- Smart Money -
The latest models have everything from colour-coded capsules to heated cup warmers. An expert barista puts the latest to the test among which the FrancisFrancis X6Trio.Grrrr . . . whooosh . . . pop! We are sitting at the espresso bar of Brooklyn's Gimme! Coffee, listening to barista Michael White whipping up a frothy specialty coffee drink. White is deep in discussion of fair-trade beans, the importance of the right grind and the eternal search for the perfect "crema," or the foam that sits atop a shot of espresso. Any barista worth his salt, White says, should strive for something called the Guinness effect: a thick, tan layer that resembles the top of a well-poured pint of Guinness stout. We're only half-listening, though; it's been a long day, and we can't stop thinking about getting our hands on that coffee.
Ever since Starbucks came on the scene, we have become a nation of espresso obsessives. There's one on nearly every corner -- more than 8,600 in the U.S. alone -- not to mention some 13,000 independent coffee bars serving up everything from americanos to half-caff peppermint skim lattes. These days the local Starbucks has nearly a dozen espresso drinks, including the latest addition to the fall/winter menu: Maple Macchiato.
But a growing number of consumers are bringing the experience home. Sales of espresso machines jumped an overcaffeinated 23 percent last year, compared with 5 percent for standard coffeemakers. Experts say the surge is due to Americans' increasingly sophisticated palate when it comes to espresso-based drinks, once considered too strong or too exotic. It's also part of an overall surge in cooking appliances as homeowners move to outfit all those newly renovated kitchens. There could be something economic at play too: Tired of paying $5 and up for a single cup, coffee guzzlers are attempting to cut out the markup by getting to know their way around a crema themselves.
Picking a home espresso machine, though, is no easy task. These are clunky contraptions to begin with, and the latest models come with everything from built-in coffee grinders to special filtration systems. Some work only with their own espresso pods, mini-packets of premeasured espresso; other machines will grind the beans, pour a shot and self-clean afterward with the push of one button. Prices are on the rise too: It's hard to get a decent model these days for less than $300, with many new machines costing $1,500 or more. So we enlisted White to help us figure out the latest offerings.
We start with the X6 Trio ($430) from Francis!Francis!, a newcomer known for its colorful, futuristic-looking machines. Like many newer models, the Francis!Francis! uses premeasured pods of espresso that are specially made for the machine. But White is dubious: If you can't measure your own espresso, you're limited in how much flavor you can extract. He gives it a whirl anyway, but he finds the knob on the side "clunky." And when the machine starts up, it makes a loud squeaking sound. For White, the ultimate proof is in the product, but even that disappoints: The espresso is watered down, he says, with "very little body" and almost no crema. Bottom line: "Your friends will like this when they see it in your kitchen, but they may have a hard time drinking what's served." (A spokesperson for the company says its return rate is very low and that the product might have been damaged during shipping.)
We were particularly curious to try the $1,200 Impressa E9 from Jura-Capresso, a brand founded by a former president of Krups. This machine is "superautomatic," which means it actually grinds the beans as it makes the espresso, but White is only mildly pleased: "For this price, it better." You can adjust the level of grind with six different options for coarseness, a feature White likes, but compared with a regular grinder with as many as 40 levels of coarseness, six, he points out, are actually limiting. When he presses the button to trigger the process, the LED display flashes a phrase in red letters: "Open tap." "Open tap? What does that mean?" he asks. We never quite figure it out, but somewhere during the process the flashing stops (the company says the command triggers only during initial setup). Still, White wishes the machine had less "digital nonsense," and when he tastes the espresso, he is again disappointed: "It's a pale shot with not a lot of flavor."
We turn to the Romeo ($799) from Nespresso. It, too, uses pods, or in this case, little capsules in 12 colors for its different blends (in the mood for the "dash of red fruit" of the Decaffeinato or the "intense body" of the Arpeggio?). To White, it sounds a bit gimmicky, and when he places the Ristretto (strong and full-bodied) capsule in the tray and watches it disappear into the machine, he can't help but notice it looks like a "cuckoo clock." Still, he admits he actually likes the box of shiny capsules, which look like colorfully wrapped chocolates -- "a real conversation piece," he says. (No coincidence there -- Nespresso is a division of Nestle.) But though the entire process is mess-free thanks to a bin that stores used capsules, White can't see past the bigger picture: The machine is made mostly of plastic, and the espresso is "fair at best."
We're starting to get a little tired. White still hasn't found an espresso shot worthy enough to share, and it's getting late. We move on to the Silvia ($500) from Rancilio, a big supplier of industrial machines. This model is semiautomatic, which means you do a lot of the work yourself -- a relief to White, a purist who is beginning to think some of these machines take the art out of the espresso-making process. He gets to work, grinding the beans in an electric grinder (not included), then brewing the espresso and steaming the milk. The end result is worthwhile: a thick shot topped by a heavy crema that White says is delicious -- and we agree. To White, the Rancilio is high quality, produces a tasty shot and is a great value, but even he admits it may require too much work for entry-level espresso junkies.
We turn to our final maker, the Granos Espresso Machine ($500) from Bodum. It's unlike anything we've seen yet, an egg-shape plastic dome over a simple stainless-steel design with a silo-shape fixture attached to it. The silo is actually an adapter that connects bottled water straight to the machine; hard, unfiltered water, the company says, produces inferior espresso. White loves the design, especially the clear lid on top, which also serves as a cup warmer. Another plus: It works with both ground coffee and pods. White chooses the manual way, and after he packs the filter, pours the water and pushes the button, a thin stream of dark espresso comes out, filling the cup and ending with a thick, even crema. But the ultimate test is taste: White takes a sip, pauses, then grins: "Surprisingly good!" He tips his head back and downs the rest of the shot with style -- the "Guinness effect" if we ever saw one.
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Grinding It Out
Some machines may use premeasured pods or do the work for you, but if you
have to grind the beans yourself, these new models can help.
Baratza Maestro Plus
$150; www.wholelattelove.com [http://www.wholelattelove.com]
This model has 40 settings, from fine to French press, and grinds directly into most espresso machines' filter baskets.
Capresso Stainless Steel Burr Grinder
$60; www.capresso.com [http://www.capresso.com]
You'll have to transfer the grinds into your espresso machine, but this model has a lower price and an insulated lid to reduce noise.
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Francis!Francis! X6 Trio
Price: $430
Design: ***
Ease of Use: **
Quality of Espresso: *
Overall: **
Comment: This futuristic-looking machine turns out watered-down espresso
with "very little body."
Jura-Capresso Impressa E9
Price: $1,200
Design: **
Ease of Use: **
Quality of Espresso: **
Overall: **
Comment: Our expert was surprised to discover "digital nonsense" and a pale
shot of espresso for such a high price.
Nespresso Romeo
Price: $799
Design: ***
Ease of Use: ***
Quality of Espresso: **
Overall: ***
Comment: This comes with nicely packaged capsules, but the taste of this
machine's espresso is average at best.
Rancilio Silvia
Price: $500
Design: ***
Ease of Use: *
Quality of Espresso: ****
Overall: ***
Comment: This machine made the best espresso shot of the bunch, but the
amount of work involved may challenge entry-level users.
Bodum Granos Espresso
Price: $500
Design: ****
Ease of Use: ****
Quality of Espresso: ***
Overall: ****
Comment: An innovative, user-friendly design and a shot that tastes
"surprisingly good."