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The piston then pushes water through a heating element, through the coffee grounds, and into a cup.
These machines are considered pieces of functional art and their elegance finds a place on display shelves of houses and art museums.
The electric pistons are best suited for people who thoroughly enjoy the ritual of making espresso, a hobbyist or other coffee culture enthusiast. The ease of use is low and the learning curve is high. However, the coffee that they are capable of extracting is at par with the best machines.
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
- Precise control over pressure applied (up to about 8 bar)
- Water need not be boiled to be pressed through the grounds
- Usually a thermometer is included, so the user knows when to brew (190 degrees) and when to froth (260 degrees).
- Porta-filter is heavy-duty, like the machine's hull
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- Needs expertise and strength for operation
- Some units can be quite loud during initial heating up
- Water reservoir takes several minutes to heat up and does not hold much water
- Grind size is very important, as the pressure the arm exerts is usually contingent upon grind size. If the grinds are slightly too large, they are likely to push water through too quickly.
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