"espresso machine" news and stories

Erin Meister trains baristas for North Carolina-based Counter Culture Coffee and sporadically maintains the blog Meet the Press Pot from her home in New York City. This is part of a series for the caffeine-addicted.

In the Italian tradition, espresso is impossible without the "four M's," or the elements necessary to craft the tiny, potent elixir we know and love. Over the next four weeks, the CoffeeMeister will delve into the four elements that make possible our favorite little jolt: the caffè espresso.

Of course, anybody who's ever desperately craved a latte at 3 p.m. knows that people generally work better and are more focused after a coffee. The same held true during Europe's Industrial Revolution, and before long, bosses started getting tired of watching the minutes tick by as factory workers slowly got caffeinated. That all changed in 1901, when an enterprising gentleman named Luigi Bezzera built a contraption that allowed captured steam pressure to force very hot water through very finely ground coffee, creating a kind of quick coffee concentrate meant to be slugged faster than you can say "coffee break."

And presto! La macchina was born.

A Rancilio Silvia home espresso machine. Photo: Jay Ritmista, Flickr

Erin Meister trains baristas for North Carolina-based Counter Culture Coffee and sporadically maintains the blog Meet the Press Pot from her home in New York City. This is part of a series of tips for the caffeine-addicted.

Hooked on espresso? Yeah, me too. But not because we need it, right? It's because we love it. It isn't just a caffeine fix -- it's an act of passion. It's a foodie's delight.

Brewing espresso at home is a luxury enjoyed by few but might be more accessible than you think: Decent equipment starts at a basic splurge level before moving into "coffee has taken control of my life" exorbitance -- I swear!

Here's a guide to finding a machine that fits your needs (and your bank account).

Did you know that the invention of the espresso machine can be traced back to Illy? Me neither. But it all makes sense.

I learned this fascinating fact this morning in a New York Times article that details parent company Illycaffè's strategy to maintain its grounds in what's become an increasingly global and competitive coffee bar arena. The company had sought to have the name espresso legally protected so it could only be used by Italian espresso makers. As any Starbucks fan knows this effort failed; Illycaffè was told that espresso is a generic term that cannot be assigned to any particular nation.

Illy's new strategy is to make customers view espresso as fashionable. Of course espresso was considered a sophisticated drink long before Starbucks brought the frappuccino into vogue. After all, the idea of café society has existed since the 1800s. It seems the espresso pioneer aims to make the beverage even more fashionable. It has opened a chain of espresso bars called Espressamente that with cups and saucers designed by the likes of Jeff Koons look more like fashion boutiques than typical Italian espresso bars.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to Starbucks for my afternoon jolt, but only because there's no Espressamente in my nabe.

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Even though it is dangerous to drive while eating or drinking, most morning commuters still want to have their coffee on the way to work. Car designers know this, which is why they install cup holders that are easy for the driver to reach. Audi took the idea a step further and designed their concept Roadjet with a fully-functional espresso machine (above left) on the arm rest between the driver and passenger seats. This enables the driver to get his or her caffeine fix without having to pull into a Starbucks, though hopefully they will wait until the car stops before pulling a shot.

One enthusiastic Audi fan couldn't resist making a mod with his own Audi and installed a Capresso 1500 (above right) in the back seat. It is securely tied down to the seat and is powered with an inverter that is mounted on the dash. It's also a bit safer than the Roadjet model because, since the machine is in the back seat, the driver cannot operate the machine while behind the wheel.

I recently set up my home espresso machine. I am not an espresso novice, but this is the first machine I’ve had in my own kitchen. Based upon careful research, I selected the best machine I could find. And by “careful research”, I mean to say that I got a good deal on a good-looking machine. Fortunately for me, it is also an excellent machine that offers great performance, especially for a countertop model. It has a 15-BAR pressure pump and high quality brass hadware inside. The sleek, retro styling and small size are nice bonuses, in my opinon.  I have a Francis!Francis! X3.