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5 Types of Coffee Machines in Comparison

Coffee is and will remain the favorite drink of Germans. But coffee is not just coffee. The type of coffee machine and the respective coffee preparation play an important role. Get to know different coffee machines and conjure up delicious coffee.

Which coffee machine is the right one?

If you want to buy a new coffee machine, you should first find out about the different ways of preparing it. To ensure that you make the right choice of the coffee machine and that future coffee satisfies you, note the most important criteria. Because cleaning the coffee machine, handling and appearance can make your decision much easier. First, we will give you an overview of the 6 most common types of coffee preparation.

  1. Classic filter coffee machine
  2. Coffee maker (French Press)
  3. capsule and pad machines
  4. fully automatic coffee machines
  5. espresso machine

1) Classic filter coffee machine for making coffee

When it comes to serving larger groups, there is still almost no alternative to a filter coffee machine. Heavy drinkers are also well advised to use such a machine. Almost nothing has changed on the actual principle since the 1970s. However, modern filter coffee machines often offer some additional functions, such as an integrated grinder or a timer function. At the same time, the jug serves as a thermos on many machines. Since you can brew any bean coffee with these machines, brewing with a classic filter machine is very flexible and also cheap. In addition, note other tips for buying household appliances.

  • inexpensive,
  • easy cleaning,
  • Flexible in the choice of coffee,
  • Can be prepared in large quantities.

2) Use a coffee maker with pads

Coffee machines with pods have managed to combine the principle of teabag with delicious coffee enjoyment. There are pads in various flavors, which are simply inserted into the machine and the desired drink is available within a few seconds. Such a machine is ideal, especially in the office or for a quick coffee in between. There are numerous different pad manufacturers and the machines are available for around 50 euros.

3) Prepare coffee with capsules

Capsule machines also only ever prepare one cup. In contrast to pad machines, not all capsules can always be used in the respective machine, because each manufacturer has its own capsule system. Due to the packaging in the aluminum capsule, the coffee should retain more of its aroma and taste more full-bodied than the coffee from pad machines. Capsule machines are usually slightly or even significantly more expensive (to maintain) than coffee machines with pads. The question of whether it should be a capsule or pad machine is sometimes highly controversial among many consumers, as this reduces sustainability in the household.

  • Fast preparation at the touch of a button
  • comfortable to use,
  • large selection of varieties,
  • sometimes difficult to clean.

4) Buy a fully automatic coffee maker

A fully automatic coffee machine does most of the work for you and actually prepares the coffee almost automatically. The integrated coffee grinder transports the freshly ground coffee into the brewing unit and perfect milk froth is added at the touch of a button. This means that the coffee tastes particularly fresh and delicious. These fully automatic machines can also clean themselves. As a result, you save yourself the hassle of cleaning, although it makes sense to descale the coffee machine from time to time. The devices are available for 250 euros. The advantages of a fully automatic coffee machine are manifold:

  • very convenient operation,
  • Diversity at the push of a button
  • Delicious and fresh coffee taste
  • Relative expensive.

5) Use an espresso machine (portafilter machine).

An espresso machine with a portafilter is the pinnacle of coffee machines. Because such a machine offers you the opportunity to prepare the coffee exactly as you wish. Most machines have an integrated coffee grinder where you can adjust the degree of grinding. Then put the ground coffee in the sieve. In addition, with good machines, you can set the brewing temperature and pressure individually. However, a portafilter machine is not cheap. But for original Italian espresso, you can’t get past one of these. Consequently, you will find the conclusion about the choice of an espresso machine, as well as comparison winners, price-performance winners, and bestsellers at a glance:

  • degree of grinding, temperature, and pressure adjustable,
  • perfect for individual requirements,
  • very expensive to maintain and purchase.
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Cooking Tips

What Are Single-Circuit and Dual-Circuit Espresso Machines?

Espresso machines work with different technology: the one and the two-circuit system. The main difference is that dual circuits have separate circuits for brewing and steam generation, while single circuits have one unit.

Single circles are for pure espresso drinkers who only occasionally need steam to froth milk. The machines are equipped with a small boiler in which the water for the brewing process is heated. In the same boiler, the water is heated to produce steam, but this requires higher temperatures and the boiler must then be vented each time. Only when the water has cooled down again is the machine ready for the next espresso. The preparation of several cappuccinos or café lattes one after the other is correspondingly tedious. In addition, the water has to be heated again for several brewing processes.

In a two-circuit system, one water circuit is used to heat the water for the brewing process and one to generate steam. It is therefore possible to prepare espresso and froth milk at the same time, without the water having to cool down in the meantime and the boiler having to be vented. Also, the temperature in the kettle remains more stable during the brewing process than with the single circle. The latter is due to a larger volume of water and the construction of the double circuit. So when preparing multiple espresso drinks, especially with frothed milk, the dual circuit is faster than the single circuit.

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Lifestyle

Clean and Descale Fully Automatic Coffee Machines

Coffee is the Germans’ favorite drink and in many households, a fully automatic coffee machine is part of the kitchen equipment. However, you can only get coffee at the push of a button in the long run if the device is properly cared for and maintained. That’s why we have tips on how to properly clean and descale fully automatic coffee machines.

Why clean the coffee machine?

One factor that you should not neglect when using a modern fully automatic coffee machine is the cleaning effort of the machine. Proper cleaning of the machine is essential. This often depends on how the milk froth is prepared. Depending on the system, you have to spend a lot of time cleaning and maintaining the milk circuit. After all, you have to be meticulous about hygiene when using milk. Otherwise, bacteria have free rein. Mold also thrives in damp coffee residues, which is why a coffee machine can become a potential source of germs.

Clean the coffee machine properly

In the best case, you have a fully automatic coffee machine that is easy to clean. In addition to the milk froth unit, you have to clean other components of a fully automatic machine regularly in order to be able to rely on good taste and perfect functioning over the long term. Therefore, heed the following tips for cleaning fully automatic coffee machines:

  • The Brew Group should be detachable for easier cleaning.
  • Follow cleaning cycles to the letter.
  • Carry out decalcifications regularly.
  • Rinse the water tank daily.
  • Clean collection containers, collection trays, and accessible hoses daily.
  • Dishwasher-safe individual parts can be put in the dishwasher, which makes work easier.
  • Coffee fats only dissolve at a water temperature of 60 degrees. Therefore, the machines should have a special cleaning program.

When to descale the coffee machine?

It is important to clean and descale the coffee machine regularly so that the machine can function properly and give you many years of pleasure. Scale is the machine’s worst enemy. Limescale deposits clog the pipes and have a negative effect on the aroma. Depending on how hard the water is, you will need to descale more or less often. As a rule, it is advantageous to descale every three months. Modern devices offer the option of storing the water hardness and automatically prompting you when it is time to tackle the next decalcification. But the following signs also indicate that your device needs to be decalcified:

  • lack of temperature of the coffee,
  • bland taste or
  • too little water pressure.

Important after descaling:

After descaling the coffee machine, two to three runs with clear water are necessary to remove all residues from the machine. After that, it is ready to be used again to deliver an aromatic coffee.

How to properly descale a fully automatic coffee machine?

Even if cleaning vinegar has generally proven itself in the household, you must not use it for the coffee machine. Because then the plastic parts of the coffee machine can be damaged. It is therefore best to rely on the descaling agent recommended by the manufacturer. Use it as indicated in the instructions for use. You can collect the cleaning water in a sufficiently large container and use it to descale other devices, e.g. a kettle.

Alternatives to the recommended descaling agent

Descaling coffee machines require little effort, but has a big effect: it guarantees many years of good coffee from a reliably functioning machine. In addition, note tips for descaling the washing machine and dishwasher and simple instructions for descaling the kettle.

Since the agents recommended by the manufacturer are usually quite expensive, decalcification is often delayed. However, this can be quite expensive for you. Because such a lack of or no decalcification reduces the service life of the coffee machine. In addition, repairing this machine is very expensive if you do not carry out the maintenance properly and regularly. If you want to do without expensive manufacturers’ products, use descaling agents from household specialty stores or supermarkets. But note that these are not suitable for all coffee machines. Consequently, read the description on the bottle or packaging carefully! And as already mentioned, alternative agents such as cleaning vinegar, which is ideal for removing limescale in sinks or flower vases, are harmful to the coffee machine.

Frequently asked questions and answers

  • Why do you have to clean a fully automatic coffee machine?
    Bacteria and mold can collect in coffee and milk residues. Consequently, if the machine is not cleaned regularly, it can adversely affect health. In addition, regular cleaning and descaling increase the service life of the device.
  • How do I clean a fully automatic coffee machine?
    You should follow the recommended cleaning cycles. It makes sense to clean the water tank, collection container, and accessible hoses daily or at least every two to three days. Dishwasher-safe individual parts can go in the dishwasher. In addition, the machine should have a special cleaning program so that coffee fats dissolve (from temperatures of 60 degrees).
  • When do I have to descale a fully automatic coffee machine?
    Regular descaling is essential and often depends on the hardness of the water. However, as a rule, regular decalcification every three months applies. Further indications of a necessary decalcification are insufficient temperature of the coffee, bland taste or low water pressure,
  • How does the descaling of a fully automatic coffee machine work?
    For descaling, the coffee machine, use a descaling agent recommended by the manufacturer. Then put this in the machine and follow the instructions for use. Consequently, you avoid short-term and expensive repairs to the device.
  • What alternative cleaning agents are possible for descaling?
    Manufacturers of descaling agents are usually expensive. Therefore, use descaling agents from specialist shops or supermarkets as an alternative. However, note their suitability for fully automatic coffee machines. Do not use vinegar as a descaling agent, as this could damage plastic parts.
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Cooking Tips

Which Coffee Beans Are the Right Ones For Fully Automatic Machines?

Are you looking for the right beans for your fully automatic coffee machine? We explain to you what you should pay attention to when buying coffee beans.

Choosing the right coffee beans: you have to pay attention to this

In principle, you can use any bean for your fully automatic coffee machine, provided it is suitable for fully automatic coffee machines. However, this does not always make sense, since, for example, different beans are usually used for a black coffee than for an espresso. But one after anonther.

In order to find the right coffee for your fully automatic coffee machine, three points are particularly important:

quality of the coffee beans
Roasting of the coffee beans
Settings of the coffee machine
Ultimately, however, it also depends on your own taste, which you will probably only find out over time. Let’s take a closer look at each point.

Two types of coffee dominate world trade

There are around 40 different types of coffee worldwide, but only two dominate the market. The Arabica bean makes up around 70 percent of world trade, the Robusta bean just over 30 percent. The two beans differ in appearance and taste. The Arabica bean is longer, flatter and oval in shape. The caffeine content is lower compared to the Robusta bean, but it is said to have a finer, slightly sweet taste. The Robusta bean is slightly smaller and has fewer fats and lipids. Therefore, their crema is a bit firmer and is therefore often used for espresso.

Coffee bean or espresso bean?

Fully automatic coffee machines work fundamentally differently than filter machines. Instead of slowly filtering the coffee, the fully automatic coffee machine works with a pressure process. This pressure is what creates an espresso.

The espresso beans that you can buy in stores are usually a blend of different types of beans that contain a higher proportion of robusta. These ensure a strong, intense taste. With a mixture of Arabica and Robusta, you can benefit from the positive properties of both beans. This makes espresso beans ideal for use in your fully automatic coffee machine.

Don’t let the term “espresso bean” fool you. The term is somewhat misleading, because the so-called espresso bean is basically a coffee bean. However, beans used for espresso are roasted darker, have more caffeine and are stronger in taste. So it can be an orientation.

This can also be the case for medium roasted coffee beans. The use for coffee crema is often noted on the packaging.

Which beans are unsuitable?

Avoid caramelized beans for the fully automatic machine. The sugar can clog the grinder in the machine and in most coffee machines this is very difficult to reach and clean. Flavored beans such as amaretto or Irish cream are also not recommended for this reason.

Caution is also required with very oily coffee beans. If the bean is very shiny, essential oils are already escaping. This is a clear sign that they shouldn’t be using these beans. The lipids come out when the coffee has been roasted past the second crack. This is often the case with dark Italian roasts.

But that doesn’t mean that you have to do without the variety altogether. Essential oils can also leak out if you have stored the coffee beans for a long time. After buying, you should use the beans relatively quickly and only store them in airtight packaging.

Roasting: Which degree of roasting for use in the fully automatic machine?

In addition to good bean quality and the bean mix, the roasting of the coffee beans is of crucial importance. In principle, a distinction is made between light, medium and dark roasting. Some roasting masters even subdivide into five degrees of roasting and indicate their roasting as medium-light or medium-dark. The different colors are caused by different roasting times. A coffee bean has over 900 different aromas that are released at different roasting temperatures. Filter coffee beans are usually roasted lighter, while espresso beans tend to be roasted darker.

Note the drum roasting process, if specified. Because drum roasting is much gentler on the bean than industrial hot air roasting, where many flavors are lost.

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Lifestyle

Coffee Grounds From Filter Coffee Machines

Filter coffee from the machine: 8 tips on what you can do with coffee grounds

Whether from the filter coffee machine or from the fully automatic coffee machine – for many, coffee is part of everyday enjoyment and a “must” to start the day successfully! Every German alone drinks a total of 165 liters of coffee per year and the caffeinated hot drink is also very popular worldwide as a pick-me-up. If the filter coffee is brewed with the machine, in most cases the filter and coffee grounds are thrown into the bin. Because what should the black, sticky residue that remains in the filter be good for? What many do not know is that the coffee grounds that are produced when brewing the coffee powder in filter coffee machines and fully automatic coffee machines are more than supposed waste, but a real miracle cure. There are numerous ways to reuse the precious coffee grounds and even replace expensive, man-made products. Because the black flour from the remains of the coffee beans is a valuable natural product that can also be used for the home, garden and cosmetics. We did some research and compiled the best and most effective tips for reusing coffee grounds from filter coffee machines.

Coffee grounds in the home

Tip 1: Coffee grounds neutralize odors
We all know the wonderful smell of freshly ground coffee. A positive side effect: coffee itself has the property of absorbing foreign odors and thus neutralizing them. Cheese can be delicious, but you don’t necessarily need the smell of Camembert in the fridge. Our tip: Simply put a bowl of freshly ground coffee or coffee grounds in the fridge overnight – or for several days if necessary – and the musty smell of cheese will be gone.

Tip 2: Remove scratches in wooden furniture
Scratches in wooden furniture are very annoying, but unfortunately they happen very quickly. Here, too, the miracle cure coffee grounds is at hand: Due to the coloring properties of coffee, blemishes in dark wooden furniture can be easily repaired. To do this, slightly moisten the coffee grounds from the filter coffee machine and spread them over the scraper with a Q-tip. The remaining ground coffee settles in the joint and the coffee oil then closes it. Scratch? No one to see! By the way: Due to the coloring properties of coffee, even handicraft paper, fabrics or eggs can be colored with the residue from the pulp container of the coffee machine.

Tip 3: Clean the grill and glass vases
It’s finally barbecue season again, but the grate also needs to be looked after so that steaks and sausages continue to taste good. Where others use aggressive cleaning agents, the coffee grounds from the filter coffee machine can also be used here. Simply apply the black powder to a sponge and scrub the rust like you would with scouring milk and the dirt is gone. Two spoons of coffee grounds will help with deposits in flower vases. Pour hot water over it and let it stand for about an hour. Rinse and the glass vase will shine like new.

Using coffee grounds in the garden

Coffee grounds for plants works wonders: Before you dispose of the coffee grounds from the filter coffee machine, think about your green plants, because coffee is an excellent fertilizer and help against annoying visitors in the garden. Coffee grounds as a fertilizer are often underestimated, but it doesn’t always have to be the expensive, chemically produced fertilizers from the garden center. For a purely plant-based starting product, coffee contains a lot of nitrogen, sulfur and a protein content rich in phosphorus.

Although this is destroyed by the heat when brewing in the coffee machine, the coffee grounds have a slightly acidic pH value, which improves the condition of the soil for garden and potted plants and enriches them with plant nutrients. Fertilizing with coffee grounds is very effective: the nitrogen underneath the soil ensures that leaf growth is stimulated; Phosphorus stimulates flowering and fruit ripening. Try it out and use the coffee grounds for your plants.

Tip 4: Fertilize with coffee grounds

To use coffee grounds as fertilizer, sprinkle a handful onto the soil around the plant’s root area, then work the coffee grounds into the soil. For potted plants, you can alternatively mix a handful of coffee grounds into the potting soil when repotting to enrich the soil with additional nutrients. For indoor plants, you can use cold, leftover liquid coffee from the pot. However, first dilute it with water in a 1:1 ratio, otherwise you will have the opposite effect and your plant will acidify.

Tip 5: Keep ants, snails, wasps and cats away
We cherish and care for our garden, including the flowers and vegetable patch, and we want them to stay beautiful for a long time and not be attacked by snails, ants and the like. Coffee grounds from filter coffee machines serve as effective protection against voracious snails. Simply sprinkle the black powder around the plants you want to protect and the snails will stay away, because the caffeine in the coffee grounds is poisonous to them. Not only snails run away, coffee grounds also act against ants and drive them away, because the smell of coffee neutralizes the scent traces that ants lay for orientation. If you are annoyed that the neighbor’s cat prefers your garden to the litter box, then coffee grounds can also help here. In the places where coffee grounds have been scattered, the cat is guaranteed not to want to dig and do its business. Last but not least, our tip against annoying wasps, which can be extremely unpleasant in summer. In contrast to us humans, the stinging insects cannot stand the smell of coffee and coffee grounds at all. Are you planning a barbecue evening without uninvited guests? Then take precautions: Put some dry coffee grounds in a fireproof bowl and light it. The rising smoke chases away the wasps and is hardly perceptible to humans, but is actually perceived as a pleasant aroma.

Nicer with coffee grounds

Tip 6: Coffee peeling for the skin
In combination with oil, coffee grounds result in a natural and beneficial peeling for the skin. The coffee grounds peeling is spread over the skin and gently massaged in. The small particles act like mini whetstones and replace the plastic particles in conventional peelings. The result: velvety soft, well-groomed skin. So brew your next coffee with your filter coffee machine and then use the coffee grounds for an extensive beauty experience.

Tip 7: Bye, orange peel skin! Coffee grounds also help against cellulite
Yet another reason to love coffee! Instead of buying expensive creams, try coffee. Simply mix 2 tablespoons of dried coffee grounds with a teaspoon of cane sugar and a tablespoon of coconut or olive oil. You can now gently massage this peeling in for at least 5 minutes or, alternatively, wrap it in kitchen foil, wrap it around your thighs and let it take effect for 10 to 15 minutes. Caffeine has been shown to improve blood circulation and dilate blood vessels, reducing cellulite.

Tip 8: Hair treatment
In addition to the skin, our hair also benefits from the coffee grounds. Next time, simply massage the brown powder gently into your hair and scalp and leave on for ten minutes. Then rinse well again and enjoy the newly gained, voluminous hair!

Coffee cups made from coffee grounds

We would like to give you an unusual tip: How about coffee from coffee cups? And by that we don’t mean grandma’s good china from the living room cupboard, but coffee cups made from coffee grounds. The Kaffeeform project has set itself the task of counteracting the waste of coffee. Therefore, together with the coffee grounds of smaller restaurants, you offer the production of coffee cups from coffee grounds and now deliver worldwide – even cappuccino and espresso cups due to the high demand.

Store coffee grounds properly

All that remains to be said is: drink coffee and use the coffee grounds wisely. There are always enough options. In order to get the best out of the coffee grounds, they should first be dried and never stored damp, otherwise they will become mouldy. To do this, simply spread the coffee grounds out on a baking sheet, for example, and let them dry for a few hours. After that, the brown powder can be kept very well and stored with foresight for the implementation of our tips. So every cup of filter coffee from the machine fulfills another purpose in addition to enjoyment!

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