Choosing a Bosh coffee machine: main criteria and tips, types, features and advantages of coffee machines from Bosch, rating of the best models

Almost every person who chooses a coffee machine for their home or catering establishment is faced with an offer in the form of carob machines.

In the case of home use, compact carob coffee makers are present in every hardware store. They are distinguished by: reasonable price, compact shape, design, ease of use. For commercial purposes, carob machines are distinctive: not the lowest price, reliability of components, stylish design suitable for the interior of establishments, size. And although the operating principles of coffee machines of this type are similar, it is worth considering home and professional machines separately. After all, they have more differences than similarities.

This article will focus on carob coffee machines, design and application.

Steam engines

In 1884, at an exhibition in Turin, Angelo Moriondo presented “a new steam engine for the economical and rapid preparation of coffee drinks.” Thus, the method of preparing coffee under pressure was born.

Electric steam coffee machines are still in use today. Simplicity of operation makes them easy to handle and manage, they are affordable and compact. What is the principle of their work?

In a sealed container, water is brought to the boiling point and steam is produced. This creates pressure that forces the water through the reservoir and into the coffee. This is similar to what happens inside a geyser coffee maker.

The disadvantage of steam machines is their low pressure of only 1–1.5 bar, while the ideal pressure for espresso is 9 bar.

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In these machines, the water used to create steam is also used to brew coffee. This means that the water is almost boiling when it reaches the beans, and this can lead to over-extraction and ruin the taste of the coffee.

Coffee extraction is the process of dissolving coffee particles in water. To achieve a good taste of a coffee drink, there must be proper extraction, which depends on the amount of coffee, grind, preparation time and temperature. Wikipedia

Iván Mora, a barista at Hola Coffee in Madrid, says steam machines “not only have low pressure, but also very high temperatures.”

A steam coffee machine is a good choice if you want to save a little money and don't want to go through the hassle of learning how to make espresso like a barista in a coffee shop. By experimenting with the grind size, you can find a way to make good coffee without over-extracting.

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Delonghi EN 80.AE/CW/O/YE

The preparation of the drink in the presented devices takes place automatically . The hot water supply setting can be adjusted manually, and then the machine will do it automatically.

Features and Specifications

The power reaches no more than 1260 W and the manufacturing company is proud of it.
The machine creates a pressure of 19 bar with a pump.
The tank volume does not exceed 2 liters.
Weight no more than 2.5 kg. The cable length does not exceed 1 meter.
Average sizes: 12/32/23 cm.
Preparation of 18 types of coffee.

Peculiarities

Automatic cooking.
Works only with capsules of the Nespresso system.
It is possible to program the dosage and control the number of cups of coffee.
Devices of this type will always tell you the water level in the boiler, as they are equipped with a special indicator.
You don’t have to worry about turning off the device either - it will turn off itself.
The model has a wealth of different colors.

The manufacturer of the device includes with each machine upon purchase a gift set of capsules consisting of 16 different drinks. This is another plus in the piggy bank.

The Delonghi company announced a new technology for a compact brewing mechanism in the presented “coffee maker” model.

Advantages

preparation of 18 types of coffee, not counting cocoa, hot chocolate, tea;
low cost;
compact dimensions;
water heats up in 25 seconds;
exceptional pressure - 19 bar;
auto-cappuccino machine for frothing milk (+ boiler for milk);
for espresso – 40 ml, for lungo – 110 ml of drink – with the possibility of their programming;
The tank volume is enough to prepare 9 cups of drink;
disposal of spent capsules;
the manufacturer declared an increased level of energy saving class “A”;
fully automatic preparation of the drink.

The devices are unique in that they are equipped with a timer . It's nice to be woken up in the morning by the aroma of coffee from the kitchen. Or in the office, your favorite drink is already ready for lunch break. Or in the same office - but for an important meeting, in order to set business partners in the right mood.

The coffee machine is equipped with a patented extraction system that creates a pressure of 19 bar.

Flaws

Manufacturers did not include a number of important functions in these models:

anti-drip system,
automatic hot water supply,
preparing two cups at the same time
display
automatic decalcification
no coffee strength control
no water hardness adjustment
There is no cup warming function.

The machine does not have a pressure gauge, the presence and adjustment of which is so necessary for exceptional coffee connoisseurs who believe that the taste and aroma of the drink directly depend on the pressure of the hot water supplied during preparation.

The high cost of capsules can also be considered a disadvantage . In addition, they can only be purchased at specialized sales points.

Video review

A few videos about these cars:

Instructions for the user of this coffee machine in the video below:

Lever coffee machines

Lever mechanisms require physical strength to make coffee. There are two types of mechanisms: manual and spring.

A manual machine can be recognized by the horizontal position of the lever. When it is raised, preheated water is poured into the cooking chamber, which interacts with the ground grain. The barista can control the duration of the pre-wet process, flow rate and pressure by pressing a lever.

On spring-operated machines, the lever points upward when the inner spring is relaxed. When the lever is pressed, the spring compresses and raises the piston. This opens the cooking chamber for water to enter.

The lever rises and the spring releases the tension, the piston pushes the water down and the espresso is prepared.

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With lever machines, the barista has everything under control. If a certain coffee needs a longer pre-wet, or requires a certain pressure profile to achieve flavor, this is not a problem. These machines give freedom for creativity and experimentation.

Lever coffee machines are attractive, and the lack of electrical components can be an advantage. They're not as common today and certainly wouldn't be suitable for a busy coffee shop, but if you want to make steampunk coffee, this is the machine for you.

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But why does making espresso have to be a complicated process? Lever coffee machines require physical effort and an understanding of how to control variables. But such complete human control can lead to instability in taste.

Most lever coffee machines only have one boiler and rely on the water to cool down before interacting with the coffee, which can lead to inconsistent results.

Sean Aupiais is the founder of the Red Band Barista Academy in the Eastern Cape (South Africa). He says he values stability. “When it comes to buying equipment, there are always a lot of pros and cons, but stability for me is definitely one of the most important selection criteria,” he says.

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Bosch TAS 2001/2002/2005/2007EE Tassimo

The proposed models top the list of the cheapest in their segment. However, they are considered full-fledged coffee machines.

Features and Functions

More details about the functions and characteristics:

The preparation of the drink in them takes place automatically.
The height of the cups is adjustable with a stand and fits mugs no more than 17 cm high.
Cord length is standard 1 m.
The strength setting is adjusted manually.
A portion of hot water can also be obtained manually.
Power reaches no more than 1600 W.
The tank volume does not exceed 1.5 liters.
Weight 3 kg.
Average sizes: 20/28/30 cm.
Preparation of 11 types of drinks. Among them: cappuccino, latte, hot chocolate, tea.

Peculiarities

The coffee machines have a built-in intelligent barcode reading system for preparing different types of drinks. These are so-called T-discs with ground coffee, milk or tea. One such disk is equipped with a barcode.

Using it, the machine receives information about the preparation of the future drink:

quantity
water temperature,
cooking time,
cooking technology.

With this function, you will save significant time, because you will not have to manually configure the device for the desired type of drink preparation;

It will be especially pleasant for future owners of such a machine to know that the aromas of drinks do not mix in the coffee machine. And if you prepare hot chocolate first and then espresso, the tastes will be different.

The devices top the customer review ratings . Apparently, they objectively and subjectively decided that all these features are quite enough at a low price.

Advantages

low cost;
the most compact sizes;
intelligent recipe reading system;
fully automatic preparation of the drink;
Hygienic, drip-free disposal of used T-discs.

The machines are unique in that they can prepare cappuccino even in automatic mode. After which the machine will automatically turn off.

Flaws

Bosch manufacturers did not include a number of important functions in these models:

anti-drip system,
automatic hot water supply,
preparing two cups at the same time
display.
There is no espresso function.

The high price of capsules at the low price of the coffee machine itself is also a minus of this machine.

Video review

A few videos about these cars:

General review of the Tassimo coffee maker:

Pump coffee machines

Pump espresso machines have been around since the 1960s and dominate the market. During operation, an electric pump directs hot water through the brewing chamber into the cup of coffee. When using an electric pump, it is easy to achieve a constant high pressure.

Today, there are three main categories of pump coffee machines: semi-automatic, automatic and super-automatic. They all differ in the type of pump, number of boilers and electronic control. But let's look at each type before moving on to the mechanisms.

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Drip coffee maker: operating principle

After turning on the coffee maker, something like this happens. A special pump supplies water from the cold water tank to the heating element, where it heats up and rises to the top of the device. From there it gradually, drop by drop, drips through the layer of coffee powder, flowing into the coffee pot.

All the grounds remain on the filter.

The degree of readiness can be judged by filling the coffee pot: the drink will be prepared when all the required amount of water has heated up and flowed through the filter.

Superautomatic machines

Superautomatic machines do everything themselves. The machine grinds the coffee, weighs it, fills the portafilter and tempers the ground coffee. Press the button and get the same coffee every time. Some machines allow you to customize the grind size and time, but there is little room for creativity. These coffee machines are typically used in homes and offices, but not in coffee shops.

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How to replace the valve yourself?

Here is the sequence of steps for replacing the drain valve for Siemens, Bosh or Nivona coffee machines:

We disassemble the Bosch car into parts, removing those parts that are not secured with glue or screws. These include a water container, a coffee tray, a waste glass, and a coffee filter.
We unscrew the screws that hold the body. Remove the cover.
We remove the boiler. To do this, unscrew the screws, disconnect the tubes, use an adjustable wrench to release and separate the solenoid.
We remove the heating element. To do this, unhook the terminals and release the ground wire.
Finally we saw the valve device. There is a pin protruding forward on the drain valve. It should be carefully pressed with a screwdriver. After this it can be easily removed.
We replace the valve with a new one and carry out all operations in the opposite order.

All operations must be done carefully so as not to break the unit. A service technician can handle this much easier.

Mechanisms of pump coffee machines

These machines use different types of pumps: vibration, rotary and gear. Ivan says that vibration pumps are commonly used in super-automatic coffee machines and that they are “very unstable when it comes to pressure control because they operate at a fixed pressure.”

He says that "the pressure can rise from 4 bar at the beginning of the extraction to 14-16 bar at the end of the espresso." It happens that you yourself want to change the pressure profile, because, as you know, unplanned uneven pressure can have a bad effect on the espresso.

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Professional machines usually use rotary or gear pumps. Ivan says that “rotary pumps are constant and stable. However, you should monitor, check and adjust them based on wear and tear over time.”

“Gear pumps are used in the best coffee machines and work together with rotary pumps, but with independent pressure control,” explains Ivan. “The pressure can be changed manually or through programmable options that the barista sets depending on the desired extraction profile. Some espresso machines have both manual and programmable settings.”

Professional pump coffee machines often have three-way relief valves to relieve pressure and allow you to brew multiple espresso shots in a row.

The advantage of a semi-automatic or automatic pump coffee machine is better stability control. This is why high-end coffee machines usually have multiple boilers. They allow you to heat the water for brewing coffee separately from the water used to create steam. This allows for better temperature control and reduces the likelihood of overextraction.

Sean says that “for better temperature control, you have multiple boilers at your disposal: a separate boiler for the brew groups and a separate one for water and steam.”

But Ivan warns that even with a high-quality coffee machine there will be some instability. “Some machines are better than others, but remember that these machines are made by us humans, and we are not perfect, which is why there is no perfect espresso machine,” he says.

Bosch TAS 6515EE Tassimo

This car model is very popular among buyers and ranks first in the ranking of all sales in hardware hypermarkets.

Characteristics

The tank volume does not exceed 2 liters.
This is approximately 20 - 25 cups of drink.
Weight is 3.08 kg.
Height for cups – up to 17 cm.
Cord length – 1 m.
Auto shutdown is present.
Preparation of 11 types of drinks: cappuccino, espresso, latte, hot chocolate, tea.
Size. This device belongs to the line of spacious Bosch devices - 20/33/27 cm

Functions

Bosch TAS has a built-in intelligent barcode reading system for preparing different types of drinks.

So-called T-discs with ground coffee, milk or tea inside. One such disk is equipped with a barcode. Using it, the machine receives information about the preparation of the future drink:

amount of water
water temperature,
cooking time,
cooking technology.

With a code reading system, you will save significant time, because you will not have to manually configure the device for the desired type of drink preparation;

Peculiarities

The machine has a number of differences from the previous model:

automatic decalcification,
display appeared
backlight
hot water supply in manual and automatic modes.
The strength of the drink can be adjusted to individual taste.

Bosch has also developed and implemented a unique Brita Maxtra water filtration system with a resource indicator. This will make it easier to use when using hard water and will make descaling the device rare.

Cappuccino lovers should pay attention to this machine. It has a built-in ability to prepare a delicious drink automatically in the form of a cappuccino maker with hot steam for whipping milk foam.

Advantages

automatic decalcification;
automatic cleaning after each use;
supply of hot steam for whipping milk foam;
unique filtration system for used water;
adjusting coffee strength to individual taste;
compact size;
low cost.

Flaws

Although the manufacturer Bosch has increased the size of the water tank in this model, it is still missing:

Possibility of preparing two cups of drink at the same time
anti-drip system,
no timer (compared to previous models)
the power reaches only 3.3 bar.

Video review

Several videos about this model:

Watch the video for the key points of this coffee machine:

Price of stable espresso

Semi-automatic and pump-automatic machines offer a good balance of stability and control along with other options, but they cost much more.

Sean says: “Multi-boiler machines are definitely worth the money. This is a difficult situation from a barista's point of view... since the financial component also plays a big role..."

Pump coffee machines can vary greatly in cost, but by understanding the underlying mechanisms, you can make an informed choice about what you're willing to pay for: better brew control and consistency of flavor, or just plain beauty.

Every espresso machine has its pros and cons. Given differences in stability, availability, and practical considerations, the “best” coffee machine is different for every coffee lover.

Espresso machine technology is constantly evolving. Manufacturers around the world are developing new components, pneumatic systems and computerized controls.

It's easy to be seduced by a beautiful coffee machine and its high-tech features, but underneath the stylish appearance there are significant differences. Before you make a purchase, find out whether the coffee machine really suits your needs.

Based on the translation of the article “Understanding The Different Types of Espresso Machine“