Steam Vs. Pump-Driven Espresso Coffee Makers

Confused between how to choose one between a steam and a pump espresso maker? What is the difference between two? And what are the features to look for? In this article, we will discuss all of them one by one.

Majority of us enjoy coffee in the morning, freshly brewed cup is the best way to start our day. It seems little monotonous and tiring to go to your coffee shop for that favorite cup of joy, instead you can try considering investing in a good coffee machine.  Before buying one, let’s understand which machine to look for – steam or pump?

steam espresso maker

pump driven espresso maker

 

Pump or steam-driven espresso makers are the two basic types available in the appliance market. In a steam driven machine, it brews espresso by heating up water until it's hot enough to boil and produce steam. The pressure produced from this heat forces the steam through coffee grounds until the liquid drips out inside the pot. Whereas in pump driven machine, it uses pump to create

a pressure and it heat water until it’s not perfect enough to extract espresso from the coffee ground.  They fall under semi-automatic espresso machines.

If we compare the prices, pump driven is little expensive then the steam one. It is mid-range price machine, ranges from $100 to $200. But the coffee brewed from these is just like coffee you have in all those cafes and coffee-shops.

Features to look for:

1     Strength control: For a good coffee maker, it should have a feature called strength control where you can select strength for 5 being the strongest cup of coffee and 1 being the mildest one.

2   Froth maker: Whether you have a steam or pump, froth maker is important to make froth for cappuccino, mocha or latte. In steam driven the froth is produced by the steam created by water where as a pump driven uses pump pressure to create one. Froth formation of a pump maker is better than the steam maker.

3   Filtration: It should have a good filter to remove the finest ground from your coffee. Filter made up of gold-plated or nylon is considered to be good.

4   Cup warmer: This is an additional feature; this is no high-tech feature, but a simple flat surface where your cups are kept warm.

5     Easy to handle: A machine should have easy operation. Confusing and complex features just make the task exhausting. You want a refreshing a cup of coffee to start your day and not to get stuck with all those confusing control panel.

Advantages and Disadvantages –

1       Steam driven is less expensive than the pump driven machines.

2       In steam driven, the pressure is not enough to produce that perfect crema like in pump-espresso.

3    In steam-espresso, once it used to make espresso it needs cool down before it can be made again, whereas in pump there is a small lag time to brew another round of coffee.

4       The froth produced in pump espresso is better than the other one.

5       Since steam driven is less expensive, it can be a great gifting option.

 

So, which is best, pump or steam? It depends on how much money you want to spend and how much coffee you consume. A coffee lover, who craves for a good cup of coffee, can surely invest in a pump driven espresso machine.

Share you experience in comments sections.