Delicious coffee preparation with the fully automatic machine

Coffee Pirates coffee beans with the fully automatic machine

Fully automatic machines are clearly the trend. The advantages are obvious. Always the same good coffee at any time of day. Creamy cappuccino and aromatic espresso, whenever you want. So much for the advertising promises of the machine manufacturers. It quickly turns out that it is not quite that simple. We test our coffees again and again with different settings on a wide variety of fully automatic coffee machines. We are happy to pass on the experiences we have gained to you.

The perfect cup of coffee with the fully automatic coffee machine

I love my fully automatic machine! Especially in the morning when I need to be quick. One push of a button and the coffee runs into my cup like a mouse's tail. There was a lot to consider before it worked so accurately.

Most fully automatic machines only have one bean container. This usually holds around 250 grams of coffee beans. The challenge is to choose a coffee that tastes good both as an espresso and as a caffe creme and does not become bitter or sour. I recommend the espresso 50/50 (fifty fifty) or BUNA as a highland blend. The fifty fifty espresso is very well suited for espresso drinks containing milk. The milk underlines the chocolatey aromas very well. As a "long cup" it is neither bitter nor sour, but a good, rich cup of coffee. The Colombia is also a blend. In contrast to the 50/50 espresso, we have used exclusively Colombian coffees instead of Indonesian and Indian coffees. This results in a slightly softer cup of coffee and also a tasty espresso. In our range you will find an impressive selection of single-origin coffees and blends that, according to our tests, are suitable for fully automatic machines. Just have a look around. Here you can find our sample package for fully automatic machines.

If you are the lucky owner of a fully automatic machine with two bean containers , use pure espresso beans for espresso and milk-based espresso drinks. For cafe creme, it is best to use coffee roasts. I really like the Coffee Pirates home port blend as pure espresso and for cappuccino or café au lait and the Guatemala Antigua as coffee beans.

Especially for the Cafe Creme, we have a number of coffees in our range that you should try from time to time.

Set the right grind for your coffee

The right grind is important when preparing coffee or espresso in a fully automatic machine. The manufacturers of fully automatic machines like to suggest that everything is fully automatic. But it's not that simple. The grind is crucial and important for the correct extraction of the coffee. The grind control is often found in the bean container. There you will find an adjustment wheel with a number scale. The small numbers stand for a finer grind; the larger the number on the scale, the coarser the coffee is ground. Unfortunately, there is no standardization. The scales with the corresponding grinds vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Therefore, a little patience and attention is required. The indicators of a good extraction process are the brewing time and the amount of coffee or espresso in the cup.

An espresso should yield around 30 ml. The brewing time should be around 15 seconds. Our tests with different fully automatic coffee machines show that the brewing time of 10 seconds on some fully automatic machines can produce an excellent espresso. Ultimately, however, it is always your taste and the visual impression of the espresso that decides. Make sure that a thick, fawn-colored crema forms on the espresso. If this is not the case and the espresso runs into the cup in a few seconds, the grinding level is definitely set too coarsely. Adjust the adjustment wheel towards a smaller number while the grinder is running.

Important: Only adjust the grinding level when the grinder is running. First trigger the coffee dispensing and when the beans are being ground, slowly adjust the adjustment wheel. If the grinder is not running, a bean could get jammed and cause a malfunction.

After the visual assessment, the next step is to assess the taste: if the espresso tastes watery or weak, the grind setting is too coarse. If it tastes bitter or too strong, the grind setting is too fine. With most fully automatic coffee machines, you can also vary the amount of powder. This should be set to a medium range at the beginning of the experiment. Only if the grinder setting does not produce a satisfactory result can you increase the amount of powder slightly if the coffee is too weak and watery - or decrease it slightly if the coffee is too strong.

The right water is important for a tasty coffee

Water plays a major role in coffee or espresso. Both the quality of the water and the water temperature have a decisive influence on the result in the cup. In order:

The water should be fresh, rich in minerals, pH-neutral if possible, and have a low to medium degree of hardness. Still mineral water from the store only makes sense in exceptional situations. Our tap water is very suitable in and of itself. In some regions, like here in Essen, it is perfect. We don't need a water filter to reduce the carbonate hardness. A Britta filter for the home is usually sufficient for this. Some fully automatic coffee machines already have a water filter built in. This should then be inserted according to the operating instructions.

The brewing temperature should be around 92°C to 94°C. Most fully automatic machines only allow a setting based on "hotter" or "very hot". To test the machine, set it to the highest possible temperature. Our freshly roasted coffee and espresso prefer temperatures of over 92°C.

Very important: Clean the fully automatic machine regularly

After the pleasure of delicious coffee drinks comes the work. The machine must be cleaned regularly and properly. If the fully automatic coffee machine is not cleaned properly, the coffee oils that adhere to it will oxidize. The result will definitely not taste good.

If you can remove the brewing group from the machine, you should carefully wipe it out with a cloth under hot water. The operating instructions will help you choose the right cleaning products. For machines where the brewing group cannot be removed, it is strongly recommended that you use the recommended cleaning tabs to clean the brewing group.

It is just as important to clean the water tank daily. The grounds container and drip tray should also be cleaned daily. If you froth the milk with a steam nozzle or the cappuccinatore, be sure to clean all parts that come into contact with milk. The manufacturer also recommends appropriate cleaning solutions for this.

A final note: Check the settings on the fully automatic machine regularly

If you want to change the type of coffee, always check the machine settings as described above. Depending on the type of coffee you use, a different grind or brewing temperature will be required to achieve the best result. Especially when you use a different type of coffee, you should examine the freshly brewed coffee drink critically. Please remember that you should take two to three extractions before making any further adjustments.

Try our trial package for fully automatic coffee machines