If there is one best way to making your cup of coffee taste even better, try adding some rich chocolate to it for a sweet kick. Mocha is the perfect blend of the richness of coffee and the sweetness of chocolate that will definitely excite your palate. Whether you have tried it or not, mocha is popular among coffee lovers and is often a favorite drink of those who loves a cup of sweet-tasting coffee instead of a stronger one. If you love mocha as much as we do, then you’re in luck as there are tons of mochamakers in the market today. But before getting one yourself, here are some things that you should consider.
What is Mocha?
Before we move any further, let’s have a quick Mocha 101 lesson.
A lot of people are very familiar with it, or so they think.
So, what is this Mocha drink, exactly? For those who are not really familiar with it, mocha is a short term for “mocha latte” or a “caffe mocha” – a regular latte or espresso shot with chocolate syrup added to it. One of the best reasons why many coffee fanatics love this blend is that it is customizable, and mocha is an excellent example.
The mocha coffee beans are generally sweet and have a low level of caffeine naturally. What sets it apart from other coffee beans is their natural chocolate flavor profile. To enhance its chocolate flavor, baristas would add some chocolate syrup into the drink.
As far as ingredients are concerned, they blend 1 to 4 pumps of chocolate syrup, 2 to 4 shots of espresso, and steamed milk with a little milk foam.
Mochamakers For Your Home
There are many various mochamakers or espresso machines that you can choose from, and the best one for you will depend on what you intend or plan to use it for.
This post will show you the three espresso machines if you like mocha and some things to consider.
There are three mocha machines listed in this post: semi-automatic, automatic, and pod-style espresso machines.
1. Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines
This will require that you grind the beans, tamp, and time the shot. This means that you will have to do more work in making espresso. However, it will give you control over it as well as the taste of the mocha.
One example of the semi-automatic espresso machine that is popular in the market is the Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine.
This Breville Barista Express is actually a more premium option. It has been super popular among users and is a very reliable and high-quality espresso machine.
What Cons to Look for:
You need not manually grind the beans as the machine features an automatic grinder and lets you adjust the amount of grind and fineness for the espresso.
However, as we said, it is a semi-automatic machine, so you will have to tamp the grind and time your espresso shot to make it.
2. Automatic Espresso Machines
As the title says, the automatic espresso machine will automatically grind the coffee beans, tamp them, and make espresso completely for you. All you’ve got to do is to put the coffee beans and water into the machine.
When it comes to automatic espresso machines, Espressione 8212S Fully Automatic Espresso Machine is an all-in-one machine that includes a grinder, a bean hopper, and a milk frother as well.
What Cons to Look for:
As this machine is fully automatic, it comes with a high price tag as well. Although it is easy to use, the bean hopper can be challenging to clean, especially when using dark roast beans.
Also, you get a little bit less control with automatic machines than semi-automatic ones.
3. Pod-style Machines
This machine uses pods into the machine to make the espresso. They’re super quick and easy to use, but it won’t taste as fresh as semi-automatic or automatic espresso machines produce.
The Nespresso VertuoPlus is one of the more modern and popular espresso machines offered by Nespresso.
It’s a pod-style espresso machine so, it is just easy to use it. You just have to fill it with water, put the pod into the machine, and just press the button to make the espresso.
What Cons to Look for:
The VertuoPlus reads barcodes that can be found on the pods and quickly gathers information about the espresso’s length and strength, and adjusts how to make it.
This means that it only works with espresso pods exclusive from the VertuoLine, which are slightly more expensive to run than other pod espresso machines.
Although this machine is also a one-touch function, the milk frother needs to be removed and cleaned every after use to run smoothly.
Conclusion
If you’re a mocha lover and are planning on getting a good mochamaker for your home, tons of great mocha machines are available in the market. From semi-automatic, to automatic and pod machines, choosing one can be overwhelming, especially with all the features. Thus, it is just fair that you consider some of their key features and pros and cons before getting one. Learn more about coffee machines.