How to distinguish the quality of semi-automatic coffee machine? What's a good brand of coffee maker?

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This article focuses on how to monitor the quality of coffee machines (from 300 yuan for household use to 10W + transformer machines) and the functional value of price differences. Not to mention the fully automatic coffee machine or capsule machine, because the specification of the full-automatic coffee machine is not uniform, it is difficult to compare, and the capsule coffee machine can not keep the coffee fresh. I still think the semi-automatic coffee machine is the most suitable machine for making Italian coffee.

Back to the point, how to tell whether the coffee machine is good or bad: first, from the way of heating water, there are two main ways: 1. Heating block heating; 2. The boiler is heated.

1, heating block: the heating mode of the heating block is mainly for small models of household machines, and its principle is similar to that of electric water heaters.

Disadvantages: due to structural reasons, the water temperature is not stable.

(ps: not widely publicized! Hui family coffee machine because of the adoption of double heating block, three heating block technology, in terms of its price, it is really gratifying domestic products. The author tried 310s at the Shanghai International Hotel Exhibition in 14 years, and the effect is as good as that of the coffee shop.

2, boiler heating: the method used by almost all commercial coffee machines. The boiler heating is divided into single boiler, mother boiler, double boiler and multi-boiler.

Son-mother boiler single boiler: common in domestic models.

Disadvantages: low efficiency, because the temperature of making espresso ranges from 90 to 98 ℃, and the temperature of steam is above 100, so it can not be extracted and milked at the same time, so it is gradually abandoned.

A Longzi mother boiler (and E61): when it comes to the parent boiler, be sure to talk about E61. In 1961, the E61 coffee machine launched by FAEMA Pegasus has cross-era significance for coffee machines: ㈠ established the structure of heat exchange mother boiler (now most middle and low-end commercial coffee machines adopt this, practical, cost-saving, and will introduce the principle later); ㈡ established the brewing head specification E61 of most commercial coffee machines (58mm powder bowl, handle in contact with coffee maker) ㈢ E61 also achieves simple pre-soaking and heat preservation of the head.

Heat exchange principle: heating the water of the large boiler, the cold water is heated through the coil in the large boiler to extract coffee, and the large boiler outputs milking steam.

Disadvantages: because the heated water is still heated circularly when it is not extracted, the water temperature in the coil is actually higher than the set temperature (experienced baristas will release part of the water before extraction and try not to use hot water in the boiler. First, repeated heating is unhealthy, and second, once the boiler enters cold water due to insufficient water, the temperature of the extracted water may not be enough for a period of time). Moreover, due to structural reasons, it is difficult to stably control the extraction water temperature, and the optimum extraction water temperature for coffee beans with different roasting degrees is different.

Equivalent heat exchange double boilers, multi-boilers (and PID temperature control): double boilers contain one steam boiler and one coffee boiler, while multiple boilers have different brewers with independent coffee boilers, and most coffee machines with double (multi) boilers will be added to the PID temperature control system. In this way, the disadvantage of uncontrollable water temperature of the son-mother boiler is solved, and of course the price is more expensive.

Pull Marzocco accommodation GS3 to talk about PID temperature control system: PID full name Proportional integral derivative, literally translated as proportional integral derivative.

Traditional heat preservation takes the temperature value as the condition to trigger heating, such as starting the heating when the temperature is lower than 85 ℃, while the design of a son-mother boiler is simply controlled by air pressure, which leads to a delay in heating and a large temperature difference in water temperature (for example, fluctuating between 88 and 95 ℃).

The PID temperature control system not only measures the real-time water temperature, but also calculates the rate of change of the water temperature. Reaching the set temperature will change the heating power to maintain a relatively constant temperature in the form of pulses (for example, fluctuations between 93-93.8 ℃).

Ps: the larger the boiler, the greater the relative constant temperature capacity and the stronger the continuous production capacity. PID temperature control is practical and the price is ordinary, because the 600 yuan bonavita hand flushing pot is also equipped with PID temperature control system.

Second, provide extraction espresso pressure pump, the main two kinds: 1, vibration pump; 2, rotary pump.

1. Vibrating pump: the principle is similar to that of a pump, and many household machines are marked with "maximum 15bar or 20bar pressure".

Disadvantages: loud noise, unstable pressure.

2. Rotary pump: the principle is that the turbine rotates and the pressure is stable, which is used in most commercial coffee machines on the market.

Ps: some high-end pressure swing coffee machines on the market still use rotary pumps, but the extraction pressure will be changed directionally during the extraction process, rather than the conventional 9bar, which is completely different from the unstable pressure of the vibration pump.

Third, additional functions: (1) setting water output; (2) setting pre-soaking time; (3) displaying extraction time; (4) variable pressure extraction; (5) cooking proportion technology 1. Set the amount of water: you can set the amount of water extracted from the automatic gear (ml). If you keep the same amount of powder per grinding, it is equivalent to relatively maintaining the gouache ratio (volume / weight) of each cup of espresso. It is very practical, and the production efficiency and quality is greatly improved, and the technical price is common (common in digital newer models).

2, set pre-soaking time: pre-soaking refers to the first low pressure (1~3bar) less water to make coffee pressed powder moist, coffee powder water absorption expansion, the extraction space is filled with powder, reducing the channel effect caused by uneven extraction; another advantage is the same as hand-brewed coffee, the release of carbon dioxide, improve the extraction efficiency and reduce the lack of extraction caused by too fresh coffee beans. The practicability is high, and the technology price is ordinary (it is still common in the newer digital models).

3. Display extraction time: it is practical and useful for coffee quality control, and the technical price is very low (it is still common in digital newer models).

Dolph plus 4 you 4. Pressure swing extraction: break through the traditional 9bar extraction and change the extraction pressure. For example, synesso hydra's "extraction pressure curve", for example, is first extracted with 2bar for a few seconds, then extracted with 5bar and 9bar, and finally finished with 5bar extraction, so that longo can still be extracted for a minute. The technology content is high, and the technology price is expensive.

5, brewing proportion technology: different from the set water output, the technology of brewing proportion can weigh the weight of coffee powder inside the coffee machine, and can weigh the weight of espresso on the outside, keeping the ratio of powder to water consistent (weight / weight). In practicability, the technology content is high and the technology price is expensive.

6. Other features, such as Kees speedster's non-screw design, Modbar's space-saving fashion appearance, Slayer's 0-12bar transformer, Sanremo opera's Bluetooth phone control, and so on, are specific features of some high-end and expensive brand machines, and their practicality varies from person to person, but the price, um, is only available to Tuhao.

Bao summed up: the boiler and the rotary pump are the distinction between professional and non-professional coffee machines (after careful consideration, I still think that Huijia's multi-heating block design can be an exception); the basic grade of the coffee machine is determined by the mother boiler or double (multi) boiler (be sure to have PID temperature control) and the size of the boiler; and other functions have brought more benefits to the improvement of coffee production efficiency and quality.