{"id":625,"date":"2019-08-16T17:07:27","date_gmt":"2019-08-16T11:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tecnora.in\/blog\/?p=625"},"modified":"2019-08-24T15:14:57","modified_gmt":"2019-08-24T09:44:57","slug":"the-difference-between-a-semi-automatic-and-a-fully-automatic-espresso-machine-and-why-it-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tecnora.in\/blog\/the-difference-between-a-semi-automatic-and-a-fully-automatic-espresso-machine-and-why-it-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"The difference between a semi-automatic and a fully-automatic espresso machine and why it matters."},"content":{"rendered":"

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To fully understand the difference between semi-automatic and fully automatic espresso machines, we need to go back in history and look at the innovations that triggered iterations and ultimately became industry standards. <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Trust us. It\u2019s an interesting journey, one that will prepare you to make the right choice when you\u2019re ready to indulge in some serious coffee-shop-style experiences in your own home.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The lineage<\/span><\/h1>\n

The espresso machine we know today is a descendant of the spring-piston-lever machine patented by Achille Gaggia in Italy back in 1947. <\/span><\/p>\n

Gaggia\u2019s espresso machine was a wonder of mechanical engineering, itself a descendant of Luigi Bezzara\u2019s machine. <\/span><\/p>\n

Bezzara, in turn, tweaked the original patented design by Angelo Moriondo. <\/span><\/p>\n

Gaggia\u2019s machine did for coffee lovers what the gramophone did for music lovers: it drove them into a frenzy.<\/span><\/p>\n

These revolutionary machines turned coffee-shop baristas into performing artists.<\/span>\u00a0They played the levers like virtuosos, extracting espresso shot after shot to wide-eyed eager customers. They never seemed to get enough of the heady aroma of freshly brewed espresso.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"The timing<\/span><\/h1>\n

Back in the day, the brewing of an espresso shot was truly an art. The barista had to carefully master the algorithm of two key processes: pressure and timing. <\/span><\/p>\n

It took lots of practice to master the knack of shot timing.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The knack was about a process of extracting a shot of espresso in about 25 to 30 seconds by deftly applying pressure to the lever by hand and controlling the flow in one smooth pull.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The goal of the ‘Maestro Barista’ or the Master Barista in Italian, was to prepare a shot visually distinct in appearance, showcasing all the three elements of a perfect espresso shot-<\/span><\/p>\n

The body, the heart and the crown of crema.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The reality<\/span><\/h1>\n

The present-day reality is not so bad. As technology gets better and better, the machines and gadgets that serve us become more and more refined. Today, most of the heroics required of yesterday\u2019s baristas are taken care of by technology. <\/span><\/p>\n

Now the only way you can impress someone is by ditching instant coffee and going for freshly brewed coffee from an espresso machine.<\/span><\/p>\n

As steam espresso machines don\u2019t come with a solenoid valve pump which takes care of the pressure required for the pull, we\u2019re not going to spend time on them. Instead, we\u2019re going to focus on pump-driven espresso machines.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both semi-automatic and fully automatic machines have an electric motor-driven pump that replaces the force required by hand in the earlier piston-lever machines. This pump forces hot water through the coffee grounds to brew an espresso shot: it takes care of the pull.<\/span><\/p>\n

Almost all espresso machines come with a steam wand for frothing milk for your cappuccinos and lattes. So what then is different? The major difference between semi-automatic and fully automatic machines is the mechanism that controls the shot timing.<\/span><\/p>\n