Espresso coffee machines make great additions to the pantry in both the home and the office setting.
And if you are a fan of gourmet coffee, then having the usual thermos and commercial coffee pack just would not suffice.
Commercial coffee products are made from Robusta coffee beans, while gourmet coffee products come from Arabica coffee beans.
The quality offered by both of these beans differs greatly.
Robusta beans do not really give you that much crema to begin with.
But Arabica beans can give you very rich crema, the kind that you seek from gourmet coffee served in Seattle's Best or Starbucks.
And only espresso coffee machines are capable of giving you that crema.
That is, if you also have the skills to match.
When choosing which espresso coffee machine to buy, you actually have a few options.
These include the manual, the semi automatic, and the fully automatic.
The fully automatic espresso coffee machine is also known as the super automatic.
Take a look at the features that distinguish one particular kind from another.
Manual espresso coffee machine When you go for this particular type of espresso coffee machine, you have to be ready to do just about everything that is needed in getting yourself that steaming cup of coffee.
There are no shortcuts that make the process easier for you with this machine.
From the process of adding water and coffee grinds to the machine, to the extraction of coffee, all these and more will be literally done by you yourself.
You will also have to operate the frother on your own, if you want to create froth for your cappuccino or your latte.
Semi automatic espresso coffee machine The operation of this machine starts when you switch the machine on.
A button is then pressed to start the extraction of espresso.
After the extraction, you will have to switch the machine off.
This is the automatic aspect of the machine.
It is just a semi automatic type because you will have to make sure your machine's water reservoir is constantly filled.
The same should be done with your grinder.
You have to ensure that there are sufficient coffee beans inside your grinder.
There are also some models that have a coffee grinder integrated into the whole system on its own.
Fully or super automatic espresso coffee machine This is the most convenient of all espresso coffee machines to use because you do not have to take part in the process of extracting coffee.
Your machine has a water system that is fully integrated on its own already.
This means the machine is attached to your water supply already.
The machine also comes with a coffee grinder.
All you have to do is push a particular button, and the machine prepares your espresso for you in a jiff!