Another Site on Espresso Coffee Makers

While the end products of the espresso coffee maker and a standard coffee maker may be similar in taste, their mechanics ands methods of operation are quite different. The biggest difference is that coffee is brewed under normal atmospheric pressure, while espresso is produced with pressurized hot water.

Course Ground vs Powdered Coffee Beans

Another difference between the two machines is the texture of the ground coffee beans that are used to make espresso and coffee. To make coffee, the beans are ground to a course consistency, while espresso requires that the beans be ground to a fine powder.

Pump vs Steam Pressure

In the same way that there are differences espresso coffee makers in the way the two coffee machine function, so too are there differences in the mechanics of various espresso machines. For instance, some espresso coffee makers will incorporate a pump mechanism to force the hot water through the powdered beans, while most espresso machines use steam power to generate the pressure that is needed.

Different Water Temperatures

Water temperature is another factor that sets that espresso coffee maker apart from a standard coffee maker. In short, an espresso coffee maker will use water that is heated to just below the boiling point in temperature. On the other hand, coffee machines tend to use water that is at least at the boiling temperature to brew standard coffee.

A Smoother Taste

The result is that espresso, though much more concentrated than coffee will tend to have a smoother flavor. This is due to the fact that the slightly cooler water will tend to leave much of the bitter oils that are contained in coffee behind during the brewing process.

A Wide Variety in Size and Price

As a far as the price of the actual machines is concerned, they are for the most part comparatively equal. They both come in a wide range of prices depending on the features contained in them and the over all quality and size of the individual machine. Also there are machines available that can produce both espresso and coffee.