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FOR THE KITCHEN

TECH FEATURE

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Modern coffee machines bring café quality beverages home with one-touch simplicity, as well as manual preparation to customise your brews to perfection. Here’s what you need to know to choose the one that will serve you best. Words Scott Hocking Y here are three types of coffee machines A barista in your kitchen

5 things to consider

when buying a coffee machine 1 Cost – There are coffee machines to suit all budgets, and you’ll be saving in the long run with reduced trips to the café. 2 Machine type – A capsule or fully automatic machine offers one-touch convenience, while a manual suits budding baristas. 3 Size – Measure up your bench space. Automatic and manual machines can be large and heavy, whereas capsule machines are more compact. 4 Heating – Nobody likes waiting for that morning coffee! Look for a machine with fast heat-up, and a default or customisable brewing temperature. 5 Milk system – Microfoam requires an inbuilt steam wand or a carafe that auto froths to a preset recipe. And if you prefer plant-based milks, look for a machine with dedicated alternative milk settings.

available, and three things to consider before you buy: budget, automatic one touch convenience, or hands-on barista-style manual preparation. Capsule The ultimate in coffee convenience, capsule machines offer instant gratification. Insert a pod, press a button, and voila, your coffee is ready! Compact enough to fit into small bench spaces, capsule machines are very affordable and perfect for busy lifestyles and those bleary

and an integrated bean grinder. They give you complete control of each step of the coffee making process, barista style, from grinding, dosing and tamping, to milk texturing for that silky finish. Manual machines suit coffee connoisseurs who love the ritual of preparation, and can require some basic barista skills to master. However, many have menu guidance to simplify things and there are models that cater to the beginner. An impressive addition to the kitchen that reveals you’re passionate about coffee, manual machines can be large and heavy, requiring

eyed early morning coffee kicks. And they heat up quickly, so there’s no waiting. The pre-ground coffee is sealed in a capsule or pod, and supermarket coffee aisles are chock full of different varieties and brands, so make sure the capsules you buy are compatible with your machine. Manual Manual machines are the professional kind you see in cafés, with pressure gauges, levers

touch of a button – and you can also customise preset recipes to your taste. Automatic machines suit those who want the convenience of a capsule machine and the taste sensation of freshly ground beans, and user profiles can be set up and saved for individual household (or office) members. Cleaning and maintenance is simple too, and can include an inbuilt cleaning system and alerts when it’s time for maintenance.

more bench space. Automatic

Fully automatic machines are like having a personal barista in your kitchen. They grind, dose, tamp, pour, and froth the milk at the

60 AUGUST 2024

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