Gourmet Espresso beans are commonly referred to as oily dark roasted beans however, in reality there is no such thing as espresso beans or espresso roast. Espresso coffee is achieved by blending a variety or beans as well as special roasts with the objective of creating the best possible tasting espresso. As no two blends are exactly the same, achieving this goal can be a challenge.
Depending upon what espresso beverages the blend will be used for the choice will vary. Espresso coffee used in milk based drinks such as cappuccino or lattes will possess different characteristics than a blend of coffee used for a true espresso to be drunk without any additives. The milk based espresso beverages must have an unique aroma that will balance its full flavor and be enjoyed when blended with milk based froth.
Many roasters will have their own signature blends of espresso with strictly guarded formulas. Since individual palates are unique, it is best to sample different espresso gourmet coffee blends until you find one that is suitable to your taste.
The Gaggia Espresso Dose provides the user with the options to brew delicious cappuccinos, espresso, tea hot or chocolate drinks. A popular choice in the semi-automatic home espresso machine category, the Gaggia espresso dose with its stainless steel boiler provides greater steaming and brewing capabilities. In addition it features a dosing button which allows the machine to memorize your favorite quantity of coffee for either 1 or 2 cups of espresso. The Gaggia Espresso Dose features a Pannarello frothing apparatus for frothing or steaming of you favorite espresso beverage. Its stainless steel cup warmer is passively heated by residual heat from the machines boiler.
The Espresso Dose uses a portafilter that inserts into a chrome plated brass brew group, along with three separate filter baskets for a single shot, double shot or a pod capable basket for using the new single serve coffee pods. All this along with its 15 bar pump pressure, removable 42 oz. water tank for easy refills and a small footprint means the Gaggia Espresso Dose espresso machine fits conveniently on your kitchen counter or coffee station.
The Gaggia Company is Italy’s best know producer of coffee and espresso machines for commercial and home use. Its name is one in the same with classic tradition and dependability throughout the world. It was during 1948, the company that was formed by Achille Gaggia, the man to who we owe a great deal of gratitude to for successfully developing espresso coffee as we know it. On September 5th 1938 Mr. Gaggia filed a patent for the modern steam free espresso coffee cream machine for household use. The newly developed Baby Gaggia soon became very popular throughout Italy. The Baby machine to this day arguably is considered to be the best family coffee maker. Despite the evolution of time Gaggia products are still manufactured in their Robecco sul Naviglio plant in Milan. Gaggia carries on the tradition of attention to details along with cutting edge technology.
Over the years Gaggia coffee machines have evolved for the traditional lever piston driven mechanism to a completely automatic machine which grinds, doses, and brews delicious espresso coffee all with the touch of a button. These super automatic machines are a result of years of experience along with painstaking research and development. Gaggia continues at the forefront of technological developments and introductions of new machines within the espresso coffee industry with its never ending pursuit of perfection.
Over the decades Gaggia has supplied households as well as espresso houses throughout the world with its distinctive espresso coffee aroma brewed from countless coffee machines. Combine their sound approach, deeply rooted in the past along with one of the best known names in the Italian coffee industry and the result is an exceptional line of coffee machines.
Positioning toward the future, with a relentless search for more efficient ideas, pioneering technologies and state of the art design, you can be assured we will be at the forefront with our production of a Gaggia espresso machine to meet and surpass our customers expectations.
La Marzocco’s Dual Boiler Technology provides you with plenty of milk steaming power while maintaining the ideal brewing temperature. Espresso machines have two basic functions, brewing espresso and steaming milk. High demands of steaming power can upset the temperature stability of a single boiler heat exchanger type machine. That can lead to bitter or scorched espresso. La Marzocco dedicates a high quality stainless steel boiler both to the brewing of espresso and the steaming of milk, allowing them to operate at the same time yet independently of one another. The brewing boiler holds a large quantity of water at the perfect temperature and is controlled by a precision thermostat that guarantees a coffee temperature disparity of less than ± 1° C , whereas single boiler machines rely on less accurate pressure stats, controlling the actual pressure of the boiler rather than its temperature. Moreover, our PID system equipped models guarantee a deviation in brewing temperature of less than ± 0.5° C, a true industry record. The high capacity steam boiler contains no internal heat exchangers and is therefore more efficient. The steam pressure can be set to optimum levels without fear of impacting the brewing temperature along with its high power dry steam output makes all the difference when frothing milk for the best micro-bubbles, to produce creamy cappuccinos, lattes and macchiatos. With La Marzocco commercial espresso machines, consistency is the norm, not the exception.
GS/3
the “lite” professional
The newly reintroduced La Marzocco GS/3 “lite professional” significantly redefines standards for quality of performance within the light commercial and home espresso machine categories. In comparison to premium high volume machines on today’s market the GS/3 received high reviews.
With a relatively small footprint, the GS/3 with it’s built in reservoir or direct water line supply this machine is flexible for home or lite commercial use. The La Marzocco Lite professional produces sufficient steam for frothing cappuccinos or lattes and has quick recovery for commercial applications for use within catering, professional office or restaurant settings.
The brainchild of La Marzocco’s lead US engineer Bill Crossland saw to it that this machine was designed from conception to be the ultimate home espresso machine. Wishing to design a machine for home use on the North American power grid, Crossland and La Marzocco hit a home run and achieved that goal utilizing 110 V, 15 amp max service with the GS/3.
The lite professional’s dual stainless steel boiler technology and saturated brewing groups, PDI temperature control, brew water pre-heating system, internal volumetric pump all provide for consistency during the brewing process. In addition the multifunctional keypad, digital display and “cool touch” stainless steel steam wand are all features that make the La Marzocco GS/3 Lite Professional a very user friendly espresso machine.
This is the first “home” machine that has generated a massive “want” factor in the professional world of espresso and being backed by an internationally renowned company like La Marzocco you can look forward to years of dependable service.
The Espressione Café Retro is an espresso machine of stylish vintage design along with advanced technological features. The Café features an ESE system with chrome plated brass pods and pod porta filter that allows for the use of traditional ground coffee or easy single serve pods.
Its solid steel and ABS body construction and chassis is treated with a rust inhibitor and has a durable baked on powder coat finish. With a rapid heat up time of 2 minutes, a powerful eighteen bars of pump pressure, along with a UL 1050 watt heating element and a 24 oz. heavy duty aluminum boiler the Café Retro has a virtual zero recovery time for continuous brewing.
The Espressione Café Retro Espresso Machine is both simple and enjoyable to use in addition to brewing a great cup of espresso coffee.
If you are familiar with and admire gourmet coffee, on the other hand are unfamiliar with brewing espresso coffee, then continue on. We will explain this in the below editorial. You may think you know all there is to know about espresso coffee makers, but actually there are up to eight different varieties, depending on definition.
The most simple and familiar of these is the stovetop espresso maker. This is a very common variety and can be found within households throughout Europe. A stovetop espresso makes is made up of three chambers. The bottom chamber holds the water, the middle acts as a filter basket of the machine, while the top chamber contains the ground coffee. As the water is heated steam is infused up the center tube to the middle chamber. The stem then rises to the top chamber in doing so espresso is produced.
Another variety is the steam espresso maker, which is very similar to the stovetop variety. The espresso brewed by this maker is arguably equal to the espresso produced by the stovetop variety. One other variety is a piston driven espresso maker, although more costly than the others produces good espresso. In fact the piston driven espresso maker was the pioneer of the crema we have all grown to love floating on top of our espresso. Initially crema was an undesirable by-product of the brewing process however, with the introduction of the piston driven espresso maker crema is now a desirable ingredient of a great espresso.
Two other commonly familiar machines are the fully automatic espresso coffee makers and the semi automatic variety. With the semi automatic type you need only fill the reservoir with water and the coffee hopper with ground coffee, then push a pre programmed button to begin the brewing process. On the other hand the fully automatic machine features a built in grind than grinds the beans directly from the machines hopper. While some automatic machines have a water reservoir there are also varieties that have a direct water supply hook up therefore, eliminating the need to fill the water reservoir.
With so many varieties from which to choose, your choice is determined by how much of a hands on experience you desire during the brewing process. Another factor to be considered is the machines cost which can range from a mere twenty dollars or so upwards of thousands of dollars.
Whichever espresso maker you choose you will not be disappointed and will soon be enjoying a great freshly brewed espresso coffee.
The Briel Chamonix is a medium sized pump driven espresso machine that features an automatic espresso flow feature, this timed micro-chip circuit allows the user to program the quantity of espresso that fills the cup. With 15 bar pump pressure this coffee machine produces great espresso and perfect crema with consistency.
Its metallic face plate and accents are especially stylish and adds a bit of charm to any kitchen. Along with superior technological components which includes a Turbo Jet frother, that produces plenty of dry steam for thick milk froth for brewing exceptional cappuccino or latte’s
The Chamonix is a preferred favorite with espresso lovers and combines precision, reliability with ease of use in addition to its trendy European appearance. Chamonix offers all the features one comes to expect form a quality Briel espresso machine.
The Rancilio Silvia is a time proven professional style espresso machine that brews a perfect coffee beverage, all at the touch of your fingertips.
Its satin finish stainless steel case highlights its stylish design and makes the Silvia an ideal choice for any kitchen.
The Silvia’s new ergonomic commercial porta-filter along with its chrome plated brew group cover adds to the professional image and quality. The newly designed commercial articulating steam wand and new steam valve make frothing easier than ever. Its sleek stainless steel exterior and redesigned drip tray grid make clean-up a snap.
A pod & capsule adapter kit is available as an option for your new Silvia, in addition pods or capsules make brewing a perfect espresso easy and consistent every time. There are many varieties of espresso pods from which to choose, as well as guaranteeing freshness and that freshly brewed coffee aroma. Pods are simple to use and eliminate the guess work from measuring the proper dose of espresso coffee.
It is difficult to believe but the Rancilio Redesigned Silvia espresso maker subtly improves upon a machine that continues to redefined itself, all the while maintaining its time proven track record.
With the Gaggia MM grinder style and function readily come to mind, as this classy grinder provides everything one needs in a home grinder and is simple to use and requires little storage space on your kitchen counter. Available in both black or white this lightweight unit and has a 150 grms. capacity. To maintain the coffees full aroma place the hermetically sealed lid onto the bean hopper once filled. Only grind as much coffee as is necessary, this helps keep your coffee fresh and prevents the loss of the coffees aroma.
To determine the fineness of grind you turn the container to the left to produce the finest grind, while turning the container to the right will increase the coarseness of coffee ground. With a minimal amount of practice you will soon master the grind you desire for brewing a great espresso coffee.
To grind the coffee simply push the switch until the correct amount of coffee has been ground. Once coffee has been ground remove the reservoir to dispense your perfectly ground coffee into your espresso machines porta-filter to brew a delicious espresso coffee beverage.
To avoid overheating and burning of the beans it is best to allow a few minutes between grind cycles.
Remember to always unplug your MM grinder before cleaning and never immerse it into water. Actually all that is needed is a damp cloth for easy clean-up and you’ll be ready for its next use.
All in all the Gaggia MM coffee grinder is both economical and simple to use, and it won’t be long before your are brewing espresso like a professional barista.