There are all kinds of amazing machines available to help you make your favourite beverages at home for today’s coffee lovers. Espresso machines, pod-style options and countless other tools ensure coffee fans have plenty of options.
A bean to cup machine is one of the most popular tools for creating authentic coffee beverages in the style of your favourite cafes and coffee shops. Bean to cup coffee machines is a little different to the traditional espresso machine, which doesn’t do all the work of grinding beans into coffee for you.
Today, we’re going to explore what is a bean to cup coffee machine to help you decide whether you need to invest in one of these devices for your home.
What is a Bean to Cup Coffee Machine?
A bean to cup machine is essentially a coffee machine designed specifically for people who love drinking very fresh coffee. Rather than using coffee grinds for your drinks, you can place whole beans on your bean to cup coffee machine.
The device will grind your beans for you. With a traditional espresso machine, you would need to grind their coffee beans separately, then tamp and extract a shot of coffee through the machine.
Usually, an espresso machine also has a milk frother or steamer alongside it, which allows for adding milk to the fresh coffee for lattes, cappuccinos, and other similar drink options.
A bean to cup machine is very easy to use, and it takes a lot of work to create the hot and cold beverages you love from your local coffee shops. Everything you need to create the freshest coffee drink is included in the same device. Most semi-automatic bean to cup machines will also come with steam wands, so you can automatically or manually steam a milk jug.
Bean to cup coffee machines are famous for making delicious coffee at home because they ensure you don’t need to have years of experience as a barista to create the perfect drink. Most machines only require users to touch a couple of buttons to grind their beans and transform them into delicious beverages.
How Does a Bean to Cup Coffee Machine Work?
Bean to cup coffee machines is usually very easy to use. Although different devices have unique capabilities, most have similar features, like a built-in grinder for transforming your beans into grinds. Usually, all you need to do is add coffee beans to your machine and press a button for the kind of drink you want to make.
Most machines will allow you to adjust various aspects of the coffee-making process. For instance, you can control how much espresso is in your drink to maintain the right strength for a great cappuccino. You can sometimes also define the correct temperature for your drink. To understand fully how a bean to cup coffee machine works, you’ll need to understand the various components involved in this product.
The Control Panel
Most eye-catching bean to coffee machines come with a handy control panel. This panel is how you choose the different types of coffee you want to create, from the standard latte to Americanos and cappuccino drinks.
Much of the work associated with making a great cup of coffee in a bean to cup machine happens behind the scenes.
Every machine has a control panel that allows users to adjust settings and stop or start the brewing process as necessary. However, some machines are easier to use than others. For instance, a touch machine will allow you to press a single button to start brewing coffee. There are also fully automatic bean to cup machines brimming with customisation options, so you can adjust everything from temperature to cup size.
The control panel you get will depend on the kind of machine you buy. Some are so advanced that they can even help coffee makers make latte art. The more complex the control panel, the more you’ll probably have to spend.
Making the Coffee
Once you come to terms with the control panel on your bean to cup coffee machine, you can start making a range of drinks. As mentioned above, these tools come with a coffee grinder built in. This means you need fresh coffee beans to start making your drinks. Follow the instructions provided on your machine when choosing the right coffee bean and adding the right amount.
Many bean to cup machines will allow you to adjust the performance of the internal coffee grinder, so you can achieve different levels of consistency. The finer the coffee, the longer the brewing time needs to be, so keep this in mind if you’re in a hurry.
Bean to cup machines are often popular among people who want to preserve the flavour of freshly ground beans at home. As soon as you grind your filter coffee, the beans start to lose their oil and potency. Having a way to grind your coffee beans at home should also mean that the beans you buy will last longer.
Once you’ve chosen the grind for your coffee beans, the next step is to force hot water through the ground coffee. Usually, the bean to cup machines do this by heating water with a thermoblock with a reservoir in the machine. The machine will only heat as much water as it needs for your drink to reduce waste. Once heated, the machine forces the water through the coffee at high pressure.
Creating an Amazing Cup of Coffee
Suppose you’re creating an espresso as you might with a standard espresso machine or an Americano coffee where you can add milk separately. In that case, the job is done when the machine finishes forcing the water through the beans. However, most bean to cup coffee machines also go above and beyond standard filter coffee and traditional espresso machine experiences by giving you access to a steam wand too.
A steam wand is a device included with your bean to cup machine, which helps you to create steamed milk for latte art, and froth for cappuccinos. Espresso machines can sometimes come with a milk jug attached, but you generally have to access a steam wand separately.
If your bean to cup machine comes with its own steam wand, you’ll be able to create a wider range of the best coffee drinks and save time on things like turning espresso into a delicious latte.
Whether you use milk or not with your bean to cup machine, the result of this device should be a rich and delicious cup of coffee. Because these machines handle the grinding process for you, they can easily create different types of coffee beverages without compromising on freshness.
Are Bean to Coffee Machines Easy to Use?
The best bean to cup coffee machine should be extremely straightforward. The most complicated part of the process for most people will be cleaning the group head and various elements of the machine after making a cappuccino or espresso. However, most machines will come with instructions on how to clean and preserve your device every time you brew a new coffee beverage.
Why some bean to coffee machines are definitely more straightforward to use than others, most are very reliable and excellent for creating all kinds of great coffee-based beverages. Because you get one machine that can do everything simultaneously, you’re more likely to make a delicious drink quickly with a bean to cup coffee machine. It can take a little longer to figure out all the steps involved with making coffee through an espresso machine.
The biggest downside to using a bean to cup solution is it can take up a lot of room in your kitchen. These devices can be quite chunky if you have limited space at home. It’s also worth noting there are other coffee machines available for a lower cost. Most bean to cup solutions can be pretty expensive because they’re capable of performing so many tasks.
Should You Buy a Bean to Cup Machine?
A bean to cup machine is an excellent way to enjoy a range of milk and non-milk based coffee beverages. With extra tools like steam wands to froth your milk for the perfect drink, and a range of strengths to choose from, you’re sure to find life becomes a lot easier with a bean to cup device.
While a professional machine can be a little more expensive than the standard espresso machines on the market today, they do allow you to save some cash on buying grinder devices and wands separately. Additionally, you may find you save money with your bean to coffee machine because you don’t have to visit your local coffee shop as often. There’s no need to spend a fortune when you can make all of your favourite drinks easily at home.
Do you think you’ll invest in a bean to cup coffee machine anytime soon? If not, what’s holding you back? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. And do check out our other articles on this website for more kitchen tips and tricks.
