Tidings Magazine

We North Americans love our kitchen devices, but we’re a fickle lot. Not so long ago, a food processor was the must-have du jour — legions of hostesses served pap to guests in the early stages with their new toy. Then the bread machine (or the dough hook) arrived on the scene. I think I made three loaves before happily passing that one on. Next came the ice-cream maker, churning out basil-tomato sorbet or decadent chocolate gelato. My initial passion cooled — today, it only makes an appearance on my counter in the dog days of summer or if I’m up to haute cuisine and want an intermezzo.

But the time seems to have come now to clear some counter space for … the espresso machine. We have finally caught up with our Italian cousins, who’ve had it in their kitchens for decades. They may not all own an automated machine, but you’re always guaranteed a good cup of espresso — and a biscotti, if you’re lucky — when you drop by for a chat.

The espresso machine is a relative newcomer (the early 1800s — recent when compared to the origins of coffee). The first contraption was made in France. The device was perfected in Italy, where it was first commercially manufactured. In the last century, espresso has become integral to our lives: there are over 200,000 espresso bars in Italy alone, and I doubt if there is a city in Canada where you can’t call out for a macchiato, an allongé or an americano.

In the 1940s and 1950s, percolated coffee didn’t often taste great — it became bitter as it was left to sit on the back burner all day. But the wonderful aroma wafted up the stairs to wake you. With coffee made using an espresso machine, the flavour and aroma of the beans stay in the cup. It’s a new way of waking up.

The late 1990s marked a revolution on the espresso-machine market. Manufacturers have pumped out a bevy of nerve-inspiring models with features ranging from exact temperature selection and cup-size awareness to instructions in a dozen languages. Some of these super-automated machines can only be programmed for grind/time/quantity/froth-or-no-froth by a ten-year-old or an MIT graduate. Of course, I may feel that way because I’m still puzzled by how to stop the light blinking on my VCR!

The one thing that isn’t complicated is the coffee itself. It was first grown in Ethiopia at least 4,000 years ago: North African warriors en route to battle mixed ground coffee beans into their rations. Today, it helps us prepare at the breakfast table for our own wars. Over 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed every year — the business employs more than 20 million people. Coffee as a commodity ranks second only to petroleum in terms of dollars traded worldwide. (With the explosion of coffee outlets like Tim Horton’s and Starbucks, the bottom line is growing.) Still, many would agree that coffee is best when prepared at home.

I have tested all of the coffee makers below — some I own, some I definitely want to own!