The Jam Box

For the person who wants to enjoy a good cup of coffee at home, the right machine is out there for you. The choice depends on how much cash you want to fork out, of course.

IT isnt hard for coffee lovers to find their daily dose of this potent brew these days. With the proliferation of gourmet coffee franchises around the country, practically every shopping mall in and around the Klang Valley will have at least one decent coffee outlet; and even when not in a mall, one is probably just around the corner.

But what options are available in the comfort of your own home? In a pinch, theres always instant coffee but some coffee purists may not consider this an option at all.

Taste is always subjective but all things considered, coffee tastes best when brewed from fresh beans. There are many brewing methods available from the common drip coffee and percolator machines to the traditional kopitiam fabric filter style.

However, to obtain a brew that matches the best of the coffee franchises, one needs to obtain an espresso machine.

There is no shortage of espresso machines in the market, ranging from those that can be bought from department stores and electrical outlets to Prosumer (professional consumer) brands like Nuova Simonelli, Vibiemme and Expobar, which are usually only available on special order.

Theres just the right machine for you out there the choice of which is naturally your own to make.

But the biggest hurdle to the widespread ownership of these machines is, of course, the cost, typically in excess of RM700 compared to the RM150 or thereabouts for drip machines.

However, considering a cup will set you back RM10 at specialist coffee outlets, an espresso machine will recoup its cost after 70 cups or at the rate of a cup a day in just over two months.

Last week, Sunday Metro had access to three espresso machines that are available on retail and over the next few days, I was the resident barista as I tried out the intricacies of each equipment.

The hands-on machine

At the more affordable end of the scale is the DeLonghi EC 270 pump-driven espresso maker (RM799). As its price suggests, this is a fully manual machine, and requires a hands-on effort for every step of the espresso or caf latte-making process.

Overall, the EC 270 has a solid feel to it, with tough plastic used throughout and a hefty piece of metal for the plate covering its residual water holder (where you would place the cup to collect the extracted coffee).

Controls are minimal, with only three buttons on the top one for power, and the other two to activate the extraction and steaming process respectively. There is also a manual shut-off valve for steam on the side of the unit.

To make a cup of coffee, you have to fill the portafilter with coffee grounds, then tamp it and activate the extraction process. However, there is no auto shut-off function; you have to do it manually once the process is complete.

The steaming function is a little trickier. On pressing the button, a short wait is required for the element to heat up before steaming. However, it will only be able to produce constant steam for a short while (enough for a small cup of milk) before it starts spitting out droplets of hot water. The element has to heat up again for more steam, so dont be too ambitious and try to steam a grand-size cup of milk at one go.

Additionally, you need to allow the machine to cool down after steaming before extracting a second cup of espresso. Otherwise, the still-hot element will overheat the water and the resultant espresso will be overly bitter.

What this machine has going for it is its straightforward, no-frills approach. It does away with all the bells and whistles and just gives you the basics. Purists, though, may not be too enamoured with its non-defeatable crema and milk froth enhancers.

The downside is that it requires a good understanding of the required steps in making a good espresso, or the results will be unsatisfying. Information is easily available on the Internet, so a little research will be needed for you to be the next great barista.

However, if you are equipped with the knowledge, the EC 270 will give you full control over the variables and you could potentially get a better cup of espresso than with an automatic machine.

From bean to cup

For those not so inclined to learn the intricacies of a good espresso, you should get a machine that does it all for you. And the Krups Espresseria Automatic EA8080 (RM3,599) is one such machine.

The EA8080 automates the entire espresso extraction process all you need to do is to put in whole coffee beans (not grounds), press a button, and the machines grinds the beans, tamps the grounds, starts the extraction, and an espresso results. It also allows control over the strength and volume of the brew you can have normal and strong potencies, and from 20ml to 240ml per extraction.

The only manual part of the EA8080 is the milk-steaming process, but there is an accessory that automates that which is available separately. Alternatively, the standard steaming wand works just fine. The same wand also dispenses hot water, so the unit allows you to make tea as well!

There is a learning curve involved in using the unit and some experimentation is required to determine the right amount of water for each extraction to suit individual tastes. But the unit remembers the last used setting so you dont have to specify it every time.

It gets a little trickier with the milk-steaming accessory, though. It attaches to the steam wand but you can only set the steaming time and not volume so experimentation is needed once again to correlate the time with the volume of steamed milk produced.

Aesthetically, the EA8080 is quite a looker: with its compact size and clean design lines, it can quite easily be the focus of attention in a modern kitchen. An easily legible LED screen features distinctively on the front panel, and the menu system is easy to navigate through and understand. It can also be programmed to make coffee at a set time!

Cleaning the machine is easy you only need to empty and clean the used grounds container, discard the residual water tray and wipe down the steaming wand and coffee outlet nozzles. The machine has a rinse function to clean any other internal components.

However, the EA8080 can only brew coffee from beans, and you cant use pre-ground coffee. But that may be a good thing considering coffee tastes best when beans are ground just before extraction. But overall, once you have worked out its intricacies, the EA8080 is fairly easy to use.

Coffee at a touch

Short of getting someone else to do it for you, making the perfect cup of espresso or milk-based coffee cannot possibly be easier than with the DeLonghi ESAM 5500 (RM5,999).

The ESAM 5500 does everything grind the beans, make the espresso and steam the milk all with one touch of a button. The only thing it does not do is clean itself, and even then it has a rinse cycle to flush its internals.

The unit consistently delivered great tasting espresso with a generous crema (a hazel-coloured foam, an indicator of a good espresso). What also impressed was its degree of flexibility five differing strengths and volume are possible, so it can make a coffee to suit every taste.

The unit is also capable of producing cups of coffee in quick succession, with little lag in between milk-steaming cycles, espresso extraction and the next cup. This would make it well-suited to an office environment where there will always be a steady demand for coffee (heres a thinly-veiled hint to all the bosses out there seeking to increase office productivity).

Theres also hardly any learning curve associated with the unit as everything is pre-programmed and optimally set to deliver great coffee. But at its price, youd expect nothing less.

And yes, it can also be programmed to make coffee at a set time.

The only criticism of the ESAM 5500 is that it will require daily cleaning. Residual steamed milk, for example, can accumulate in oddly-shaped components, and some used coffee grounds do not always land in the container. Reaching into the machines tight internal space for cleaning can be a little tricky too. But to its credit, this just requires a wipe-down and the other components only require a rinse of water save for the milk steamer section, where use of soap is always a good idea.

The ESAM 5500 is a truly fantastic fully-automated espresso machine. Yes, its asking price may be high, but considering its ability to consistently produce great tasting coffee in high volumes, it can be considered money well-spent.

Spoilt for choice

Here is a sample of other espresso machines as well as some accessories available from retail stores.

DeLonghi BCO 260 CD combi espresso coffee maker (RM1,199)

If you cant decide between an espresso or drip coffee machine, this one gives you both! This is one that truly makes a coffee to suit every taste bud.

Krups Espresseria Automatic EA8010 (RM2,999)

An automatic machine, this is similar to the EA8080 but without the LED screen.

Krups XP5240 (RM899)

A manual espresso machine, this gives you all the essentials without unnecessary frills. At its affordable price, it is a great starter machine to the world of espresso coffee.

Krups GVX2 coffee grinder (RM249)

This one has a burr milling system which prevents overheating of the beans during the grinding, preserving its aroma. Grind fineness can be set to 17 differ ent levels.

DeLonghi ESAM 2200 (RM2,799)

This espresso maker fully automates the espresso making process just add beans or ground coffee. The milk steaming process is made easier with its Cappuccino System milk frother function.

DeLonghi KG49 coffee grinder (RM199)

A coffee grinder is recommended as coffee tastes best if ground just before brewing. It features a blade grinder, and the coarseness of the grounds can be adjusted, so it can be tailored to any brewing method.

> Coffee beans used in testing were the Lavazza Espresso Gold Selection (RM92/kg)

>For more information on the featured espresso machines and others, contact:

DeLonghi: Kenwood Appliances (M) Sdn Bhd; Tel: 03-8023 8330 / www.delonghi.com

Krups: Groupe SEB Malaysia Sdn Bhd; Tel: 03-7880 6020 / www.krups.com

Waking up to gourmet coffee