For many people a cup of espresso is the way to start a day. Some might prefer having their own espresso maker at home for convenience and choices of different coffee styles.
A comparative test report of 13 models of espresso coffee makers was published in the June issue of CHOICE, a good reference for consumers contemplating the purchase.
The test was coordinated by International Consumer Research and Testing and conducted in Europe. The 13 models included 4 automatic, 6 fully automatic, and 3 using specially prepared coffee capsules. Their prices ranged from HK$1,290 to HK$19,988.
The samples made espresso coffee by injecting pressurized water to coffee powder to extract the aroma essence.
The fully automatic models only required a single touch to make both espresso and frothing milk, as well as cappuccino and other special milk coffees. The automatic models, however, required the users to mix coffee with frothed milk manually. The coffee capsule models only accommodate coffee capsules from the same manufacturers. As the used coffee powder would stay in the capsule, it made cleaning easier. But the coffee capsules were not widely available in shops and were mostly ordered online or by phone.
The comparative test included the following items: preparation time, coffee temperature, energy saving performance, difference of making 2 cups, milk frothing, instruction manual, convenience of use and taste test.
In general, coffees prepared by all models were at around the optimal temperature (for espresso coffee) of 67°C. For hotter coffee, users might consider using cup warmer or rinsing the cup with hot water before serving.
Energy consumption of all the samples was comparatively low. It cost one to three cents of electricity to make 2 cups of coffee. Users are reminded to turn off the machine after use to save energy. While some samples do not have standby mode, they all have auto switched off function after idling for 9 minutes to 15 hours.
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- 2012.06.15