PODcast #55 : Espresso Pods News

Welcome to The PODcast, PodMerchant's newsletter of espresso pod news, education, tips and deals. Back issues of The PODcast are available online.

Espresso Elucidation

What's With Espresso Machines?

In November of 2007 our PODcast Issue 24 presented a review of espresso machines, with a short follow-up in January 2008 with Issue 27. So I thought it was time again to look at what is out there in terms of machines that I can recommend to our customers.

I was hoping to find a better selection than in 2008 but, I am sad to say, things have not improved. Sure there are plenty of machines out there in which you can use E.S.E. espresso pods. But which ones do a great job of making espresso? That's what I'd like to be able to tell you.

What I look for in a machine is that it is a pod-only machine (i.e., it does not accept ground coffee — only pods). This type of machine is very popular in Italy. These machines have a set of "jaws" that open up. You place the pod inside then close by pulling a lever. What is so superior about this method is that the pod is clamped on the paper flange on pod's periphery. Water cannot flow around the pod — it must all flow through the pod. It's a simple, but important, feature.
 
On your typical pod-capable, or versatile machine, as they are sometimes called, the situation is a bit more complicated. Here you have a shallow filter basket for pods that fits into the portafilter. The pod is placed in the basket and the portafilter attached and tightened. Tightening the handle pushes the pod up against the shower screen in the brew head. How much do you tighten the handle? That's a good question and the crux of the problem. If too loose, water can run around the pod and you get a watery cup of "espresso." It needs that clamping pressure to seat the pod against the filter basket to prevent seepage around the pod. If you tighten too much, the effective tamp of the pod is increased, resulting in resistance to the flow of water through the pod. This could make the water flow too slowly with a resulting drip, drip, drip, instead of a proper stream of coffee. Ironically, this increased resistance to flow through the pod also increases the likelihood of water flowing around the pod or leaking from the brew head. Again, not good. Because the clamping force on the pod varies dramatically with just a slight change in the handle position, the correct tightness of the portafilter is a tricky affair — and it shouldn't be. We are talking about espresso pods and it should be easy.

Because of the above, it is hard for me to recommend any machine that is only pod-capable, as getting really good espresso will require experience, care, and a little bit of luck. Machines that are pod-only bypass this problem entirely. In general, you put in the pod and press the button.

One of the few machines available in the U.S. that is pod-only is the FrancisFrancis! X6 with the Trio system. It's a different concept though from the pod-only machines described above. Initially the Trio system was only available on the X6 machine, but is now also available on versions of the X1 and X3. Trio machines have portafilter handles but they are made differently. The pod rests inside a plastic holder that does a good job of preventing water seepage. The shower screen is spring loaded. This ensures that the pod fits snuggly in the holder preventing seepage. Meanwhile, the position of the portafilter handle increases or decreases the tamp on the pod. A loose tamp will allow something like a "lungo," (or long) shot, and tightening it fully can produce the "ristretto," or short shot. What I really like about this system is that it allows the operator to easily compensate for variation in grind size and tamp of the pod. The exact position of the handle is not critical as it is with a pod-capable machine.

Astute readers may notice that I mentioned that the Trio uses a plastic holder in the portafilter. Isn't this supposed to be bad? The conventional wisdom of espresso making tells us that everything touching the water and coffee should be made of brass and thoroughly warmed and temperature-stabilized. In general, this is true. It's certainly true for a commercial-grade machine at an espresso bar. But the X6 is a home machine, and it is my belief that FrancisFrancis! is using plastic here to lessen the need for a lengthy warm-up period for temperature-stabilization. The specific heat capacity of plastic is nearly 4 1/2 times greater than that of brass, meaning it is less able than brass to pull heat from the shot and change its temperature.

Caveats: The overall quality of the X6 machine is just middling, or at least mine is, which is an early model. It definitely is not a commercial grade machine. The FF! logo in the handle just falls out. Over time, the chrome bezel cracked and the temperature gauge stopped working (I suspect the machine was mis-handled by someone who never told me of the incident.) Nevertheless, this machine has been faithfully making my espressos at home on a daily basis for nearly 3 years. And, it does a fantastic job at that.

And so... if you haven't guessed already, I am recommending the FrancisFrancis! X6 machine (for non-commercial use). The X6 can be purchased from Whole Latte Love — probably the largest espresso machine dealer on the internet. You can also buy it from various merchants through Amazon (including Whole Latte Love). You may prefer to purchase through Amazon, and I will disclose that if you purchase through this link: Francis Francis! X6 Espresso Machine, PodMerchant will make a small affiliate commission from Amazon on the sale. And we'd appreciate that...

 

PodMerchant News

Subscription Espresso Club

PodMerchant is pleased to offer a subscription service for our steady customers. With this service, we initiate the events to get your order to you. We offer the flexibility of interval (monthly, bimonthly, etc.) and the option of modifying your order. Espresso Club members get a 10% discount off products and 10% off shipping. There is no cost to join or other fees.

How it works
After you contact us by phone or email, we will set up your subscription with the products you wish, shipped on the date and at the interval you require. On the date of your planned shipment, we will contact you to confirm your order. You may make changes or additions as desired each time. We will then ship your order. If we are unable to contact you, we will ship the products in your previous order.

For full information on the program, please visit the Subscription Espresso Club page at PodMerchant.com.
 

Facebook

Please visit our Facebook Page! We post updates on product availability, coffee-related stories, photos, and videos to our Facebook page. Press on our Facebook Page and you'll get up-to-date news and coffee stories posted to your Facebook News Feed. We also have a discussion board.

PodMerchant Coupons

PODcast subscribers get a 10% discount* coupon with each issue. Just enter the code below on the Shipping Selection screen during checkout.

• The discount does not apply to illy Caffe' products.
• Coupon expires when the next issue is published, or at the end of the next month following publication of the issue, whichever comes first.
• Only one coupon per subscriber per issue.
• For more information, please see our PODcast Coupon FAQ.

The subscriber version of this newsletter contains a Coupon Code for 10% your next order. Be sure to subscribe to take advantage of this discount.

See you in a month...


Kevin Garrett, The PodMerchant.