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Types of Espresso Machines
An espresso machine is specifically designed to capture the full flavor of a cup of coffee in just one shot. The simplest kind of espresso machine is a moka pot. This pot holds water in its bottom half and uses low force to push steam through the coffee held in the top half.
Besides the moka pot, there are four different types of espresso machines: manual, semi-automatic, automatic and super-automatic. Though all four can produce good espresso, the amount of automation a machine has refers to how much direct interaction is needed with the machine to make a drink. As most people are looking at least some automation, that is what we'll discuss below.
Semi-automatic machines have an automated pump to automate the delivery of water to the coffee so that a manual hand pump isn't necessary. It also features an automated temperature control for the boiler and activation switches to engage and disengage the pump. You are in control of when the pump turns on and off and, in turn, control the amount of water flow for every shot you make. Semi-automatic machines are able to maintain a good brewing temperature by automatically turning on the internal heating element whenever the machine detects a pre-determined drop in the boiler temperature. There is also usually a safety thermometer in case the main thermometer malfunctions. The safety thermometer kills all power to the boiler if the temperature passes a certain point.
Automatic espresso machines feature an automated pump, an automated temperature control for the boiler and frequently programmable preset water volume buttons that automate water delivery as well as regulate the brew volume. These buttons usually include one shot short, two shots short, one shot normal (long), two shots normal (long). Sometimes a fifth "on till you press me again to turn off" button will be included so you can determine how long you want the water to flow. To get your espresso flowing, all you have to do is load up your portafilter with coffee, tamp it and lock it into place. Once you have hit your desired button, you can simply walk away - the machine will stop brewing once it has hit the preprogrammed amount.
The super-automatic machines truly do it all with just the press of a button! These machines contain water reservoirs and integrated coffee grinders so that once the desired button is pressed, they will grind the right amount of beans, tamp the ground beans, extract the predetermined amount of coffee and then get rid of the leftover puck (leftover ground coffee) into an internal dump box. Without any work, you can enjoy your shot of espresso or use it to make a cappuccino, latte or macchiato! Though some people feel the super-automatic removes the personal touch, this machine guarantees a more consistent shot of espresso.
