Coffee Machines & Coffee Makers

More About Coffee Machines & Coffee Makers

Looking to buy a coffee machine for your home or business online?
Here at Huntoffice we supply ergonomic and stylish coffee machines from Nescafe Dolce Gusto, Nespresso and Keurig range that can be used at home or office – these are coffee capsule operating machines and you can find a great selection of these coffee capsule and pod supplies in the coffee machines supplies section. We also stock professional vending coffee machines and instant coffee brewing machines form Nescafe & Go and Keurig that are designed for shops and supermarkets as well as for large offices and canteens.

For many people throughout the world the day usually begins with the cup of coffee. And surely everyone understands an importance of a coffee break at workplace, as the right cup of coffee can get you back in shape in a matter of minutes. While some coffee drinkers prefer to visit their local coffee shop or convenience store to grab their cup of coffee, having a coffee machine at home or the office can save both time and money. Sales of coffee machines have been growing with more and more households and offices owning one, so whether you\'re considering to buy one for your home or office, or your existing machine needs to be replaced, here\'s a Huntoffice Coffee Machine Buyers Guide to help you to make the right choice.

Buying a coffee machine is more complicated than it used to be before. There are many ways of making coffee, so before selecting a coffee machine, it is important to review and understand the different types of coffee machines that feature different coffee brewing techniques. There is a wide variety of coffee machines available from various brands and manufacturers. They range from the basic manual coffee percolator to the super automatic espresso machines.
There are a few main types of coffee machines. Usually coffee machines are classified by brewing method:
 
• Espresso Pump Coffee Machines:
With pump espresso machines coffee is brewed using a highly specialized technique. There is two main espresso pump machine features to be considered before buying: coffee machine’s water boiler type and pump pressure.
The Water Boiler: Espresso pump coffee machines use a thermostatically controlled boiler which heats the water to its optimum temperature for coffee. Some Espresso Pump Coffee Machines feature the Thermoblock water boiler. It is a type of boiler that heats up the water instantly to the perfect temperature when it flows to the ground coffee.  If you need to prepare a lot of coffee cups in a row and need boiling water to be ready at all times,  for larger quantities of coffee a cylinder boiler system is advised.  These espresso machines are in general always on / ready. There are also two-boiler espresso machines available, that feature both water boiler technologies.
The Pump: Pump pressure is used to force very hot (between 85C and 92C) water through finely ground coffee. This method is often referred to as extracting, rather than brewing. It is very important to check the bar pressure of espresso pump coffee machine, before buying it,  as it might not be powerful enough to make a really good espresso. Good bar pressure of the pump is essential for making a good crema – layer of foam on top of the coffee drink. Too low bar pressure could also result in a bitter taste of coffee. Espresso Pump Coffee Machines bar pressure usually varies between 15 – 19(the optimum), though some coffee machine suppliers claim 9-11 bar is enough if the beans have been ground correctly.
Espresso machines can be manual, semi-automatic, automatic or super automatic, featuring various tools such as milk frother, bean grinder, cup heater, steam pipe, hot water supply (for tea) and many more.
Manual Espresso Pump Machines:
With a manual operated espresso machine user will do the dosing of coffee and water. Preparing coffee using manual lever and piston espresso machine requires knowledge and skills, but professionals often agree that manual espresso makers are capable of producing a ‘true’ espresso. However, this manual espresso preparation process is time consuming and the technique can be hard to learn.
Semi-Automatic Espresso Pump Machines:
Most espresso machines found in coffee shops are semi-automatic. In general the semi-automatic espresso machine will automatically dose the right quantity of water at the right temperature and create the right pressure. These popular semi-automatic espresso machines are easy to use and also allow user to customise finished product by controlling temperature, brewing pressure and tamp and manual switching the pump on and off.
Automatic Espresso Pump Machines:
Fully automatic espresso pump machines are even easier to use than semi-automatics, they will make perfect coffee drink with just one touch of a button. Automatic espresso makers use an electronic control system instead of the manual controls on a semi-automatic machine, so the user’s ability to customize the coffee flavour is lost. But for anyone who wants to enjoy a good cup of espresso made fast and with minimal effort automatic espresso machines are just perfect.
Super Automatic Espresso Machines With Build-In Extras:
These machines are designed to just add coffee beans and water and press the button. They have not only electronic control system but also a lot of handy extras build-in. These super automatic espresso pump machines will grind the beans, tamp down the grounds, discard the used coffee once it’s finished making your cup of coffee. They can also heat and add the milk to make cappuccinos, lattes, mochas and other variety of coffee drinks.
Result: The coffee made with pump espresso machine is thicker than coffee brewed with other coffee machines and has more dissolved coffee grounds in it. Highly concentrated espresso coffee has a bold flavour, and is usually served in little shot cups. Properly prepared espresso will have a layer of foam, called crema, on top. Espresso Pump Coffee Machines usually include a tool for steaming milk enabling user to make lattes and cappuccinos and other espresso coffee drinks.
Most popular types of coffee that espresso pump machines make:
•Cappuccino: 1/3 espresso, 1/3 hot milk, 1/3 frothy milk
•Latte: with added hot milk. Normally 1:6/espresso: hot milk.
•Macchiato: espresso with a little touch of milk
•Con Panne: espresso with a dash of cream
•Mocha: hot chocolate with a dash of espresso
 
• Pressure Coffee Machines:
These pressure coffee machines are similar to pump espresso machines, but their technology doesn’t include high pressure pump, what makes them cheaper and can reduce the quality of espresso prepared. In the pressure coffee machines water is boiled in a chamber, boiling water builds pressure and steam. Eventually enough pressure is built up and forces the boiling water through to the coffee grounds. This steam can then be used for frothing. A drawback is that the water used can be too hot to make an authentic espresso and the bar pressure might not be powerful enough to make a really good espresso coffee.
 
• Filter/Drip Coffee Machines:
Drip coffee makers are popular for their convenience and ease of use. Filter/Drip Coffee Machines have a water reservoir, a heating element, a filter, hot pad, and a carafe. Filter/Drip coffee machine takes water, heats it, and filters it through ground coffee through a coffee filter down into the carafe. The carafe sits on a hot pad that keeps the coffee hot. Filter/Drip Coffee Machines are great at making large quantities of coffee and keeping them warm. There is also bean grinding Filter/Drip Coffee Machines available, some of them have a timer function to ensure you have your coffee ready just on time.
 
• Percolators:
If you like to vary the strength of your coffee then to buy a percolator might be a good idea. Ground coffee is put into a holder at the top, water in the bottom. As the water boils it is forced up a tube and down through the coffee back into the compartment below. You can get stove-top versions or electric versions which contain a heating element. These days, you can still get the stove-top models but there are electric versions too.
 
• French Press Coffee Makers:
A French press coffee maker technology is simple to use:  coffee grounds and water steep together in one container. Then a metal plunger is used to press the grounds down to the bottom of container. The French press is a quick way to make a cup or two of freshly-brewed coffee. The full contact between coffee and water results in rich flavour being extracted from the grounds. User can control the water temperature and the steeping time. This method of brewing is suited to coarsely ground coffee.
 
• Vacuum (Siphon) Coffee Makers:
These coffee makers has two chambers, usually made of glass, a siphon tube, a filter (glass tube or cloth, paper, or metal), and a gasket. Most of  vacuum coffee makers are designed for stove-top use, but some are electric or come with their own burner. They feature unique coffee brewing technology: water is heated in the lower chamber creates a pressure that forces it up the siphon tube to the upper chamber, where it mixes with the coffee grounds. When coffee maker is removed from the heat the vacuum pressure draws the coffee back into the lower chamber.
Coffee machines can also be classified by the type of coffee they are designed to use with: whole bean coffee machines (bean-to-cup coffee machines), ground coffee machines (for loose coffee grounds or ground coffee capsule coffee machines), instant coffee machines (coffee vending machines).
 
• Ground Coffee Machines:
Bean-To-Cup Coffee Machines:
Although bean grinders are available to purchase separately, some coffee machines are able to make a cup of coffee straight from the coffee beans. Whole bean coffee machines can feature any of the coffee brewing technologies above, but they have also the coffee bean grinder included. Fresh beans are ground and used to make espresso, giving you a truly fresh coffee taste and aroma. Many of these machines are completely automatic: add water to the tank, pour milk into a dedicated container and fill the coffee bean hopper. Then simply press the button for your coffee and the machine grinds the beans, dispenses your coffee and froths the milk.
Instant Coffee Makers:
Although the instant coffee is usually prepared just simply adding hot boiled water from the kettle to the cup, there is a variety of coffee machines available. These machines feature an instant coffee brewing technology similar to ground coffee brewing methods. Instant Coffee Makers can prepare various coffee drinks using instant coffee capsules.
Ground Coffee Machines:
Most of the coffee machines and coffee makers are designed to brew roast ground coffee. Some of them require the use of loose coffee grinds, but not long ago introduced ground coffee pod/capsule system for coffee machines is becoming more and more popular between the coffee drinkers.
Single Serve Coffee Pod/Capsule Coffee Machines:
Single serve coffee pod/capsule machines usually use pump espresso machine coffee brewing technology - a boiler rapidly heats the water, building enough pressure to force it through the pod - a sealed foil or plastic capsule packed with coffee grounds. These machines make a single coffee serving from each pod and each cup takes only a short time to brew. These single serve coffee pod/capsule machines can be semi-automatic or automatic. There are many advantages of using these coffee machines, such as easy to use and understand technology, little or no clean up necessary, wide assortment of coffee pod flavours available. However some consumers do not like the inconvenience of having to buy specially designed pods for each brand of machine.
Other things worth to consider when choosing right coffee machine:
• Coffee Machine Wattage:
The higher the wattage of the coffee machine, the faster the water is boiled. High wattage machines are good if you need to make several espresso drinks in a row.
• Milk Frother:
If you are a fan of milky coffees, such as latte and cappuccino, the coffee machine you buy should feature at least a simple steam milk frother or even a separate milk tank.  Any type of milk can be used – full cream, semi-skimmed or skimmed is fine – as long as it\'s fresh.
• Coffee Machine Cleaning and Descaling:
Some coffee machines feature automatic cleaning and descaling systems, some of the coffee machine units might need to be taken apart and cleaned or descaled manually. The frequency of coffee machine cleaning and descaling needed may depend on how often it is used, if it has build-in or removable milk frothing unit and many more other factors.
Here, at Huntoffice Coffee Machine section we have a selection of stylish and ergonomic pump espresso single serve coffee pod machines and instant coffee vending machines available to buy at great prices. Compact and innovative Coffee Machines feature best coffee preparation technologies, minimum of 12 moths warranty and well known worldwide recognised brands, like Nescafe Dolce Gusto, Nespresso, Campanini and many more. Have a look at Huntoffice Coffee Machine range – you surely will find the perfect coffee machine for your home, office canteen, boardroom or reception room. Get your coffee machine delivered straight to your door, as we deliver nationwide, including Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Cork.