Top Tips For Using Your Espresso Machine Or Coffee Maker
If you’ve got yourself a coffee maker or espresso machine and are not making the most of it read on. In this article you will find some useful tips that will help you to make delicious espresso coffee drinks every time.
Make sure that your coffee making machine heats up enough
Coffee making machines have metal water boilers that need to be turned on at least 10 minutes before making your first coffee. This means that your coffees will have a steadier heat. You should also heat up your coffee cups before using. Try using the hot water mode of your machine’s steam nozzle to fill cups and stand until they are heated through. Even better if your espresso machine has a built in heater for cups, they only take a few minutes to heat through.
Fresh is best
For the best tasting coffee fresh really is the best. Empty out your water container every day before you make your first coffee. I recommend that you use filtered water not only for a better taste but it will lengthen the working life of your machine by cutting down on lime scale building up and calcification.
Fresh Coffee beans too
Some coffee makers have built in grinders, some don’t. If your espresso machine hasn’t got a built in coffee bean grinder don’t worry you can buy separate grinders at very reasonable prices. To keep things fresh the trick is to just grind enough beans for the drinks that you are making and to hold in the flavour store your coffee beans in the freezer.
A proper grind with proper tamping
If you don’t have a coffee grinder always make sure that you are using the correct ground coffee, but using your own grinder will ultimately produce better coffee. You should be careful when packing freshly ground coffee into the filter. If you pack in too much or press it down too hard it will be difficult to reach the correct flow rate. Ideally it would take around 25 seconds to pour a 30ml cup of coffee.
Refreshing variety
Because there are so many different things going on with a coffee making machine you will need to make a lot of cups before you can really appreciate just how many different coffee drinks that you can brew. The grind, temperature, beans and flow rate all influence the taste and can make diverse drinks. I knew that I’d got it right when my espresso came out sweet and rich with a thick golden coloured creme.
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