{"id":663,"date":"2019-11-28T15:24:33","date_gmt":"2019-11-28T09:54:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tecnora.in\/blog\/?p=663"},"modified":"2019-11-29T13:49:37","modified_gmt":"2019-11-29T08:19:37","slug":"difference-between-filter-coffee-makers-espresso-coffee-makers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tecnora.in\/blog\/difference-between-filter-coffee-makers-espresso-coffee-makers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Difference Between Filter Coffee Makers & Espresso Coffee Makers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Coffee is the third most popular drink in the world today after Beer and Tea, not including water of course.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what is the best method of brewing coffee? Filter coffee or Espresso?<\/span><\/p>\n

For those who just can\u2019t start the day without their daily cup of joe, brewing their cup of coffee with the right ingredients and equipment is serious business.<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, coffee is no longer limited to being a casual brew. <\/span><\/p>\n

Speciality coffee shops and baristas who know a thing or two about the brew have been enticing us with a magnificent variety of flavours and styles that each have their own unique appeal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whichever group you belong to (and we don\u2019t doubt for a moment that you are a coffee person), you surely know that the ultimate battle for coffeedom supremacy has been raging on between the two methods of brewing- espresso and filter. <\/span><\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s the real deal about these two, how are they made, and can you use espresso machines to churn out the brew of your choice?<\/span><\/p>\n

If those are some of the questions to which you are looking for the answers, then you\u2019ve come to the right place. <\/span><\/p>\n

Just relax, pick up your cuppa joe, and begin reading below. We promise you all the answers and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In principle, both espresso and filter coffee require a \u2018filter\u2019 to hold the coffee grounds.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hot water is then poured over these coffee grounds and passes through the perforations in the filter to collect as brewed coffee.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

In the espresso method, the hot water is forced through the grounds at high pressure, while in the filter coffee method, the water is allowed to \u2018drip\u2019 gradually as gravity does its job.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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What Exactly Is Espresso?<\/b><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"WhatLet\u2019s start with the basics: what exactly is espresso? While many would answer it\u2019s a type of coffee, actually that\u2019s farther from the mark than you might guess. <\/span><\/p>\n

Espresso is actually a <\/span>method<\/i><\/strong> of brewing coffee. Italian in origin, the word signifies a fast preparation method that gives the resultant decoction a different and unique taste.<\/span><\/p>\n

Espresso is prepared by passing hot, boiling water at high pressure through finely-ground coffee beans. The brew that comes out of the process is as a rule much thicker than coffee brewed by other methods. <\/span><\/p>\n

This happens because the espresso process leaves a higher concentration of suspended as well as dissolved solids in the decoction.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s clear that espresso is not merely a kind of coffee but rather a brewing technique.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So what is the technique that gives an espresso it\u2019s heady aroma and unique taste?<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, the secret, as they say, lies in the details. When the pressurized boiling water is forced through the finely ground and tightly packed coffee beans, the essential components of the crushed beans: extracts, solids and oils are all drawn out and dissolved in the shot due to the percolation of water at high pressures. <\/span><\/p>\n

This is exactly what gives espresso its characteristic crema: the frothy upper layer that we have come to associate with it.<\/span><\/p>\n

So now that you know what espresso is, let\u2019s take a look at the other contender. <\/span><\/p>\n

But before heading over to the other corner of the ring, a quick booster: you should know that an espresso forms the basis of most of your favourite coffee shop drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, americanos, cortados, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

Food for thought…<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

What is Filter Coffee?<\/b><\/h3>\n
\"filter

Pour-over coffee or filter coffee<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Filter coffee is one of the more traditional methods of preparing your cuppa. <\/span><\/p>\n

In this process (yes, this too is a process, not a separate type of coffee bean!), the process as the name suggests involves \u2018filtering\u2019 hot water through coffee grounds to collect a brew seeped in the flavours of coffee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Filter coffee requires coarser grounds and more water as compared to espresso, also a proper filter coffee takes time to brew, the strength and the nuances of the flavours would depend upon the coarseness of the coffee grounds and the roast profile as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

The filter used in this method could be filter paper, or even an ultra-fine stainless steel mesh to hold the coffee grounds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The popular \u2018pour over\u2019 brew method for example, is also a filter coffee method.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Espresso Makers And More<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

First, let us take a tour of espresso machines. As the name suggests, the machine is meant to give you a quick decoction. <\/span><\/p>\n

Most home espresso machines work in a simple manner. You take the coffee grounds and pack it into the portafilter, i.e. the metal filter basket meant to hold the ground coffee powder. <\/span><\/p>\n

Then you press the switch and voila! Hot coffee comes pouring out. But within those few seconds, a lot has taken place inside the machine. <\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a peek…<\/span><\/p>\n

Inside the machine, there is a boiler that heats up the water to high temperatures.
\nThe hot water is then forced through the coffee grounds resulting in a strong ‘shot’ of espresso.
\nIdeally, a 30 ml heady, concentrated brew of ‘bean juice’.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now there are two methods by which the pressure can be applied to the hot water.
\nBased on this, espresso machines are divided into steam and pump varieties.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the steam machines, as the name suggests, steam from a generic boiler is used to create the pressure for preparing the brew. <\/span><\/p>\n

While this may seem to be an efficient method, the downside to this is that the pressure produced by this method is rarely more than 3 bars. <\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, the final result has little or no crema and does not quite taste as an espresso should. <\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, using a steam espresso machine is not much different than a drip coffee machine with a bit of steam thrown in.<\/span><\/p>\n

The other variety uses a dedicated pump in order to create the required pressure. <\/span><\/p>\n

As you can well understand, this method can produce far higher pressure (almost to the tune of 15 bars) that produces a brilliant brew with the characteristic cr\u00e8me layer crowning the cup. <\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, it\u2019s a no brainer that a pump-based espresso machine is obviously going to perform better than a steam-based one.<\/span><\/p>\n

To know more about the mechanisms of pump vs. steam espresso, check out the video below.<\/span><\/p>\n