Category: Espresso Machine

7 Steps To Making Great Espresso

Does great espresso have to be messy? Some say so, others say no. Here we explore a twist on the subject. A craving for a truly excellent shot of espresso creates a marvel at the rich color of the coffee and the creamy dark golden colored crema foam resting on the surface. So, how do we create this coffee masterpiece? And how big a mess will be created as well?

Let’s take a look at the process of making a great espresso. For starters, we will review the process of making espresso with one of my favorite machines, the Rancilio Silvia. We will also look at how some other machines have attempted to make the process of making great espresso with less mess. Be sure to check out our guide with more information on espresso and espresso machines.

Follow these simple tips, and you’ll always have a great shot of espresso with minimal mess. Enjoy!

1) Preparing the Espresso Machine

Add fresh water to the water tank. Turn on the Pasquini Livia and allow it to warm up for 7 to 10 minutes. Prepare a blank shot, and release some steam through the steam wand. This will ensure the machine is completely warmed up. With a Prosumer Espresso Machine, I can do this once a day, as it is designed to stay on and be ready to prepare espresso all day long. Add freshly roasted beans to the bean hopper on your grinder, and dose out any old coffee remaining in the doser.

2) Water Quality for Delicious Taste

High water quality is critical to producing excellent espresso. Hard water contains mineral deposits that may or may not adversely affect the taste of your espresso, but they will damage your machine over time. Regular decalcification of your machine or the use of soft water will prevent damage to your machine. Chlorine and other foul tastes must be removed or avoided – if your water does not taste good, neither will your espresso. Either filter your water or use bottled water. Even the most expensive bottled water is affordable when producing 1 or 2 ounces shot of espresso.

3) Selecting Your Espresso Roast

Roasting your own coffee is a whole other topic, but many insist it is the only way to ensure truly fresh coffee. A local coffee roaster, if you’re lucky enough to have a good one, is another good source of freshly roasted coffee. If one is not available, a variety of quality Italian roasted espresso coffee is available. Companies such as illy and Lavazza are some quality brands. A favorite of mine is Illy's Classico Whole Bean, which comes packed in airtight 250-gram tins.

4) Grinding the Espresso Beans

Freshly ground beans are important for two reasons:
Freshness – once the coffee is ground, it oxidizes (gets stale) quickly;
Grind Adjustment – to maximize the extraction of your espresso beans is one of the true arts in the process of making great espresso.

The grind should be consistent and about the coarseness of table salt. Also, only a minimal amount of heat should be generated during grinding. A quality burr grinder is required.

5) Dosing and Tamping

Once you have ground your coffee, approximately 7 grams of coffee for each 1 to 1½ ounce shot is normally used. With the Fiorenzato F4, this is accomplished by using the grinder’s electronic doser to portion the coffee into the filter basker/portafilter. Inconsistent dosing will lead to inconsistent espresso.

After dosing the coffee, the coffee needs to be firmly and evenly packed or tamped. I prefer to do this with my 58mm Reg Barber tamper. Apply approximately 30 pounds of pressure until the surface is level. Any remaining loose coffee should be brushed away. The portafilter is then ready to be placed into the group head of your espresso machine.

6) Extraction

I generally run the pump for about 25 seconds to yield a 1 1/2 ounce shot of espresso. Extracting into pre-warmed espresso cups is required.

7) Clean-up and Maintenance

After extraction, remove the portafilter and dump the grinds. Rinse the portafilter and basket. Periodically clean out the drip tray and wipe up any spills. Use a soft brush to remove any coffee from up in the group heap. Periodically back-flush the machine using an appropriate cleaner.

That's how you create the perfect shot of espresso. Now let's look at making your life easier with a few great espresso machines.

Espresso Machines That Pour A Great Shot and Reduce Mess

3 brands of espresso machines from the super-automatic coffee and espresso center.

The Capresso EC300 provides much time saving and mess reducing features, such as the preparation of the machine. The EC300’s Thermoblock heating system warms up in about a minute. This is accomplished because the espresso pro does not pre-boil a quantity of water, it superheats a block of metal through which a water tube runs. When the water has passed completely through the tube, it is consistently heated to the proper temperature.

The EC100 utilizes ground coffee or espresso pods. An espresso pod is a pre-ground, pre-measured disk of coffee held together by a fine filter paper. Espresso pods eliminate the need to grind, measure, and tamp your coffee. And after extracting your espresso, the used grounds are easily and cleanly disposed of. 1^stin Coffee sells espresso pods from Illy, Lavazza, and San Giorgio.

Nespresso Espresso Machines

The Nespresso Lattissima Plus also utilizes a Thermoblock heating system, but what makes it totally unique are the Nespresso coffee capsules. The Nespresso system was designed to utilize Nespresso capsules from the beginning. The capsules contain 7 grams of pre-ground espresso coffee and inert gas to maintain freshness. Similar to pods, there is no need to grind, measure, tamp the coffee.

Jura Automatic Machines

The Jura E8 Super-Automatic prepares your coffee in about a minute. It's as easy as placing the whole bean in the hopper, filling the water tank, and turning it on. You can adjust the water volume dial to 2 oz. This great espresso machine grinds, measures, tamps, and brews automatically.

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Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine

The name “Rancilio” has become synonymous with quality espresso in the home and for good reason. With over 85 years of experience in Italy making espresso machines, Rancilio has applied their knowledge and expertise to become a benchmark name in home espresso equipment. Using the finest of materials Rancilio coffee machines reflect the brand's commitment to quality. Our exclusive 1st in Coffee's New User Guide to Rancilio Silvia and Rancilio Rocky is included free with any Rancilio espresso machine or espresso grinder purchase. This 20+ page instructional booklet sets the standard for getting the most out of your Rancilio coffee machines whether an espresso machine or a Rancilio coffee grinder. Our illustrated guide, written in plain English, will take you through the espresso-making process, step by step. Rancilio home espresso machines and Rancilio grinders carry a full 2-year Parts and Labor Warranty. We also carry Rancilio commercial machines.

The Rancilio Silvia V6 espresso and cappuccino machine has been a leader in its class for over 20 years for good reason. Rancilio took their experience in manufacturing some of the finest commercial machines available and put it to work to offer a high-quality machine for the home user at an affordable price. Version M offers a new thermal wrapped lead-free brass boiler, making the best even better! It's no wonder that the Rancilio Silvia V6 has become the gold standard against which other home espresso machines are judged.

The Rancilio Silvia home espresso and cappuccino machine have been a leader in its class for over 20 years for good reason. Rancilio took their experience in manufacturing some of the finest commercial machines available and put it to work to offer a high-quality machine for the home user at an affordable price. The current version brings us to version 6, it adds an updated thermal wrapped lead-free brass boiler, making the best even better! It's no wonder that the Rancilio Silvia V6 has become the gold standard against which other home espresso machines are judged.

Precision manufacturing and the highest quality materials all come together to bring you a machine with a proven track record of dependable home service. 1st In Coffee wants you to get the most out of your new Silvia!

The Rancilio Silvia produces outstanding espresso, lattes, and cappuccinos, and we want you to get the most out of your Silvia. To help you along we include our exclusive “1st in Coffee's User's Guide to Silvia and Rocky.” This guide was created by an expert in the field of home espresso, and many years of experience have gone into the creation of this guide. This guide is a “1st in Coffee” exclusive, and we send it FREE with the purchase of any Rancilio home espresso machine or Rancilio espresso grinder purchase. This 20+ page instructional guide sets the standard for getting the most out of your Rancilio espresso equipment.

The Rancilio Silvia M earned its reputation as the machine to beat for the home user by using high-quality materials, high-quality components, and incorporating many commercially-inspired features:

QUALITY MEETS THE EYE

The Silvia shows itself to be a quality appliance right from the start. With the exception of the black, heavy steel framework, the entire exterior surface of Silvia is gleaming stainless steel. Not only will this machine blend beautifully with most any kitchen decor, it is also easy to keep clean and looking new for years to come.

Open the box and lift Silvia and you will immediately be impressed— this is not just another appliance. At 30 pounds it will be immediately clear that heavy-duty, quality materials are used throughout to create a superior machine! See the beautiful black trim Silva Rancilio

EASY TO USE AND CONVENIENTLY LOCATED CONTROLS

All the controls for the Rancilio Silvia are located right on the face of the machine. Turn the switch in the front-center and Silvia is now powered up. The small indicator lamp on the switch itself illuminates indicating that power is being supplied to the machine. The large lamp next to the power switch is lit whenever power is being sent to the heating element. Once the power switch is on, Silvia is warming up— getting ready to make an espresso, a latte, or a cappuccino.

BREWING ESPRESSO: On the left side of the front of Silvia are three switches. The top switch is the “Brewing Switch” which starts the brewing cycle. When you are ready to make espresso, turn the brew switch on and heated water is pumped to the brewing group and through the coffee.

HOT WATER: The center of the Rancilio Silvia's three switches is for hot water. Turn this switch on, place a vessel under the steam wand, and open the steam valve (the knob on the right side of the machine's face), and hot water is dispensed through the steam wand. This is handy for making an Americano or even a cup of tea.

STEAM: The bottom switch of the three turns on the steam function. This raises the temperature in the boiler to produce steam for stretching milk for a cappuccino or a latte. After this switch is turned on, and when the heating element lamp turns off, you will know that there is sufficient steam for the Rancilio Silvia. Open the newly re-designed steam valve slightly to clear the steam wand of water, and you are now ready to steam milk.

STEAMING MILK

Silvia earned her reputation in part from her astounding steaming power. The Silvia is considered by many to have the best steam production in its class— as good as machines costing much more. Indeed, the Rancilio Silvia will outperform every machine under $700 in steaming ability.

Turn on the steam switch, and in well under two minutes you will have sufficient steam to quickly stretch enough milk for a large latte or two cappuccinos.

You may notice that the steam wand is a simple, chrome tube without attachments to artificially enhance frothing— these aren't needed. The smooth, chrome surface of the wand easily wipes clean with a damp towel, like a commercial machine.

Quality Brewing Group

The chrome-plated, brass group head (where the filter basket is locked into place) is designed after Rancilio’s line of commercial espresso machines. The mass of metal evenly distributes heat and reduces “hot spots” for greater temperature stability. The dispersion disc and shower screen are designed to evenly distribute water across the coffee grounds for a better extraction.

12 oz. Lead-Free Brass Boiler

Brass is one of the best choices for a boiler. Brass is resistant to corrosion, heats up evenly, and can take the heat and cooling cycles that are common in home espresso machines. Silvia's thermal wrapped heavy brass boiler can get up to temperature quickly and stay there, with a fast recycling time. Silvia M now features an improved stainless steel heating element inside the boiler.

Triple Control and Safety

The Rancilio Silvia home espresso machine is equipped with three thermostats, mounted right on the boiler. One is for maintaining the proper brewing temperature to make espresso, one is to control a higher temperature for creating steam, and the third is a safety device. If for some reason Silvia overheats, the safety thermostat trips, much like a circuit breaker, and turns off the heating element. Once Silvia cools down, the user can easily reset the thermostat with nothing more than a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the four screws holding the cup-warming tray.

Controls

Silvia M features a new power switch and indicator lights. A green light indicated the Rancilio home espresso machine is on and an additional yellow-orange light indicates when the boiler's heating element is heating.

Commercial-Grade Portafilter and Filter Baskets

Keeping with the tradition of using only commercial-grade components, Silvia uses a heavy-duty chrome-plated brass portafilter. The first time you pick it up you will know that this is a component made to last, just like the rest of Silvia. The heavy brass body is equipped with a tough, rigid plastic handle. The distance between the bottom of the portafilter spouts and the drip tray is 5 1/4 inches, plenty of room for a variety of espresso and cappuccino cups.

The Rancilio Silvia comes with two pressed stainless steel filter baskets (a single shot and double shot version), which both measures 58mm in diameter, the same size found in a majority of commercial espresso machines. An espresso pod conversion kit is also available.

Commercial Quality 3-way valve, Pressure Release System

A common complaint of lesser machines is that if the user is not careful, hot water and coffee can spray out when removing the portafilter. Like its commercial brethren, the Rancilio Silvia is equipped with a 3-way valve that relieves the brewing pressure as soon as the user turns off the brew switch. This automatically relives all the pressure so the user can safely, and cleanly remove the portafilter without worrying about the dreaded “portafilter sneeze.”

Large Capacity 67 oz. Water Tank

On the top of Silvia is the large, black cover of the water reservoir. Lift the cover and it is easy to check the reservoir's water level or to replenish it by simply pouring in additional water. The entire reservoir can be easily lifted out of the machine for cleaning or refilling if you prefer.

Heavy Duty Pump System

Silvia is equipped with a high-quality electric pump which is capable of 15 BAR (217 psi) of pressure. These pumps have shown that they are capable of many, many years of dependable service.

Adjustable Brew Pressure

As you may already know, the best espresso is made at around 9 BAR (135 psi). Since the pump is capable of much more force than that, Silvia is now equipped with an internal, adjustable pressure relief valve (OPV) which is factory set to the correct brewing force.

Drip Tray

Silvia's newly redesigned drip tray has a modern look as well as being very functional. The drip tray as well as the cover are both made from stainless steel which will remain nice to look at for years to come. The drip tray is easily removed for emptying and cleaning.

Cup Warmer

Silvia's top, like the rest of its exterior, is also stainless steel. The boiler is located right under the top, so the top serves as a handy cup warmer. Store a set of your favorite espresso cups there, and they will be warmed as Silvia comes up to temperature. Preheating your cups in this way helps preserve the delicate tastes of the espresso which can be affected by brewing into room temperature cups.

Installation

The Rancilio Silvia cappuccino and espresso machine requires no special plumbing or electrical outlets. Just fill the reservoir, plug Silvia into an appropriate outlet, and it’s ready to operate.

Product Specifications:

• Colors: Brushed stainless steel
• Power: 1100 watts – 120 volts
• Size: 13.75″H x 9.25″W x 12″D
• Weight: 30 pounds
• Body Material: Steel frame, stainless steel housing
• Warranty: 2 years parts and labor
• Origin: Italy

Included Accessories:

• Rancilio Owner's Manual
• Metal tamper
• Measuring spoon for coffee
• Portafilter with single and double filter baskets