You cannot live without taking coffee often? All you need is an espresso machine that you can use at home. Depending with your budget, you’ll definitely get a coffee making machine. So, what if I want to spend approximately $200, which is the best espresso machine under 200?
After spending several hours trying and testing different espresso machines, my pick for the best espresso machine under 200 would be Mr. Coffee Café Barista Espresso and Cappuccino Maker. All the machines used for this particular research cost around $200 and below.
Mr. Coffee Café Barista Espresso and Cappuccino Maker
What makes the Mr. Coffee Cafe Barista Barista Espresso and Cappuccino Maker to be the best espresso machine under 200?
Features:
The espresso machine comes in red, white and stainless steel. Has easy touch control panel to select drinks.
Semi-automatic 3-in-1 espresso maker, latte maker and cappuccino maker.
Removable water and milk reservoirs that are easily filled.
The cord length is 26 inches and Operates on 1040 Watts.
15-bar pump system that brews rich-tasting espresso coffee.
Weighs 10.37 pounds and Measures 11.2 by 8.9 by 12.6 inches.
You can achieve the coffee house quality with true crema using this Mr. Coffee Café Barista Espresso
Comes with the following tools, filter for double and single espresso and measuring scoop
The machine is easy to use. After picking double shot or single shot filter, select your grounds and fill the milk reservoir and afterwards, choose your brew.
The easily removable water reservoir not only fills but also cleans easily.
Comes with a one-touch panel that choose either single or double shot for your latte, espresso or cappuccino.
The milk is automatically frothed into latte and cappuccino selections with the adjustable control knob.
The machine, being easy to use, can be used by anyone.
The milk reservoir which we’ve seen is removable is used to store the leftover milk that was not used during the brew. Comes with a recipe book which might motivate you create original recipes or brew impressive coffee drinks.
It would be good to grind the grounds well.
Tips to help with brewing coffee at home
Use the following tips to make your drip coffee taste better
When buying the coffee beans buy fresh, whole bean. Don’t purchase the preground coffee but instead get the fresh, whole beans.
Store your beans properly
I would recommend a standard Mason jar to store your beans.
The grinding matters a lot
It’s always good to grind coffee before brewing to get maximum flavour. The size and consistency will determine the product of your coffee. Should you be low on budget, and you can’t afford an automatic burr grinder, get a manual hand mill. This will still serve the purpose, and will take less labour.
Measure your coffee correctly
Weight is the best metric that should be used to get the ratio of water and coffee.
Pre-infuse the grounds
By pouring hot water over the grounds, carbon dioxide gas left from the process is eliminated which might have reduced the strength of your brew.
Observe the right temperature and use the right water. Using hard water might not work best. Also, heavily distilled water could be destructive for your equipment.
Ensure that you keep the equipment clean. You have to wash off all the coffee oils after the brewing is over. Failure to do, you might be tasting the same coffee in your next cup of coffee.
Use hot water to rinse the filters before use.
Lastly, the other tip that you should observe is to preheat your equipment as well as your cup to get consistent extraction.
Fresher grind produces fresher taste. The grinder could be either burr or blade. Burr grinder are always considered superior to blade grinders. The coffee will ground evenly on the burr grinders while blade grinders are more pocket friendly.
If you are just starting out, get yourself a handheld burr grinder. The grind size will also determine the end product. Finer beans allow for more extraction due to the increased surface area. Coarse beans on the other hand there will be less extraction.
With less extraction, the coffee might have sour tastes, while a bitter flavour will be the result with over extraction. There are several attributes that determine the taste of coffee, not just the size of the beans
Coffee making is an art that’s achieved by several experimentations. You will produce sour coffee at times and other times, bitter taste. Keep changing the variables until you achieve the best taste for your coffee.
By following the tips outlined above, you should be able to make a good flavored coffee. This way, you will have the right beverage to serve your family, friends or even clients at the office. Having $200 will still get you a quality espresso machine. Let us know what you think about our choice for the best espresso machine under 200 in the comments section.