More and more people are purchasing espresso machines for their homes. The convenience of enjoying cafe style espresso, cappuccino or a latte and of course the all time favorite hot chocolate in the comfort of your own home with family and friends is always a highlight. There are many excellent machines available on the market today, which can be quite confusing for many prospective purchasers.
The Cuisinart EM100 is a very popular machine and for good reason. It is packed with features, produces an excellent espresso every time, looks stylish, and does not take up a lot of counter space, which is an added bonus in smaller kitchens or if counter space is limited.
Lets now look at some of the product features of this popular machine.
You can use either ground beans or the more convenient pods, the choice is yours. You can brew either one or two cups at a time and the machine is fitted with 15 bars of pressure for the perfect coffee every time. The 53 ounce reservoir is removable for ease of filling and cleaning and is large enough to make approximately 26 shots of espresso per fill. If using ground beans it is advisable to purchase espresso designed specifically for a espresso/cappuccino machine.
If you decide to use ground beans it is important to use the tamping tool supplied and only tamp the grounds with moderate pressure otherwise if the coffee is tamped too softly water may flow through the coffee too quickly resulting in a weak or under extracted coffee, and of course if the grounds are tamped too firmly the water will have flow slowly and the coffee will therefore be over extracted and possibly bitter.
A cup warming plate keeps cups ready for instant use. The steam nozzle is strong enough to produce excellent crema for cappuccinos and hot chocolates. A frothing cup and tamping tool is included with the machine. Also the machine is covered by a 3 year warranty.
This is a very easy and simple machine to operate, an on/off button, a dial for selecting steaming or brewing with an option for hot water which is excellent for tea lovers. The red indicator light glows during the heating process and goes out once the machine has reached the correct temperature. The preheating time for the machine takes about two and a half minutes.
With normal use you will only need to de-calcify the machine every 4 to 6 weeks which is a fairly easy and straight forward process, simply rinse the machine with one of the commercial products similar to Dezcal.
Espresso maker
15 bars of pressure
Brews 1 to 2 cups
Option of using ground espresso or pods
53-ounce removable reservoir
Porta-filter holder
Cup-warming plate
Steam nozzle
Frothing cup
Removable drip tray
Tamping tool included
Measures 8-1/5 inches by 11 inches by 12-5/9 inches
3 year limited warranty
1000 watts of power output
Color: Stainless steel
Made in China
Removable water tank
Steam wand
Cup warming plate
Self-priming pump
Weighs approx. 15 pounds
3 year warranty
Overall this is an excellent machine, that will give you cafe quality coffee at home.
