Manual espresso machines.
There are two types of manual machines – spring piston lever machines and direct lever machines.

Spring piston lever machines use internal spring to push water through the coffee grounds at specific pressure. Person who operates the machine, uses a lever to cock the spring. After letting the lever go, spring does the work of pushing water through coffee grounds.

When it comes to direct lever machines, there is no spring, so the operator plays the role of pump, creating the pressure by pushing the lever down. Direct lever machines have bigger learning curve than spring piston lever machines.

Manual espresso machines require some skills to operate them, so if you go for them it’s going to take some practice, before you start getting a good shot of espresso.

Semi-automatic espresso machines.
As the name suggests, with these machines parts of the process are automatic. They have automated pump, that keeps constant pressure and automated temperature control. You on the other hand decide when to turn on the pump and also when to turn it off, meaning that you control how long the water flows.

Automatic espresso machines.
The difference with semi-automatics is that it has preset water volumes, which means that the water delivery is also automatic and machines stops the water flow itself. They have several different amounts available and in many cases amounts are also programmable. Often times automatic machines also have some sort of semi-automatic option incorporated into them.

Super automatic espresso machines.
As the name says, they are as automatic as they can get. They do everything with one press of the button– grind the beans, fill the internal brewing chamber (they don’t really have a portafilter), tamp the grounds and brew the shot. They even dump the used grounds (of course not into your garbage can, but into the built-in dump box). All you have to do is provide beans and fill the water tank. Oh, and push the button of course.

Note: There are also some steam driven devices that are often called espresso makers or machines, but that is actually not correct. The thing is that the steam they use does not create strong enough pressure to make espresso, so instead they make strong coffee. This includes moka pot, which is often called stovetop espresso pot.

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Old attics are great because they tend to contain mysterious old things. And that is just the case here. Not so long ago we came across an old coffee/espresso machine produced in the Soviet Union in 1970. We’re not fully sure how this thing works, but we assume that when the water was heated up, the steam forced the water though a small tube to the portafilter and from there into the cup. We haven’t tried to make coffee with it yet, we need to run a few tests on its electrical wiring so it doesn’t explode in our face or doesn’t create a blackout for the whole block. However, here are some pictures of what this machine looks like. When I first saw it, my jaw nearly dropped to the floor. Also, it kind of reminds me the microscopes we used back in the days in primary school in science classes (they were also produced in the Soviet Union).

Top view: in the center is the heating device and through the small tube the water passes to the portafilter.

Bottom view and the portafilter.

Label translation: The Dinamo Factory named after S. M. Kirov, 220V, 300W, 0.35L, Moscow, year 1970, GOST 7400-58, Price 10 rubles.
Sergey Mironovich Kirov was a prominent early Bolshevik leader whose assassination precipitated the Great Purge. In the Soviet Union it was a tradition to name factories, hospitals etc after communist revolutionaries.
GOST (acronym for gosudarstvennyy standart, (meaning state standard)) was a set of techinal standards that were developed in the Soviet Union as a part of national standardization strategy.

If we manage to get this thing to work one day, we are planning to make a small video about it, so stay tuned.

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French press is a one of the best ways to make coffee, it’s quick and relatively easy to use and makes beverage that has rich and full flavor that is often higher in quality than drip machine can produce. Also known as a press pot, coffee press, coffee plunger or cafetiere, it is a device that most often has glass carafe, filter plate and a plunger attached to the lid. There are variations to this, but we’ll get to that later.

How to use French press?

• For French press use coarsely-ground coffee, it won’t be caught in the filter. If the beans are too finely ground, some of it may not be caught by the filter and will end up in your cup. Also, it can block the filter, so it’s hard to press the plunger down. It’s suggested to use burr grinder for grinding the beans, because it creates equal sized boulders. Blade grinders tend to create dust and boulders are varying in size, so the taste of coffee suffers.
• Lift off the plunger and add coffee grounds to the carafe. In average you can use about one rounded tablespoon per 6 oz. of water.
• Pour in the water. It should be little bit below the boiling temperature. Pour it slowly and evenly, so the water can mix with the grounds. Don’t overfill the press, the water level should be below the edge so it won’t overflow when you insert filter. You have to be careful with this, since the water is very hot.
• Stir with the wooden spoon or chopsticks. Don’t use metal spoon to avoid damaging or breaking the glass.
• Put the top on and don’t press down yet, leave the filter up.
• Let it steep for about 3-4 four minutes. Generally the steeping time is smaller for small presses and longer for bigger presses.
• Now, press the plunger down. Do it slowly and with equal pressure. If you press too fast the water might splash out and burn you.
• Pour the coffee into the cup.

French press coffee is meant for using right after it’s ready. Don’t let it sit out, because the coffee will cool down and the taste will also be affected.

As for the amount of coffee grounds and steeping time you can and should do some experimenting yourself, so you can find the best options to suite your taste.

How to choose French press?

First of all – capacity. There are various sizes available starting with single serve and going up to 12 cups (maybe there are even bigger ones, but I haven’t come across them yet). So, if you are using it mainly for you personal use the small press will be enough, if you’re using it for making coffee for several people go for bigger and for gatherings/parties 12-cup version is often a good choice.

Stronger glass version is recommended as it doesn’t break so easily. Also I suggest to get one where you can change the glass carafe, so if you happen break it, you can replace it and don’t have to buy whole new press. If you want to take your press along with you on travel pick the one with plastic body or get the travel mug version of French press which is also available.

There are also French presses that are insulated or have double walled glass so they can keep the coffee warm for up to two hours. This is an option to go for if you need to keep coffee warm for longer time, since the coffee in regular French press cools down rather soon.

Some examples of French presses:

Bodum Chambord Coffee Press

This is pretty classic French press in 3-cup size (4, 8 and 12 cup versions are also available). It has replaceable glass carafe and chrome-plated brass frame.
Buy from Amazon

Bodum Columbia Thermal 48-Ounce Stainless-Steel Coffee Press

This is stainless steel French press with insulation that holds 12 cups of coffee and keeps it warm for up to two hours.
Buy from Amazon

BonJour 8 Cup Rhone Ribbed French Press, Double Wall Glass

This French press has double walled glass, so it also keeps coffee hot longer and is more resistant to the shock and breakage.
Buy from Amazon

Planetary Design Double Shot Travel French Press Mug

This is a combination of a travel mug and French press.
Buy from Amazon

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We’ve been playing around with Squidoo lately and created a lens about coffee posters. The lens is covering some vintage art coffee posters as well as posters about coffee signs, cups, posters and beans. Click here to visit the coffee posters lens.

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Moka pot is steam based coffee maker that makes dark and very strong coffee. Often it is also called stovetop espresso pot, however, it should be mentioned that it is not exactly the same as espresso, because the pressure of the water going through the grounds is not high enough. Occasionally you might come across the names like ‘macchianetta’ or ‘caffettiera’ – these are both just different ways to call moka pot. Also when talking about stovetop espresso pots, company called Bialleti often comes up – it is the company that first started producing these devices and is probably the best known and most valued moka pot manufacturer.

Moka pots are three chambered pots: lower chamber is for water, middle is filter funnel where the coffee grounds go and the top chamber is where the coffee ends up. Additionally there is a filter plate that goes in front of central column in top chamber and rubber seal which ensures that hot liquid doesn’t leak from between the lower and the top chamber. Here is a picture of all the parts:

And here is a photo of top and bottom containers with filters and rubber seal in place:

This is what top container looks from inside:

How does moka pot work?

When heated up, some of the water evaporates creating the steam which reaches the pressure high enough to force the water from lower chamber up the filter funnel and through the coffee grounds to the top chamber where it is collected. Finally when the lower chamber is nearly empty steam bubbles mix with upstreaming water creating gurgling sound. That’s when it’s ready.

How to brew coffee with moka pot?

1. Fill the lower container with water so its level is lower than the safety valve. Don’t put more water than that. It is very important that water level is below safety valve, because it provides release if pressure should get too high. If the safety valve is blocked by too much water and pressure gets too high your moka pot can actually explode.

You can use either hot or cold water, it really is a matter of taste and you can do some experimenting here to find the best option for yourself. However it is recommended to use hot water, since it lessens the time that grounds are exposed to heat, which makes the brew less bitter.

2. Fill the filter funnel with the coffee grounds. Use bit coarser grind that you would for the regular espresso machine, because if the grounds are too fine they might block the holes in the filter and the water can’t get through anymore. Also, do not tamp the coffee grounds, since if the coffee is pressed too tight it also may block the water flow. Tamping is also not necessary, because grounds will expand with the heat and create its own tamp. Instead lightly knock the filter downwards, which helps to distribute the grounds evenly.

3. Screw on the top chamber and place the moka pot on the stove. Use medium level heat, since too high temperature might create the steam too fast. Keep the pot on stove until you hear a gurgle. It means that the water in the lower tank has been exhausted. Take the pot off the heat. Your coffee is ready. Note that the metal handles and surfaces get very hot, so be careful when handling the pot.

Most of the moka pots are made either from stainless steel or aluminum. It is recommended to get the stainless steel model, as the aluminum can affect the taste of the coffee and not in a good way.

Here are couple of different examples of moka pots from Amazon:

Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Maker

This is classic shaped moka pot. It comes with many different sizes, so when buying, you should consider your needs. If you will be using it to make coffee mainly for yourself 1-3 cup sized pot will be enough. If you need to make more, there are also 6, 9 and 12 cup sizes available. Buy from Amazon

Bialettoi Easy Caffe 6 Espresso Cup w/ Electric Base

This one comes with its own electric base, so you don’t need a stove to make coffee with it. Buy from Amazon

Bialetti Musa 4-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker

A 4 cup moka pot with rather sleek design.
Buy from Amazon

Vev Vigano Van Gogh Starry Night Espresso Maker – 4 cup size

This one is a little bit different, as it has stainless steel bottom and porcelain upper container with Vincent Van Gogh’s famous masterpiece Starry Night printed on it. It’s brewing process is the same as with other moka pots. Buy from Amazon

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Jimseven
This blog is run by World Barista Champion 2007 James Hoffman. I’d say that this guy is not just any other blogger, he’s more of an artist and philosopher of coffee in his own way.

Pure Coffee Blog
This blog is mainly centered around coffeehouses and coffee establishments. You can also use it as sort of guide to find a good coffeehouse.

A Sweetmarias weblog
This is a blog of a mail-order home coffee roasting business. Lots of posts about the coffee related places, since they seem to travel a lot due to their business. Also, they have whole bunch of articles on the coffee roasting and green beans on their main site. You can read them here.

The Bean Vagrant
A site run by Trevor Hyam, a barista from the UK. An in depth look to his explorations in the world of coffee, with lots of illustrative materials.

Coffee & Conservation
And now on a bit different note, a blog that is mainly covering the topics on connection between coffee and environment.

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From a narrow band centered on the equator of around 23 degrees North to 25 degrees South comes all of the world’s source of the liquid that a Turkish proverb calls ‘black as hell, strong as death, sweet as love’. As a commodity, coffee is second only to oil in dollar volume. Coffee beans are grown worldwide in over 70 countries.

Brazil is by far the largest coffee bean producer in the world with an average output of 28% of the total. Even world-renowned Colombia is a distant second at only 16%, Indonesia has less than half of that – 7%, and Mexico, with the 4% is on the fourth place.

The best beans are produced by coffee trees that grow in high altitudes but they have also adapted to a variety of other areas.

In Brazil, the plantations cover very large areas and employ hundreds of workers to tend the plants. In Colombia the rugged mountains and poor economic conditions mean that transportation to processing centers is still largely carried out by mule or Jeep.

While Colombia has the tree-lined mountains, Hawaiian producers plant on the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano. The black volcanic ash is rocky, but ideal for the plants where the intense afternoon sun is softened by tropical clouds. Frequent island showers provide the ample rain needed.

Indonesia is combined of 17,508 islands of which about 6,000 are inhabited and is the world’s largest archipelagic state. Coffee has been grown ever since the Dutch colonists brought it there in the 17th century. Even though other countries may have greater technology, no one exceeds the helpful warm, damp micro-climates found here. Hundreds of one to two acre farms on the largest islands of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi combine to secure the country’s third place position.

As opposed to Brazil, plantations in Mexico are primarily small farms but there are more than 100,000 of them, so in the total they still make the country a serious factor on the world market. Majority of the plantations are located in the south, in Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas with the special Altura beans indicating their origin in the high altitudes.

In recent years Vietnam has rapidly been challenging Indonesia’s position as the Tonkin area recovers from decades of stagnation. In the mid-19th century by French missionaries planted there the arabica trees, but today the small plantations produce robusta, which is one of the two main types of plant.

Even though Africa, Kenya and the Ivory Coast, are smaller producers they are famous for the dark, large beans grown there. In the foothills of Mount Kenya grow some of the largest in the world which go to produce a well-known fruity coffee. The Ivory Coast holds its position as one of the world’s largest producers of robusta, often used in espresso blends.

Whether it’s the Brazilian Liberdade, the Costa Rican La Fuente, the Indian Monsoon Malabar or the Tanzanian Peaberry, there is a coffee for every taste and everywhere. With such a wide choice, there no reason to be satisfied with just one option from a local store. Try something different today, you just might be pleasantly surprised.

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The vac pot used in this video is Bodum Santos Stovetop Glass Vacuum 34-Ounce Coffee Maker. Click here to find out more about it in Amazon.
You can read more about this kind of coffee machines from our article What is a siphon coffee maker? that we published a little while ago.

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