Thanks to the commercialized coffee industry espresso has become of of the worlds most popular coffee based drinks. Espresso machines can be found in coffee houses as well as the average persons home these days and there are many options available.

The espresso coffee maker was first invented in 1901 and since then there have been many versions to hit the market. Common mechanisms on an espresso maker include the portafilter which use a metal basket to hold the coffee grounds and a steam wand which can be used to froth and steam milk for drinks when needed.

There are four common styles of the espresso machine. Each of these will be briefly discussed in the text following. Each one has it’s own unique aspects.

Piston: The founder of the espresso coffee machine maker Gaggia, Achille Gaggia, invented a piston driven version in Italy around 1945. Gaggia’s version uses a handle and manual pumping action to push the heated water through the coffee grounds. The commonly used term, “pulling a shot”, derives from the usage of this coffee maker because of the need to pull the handle several times to complete the task. There are two different styles of the piston espresso coffee machines. The manual version which works by the operator pushing the water through by way of the handle alone and the spring driven version that uses a tensioned spring to build up the pressure.

Pump: Pump style espresso coffee makers work off of a motorized pump. This pumps builds the force needed to brew the drink properly. This is the type of machine you will see most often in coffee shops because it gets the job done quickly. Commercial styles are hooked in to the buildings plumbing making them ideal for business use while cheaper versions that are normally used at home come with a built in water reservoir.

Steam: Steam driven coffee makers work just the way the sound. Water is forced through the coffee using steam pressure. The very first espresso makers were steam powered and is still used today in low end coffee machines used in homes. They are still used because of the cheap manufacturing cost and lack of need for moving parts.

Air Pressure: Commonly known as the Hanpresso, the air pressure espresso coffee maker was introduced on store shelves in 2007 by the creator Nielsen Innovations. This small coffee maker makes only one cup of coffee at a time though. It uses a hand held pump to push pressurized air through a chamber.

The process of choosing the right espresso machine for your needs is a fairly simple one once you understand the difference of each type. You can easily choose what will work best for you by considering the application you will be using it in. For example, will it be used in a office building, occasional home use or in an actual coffee shop? Brand and added function will effect the price of each one, but the basis of every model is still the same. All are manufactured to provide you and others with great Italian based drinks.