If you love a good morning coffee then the one thing generally standing in your way is a machine or person that produces it for you. It wasn’t so long ago that a cafe would serve coffee from a large pot and a coffee at home would be some Blend 43 from a jar. Today we’re spoiled for options and it is only getting easier, and the coffee is getting better.
Capsules Changed the Game
In 2004 we first pulled the lever and dropped a coffee capsule into a Nespresso machine. The simple thought that we could produce barista style coffee from a pod and push of a button was mind blowing. It changed coffee forever and with time and further improvements the cost of a machine meant that anyone could own one. The variety of capsule blends has also meant that we can easily find the flavour that suits us, by only trying one coffee capsule, not buying a whole bag of beans… or jar of coffee.
Bean Lovers Go Automatic
For many coffee machine companies, nothing beats the bean. While brands like Nespresso want the entire process to be simple, others like Jura are remaining true to the traditional process yet looking to automate as much of it as possible. Automatic machines will take your beans and with a touch of a button produce a cappuccino or latte quicker than your local cafe barista. The inner workings of these machines is a modern marvel, they do cost a great deal more than capsule based machines but the results are generally better.
Remote Operation
The next wave of machines have lately been taking us away from even pushing a button. The Nespresso Prodigio was bluetooth enabled which meant you could trigger your morning coffee from your smartphone. Brands like DeLonghi and Jura have no also done the same, enabling you to even tune the course of the blend and water amounts on your automatic machine using an app. We are moving close to the next machines that will be voice enabled with integration to Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Waking up in the morning you’ll only need to say “Alexa, ask Jura to make me a double espresso” before your machine jumps into action. Just make sure you have the cup ready the night before.
No Excuse For Bad Coffee
With the above in mind it is absolutely a fact that coming to your place and asking for a coffee should not result in a jar being whipped out of the cupboard. A trip to Woolworths or Coles will even help you find machines for less than $100 that work with Vittoria or Lavazza capsules. If you simply can’t do that for your guests then meet them at a local cafe. Every cafe today should be pouring the coffee to order and those glass pots are used as fish bowls in Newtown. There is no more excuse for bad coffee, anywhere, anytime.
Traditional Processes Still The Best
Over the years, a lot of machines have been through my kitchen. From $150 to $5000. Each and every time that we test a machine we try and make a traditional espresso. The only machines that produce a proper, velvety smooth espresso are the traditional grind, tamp, pump machines. No automatic or capsules machine can achieve the same espresso. Even a manual machine for less than $400 will produce a better espresso than a $5000 automatic machine. If you’re a lover of coffee with milk then you’ll be less likely to notice the difference. The fact remains that good coffee is an art, and regardless of the machines, the apps, the artificial intelligence in this world, nothing beats the traditional way.