Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Espresso Machine - How to Clean and Descale Yours

!±8± Espresso Machine - How to Clean and Descale Yours

Scale refers to a concentrated buildup of minerals, like lime, inside your espresso maker. The buildup can affect the function of your machine particularly the boiler, along with the taste of your coffee.

To properly maintain your espresso machine especially if you live in an area with hard water, you will need to descale your espresso maker anywhere from once a month to annually. This depends on the hardness of your water, how often you use your machine and how often water is allowed to sit in the machine for lengthy periods of time.

To learn how to descale your espresso machine keep reading.

Cool Down the Machine

First, turn off the machine and allow it to cool down completely. A hot machine can be dangerous and can reduce the efficacy of the descaling solution.

Combine Lemon and Water

While some users recommend using vinegar, it's generally not good for the mechanics and interior of your coffee machine You can make your own citric solution with lemon and water or purchase a commercial descaling solution that's specifically designed for use with espresso machines.

Popular commercial brands include Durgol, Saeco, and CLR. Most high-end espresso machine manufacturers will also sell their own brand or a recommended brand of decalcifying or descaling solutions.

Run the Machine

First, put your descaling solution into the machine's water reservoir. Then, turn on your espresso maker and pump water through your steam nozzle for about 15 to 30 seconds. Afterward, turn the machine off.

Now, you should have a cold machine with descaling solution in all the parts of it that run and hold water. Wait about 10 minutes and allow the scale to dissolve. Once you're done, turn the machine on and pump the water through again for 30 to 90 seconds, and then turn off the machine

Repeat

Repeat the above steps about 5 times. This process should take you an hour to an hour and a half.

Clean out the Machine

Unfortunately, descaling solution can leave a bitter and unpleasant taste in your espresso machine To get rid of this solution residue, rinse out your water reservoir and refill it. Run the clean water through the machine and repeat this step two to three times.

Make a Pot of Coffee

First, make one pot of coffee or shot of espresso and throw it out. This step will remove the descaling solution from inside.

Finally, make a pot or shot for yourself and enjoy the fresh taste!


Espresso Machine - How to Clean and Descale Yours

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Friday, December 16, 2011

Comparing the Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker With the Tassimo

!±8± Comparing the Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker With the Tassimo

There are several brands of single serve coffee makers on the market and each new model seems to be an improvement on the last. Coffee drinkers are now convinced that brewing a single cop of coffee and drinking it fresh and hot is their goal. This is a vast improvement on the pot of coffee sitting on the warmer plate, developing that scorched, burned taste. 

 

With a single serve brewer, if you enjoy a variety of different coffees and flavored blends, you will have quite a selection. The Keurig brewers use K-Cups, vacuum packed containers of coffee specially designed for these machines. There are over 200 different varieties of coffee, tea, and cocoa available now in K-Cups. You won't have the expense of buying different bags of coffee beans just to try something new. No more unused bags of stale beans sitting on the pantry shelf. 

 

The economy and the variety of available coffees has convinced many to try a single serve brewer. Some brewing systems use pods, which are paper packages of coffee for one cup. The most common complaints of consumers using pod machinesare:

Lack of variety of coffee Pods are not widely available. Pods produced coffee that tasted stale. The brewed coffee was weak and not satisfying, despite some volume adjustments. 
The Tassimo One Cup Coffee Maker uses T-Discs of coffee. This machine has a micro-processor which manages the brew temperature and volume automatically by reading bar codes imprinted on each T-Disc of coffee. When inserted into the brew head, the brewer scans the bar code to determine the amount of water to deliver, the temperature of the water, and the timing of the brew cycle. 

 

The Tassimo advertises itself as a 'hot beverage system' capable of brewing espresso, cappuccino, and a latte. A variety of chocolate syrup and dairy products with a stable shelf life are available for these beverages. There are various sized apertures on the T-Disc which allow the Tassimo to deliver either a stream of liquid to your cup or a textured, frothy foam, called crema. This one cup brewer can make a 2.5 ounce shot of espresso at 192° F or 6 ounces of frothed milk at 156° F to make a latte or cappuccino. 

 

There have been some complaints that the Tassimo must be cleaned quite often and the manufacturer has recommended that the machine be flushed with water to 'keep the pipes clear'. Discs must be purchased for regular cleaning

Coffee drinkers and fans of the single cup machines, as well as those who review them, praise the Keurig brewers for consistently making the best, most flavorful coffee. All of the Keurig machines use the same brewing mechanism, which has won raves for durability and reliability. K-cups are widely available in over 17,000 retail and specialty stores as well as in grocery chains and independent markets. So, when it comes down to a choice between a Keurig One Cup Coffee Maker and a Tassimo, decide whether you want consistently good coffee or a 'hot beverage system'. 


Comparing the Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker With the Tassimo

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