capacity of the bean container is usually smaller and it is more difficult to clean. It is also worth considering that if a component fails, you will have to send the entire device to service. We cast our vote in favor of separate devices.

Portafilter size adjustment

In the case of some coffee grinders, the size of the portafilter can be adjusted. Of these, three standards are generally available: 51, 54 and the industrial 58 mm diameter, but there are also 53 and 57 mm to make things not so simple. Some grinders are able to adjust to this size, in which case the grinders grind longer for larger portafilters.

Grinding length adjustable

By default, a grinder grinds 9 grams of coffee to make an espresso, which takes 51 seconds for a 9 mm portafilter. But what if there are, say, 43 grams of coffee beans in the bean container, but the grinder is already very dirty and needs to be cleaned? In such cases, we usually grind the remaining beans and clean the coffee grinder. For this, based on the above, you should press the grinding button five times. Fortunately, there is usually a way to switch the machine to continuous grinding, so all the beans can be ground at the same time.

IF YOU TAKE ONE THOUGHT WITH YOU, THEN IT SHOULD BE THIS: A GOOD GRINDER IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A COFFEE MAKER IN ACHIEVING THE RIGHT QUALITY, SO BUY A GOOD COFFEE GRINDER FIRST, THE COFFEE MAKER FOLLOWS AFTER!


On what basis should you choose a coffee grinder?

Summarizing the points above, we provide a rough description of how to choose the right coffee grinder for your kitchen. Since not only the technical but also the aesthetic and size parameters are important here, the same type will not be suitable for everyone. We have a colleague whose extended family has three types of coffee grinders, and there are even those who use an automatic machine capable of frothing milk, so there is no single right answer to the questions asked. The corner points are as follows:

As the appearance the eye eats first, as they say, although electric coffee grinders are not the most beautiful kitchen appliances, but let's say a Baratza Sette 270 is really hot. If you were looking for a tool for the coffee ceremony that should look good, then an older manual grinder is the best choice. The other is the coffee container, where the coffee grinder grinds the coffee. If I grind 1-2 doses right into the portafilter in my hand, that is the best, but if for some reason it needs to be in a holder, then it should definitely be a transparent, antistatic box.

size it is irrelevant as long as you don't have to place the coffee grinder in a small kitchen. When the BlitzHome BH-CMM5We tested it, we really liked the machine, but we kept putting it from right to left because we couldn't fit it in our kitchen. So it's worth choosing a size that you can find space for and you don't have to move it all the time, if only because the coffee powder falls out of it. From this point of view, coffee grinders separate from coffee makers are better because it is easier to find a place for them. It is also better if you don't use combi equipment, because if one of them breaks down, you don't have to take the whole car to the service center.

As the technology side we already mentioned that the coffee grinder is more important than the coffee maker for making good coffee. The point is, no way do not grind with a poppy grinder with a propeller blade, but at least with a conical grinder, this improves the quality so much that it is already noticeable. In the case of the next, much more expensive flat disc grinders, the quality will obviously be even better, but the price also rises quickly, even the former is enough for a basic set.

At first, we don't think it makes sense to buy a very expensive grinder, it's worth getting to know entry-level devices. Usually everyone is Graef/Catler - here a Catler CG8011 test - or he recommends Iberital's grinders, but Hibrew's grinders are often available at a lower price and in addition to providing more services. The former have a better supply of spare parts and service background, but the latter can also get by in Hungary, since they also have a domestic representative and service.

What few people write about is a cleaning, with which you can smoke. First of all, take a pump - powder blower - with which you can blow the sticky coffee powder out of the grinding blades. It is worth cleaning the grinder every time the bean container runs out of coffee beans. You don't have to think about big things here, take out the parts that can be moved, clean them, or they will give you a small brush to handle them, or buy a battery-powered air blower. Conical grinders are quite easy to clean, because the conical knife can be pulled off the shaft and a mini compressor can be used to completely blow out the rest of the coffee grounds from the inside, so one more reason to buy a conical grinder.

Tip: if you have a coffee grinder, get a coffee compressor, one stainless steel tamper. The size of this should match the size of the portafilter basket, but a 51 mm standard basket can also be compacted with a 50 tamper, no need to worry too much. If there is no good compression, there is no suitable coffee cake, and then the coffee will not be suitable either.


Everything you need to know about coffee makers

When someone uses the general term coffee machine, in the vast majority of cases, they are thinking of a coffee machine suitable for making espresso. However, thanks to the spread of coffee culture and the appearance of new-wave coffees, countless other forms of preparation have appeared on the market. Due to the high number of people suffering from various types of milk and lactose intolerance, drinks containing milk substitutes - made with rice, coconut and oat drinks - appeared on the market. Of course, not only espresso machines are available, as there are also coffee makers with coffee makers, filter machines, capsule machines, and even French presses.

What coffee-based drinks are there?

Everyone has a favorite coffee-based drink that they drink. However, many people do not know what these were based on and how each coffee preparation is structured. Of course, everyone drinks their own coffee the way they want, but not every coffee maker can make all the drinks. For example, one that cannot steam cannot be used to make frothy milk drinks.

Important! Milk substitute drinks – rice, coconut and oat milk – do not foam, even if you steam them, bubbles do not form in them, so anyone who definitely wants milk foam in their drink, but is lactose intolerant or lactose intolerant, should use lactose-free milk for steaming. Fortunately, others have discovered this problem, which is why plant-based milks with the name "barista" foam quite well, e.g. products of The Bridge brand.

Espresso

This is the basis of the Italian coffee kitchen, which is a 30 ml drink containing only water and coffee passed through finely ground and properly tampered coffee cakes, topped with a creamy surface, the crema. What is crema? This is a light, sand-colored liquid that appears during the extraction of espresso, it is also called the "Guinness effect", as it is Barista Academy also writes A portion is usually made from 9 grams of ground coffee, and brewing takes 18-30 seconds.

Doppio (double espresso)

It's a double espresso, meaning it's the same as espresso, but twice as long - 60 ml - and contains twice as much coffee. A serving is usually made from 18 grams of ground coffee.

Lungo (long coffee)

Lungo is called long coffee in Hungarian, and it means the same in Italian, i.e. long. It is based on espresso - but it can also be doppio - but more water is added during brewing. Usually, the amount of water is twice the usual amount. Espresso is used as a benchmark, which takes 30 ml and takes 18-30 seconds, compared to lungo, which takes 50-60 ml and is brewed for about a minute.

Cortado (espresso with warm milk)

A cortado is an espresso with a small amount of warm milk added, usually in a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2.

Ristretto ("concentrated" espresso)

In English, ristretto means restricted shot, which is practically an espresso, which is made by grinding the coffee beans finer than usual, as a result of which the coffee cake becomes denser, shows greater resistance to water and thus flows through it with greater pressure. This process is also called "pulling a ristretto shot" in English.

The other solution is when the extraction is simply interrupted on the go, so that the coffee is "brewed" in less time.

Macchiato (espresso, with foamed or steamed milk)

It means "spotted" in Italian. This is an espresso mixed with a small amount of frothed or steamed milk, which is added to the top of the coffee.

Cappuccino (Cappuccino, 1/3 espresso, 1/3 warm milk and 1/3 milk foam)

Traditionally, an espresso, milk and milk foam are mixed in a ratio of 1/3 to 1/3 to 1/3. It is basically of Austrian origin, from the Viennese coffeehouses, from the end of the 1600s. Its color is brown, like the robes of Capuchin monks. It is also called "Kapuziner Kaffee" in German-speaking areas, or "kapuciner" in Hungarian.

Café au lait (French coffee with milk)

Café au lait is of French origin and practically means coffee with milk. Coffee and milk are usually mixed in a 1/2-1/2 ratio (one part coffee, one part milk). Originally, it was not drunk with espresso-extracted coffee, but made with a French press or drip.

Caffè Latte (espresso, steamed milk, with a thin layer of milk foam)

Latte or caffé latte is not an Italian, but an American invention, probably originating from Seattle in the 80s. It is a creamier drink than cappuccino and contains less milk foam. Caffé latte can be made with espresso and doppio - double espresso - base.

Flat white (espresso or ristretto with special milk foam)

The flat white is said to be neither a cappuccino nor a latte, but it is very similar. This drink originated in Australia/New Zealand and spread worldwide in the late 1900s. Its contents: 35-45 ml of espresso and 120 ml of slightly foamed milk.

Americano

An americano is nothing more than a mixture of hot water and an espresso. It is usually made in a ratio of 1/2-1/2 or 1/3-2/3, practically espresso is "poured" with twice as much hot water. Originally from the USA, II. During World War II, the army stationed in Italy drank espresso diluted with water. Also known as the "long black" in Australia.

Of course, there are countless other coffee-making methods – iced coffee, frappe, etc. - and non-European cafés – African, Japanese, etc. – they can even make their drinks based on a completely different logic. If you want to gain a little insight into these, you should browse the current publications of the Frei café, they give you an idea of ​​how diverse this topic is.

Coffee making processes and different coffee maker types

In our country, the Italian and Austrian coffee culture spread the most, due to different historical traditions. Therefore, when people think of coffee making and coffee machines, two things usually come to mind:

  • clucking (older age group), manual coffee maker
  • az espresso (younger age group), semi-automatic or automatic coffee maker, also called "lever" because of the portafilter

We will go through most of the coffee making processes, but we will focus on these two because of their prevalence. It is important that when you choose a coffee machine, you should define relatively well what you want to do with the given equipment. It's completely different to prepare a cold brew coffee, a capsule or a filter coffee, which is why it doesn't matter what kind of coffee maker you buy.

 

Best coffee maker - Choose from these in 2025 19

Source: Depositphotos

How the coffee maker works

The clinking coffee maker spread in Hungary during the previous socialist regime, and by the 70s almost every household had a clinking coffee maker. Generation X and Y have certainly encountered and used such devices.

At first, we made coffee by heating these on a gas stove - which is an incorrect practice, because the flame burns the coffee from the side -, today's modern versions also have an electric version that can be connected to a traditional 230 V network.

The coffee maker invented by Alfonso Bialetti and called the Moka Express, previously made of aluminum - which has been the subject of several studies regarding its harmful effects on health -, but now made of stainless steel, basically consists of three parts (from bottom to top):

  • from boiler or lower tank
  • from a filter (this is represented by the filter basket in espresso machines)
  • from a spout

It is worth approaching the coffee maker with an engineering approach, because this is the easiest way to understand its operation. There is water in the lower boiler, the bottom of the boiler is heated either by the gas stove or an electric platen. The basic principle of operation of the Moka pot is that water turns into steam during boiling, which creates pressure - roughly 1,5 bar – creates in the water tank. This pressure forces hot water (and not pure steam) through the coffee grounds and into the upper section where the finished coffee collects. This is what we call it for extraction, or in other words dissolution, which is done by pressure and heat. After this, the coffee leaves through a pipe to the upper spout, from where you can pour the prepared coffee into the cup at the end of the operation. As you can see, the clinking coffee maker is nothing more than a simple mechanism in which physical laws do the lion's share of the work.

IMPORTANT! The coffee must be left loose in the filter, it must not be tampered with - compacted - as in the case of espresso coffee makers, because either the water does not flow through it - there is no pump to push it through - or there is a gap somewhere and the water stops, the and coffee becomes bitter. It is also worth pouring as hot water as possible into the boiler, so that the coffee maker does not burn the coffee during heating, because then it will become bitter. THE a gas stove is not really suitable for making instant coffee, because the flames overheat the clatter side and burn the coffee. Therefore, the colander should only be heated from below. This is one of the reasons why the misconception that coffee is bitter has spread, this is the "taste" of burnt coffee.

And why is he cackling? This is because there is a counterweight in the spout, which by default blocks the water path, it only rises under pressure so that the coffee can escape. The coffee maker got its name from its characteristic clattering sound, and this term is only found in the Hungarian language, elsewhere it is called Mocca.

Kotogós is recommended by everyone Bialetti Brikka, which can do more than traditional solutions in that it has a special valve that raises the pressure, which results in better extraction, so more flavor and aroma are released from the coffee. It is also important that BB does not burn the coffee, so the end result will not be as scratchy and bitter as in the case of other coffee makers.

Note: actually the knocker coffee maker is also similar to an espresso coffee maker, only here the power of the steam does the work at a lower pressure, and for this reason we discuss it separately from the water pump solutions for the sake of better understanding.

 

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Source: Szarvasi

Szarvas coffee maker, with the flow-through system

We are dedicating a separate chapter to the Szarvasi coffee maker because, on the one hand, it is/was in almost every household, and on the other hand, it is located somewhere between coffee machines with a knocker and an espresso machine with a water pump, the so-called flow-through system coffee maker.

Let's start with a little history, since Szarvas coffee makers have been on the market since 1952. The Szarvasi coffee maker brand was owned by Szarvasi Vas-Fémipari Zrt. - better known as Szarvasi Kávéfőző és Lámpagyár - which went bankrupt in 2019, although it did not go under due to the production of Szarvasi coffee makers.

Fortunately, the brand was carried on by Szarvasi Háztártásigép Kft., so their products are still available today. Szarvasi coffee makers are such iconic pieces of Hungarian households that we can hardly say a family without one, and we even visited their brand store on Andrássy út at the time. They produce not only knock-off machines - SZV series - but also espresso coffee machines - CM series - but we will now deal with the former because they are more well-known.

The operation of the Szarvasi coffee makers - SZV series - is basically the closest to the operating principle of knocking coffee makers. Here, the device does not have to be placed on the gas stove, as in the case of the kotogós, but an electric heating element heats the liquid. The coffee maker works with a pressure of approximately 3-4 bar, but it does not have a water pump, but as we wrote about the coffee maker, the excess pressure drives the water through the coffee cake, the liquid practically flows through it, which is why it is called flow-through.

Most models also have a steam pipe, so you can make all kinds of milky drinks with them, so they definitely know more than a cobbler with this. Basically, they are suitable for brewing several portions, the coffee flows into a huge spout, which distinguishes it from traditional espresso machines. There is a video of it on the Cofffriends YouTube channel where they take one apart Mini Espresso, if anyone is interested.

We have dealt with several Szarvasi SZV series devices and one thing can be said for sure about them: they almost never go bad. They are very simple devices, apart from the sealing rings, nothing can get tired in them, there are no electromechanical components, the glass spout breaks at most, so eternal life and one day is the lifetime of the Szarvasi coffee makers. This was also coupled with a low price - and cheap devices are still being produced today - so it was not by chance that a brutal amount of them were sold. Their spare parts supply is solved thanks to domestic production.

In the case of the older devices, however, there were ergonomic errors, and we have no experience with the newer ones, as none of them want to break down. One is that they don't turn off automatically, so if you leave them there, they can overheat, which is quite dangerous. In such cases, the heated aluminum body cracks the plastic covering that surrounds it, but this also happens with proper use over many years. We have seen at least 4 such Szarvas coffee makers, so the phenomenon cannot be said to be rare. The other is the plastic top of the spout, which can turn, in which case the coffee flows sideways at the spout, but this can be adjusted in place with one movement, but it is worth paying attention to.

Overall, we think that the Szarvas coffee makers non-deteriorating, reliable and cheap alternatives for making coffee with the knocker system, especially if someone also wants to steam.

 

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Source: Depositphotos

Semi-automatic lever and automatic espresso coffee machine

It is worth untangling the above concepts a bit. For a coffee machine with a handle we call those devices where a snow – this portafilter – and one coffee holder filter basket we have to use it to get the coffee into the machine, these are also called semi-automatic coffee makers. In this case, you either buy the coffee ground - rather not - or grind it yourself with a coffee grinder. This is followed by tampering, as we have already written in several places.

In contrast, it is automatic coffee machines they do everything for you, that is, they grind, tamper, and then empty the grounds into a container after the coffee is ready.

If the machine is capable of it, it also heats and froths milk, so milky drinks can also be made with such machines. The big disadvantage of automatic espresso coffee machines is that they are quite maintenance-intensive, as they combine many separate components into a single machine. Even with proper maintenance, their service life is shorter than that of semi-automatic lever solutions, so their use in the hospitality industry is less common than lever variants, although we have seen examples of this in hotels as well.

Summarizing the above and clarifying the concepts a little, an espresso coffee machine working with high water pressure can be:

  • encapsulation: it also makes espresso-based drinks, but from coffee capsules
  • ESE POD: there are espresso machines that can accept coffee pods with this system
  • pumping: here the pressure is produced by a piston, which can be operated by pulling a lever, but this is not a lever machine
  • manual or semi-automatic: this is the "traditional" design, which generates pressure with an electric water pump and requires a coffee grinder. We usually think of this coffee maker when we simply say "espresso coffee maker".
  • Automatic: all-in-one solution, with grinder, steamer, and automatic waste discharge

Their common feature is that they all make espresso-based coffees. What is NOT considered an espresso machine? Kotyogós, flow-through, filter and drip coffee drinks and the related machines, where gravity performs the extraction.

How an espresso coffee maker works

In contrast to the coffee maker, in the case of the espresso coffee machine, physics is used a little, and the coffee is prepared using a much more complicated, but more efficient and much more controllable process.

When we talk about the espresso coffee maker, then we are talking about modern machines equipped with an electric water pump that force water through the coffee cake under high pressure. To understand how an espresso coffee machine works, we must first understand its components. All such equipment has one water pump and one heating element (thermoblock or boiler or boiler), which are essential parts of the process.

Espresso machines have one on the back water tank, you have to pour the liquid used for making coffee here - which is not plain water, more on that later -, the pump sucks it up, then the heating element heats it up to the right temperature - somewhere between 88 and 92 degrees Celsius - and then the water pump roughly 9-15 bar pressed through the compressed coffee cake. Let's stop here for a word, as László Grécsi said at the time, and clarify two things at once.

One is that countless manufacturers write on the product box as poster information that their equipment is capable of producing 20 bar pressure - this is the pump rated power - but that doesn't mean anything by itself. There is no such correlation between the quality of the espresso and the pressure, that the higher the better, why don't we force the liquid through the coffee with such force at 100 or 200 bar?

The other important thing you need to understand is that although the water pump may be able to produce 20 bar, the actual pressure readings will not come from that. But from what? Espresso coffee machines work by grinding coffee grounds in a portafilter – this tool with a handle that you turn out from the front of the coffee maker – one into filter basket must be placed, then there tamper with, that is, it is necessary to compress, thus creating a coffee cake. The smaller the coffee beans and the better and more evenly you tamper with the material, the greater the resistance of the coffee cake will be, i.e. the pressure value with which water can pass through it will increase.

The relationship is roughly as follows: if rougher – larger grain size – I'm grinding or don't tamper with the coffee so much, then with less pressure the liquid passes through the cake, if finer - smaller grain size - grind or tamper more homogeneously, then the pressure will be higher. That is, you are the ones who manually produce the valve, which is embodied by the coffee cake.

That's why machines that have a pressure display clock on the front and a pressure sensor inside that detects this are good, so you can fine-tune the method. However, it is not always possible to compact the material exactly the same, because of this, channels may form in the cake, where the water flows through. That is why there are various supplements to achieve homogeneity, such as coffee pin. You can read about its tampering and the coffee needle below.

What makes an espresso coffee maker expensive?

Let's go back a bit heating element and a water pump to his partner, since both parts are the soul of the machine.

Let's start with the heating element, which is called a boiler in English, we will stick with this term to make the terminology clear. The internal design of the espresso coffee machine puts a lot of pressure on the cost side, as several types are used:

  • thermoblock: this is actually a design reminiscent of flow-through water heaters, where aluminum is typically used. It's a cheap solution, fast in return, but difficult to repair, typical of entry-level coffee makers. Its main problem is that there is quite a wide variation in temperature, because it does not retain heat well. It can emit steam, but you have to switch to this mode, it cannot give both water and steam at the same time. There are machines where two blocks are installed, which solve this problem.
  • single boiler (SB): the solutions equipped with a boiler only heat water, typically they cannot create steam, so milky drinks cannot be prepared with them. They are rare because the steam pipe is now very common.
  • single boiler, dual use (SB/DU): the same as before, but it can also steam, but only one at a time. In such cases, the coffee maker must be switched to the other state with a steam switch.
  • heat exchanger (HX): in Hungarian, this is called a heat exchanger, and this technology came from the hospitality industry. Here, the heat exchanger is installed in a boiler with a capacity of approximately 0,8-1 liter, half filled with water, through which the water needed to make the coffee flows. It provides a very stable temperature, but it heats up slowly and is an expensive technology.
  • dual boiler (DB): double-boiler design, where one boiler provides water at the temperature required for making coffee, and another provides steam for foaming milk drinks. Since there are two boilers in the machine, these coffee makers are large and expensive, but in return they generate very even heat.

The above order roughly covers the price bands, coffee makers become more expensive and complicated as they go down. The material of the boilers is preferably copper, they retain heat much better than other variants. Why doesn't the espresso coffee maker explode when the pressure is so high? More expensive machines have one OPV - over pressure valve - valve, which can be used to adjust the pressure, the cheaper ones only have a safety valve, which opens and lets out what is needed in case of overpressure.

The main problem with simple thermo blocks and boilers is that they cannot emit hot water and steam at the same time, so you have to constantly switch between the two functions. For this reason, such equipment usually squeezes out a little water at the end of the steam pipe, and after a short wait, the steam arrives at around 120-130 degrees Celsius. If you switch it back to coffee mode, it has to cool down, luckily this happens quickly. Since a thermo block barely holds the heat, it consumes a lot, but in return it heats up quickly. How do you know that a machine has a thermo block if it is not indicated in the description? On the one hand, it heats up very quickly, and on the other hand, the steam pipe "spits" because very fast, pulse-like jets of water are directed through it, rather than the steam coming from a pressurized tank.

The other important element is the water pump - in fact, the fact that it has this makes the machine an espresso machine - of which two types are distinguished in the case of home coffee makers:

  • vibration pump (vibrating pump): consists of a piston, a metal coil and a magnet, this is the cheaper solution of the two. It's noisier and has a shorter lifespan, and coils tend to burn out. It cannot be repaired, but it can also be replaced. The in home appliances it is found almost everywhere.
  • rotary pump (rotary vane pump): a vane wheel rotates inside, which keeps the water in the pump chamber at a constant pressure and can be easily regulated. This means that such machines can be given pressure profiles to increase or decrease the pressure from where to where and with what slope. A more expensive, longer-lasting solution, the bearing usually wears out or gets stuck in it, but this can be repaired. Rather for catering industry use planned solution. It can also be operated with a direct water supply, that is, the coffee maker can be connected to a water tap.

Since we assume that you do not want to buy equipment for the catering industry, it is almost certain that you will have a vibrating pump in your coffee machine. The point of the whole pump topic is that it is the most vulnerable part of the coffee maker, so there is a good chance that it will break down first.

The essence of all the above "nonsense" is that the primary goal of the highest quality parts is to set parameters – temperature, pressure, etc. – during the process be permanent.

Espresso coffee maker tuning

The topic is very deep water, so we only deal with it tangentially. You can fall deep into the rabbit hole with tuning, and it is not very likely that anyone at home would just start from scratch. The essence of espresso coffee maker tuning is more efficient operation and longer, more consistent parameters.

One such a copper pipe tuning. The main point of this is that the capacity of the boiler is finite, so if the volume is not large enough, new, colder water flows into the heating space during coffee extraction and cools down the water heated by the heating element, which worsens the quality of the coffee because it becomes less stable. the temperature during extraction. Therefore, a copper pipe is wrapped around the boiler - copper because it has excellent heat conduction and heat retention properties - which absorbs the boiler's waste heat, preheating the water coming into the boiler.

The other is a PID tuning. This is related to the thermostat, which controls the temperature of the water in the boiler. For this you need to understand how the PID controller and the thermostat work.

What is a PID controller?

The PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) controller is used to precisely adjust the water temperature, which is crucial for preparing high-quality espresso. The controller keeps the temperature stable, minimizing fluctuations, thus avoiding overheating - burn – or too low – improper extraction – errors caused by temperature. In fact, not only coffee machines use PID control, but also, for example, drones for their flight. It is a mathematical model based on P, I and D values. Without going into more details, the point is that the model takes both past and planned future data as a basis and corrects fluctuations in order to maintain the temperature as stable as possible.

In contrast, the thermostats they operate within preset temperature limits, that is, if it falls below the lower threshold, they are switched on, if it goes above, they are switched off. Since thermostats are imprecise, their temperature is scattered, so the temperature adjustment is entrusted to a PID controller, which is much more accurate. With the help of the algorithm discussed above, the value can be kept within 1-2 degrees Celsius or dynamically corrected, which enables a more uniform extraction.

Tuning is basically interesting for those who buy more expensive, high-quality, 58 mm catering industry standard machines, but want to improve on them later. In the case of cheap thermo block, "disposable" coffee makers, it is unnecessary to think about such things.

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Source: Depositphotos

The capsule is a coffee maker

The capsule is to the coffee maker what the ink cartridge or the toner is to the printer: in fact, it is a centuries-old solution repackaged in a more hygienic form, but much more expensive.

The market demand was basically induced by the fact that for the average coffee drinker, making coffee is not a ceremonial thing, but a kind of hassle, which is necessary in order to get the desired juice and the powerfully addictive caffeine in it. It is also called "one-button" coffee making.

If you think about the coffee-making method described in connection with lever-operated espresso coffee makers, then:

  • you have to buy the coffee beans
  • it has to be ground, adjusted on the grinder, peeled, etc.
  • you have to tamper with the coffee, then insert the coffee arm into the machine, together with the basket
  • make the coffee
  • froth the milk and pour it over the coffee
  • take out the coffee bar
  • take out the trash
  • wash the parts

Who has time for that in the morning rush? Many people certainly don't have it, and they are happy to pay for a pre-made solution, which is the coffee capsule itself. The coffee capsule consists of nothing more than a plastic container similar to a coffee creamer, but larger, a 6-8 gram coffee filling and a hermetically sealed cap. The capsule always contains one dose of coffee, so by definition a capsule coffee maker can prepare a single dose from one capsule at a time, although there are also dual solutions. In most cases, these devices do not contain a steam pipe - the exception is the De'Longhi ENV series - so they cannot steam milk, but they usually offer a separate milk frother. The other solution is when they have a milk container and the coffee is made from coffee capsules in the same way, but the milk is mixed into the drink and then frothed.

How the capsule coffee machine works

The capsule coffee machine does roughly the same thing as the espresso coffee machine - because it is the same - it uses a pump to press the water through the perforated coffee capsule at high pressure. We can't really talk about different component types, replacement or tuning, these are very compact solutions, roughly like disposable cameras: the focus is on selling the capsules, not the coffee maker. This is so true that almost every coffee maker comes with a "starter set" that contains a few dozen coffee capsules, since companies benefit from this, not the coffee maker.

But let's turn back to the capsule itself, as this is where the real know-how lies. The coffee capsule format was invented by Nespresso and a man named Eric Favre back in 1976. His goal was to standardize and speed up the brewing process, and he thought that in this way the joy of drinking coffee could be brought to even more people, and he was not far wrong. Eric worked for Nestlé, so he patented his idea through the company and aimed the product at business users, but it didn't work out, to put it mildly. Not so much that they almost failed the business, so in 1988 they put the product on a completely new foundation.

Capsule coffee began to be sold primarily through exclusive sales channels, as a kind of trendy, new wave thing, aimed at demanding, individual users. The system was surrounded by countless patents, so since it was relatively difficult to copy the solution, the names of Nestlé and Nespresso became synonymous with capsule coffee machines and capsule coffee.

In fact, the business really exploded in the second half of the 2000s, and since then the solution has been copied by quite a few competitors, which is how, in addition to Nespresso, capsules with the Dolce Gusto system were created. Here, the logic is very similar to printer toner: it is sold in packages of slightly different sizes or shapes, so it cannot be inserted into competing machines, thus chaining consumers to themselves. There are manufacturers like the Chinese Hibrew, which completely eliminated this problem with the help of adapters, and can even cope with ESE POD and K-cup formats.

The other way was that some companies, like Krups, adopted the Nespresso format and developed equipment in this system, but under their own name, but remaining in the Nespresso ecosystem. The fact that Nespresso also runs a partner program on its website, where you can register and receive a discount on your next batch of capsules, proves how well this ecosystem-like model works. Of course, many people bypass the system with all kinds of remanufactured capsules from Aldis and Lidl, so this is not mandatory either.

From the above, the main point is that the capsule coffee maker was not invented for those looking for the ritual of drinking coffee, but rather for the quick, "energizing" morning coffee drinkers, but of course this does not detract from the merits of capsule coffee makers. Not only because these are typically beautifully designed, extremely small and space-saving devices that you could even take with you on vacation, we know several people who do this. You also don't have to fiddle with the trash, the capsule just falls into the container, you pour it out once a week or even less often and the operation is done. A big disadvantage, however, is that the cost per coffee portion is higher than in the case of traditional espresso machines and they also produce a lot of garbage.

ESE POD coffee makers

ESE stands for Easy Serving Espresso, i.e. easy-to-prepare espresso, and POD is a pillow in which the pre-prepared coffee cake lies. In fact, this is also an espresso machine, in terms of its working principle, only here the format is not a capsule, but a 44 mm pad. The logic is the same as in the case of capsule coffee makers, it is very simple to make and the pad can be easily thrown away, you don't have to mess with it much. The coffee cake is placed between 2 filter layers, which are sealed airtight with an aluminum foil package.

In terms of cleaning, the capsule is better, because there is no need to scrub out a wet coffee pad from the machine. There are other types of pads, such as the Senseo 60mm variant. In theory, the ESE POD is a more environmentally friendly solution than the coffee capsule packaging, since after disposal they decompose like tea filters and do not produce garbage. There is also no grinding loss, no residue, so the same can be said about it as about capsule coffee makers.

Pro tip: coffee pods are often compatible with coffee machines with a handle, or such a coffee basket can be purchased for them, so anyone who does not want to bother with grinding, cleaning the coffee machine and throwing out the grounds can also use the espresso coffee machines with a POD. 

 

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Source: Depositphotos

The filter coffee and the coffee maker

Basically, making filter coffee consists of nothing but one from a conically narrowing funnel, the one placed inside from a thin paper or textile filter - that makes it filterable -, and from coffee grounds. This is poured over the neck with hot water, causing the coffee to flow or drip down the top of the funnel with the help of gravity, releasing the aromas from the coffee. If you do this not with a coffee machine, but with a hand-held device, then this is called the drip method. the device itself is the dropper – in English dripper will be Perhaps the best-known representative of this is Hario V60 dripper, which is the drip tray itself, into which the coffee flows.

V60 is short for vector 60 and is called that because the funnel neck tapers at 60 degrees. Drippers are made of plastic, glass, ceramic and metal. The other well-known brand is Chemex, which is a clear glass dropper, invented in 1940 by chemist Dr. Peter Schlumbohm and has a pouring part of the structure.

From the above, the point is that in the case of the drip procedure no pressure, which helps to release the flavor, but the force of gravity is what does this work, the extraction takes place very naturally. The coffee will be very clean, there is no further washing out and the grounds will not get into the drink, and the paper filter will also absorb the oils. Compared to a machine filter coffee maker, the biggest advantage of a manual one is that the maker can intervene in the process at several points, for example, he can better control the water temperature, pre-soak the coffee and the like.

One of the biggest questions about drip coffee is what filter you use. The paper filter is said to have an undesirable aftertaste, which is why it is usually washed, and there are bleached and unbleached versions. The textile filter has a "more neutral" taste and theoretically absorbs more oil than paper.

 

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Source: Depositphotos

French Press, Aeropress 

French Presst in Hungary for a piston coffee maker it's also called, and well, basically it really works on the principle of the piston. Here I would refer back to piston espresso machines for a moment, where the pressure is created by pulling down a lever and operating a piston on the other side.

The French Press is a bit similar to this, only here the pressure is not built up through a gear mechanism, but by manual pressure.

 

The relatively finely ground coffee is placed in a transparent container, usually made of borosilicate glass, with a handle, which has previously been heated with hot water, and then poured out of the glass. After the coffee has been added, it is poured again with hot, but not boiling water, and left to stand for 3-5 minutes so that the aromas are dissolved, that is, it is a steeping technique. they push it down to the bottom of the glass, thus separating the grounds and the coffee. A big advantage of the French Press is that it can be obtained relatively cheaply - we also have it - and it is easy to prepare the drink, but you need a grinder to set the grain size to a large size.

The Aeropress differs from the French Press in that a rubber ring is placed on the side of the piston, which hermetically seals the material and generates air pressure. The coffee is pressed through a microfilter, otherwise almost everything is the same as described for the French Press.

Cold brew

Cold Brew is actually a special cold water coffee making process. The bottom line is that coffee is basically an acidic drink, so some people's stomachs can be sensitive to it. In the case of Cold Brew, which uses cold water for its preparation, the aromas and acids are dissolved differently, so the result is weaker and softer, it does not give the caffeine kick like plain espresso, but it is less acidic.

The biggest problem with Cold Brew is that it takes time to make. The ground coffee must be soaked in cold or room temperature water and then left to stand for 12 hours. After the time has passed, it must be filtered with a dense filter - for example, the French Press is perfect for this, but it can also be done with a filter coffee maker - and then you can add other ingredients to your taste. Since it is a cold drink, they often add ice or other accessories suitable for the warmer seasons.

Cold Brew is not the same as iced coffee, because it is made from traditional, "brewed" coffee, where the hot drink is practically cooled down, and then ice cubes and other things are added to it. Iced coffee has roughly the same caffeine content as espresso - if it's made from it - so it's considered as strong as the hot version, unlike cold brew.

Accessories for coffee machines

Many people don't know, but coffee making - and especially espresso coffee makers - have quite a few accessories that can be used to improve the quality of the coffee. Basically, this is usually approached from the point of view of making espresso, since there is not much of this with the capsule coffee maker, while in the case of manual coffee making - French Press, Aeropress, filter coffee - you can intervene at countless points in the process. Let's see what tools you can use to improve the final result!

Libra

A scale is essential for accurate portioning of coffee, because you need to know from somewhere how many coffee beans to grind for one serving. In the case of espresso, this is usually 9 grams - but some people swear by 7 -, to measure this, you should get a scale with an accuracy of tenths of a gram.

Coffee needle (WDT tool)

The grains of ground coffee are not uniform, even if you have the world's best grinder at home. When the coffee enters the filter basket, its distribution is not completely homogeneous, lumps and channels may form in some places. Therefore, before the tampering, i.e. compression, which creates the coffee cake, the ground is usually leveled, i.e. the upper level of the coffee bed is rearranged, this is called for clarification. There is a special tool for this, a coffee pin, which is usually a circular device with thin metal rods - needles - that can be used to smooth the coffee grounds. In English, such tools are called WDT - weiss distribution technique - tool.

Tamper (compressor)

The tamper is a device that can be used to compress ground coffee in the filter basket of espresso machines. Most cheap espresso coffee machines come with a plastic coffee press that is not very usable, so it is worth buying one with a stainless steel head instead.

Since the size of the filter basket varies, it is also worth adjusting the size of the tamper accordingly. There are pieces with a wooden handle, where the stainless steel head is screwed, so it can be changed, so it can be adapted to filter baskets of different sizes.

Portafilter (filter holder with handle)

The portafilter is nothing more than a tool with a handle into which the filter basket is placed, which you take out of semi-automatic espresso machines when you insert the grinds or take the grounds out of the machine. There are several of these, the more serious ones are made of stainless steel with a wooden handle, while there is a spout at the bottom. From this, pieces equipped with beak-like spouts that divert the coffee in two directions, where the distance between the two spouts is sufficiently large, have been replaced. This is important because on smaller espresso machines, you don't have to put the glasses very close and so they don't touch each other and don't rattle from the vibrations of the coffee maker.

In relation to portafilters, there are two important parameters: one a size, which can be anything between 51-58 mm - the catering industry uses 58 mm - the other is the standard according to which it can be fitted into the espresso machine. There is a thread at the end of the portafilter, which is bordered by small "wings", you have to rotate it along this line in the espresso machine, which makes it jump into place and squeeze, and it stays in place even under pressure. There are several versions of this, some that turn 90 degrees, while others turn 180 degrees, have 2 or 3 wings, etc. Always check how these are designed if you want to buy another portafilter for the machine.

There is a special portafilter design, the naked vagy bottomless, in Hungarian it could perhaps be called a bottomless portafilter. The bottom line is that it lacks a spout, which is good because that way you can check whether the coffee flows out sufficiently homogeneously - whether the grinding and compression were good - and if not, you can infer the error made from the flow pattern. It has another advantage, it does not develop canalization - a channeling – phenomenon, in return you cannot pour coffee into two coffee glasses at the same time.

Filter basket

The filter basket is the structure that you insert into the end of the portafilter, you tamper with it, so you compress the coffee, this will be the coffee cake. Home espresso machines usually come with a filter basket with a diameter of 51 or 54 mm, the standard for the catering industry is 58 mm. There is usually a small rim on the side of the filter basket, this prevents the filter from falling out of the portafilter, but there are also spring solutions. How much coffee can be put in depends on the depth of the filter basket, usually 1-3 cups can be prepared at the same time with an espresso coffee machine. There are filter baskets in which you can also put a POD, i.e. a coffee pad, if you don't want to scrape the grounds out of the basket or knock them out with a knock box.

There are basically two types of filter baskets, the pressure booster - pressurized vagy double wall -, and the non-booster - non-pressurized -, the former is more common in entry-level espresso machines. This can be seen from the fact that filter basket with pressure booster there is a second layer of material at the bottom - it is also called double bottom or double bottom - where the coffee flows through one or several tiny holes, which increases the pressure. Entry-level machines have this because it increases consistency, you don't have to grind the coffee so evenly, you don't have to tamper with it, so they actually correct the users' mistakes in advance, but in return they also take control out of their hands.

non-pressurized filter basket there are a lot of small holes inside and at the bottom, the pressure does not rise here during preparation, this is the older and original solution. The disadvantage of this design is the same as the advantage of the pressure booster: a more precise grind and a more refined, more beautifully tampered coffee cake are required. In return, it allows a greater say in the processes, which is why experts and those who pursue coffee making as a serious hobby prefer this solution.

Despite the fact that a good - precisely drilled, evenly distributed - filter basket is a penny item, it is often skimped on by manufacturers.

Coffee mirror

The coffee mirror is nothing more than a mini-mirror with a base, which should be placed next to the espresso machine and face upwards. It is good for checking the flow of coffee when making coffee. Typically used for naked portafilters.

This is how you increase the quality in a few simple steps

Based on our own experience, we would like to give you some tips and tricks on how to make much better quality coffee at home.

Ground, unground coffee: an order of magnitude improvement can be achieved with fresh, ground coffee, vacuum-packed solutions are bad. However, today, with a little care, you can achieve a much more serious quality at home than the "yellow chick + 30-year-old coot". Do not buy coffee from the shelves of the big supermarkets, and not because they are fundamentally bad, but because you don't know how long it has been there, maybe a year. And it certainly won't be fresh. Buy not ground, but roasted coffee beans and grind them at home, it is worth buying one that indicates the time of roasting.

Coffee grinder: if you only want to invest in one small machine, it should be a coffee grinder. Start with an entry-level coffee grinder with a conical blade and grind only when you actually drink coffee and not beforehand. The coffee grinder is also important, because whatever coffee-making process you choose, you will need to set the grain size. It is also important to adjust the coffee grinder if possible, you can usually do this with the screw at the end of the shaft, but the descriptions give more precise information about this.

The water: 96% of coffee is water, yet everyone clicks on which coffee maker to buy, while the easiest way to improve quality is with filtered water. You don't have to think about big things, you don't have to make coffee with Evian or go on a pilgrimage to the St. Magdalena mountain spring, just use a water filter jug ​​or tap-mounted water purifier. These remove some of the impurities and, in the best case, chlorine as well.

For those who want to delve more deeply into the subject, they sell coffee-making water, but the main rule of thumb is that the best is soft water with a reduced mineral content, chlorine-free, you can also find such water among bottled mineral waters. The calcium oxide content must be between 40 and 80 mg, the chemistry should be almost neutral, between 6,5-7 pH values ​​(neither acidic nor too alkaline). Not incidentally, the softer water also protects the espresso coffee machine.

Filter basket: pennies, several thousand HUF items, if the one provided by the manufacturer is not suitable, buy a precisely machined piece with uniform hole spacing.

Tampering, i.e. compression: factory plastic tampers are no good, buy a wood-handled one made of stainless steel. Those who are a bit forward-thinking will buy a replaceable head, if it needs to be adapted to a different standard later, you can change the head. If you don't want to mess with it, buy a completely stainless one. They do not deteriorate or wear out, their lifespan is eternal life and one day.

Tampering should be uniform, the forearm should close 90 degrees with the filter basket from above, the surface of the compactor should be horizontal. The operation is good if the pressure is even and the coffee cake does not sink in on either side. You should buy a metal tamper precisely because they can be loaded normally, a plastic one can easily be broken by a 100 kilo person.

Keep your coffee machine clean: we've heard some horror stories about how brutal dirt, oxidation and the like can be found inside some espresso machines. That's why it's important to keep them clean, because no one wants that to end up in their coffee, right? Not to mention that scale deposits reduce the cross-sections, block the flow, and overall reduce the quality of the coffee.

The coffee maker has two enemies: a scale and the coffee oil, which dissolves during cooking. It should not be cleaned with vinegar - it is not good for the seals - and other household chemicals. To remove limescale, you must use citric acid or specifically coffee machine cleaning tablets, at least according to the smart ones. There are coffee degreasing tablets for the latter. More about cleaning you can read here.

Accurate water temperature: if you can control this on your coffee machine, start experimenting with it. 92 degrees Celsius is usually given as the ideal value, but usually the machines allow you to set this value between 80-95 degrees Celsius. Find the one that produces the best juice for you.

Set everything precisely: the good thing about making coffee manually is that you can either manually intervene in everything, or you can fine-tune all the parameters on an automatic espresso machine. It's worth trying these, since everyone likes coffee a little differently, and those who don't care about all of this can buy a set of capsules anyway.


Advantages and disadvantages of using coffee machines

In general, it is not possible to establish advantages and disadvantages in relation to coffee makers, rather it is possible to describe the advantages and disadvantages of each coffee brewing method. For most people, espresso is considered the Holy Grail of "coffee", i.e. extraction from ground coffee using a mechanized process. There are those who believe in manual intervention, so we wrote a few lines for them as well.

encapsulation advantages of coffee machines:

  • it's simple, fast, you don't have to claim anything
  • generally very nice design
  • capsule coffee makers are mostly small, easy to carry, and take up little space
  • pre-made capsule selection according to taste and strength
  • there is a complete ecosystem for it, the manufacturers take care of everything
  • you don't need to buy a coffee grinder
  • the machines are cheap

encapsulation Disadvantages of coffee makers:

  • they take control out of your hands
  • hellishly high costs per serving of coffee
  • garbage, capsules are not very environmentally friendly solutions (although there are already degradable variants)
  • no coffee ceremony
  • usually only one coffee can be made at a time

Az espresso advantages of coffee machines:

  • it gives one of the best qualities
  • great control over the process
  • very wide selection in knowledge and price
  • machines can be tuned
  • it can be turned into a great hobby (which can absorb all the money in the world)
  • according to the price, everyone can choose a suitable model for themselves
  • several portions can be cooked at the same time
  • there are fully automatic solutions equipped with a grinder and a milk frother
  • they look good, adult, premium design is not uncommon

Az espresso Disadvantages of coffee makers:

  • more laborious coffee making: removing grounds, cleaning, maintenance, etc.
  • they take up a lot of space
  • more serious models are expensive
  • they want expertise
  • it is difficult to navigate among the countless sizes, standards, and expressions

clucking advantages of coffee machines:

  • retro feeling
  • easy to use
  • cheap
  • easy cleaning
  • the Bialetti Brikka has a flyweight valve, higher overpressure can be created
  • several portions can be prepared at the same time
  • it already has an electric version

clucking Disadvantages of coffee makers:

  • steam pushes through the water, it is not possible to regulate the temperature well, the coffee may burn
  • there are no options for fine-tuning
  • it is closer to manual coffee makers than to automatic machines
  • low pressure, less aroma release

hand Advantages of "coffee makers":

  • French Press/Aeropress: easy to use, cheap, does not require great expertise, great control during production
  • Filter coffee: easy to use, cheap, does not require great expertise, great control during preparation, surprisingly good quality can be achieved with it. It can be mechanized with a filter coffee maker.

hand Disadvantages of "coffee makers":

  • French Press/Aeropress: you have to learn how to make coffee with it, you need a grinder, because you have to grind the coffee to a large grain size. Less pressure than an espresso machine.
  • Filter coffee: you have to learn how to make coffee with it, you need a grinder, because you have to grind the coffee to a large grain size. Less pressure than an espresso machine. The initial cost of filter coffee makers is higher than that of manual drip.

Of course, we have left out countless production methods, since we could write about Chemex and the like, or there is the "mechanized beater", Szarvasi, we could have singled out the lever/pump espresso makers, but we think the above will be a good guideline.

Frequently Asked Questions

What coffee maker should I buy? 

It mainly depends on the type of use you are looking for a solution for. If you don't want to mess around a lot with the whole topic and you drink little coffee, then buy a capsule coffee maker, but you know that the cost per serving is the highest here. Those who like the formality of coffee should buy a manual one - e.g. Hario - or an entry-level electric grinder with a conical blade, a good tamper, and an entry-level espresso maker.

For those who like to press by hand and adjust everything manually, there are French/Aeropress and other drip solutions. And for those who believe in retro, kotyogós is still a good choice.

What coffee maker should I buy?

The Bialetti Brikka valve solution is most often recommended.

Is the coffee maker good?

In some ways, yes. It is easy to use and, according to experts, you can make good coffee with it, and the initial cost is also low, but there are many places where mistakes can be made in the process.

What coffee grinder should I buy?

The correct name is coffee grinder instead of coffee grinder and there are basically two types: manual and electric. The former is much more formal and you basically get a nice item for your money. This is for small quantities - 1-2 cups a day - you have to adjust everything manually, and Hario and Tiamo products are usually recommended for starters, but Hibrew G4 is not a bad choice either. The other extreme is high-end stuff like Comander or Kinu, these are hundreds of dollars worth of products.

The vast majority, on the other hand, will need an electric coffee grinder, of which you should start with a conical - also known as a cone-knife - grinder. Graef, Catler, Sage, Iberital, etc. among the products of these companies are cheaper models, and among the Chinese brands are the Hibrew G3 and G5 models, while the other, much more expensive extreme is represented by the products of Eureka, Ceado or LX Italia. The more expensive the product, the more important the service, as these devices are well worth having repaired, because they can serve their users for decades.

Why buy a coffee grinder? Is store-bought flour not good?

In short: not good. First of all, you do not choose the grain size of the pre-ground coffee. It really doesn't matter whether you want to make French press or Turkish coffee. The other problem is that you don't know when the ground coffee was vacuum packed, and it will continue to oxidize after unpacking. A coffee grinder is one of the most important steps towards quality coffee consumption. 

How long does it take to grind with a coffee grinder?

You can grind two portions of coffee beans in a few seconds.

Is it enough to grind once or do you need to grind it fresh?

The rule of thumb is that freshly ground coffee is best, but that's not always practical. Is the last gram of a 250 gram container of coffee beans considered fresh? Hardly, even if the container is otherwise airtight, and the previous grinds "contaminate" the fresh grind. If you want really fresh coffee, you will gram the coffee beans and grind only as much as is needed to prepare the actual coffee drinks.

What makes a good coffee?

It is different for everyone, but mainly because you intervene at several points in the process so that it is suitable for you. 

What do the different types of coffee mean, such as short, long, cappuccino, etc.?

For more information on coffee types, see "What coffee-based drinks are there?" section, but typically the terms used in Hungarian are transcriptions of the original Italian - e.g. espresso is the equivalent of short, lungo is the equivalent of long coffee - but not literal translations. 

How does a milk frother work?

Basically, the foam can be made using two methods. Most of the coffee makers have a steam pipe, where the steam creates microbubbles in the milk, which causes it to start foaming. There are also separate milk frothers that work with different techniques. There are places where a frothing head vibrates - these are more like milk frothers - but there are also piston solutions, such as Ten Mile or Bialetti Tuttocrema.

Which espresso coffee machine should I buy?

Basically, your wallet determines how much you should spend on a coffee maker. Since the grinder is at least as important, if not more important, than the coffee maker in the process of making coffee, if you don't want to get too deep into the hobby, you don't need to buy a very expensive machine.

You should know about most coffee machines that they are made in China and assembled based on a specific profile, only their appearance - and their brand name - are different, but the cheap devices are relatively similar items put together on the same shelf. Thermo block, vibrating pump, simple materials, no big magic. You have to decide whether you want to make milky drinks beyond espresso or not, and whether you want to learn how to make coffee or whether you would like to move on.

We also have De'Longhi and BlitzHome espresso coffee machines in our editorial office, these are entry-level, "disposable" models. For those who want something more serious, Gaggia, Jura, Saeco (they own Gaggia, Jura often uses Saeco parts). Rancilio, Quick Mill, etc. look between machines, but check in forums about which model, the experience and the year also matter a lot. Especially if you want to tune them in the future.

What capsule coffee machine should I buy?

In fact, whatever, the trick in this case is rather in the coffee capsule. If the goal is to carry, then as small as possible. Since most of them are designed very nicely, buy the one you like the most. If you have extra needs, look for one that also froths milk.

Why is it good if the coffee machine preheats the cups?

Basically, because the cold cup cools down the coffee that is poured into it and impairs its enjoyment. Roughly the same effect can be achieved if you rinse the cup with water at the right temperature. 

What is considered high enough pressure? Is it just a myth?

The answer is that it is not a myth, and there is no such thing as too much pressure. Knock coffee makers work at around 1,5 bar, Szarvasi products with a similar system work at 3-4 and espresso coffee makers at 9-15 bar pressure. When you see the pressure value on the side of the coffee maker, it is rated power of the pump, but basically not because of this, but because of the density of the coffee cake - how much you tamper with it, since it works like a natural valve - which determines the pressure at which the liquid passes through it. In order to control this process, more serious machines usually have a pressure gauge and a pressure sensor inside.

Which is the most environmentally conscious coffee maker and coffee preparation solution?

This is a bit difficult to determine, because we do not know how much environmental pollution is involved in making a coffee machine or a coffee accessory, so we can only examine the condition after someone uses the products. This garbage amount should be projected onto 1 serving of coffee. Based on general consensus, capsule coffee makers produce the most waste because of the capsule, compared to this, the ESE POD is one step better.

A repairable espresso coffee machine made of good materials can work for decades or even brew tens of thousands of coffees, which seems less polluting compared to capsule coffee machines. Then there are the manual solutions, the French Press and the Aero Press, which produce relatively little waste. The unnecessary part of drip solutions will be the filter, so they are also waste. However, the waste itself can in any case be used, for example, as fertilizer and returned to nature.

Do combi coffee makers work well?

By combi coffee machine we mean coffee machines integrated with the coffee grinder. These are completely Automatic espresso machines they can work well, they grind, they make coffee, they empty the waste into a container. They have two problems: you can't replace the parts with another one if you want to improve something, and if they break, the whole thing can go to the service center.

How to make nice foam at home?

Basically, we can understand two things by this, one is the brown, foamy layer that forms during the preparation of the espresso, the crema. This is a light, sand-colored liquid that appears during the extraction of espresso, also known as the "Guinness effect".

The other is milk foam, which can be done with machines capable of generating steam. The milk foam is good if you get a creamy consistency full of microbubbles and there are no large bubbles visible to the naked eye. The forms created with such milk foam are called latte art, where white milk foam and brown crema create shapes.

What does the coffee taste like? 

People think of coffee as having a bitter taste, but in fact it doesn't, it's just that coffee roasters usually cover up the taste defects by over-roasting, and some types - for example kotoyogós - are more prone to burning the ground. Coffee is a drink that tastes like coffee and has an incomparable taste. What can be said to him then? Coffee has it physicality, which means how dense the drink is in your mouth. If it's thin, it's watery, while milk adds body, even though it dilutes the drink. The other "flavor" is coffee acidity, which means a kind of bitterness, those with weaker stomachs might describe the feeling in other words. These are caused by compounds released from the coffee. The stronger the roast, the less acidic the coffee will be.

And if we focus exclusively on the taste, then we think about what kind of taste remains in our mouth after eating it. Here we usually use adjectives such as orange, chocolate, cinnamon and the like, which is determined by the type of coffee, the growing area, the amount of sunlight and a thousand other things. 

What is the Maillard reaction?

The reaction was named after the biochemist LC Maillard, and by it we mean the phenomenon when chemical processes take place under the influence of heat, this is what happens when coffee is roasted, but it is also true for meats, for example. steak - too. In the process, some chemical components lose their properties, other substances are created, while various flavor components are created. Coffee beans turn brown because a pigment called melanoidin is produced during the process. This is why the taste notes of each roasting process differ markedly.

What is V60 coffee?

V60 coffee is usually referred to as coffee made with the Hario V60, a device suitable for the drip preparation technique.

If I want to improve my coffee-making skills, where should I go?

Worth it on YouTube James Hoffman channel, and search for part 2 of the coffee-flavored voice on Spotify, but you can also follow the Daráló podcast.

If you couldn't find one of your questions in the FAQ, or if we didn't have a clear answer, then contact us at one of our contact numbers listed on the page or on Facebook. To the best of our knowledge, we try to answer all questions related to coffee making!



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