Many of you will already be familiar with the classic portafilter machine from cafes and restaurants. Who doesn't love that unmistakable sound when freshly ground coffee is forced through the fine filter and steam with incomparable aromas fills the air – the preparation of coffee or espresso in a portafilter!
In this blog post, we want to explain how a portafilter machine works, what you need to pay attention to when choosing your coffee beans, and how to prepare the perfect portafilter espresso or coffee yourself.
This is how coffee and espresso are prepared in a portafilter machine.
The forerunners of today's portafilter espresso machines originated in Italy at the end of the 19th century and were designed to quickly prepare espresso. This involved forcing water through a filter at high pressure. These espresso machines evolved into today's portafilter machines, which contain a portafilter (as the name suggests) that holds a brewing filter. This portafilter is attached to the brew group with a bayonet fitting. This creates the typical barista hand movement we all know: The portafilter is filled with ground coffee, attached to the brew group, and once the espresso or coffee has finished brewing, removed with a firm tug to clean it – true barista feeling! In no time at all, you can enjoy a fresh, aromatic espresso with delicious crema or a full-bodied Americano, depending on the amount of water used. Incidentally, adjusting the settings on such a machine isn't entirely straightforward and should be configured with the help of a professional.
Enjoy freshly brewed coffee and espresso at home - we'll show you how to prepare coffee and espresso in a portafilter machine.
Espresso machines aren't just for cafes and restaurants; they're also available for home use. Instead of up to four brewing groups, as found in commercial settings, these machines have a single portafilter. It's important to know that there are semi-automatic espresso machines with an integrated grinder, or, for a more traditional approach, you can purchase a separate grinder for your espresso machine. Freshly ground coffee, tamped with a tamper (a pressure-sensitive tool specifically designed for the portafilter to achieve optimal tamping pressure), creates particularly aromatic coffee experiences. You can also vary the amount of coffee grounds depending on your desired coffee strength. In summary, to enjoy espresso at home, you'll need: an espresso machine, a coffee grinder (if you're buying whole beans), a tamper, and a tamping station to properly tamp the coffee grounds in the portafilter. Feel free to ask for expert advice from us, too.
Which coffee is best suited for preparation in an espresso machine?
If you use an espresso machine at home, you can't just buy any beans or ground coffee. To enjoy a well-balanced cup of coffee, you need espresso roasts or omni-roasts. Omni-roasts are special roasts that can be used for both espresso and regular coffee and are therefore roasted lighter than pure espresso roasts. Feel free to browse our online shop and discover the omni-roasts and espressos we offer.
9 steps to perfect coffee & espresso preparation from a portafilter machine!
Enough theory. Now, how do you easily make the perfect espresso at home with an espresso machine? We've put together a short guide for you. However, if you'd prefer to try things out practically before deciding on an espresso machine for home use, join our barista course . Here you'll learn everything about coffee and latte art. As a partner of ECM and Profitec, we can also advise you on the machines and all related matters.
How to prepare espresso in a portafilter - here's how!
Step 1:
Turn on the machine and let it heat up for at least 15 minutes with an empty portafilter. Caution: It will be hot!
Step 2:
Clean the empty portafilter with hot water and a cloth to remove any residue of old coffee oils. These could negatively affect the taste of your espresso.
Step 3:
Grind your coffee beans fresh to the professional setting (very fine!). Now add approximately 8g for a single espresso and approximately 16g for a double espresso to your portafilter. This amount will, of course, depend on the size of your portafilter.
Step 4:
Now gently tap the portafilter with the palm of your hand to level the surface and avoid losing coffee grounds.
Step 5:
Place your portafilter in the tamping station and tamp the coffee grounds firmly with approximately 15-20 kg of pressure. Some tampers have an integrated scale to help you learn the perfect tamping pressure.
Step 6:
Now press the water button on your machine for about 3 seconds without attaching the portafilter beforehand. This will bring the water to the perfect temperature and remove any coffee grounds. This process is called "flushing".
Step 7:
Now attach your portafilter and immediately begin the water flow. The optimal flow time is between 25 and 30 seconds.
Step 8:
Enjoy!
If you still have questions about preparing coffee and espresso in a portafilter machine, feel free to write to us or visit us in our cafés in Dossenheim or Heidelberg. We're happy to help!
Preparation of coffee & espresso in a portafilter
Many of you will already be familiar with the classic portafilter machine from cafes and restaurants. Who doesn't love that unmistakable sound when freshly ground coffee is forced through the fine filter and steam with incomparable aromas fills the air – the preparation of coffee or espresso in a portafilter!
In this blog post, we want to explain how a portafilter machine works, what you need to pay attention to when choosing your coffee beans, and how to prepare the perfect portafilter espresso or coffee yourself.
This is how coffee and espresso are prepared in a portafilter machine.
The forerunners of today's portafilter espresso machines originated in Italy at the end of the 19th century and were designed to quickly prepare espresso. This involved forcing water through a filter at high pressure. These espresso machines evolved into today's portafilter machines, which contain a portafilter (as the name suggests) that holds a brewing filter. This portafilter is attached to the brew group with a bayonet fitting. This creates the typical barista hand movement we all know: The portafilter is filled with ground coffee, attached to the brew group, and once the espresso or coffee has finished brewing, removed with a firm tug to clean it – true barista feeling! In no time at all, you can enjoy a fresh, aromatic espresso with delicious crema or a full-bodied Americano, depending on the amount of water used. Incidentally, adjusting the settings on such a machine isn't entirely straightforward and should be configured with the help of a professional.
Enjoy freshly brewed coffee and espresso at home - we'll show you how to prepare coffee and espresso in a portafilter machine.
Espresso machines aren't just for cafes and restaurants; they're also available for home use. Instead of up to four brewing groups, as found in commercial settings, these machines have a single portafilter. It's important to know that there are semi-automatic espresso machines with an integrated grinder, or, for a more traditional approach, you can purchase a separate grinder for your espresso machine. Freshly ground coffee, tamped with a tamper (a pressure-sensitive tool specifically designed for the portafilter to achieve optimal tamping pressure), creates particularly aromatic coffee experiences. You can also vary the amount of coffee grounds depending on your desired coffee strength. In summary, to enjoy espresso at home, you'll need: an espresso machine, a coffee grinder (if you're buying whole beans), a tamper, and a tamping station to properly tamp the coffee grounds in the portafilter. Feel free to ask for expert advice from us, too.
Which coffee is best suited for preparation in an espresso machine?
If you use an espresso machine at home, you can't just buy any beans or ground coffee. To enjoy a well-balanced cup of coffee, you need espresso roasts or omni-roasts. Omni-roasts are special roasts that can be used for both espresso and regular coffee and are therefore roasted lighter than pure espresso roasts. Feel free to browse our online shop and discover the omni-roasts and espressos we offer.
9 steps to perfect coffee & espresso preparation from a portafilter machine!
Enough theory. Now, how do you easily make the perfect espresso at home with an espresso machine? We've put together a short guide for you. However, if you'd prefer to try things out practically before deciding on an espresso machine for home use, join our barista course . Here you'll learn everything about coffee and latte art. As a partner of ECM and Profitec, we can also advise you on the machines and all related matters.
How to prepare espresso in a portafilter - here's how!
Step 1:
Turn on the machine and let it heat up for at least 15 minutes with an empty portafilter. Caution: It will be hot!
Step 2:
Clean the empty portafilter with hot water and a cloth to remove any residue of old coffee oils. These could negatively affect the taste of your espresso.
Step 3:
Grind your coffee beans fresh to the professional setting (very fine!). Now add approximately 8g for a single espresso and approximately 16g for a double espresso to your portafilter. This amount will, of course, depend on the size of your portafilter.
Step 4:
Now gently tap the portafilter with the palm of your hand to level the surface and avoid losing coffee grounds.
Step 5:
Place your portafilter in the tamping station and tamp the coffee grounds firmly with approximately 15-20 kg of pressure. Some tampers have an integrated scale to help you learn the perfect tamping pressure.
Step 6:
Now press the water button on your machine for about 3 seconds without attaching the portafilter beforehand. This will bring the water to the perfect temperature and remove any coffee grounds. This process is called "flushing".
Step 7:
Now attach your portafilter and immediately begin the water flow. The optimal flow time is between 25 and 30 seconds.
Step 8:
Enjoy!
If you still have questions about preparing coffee and espresso in a portafilter machine, feel free to write to us or visit us in our cafés in Dossenheim or Heidelberg. We're happy to help!