Before Buying An Espresso Machine

Many are obsessed with the Barista profession who work behind bars and are interested in the way they make coffee and suddenly want to have a similar machine. Hmmm, you should first forget this romanticism, Barista is a person who is trained with muscle memory that has been honed. How to hold a portafilter, operate a grinder, and dosing, tamping, blending in a very flexible motion.

Are Espresso Machines Expensive?

So before buying an espresso machine, you should first determine how is your budget for the machine you want. Before going any further, you may want to check out Espresso machines under 100 – https://espressoexpert.net/best-espresso-machine-under-100/. Espresso machines consist of many types, some are classified from the operational side which is divided into three parts: manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic that only pushes the button.

In terms of the use of an espresso machine, it can also be shared for domestic or home use and also for commercial purposes. At present, I do not intend to discuss one by one the differences in the three types of espresso machines because the article will be too long. I simply assume that the machine that is usually in demand is semi-automatic where the user is still involved in the stages of making coffee such as grinder, dosing, tamping, etc.

Talking about prices means you have to prepare a wad of money considering that the espresso machine should be seen as a lifetime investment. Everything is in the category of light commercials with various advantages and attractive features. Expensive, isn’t it? This hobby is indeed not cheap and the shopping list will increase with various mandatory accessories such as tamper, pitcher, thermometer, timer, demitasse, shot glass, and knock box.

You Still Need A Grinder

The tool is complete? Not yet because it must be equipped with a grinder. In essence, in addition to the espresso machine, the grinder is the heart to explore the hobby of caffeine and the infinite entrance to conduct experiments with this black liquid. A good grinder will make your coffee much more enjoyable than coffee that has been ground by the seller.

Having a grinder means having the freedom to determine the grind-setting of various brewing methods, from espresso, french press, pour-over, siphon, Vietnamese drip, and a number of other brewing tools. Grinders that can do a variety of settings certainly have their own prices and hopefully, you will not be too restrictive on the budget for this all-important tool.

Making An Espresso Is Not Easy

Making espresso is not easy. It requires a lot of effort and a lot of patience, especially when starting to take the first shot. Baristas usually throw 3 to 5 initial shots while continuing to adjust the grind settings so that the extraction time is not under and over. The point is making this drink super complicated. It is also important to know that making espresso causes excrement due to the coffee powder scattered here and there. The concentrated espresso liquid is also very easy to contaminate the table and floor and if left unchecked it will leave marks and is difficult to clean.

Espresso Machines Costs A Lot Of Electricity

Furthermore, electricity in your home is at least above 3500 watts. If so, at a minimum you do not have to turn off some power sources that consume large amounts of energy to start an espresso machine that is 1200 watts of power and above. If an espresso machine in one group can consume a large amount of electricity, then my house must prepare much bigger electricity because unboxing a two-group machine can consume 4000 to 6000 watts of electricity.

Oh yes, get ready for electricity bills that will be a little bounced because of this new hobby. Avoid espresso machines that are equipped with a 3 phase electrical system and have to make special installations even though domestic machines usually only use a single-phase like we normally use for home purposes.

Espresso Machines Need Maintenance

Working in front of an espresso machine is also not as comfortable as many people think. This machine emits heat energy due to boilers that boil water not to mention the splash of hot water.

Like a machine, this tool needs to be maintained regularly, from cleaning the group head, backflush, to descaling. Routine maintenance, especially in the group head will make the coffee taste awake without being polluted by extraction impurities that stick to many of the group head. Once again, having an espresso machine means committing to take care of it because after all this machine will not work optimally when it is full of dirt.