Wide Awake Espresso Machines

Giving the Right Gifts to the Coffee Connoisseur

While espresso machines may be in vogue and not easy to live without an espresso machine is not the end of the line. Whether you are an espresso connoisseur or possibly looking for a gift for an espresso fanatic there is a long list of possible equipment that the expert may need. Lets take a look at the essential espresso equipment.

First and foremost is the espresso machine, now lets assume that you already have one of these babies and you have one that will make an acceptable cup of coffee. The most simple addition would be cappuccino cups or espresso shot glasses. Many people end up with a conglomeration of junky coffee cups and no espresso shot glasses. Shot glasses are straight forward enough, a regular shot glass is 1.5 – 2 ounces, some may prefer to to have 12 ounces worth of shots, but for the most part a shot is enough caffeine. The wide mouth cappuccino cups are also a nice addition. A regular coffee mug does not have a wide enough mouth to allow you to fully appreciate all of the subtle fragrances of a good cup of espresso. For those of you that are not familiar with a cappuccino cup it is simply a shorter more squat coffee cup.

A warming kettle is also a good addition to a coffee collection. Making single servings may be nice when you are by yourself but if you have company presentation is always important. There are a variety of kettles, some of which warm your coffee and some of which simply keep your coffee warm.

Condiments are always a necessity. Ask 100 people how they like their coffee and you will get 100 different answers. When you throw an espresso machine into the mix this gets even more complicated. There are numerous flavored syrups, different kinds of sweeteners, such as agave nectar or honey, whipped cream, or even cinnamon. The more creative you get the more fun things are, so test things a little bit and put together an eclectic coffee bar that will keep your guest interested.

Many espresso machines are sold with integrated grinders and tampers but if you have a manual variety you may need a grinder. A burr grinder is a little more expensive but it the only type of grinder that actually properly grinds coffee beans. Tampers for packing espresso shots are also numerous and unique.

Different utensils for coffee making can also come in very handy. Things like whisks, cleaning equipment, spoons, scoops, storage containers, and thermometers are all very important to the picky barista.

Now to add a whole other layer to the variety of espresso and coffee drinks you can start to integrate your coffee bar into your actual bar. Some of the best coffee drinks are for those that are 21 and older. Most people automatically think of Baileys and coffee but there are numerous other drinks as well.

For starters if you already have a bar with the normal mixing tools that should suffice. You may want to get some classy after dinner drink glasses but that is really all the additional equipment that you will need.

As far as drinks go the list is long so I will just go into a few of the more common and a couple of the more obscure. One of my favorites is Buttery Nipples with a shot of espresso, always a favorite. This is 1.5 ounces of butterscotch snapps, one ounce of irish cream and a shot of espresso.

Mexican Coffee, not so common and not for everyone, you either love it or hate it. This is 1 ounce of Kahlua, 1 ounce or tequila, Tbsp of agave nectar, 4 – 6 ounces of coffee or espresso and whipped cream.

The millionaires coffee is always a surprise. This one is simply 1 ounce hazelnut liquor, 1 ounce Kahlua, 1 ounce irish cream and 6 ounces of coffee.

Try experimenting with different coffee drinks for lots of different and exciting combinations. And if you are shopping for a coffee connoisseur the sky is the limit. Just having an espresso machine makes them an easy gift recipient.

Coffee Machines

Why do coffee machines break and how can I fix my coffee maker? It is really pretty simple but it can be pretty frustrating to have to deal with a broken coffee pot or a slow brewing coffee maker. Many people depend on their morning coffee to start the day out right, so while you may not want to be fixing your coffee machine first thing in the morning, it is probably better than going without coffee.

Here are a couple common problems with your coffee machine and what you can do to fix it, if there is hope, because sometimes there is no hope.

You are going to like this one. The most common problem with coffee machines is that in your stupor you forget to plug them in and you think it is broken. Now I am not saying you are stupid I am just saying it can happen to the best of us. It is also possible that your power cord simply goes bad at which point it is usually easier to replace the coffee machine than it is to replace the power cord.

Next problem would be the one way valve for the hot water drip could be obstructed or calcified. You can either unclog it with a toothpick or other implement or run vinegar through the coffee pot. This will remove any calcification, just remember to run a couple pots of water through the coffee maker before using it for coffee again.

If the heating element fails you are out of luck. It is time to get refund, call the warranty people or get a new coffee machine. This fix is not really worth your time. You may have to make a detour on the way to work if you are greeted by this problem first thing in the morning.

Another simple problem that can often seem like an insurmountable obstacle first thing in the morning is that of the timer or alarm. Many people believe that figuring out how to set their VCR meant that all household programing was in bounds, but failed to realize that misseting the coffee maker has serious consequences. Mess up the time and you are in trouble.

A very frustrating problem that has no fix is a broke carafe. This can be a catastrophe and the sad part is that it usually means buying a new coffee maker because it is nearly impossible to find anther carafe that fits just right. This can be avoided with a metal carafe or a self contained carafe with a spigot.

Breaking coffee machines can get the day started on a bad foot so it is good to have plan in place such as a second coffee machine or a favorite coffee stop on the way to work. Always be prepared and always be ready, coffee pots can go out without waring, and this may be a signal that it is time to upgrade to an espresso machine.

Coffee Machine

The vast majority of people in the developed world share their mornings with a coffee machine, if the are lucky they share it with an espresso machine but have you ever actually wondered how your coffee goes in as water and comes out as coffee? It takes place in a matter of minutes and it has such a huge impact.

There are lots of options when it comes to buying a coffee maker but most of us use a plain old drip coffee maker. It may not be glitzy and glamourous but it gets the job done. And it is actually a pretty simple device. When you get down to it there really isn’t much to making a pot of coffee. And to tell you a secret it has more to do with the grind than it does the coffee maker.

There are three basic components to a coffee pot. First is the water reservoir that you pour the coffee into. At the bottom of the reservoir there is a tube that carries the water into the drip. There are different drip configurations but the name pretty much gives away the idea of what the drip does.

The water is heated in the reservoir causing it to go up the tube and into the drip where it drips over the coffee. The hot water and coffee ground combine in the basket and because of the oil in the coffee grounds and the fine grind the water cannot freely run through the filter.

The water and the coffee grounds mingle together while the fluid works its way through the coffee filter. Filters are usually paper but can also be a reusable mesh, often copper or plastic.

Once the coffee goes through the filter it ends up in the pot where it is kept warm by the heating element on the bottom of the coffee pot. This is the same heating element that originally heated the water causing it to go up the tube into the drip, so you know it is hot. You have probably seem what happens when you leave a coffee pot on all day. You end up with a crusty mess at the bottom of the coffee pot or a broke carafe.

So as you can see a coffee pot is a relatively simple invention that serves us very well. Of course there are fancier options on the market, like espresso machines or french presses, but for most of us a regular old coffee machine is fine.

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