Home espresso equipment is exploding onto the kitchen appliance scene in ever greater numbers and designs with ever lower prices, but what is the true definition and origins of espresso coffee and what are the crucial factors in a good home espresso ?

Cafe espresso or just, espresso, as it is now commonly known, is a concentrated coffee drink brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans.

The term cafe-espress was first used in the 1880s, long before espresso machines were invented and basically means coffee made to order, expressly for the person ordering it.

The earliest espresso coffee makers were introduced in the early 20th Century, and the original patent was filed by Luigi Bezzera of Milan, Italy, in 1901. However these early coffee machines used high steam pressure not water to brew the espresso and it wasn't before the mid-1940s, that the design was updated to a piston lever home espresso maker.

Due to the pressurized water used in the brewing process, the flavors in a quality espresso become highly concentrated. This is why espresso is used as a base for other coffee beverages, e.g. mocha and macchiato, latte and cappuccino.

The significant differences between a great espresso and drip coffee are a thicker consistency, more dissolved solids and crema, a brownish foam that sits on the surface of the coffee which is a mixture of vegetable oils, proteins and sugars.

While it clearly depends on the particular coffee beans used and the maker or barista, as a rule of thumb there is usually 2 to three times the amount of caffeine in an espresso than in the same volume of drip brewed coffee. The expert operator of an espresso machine is a barista, the Italian word for a barkeeper.

Home espresso coffee machines have risen in popularity with the general rise of interest in espresso, mainly since the 1990's and the explosion in the number of coffee houses and chains on every street.

We are currently experiencing a new wave of creativity as the electronics industry turns it's attentions to home espresso machines and we will now find a large range of espresso equipment in expert kitchen and appliance stores, online vendors and shops.

Most are fully automatic, push button home espresso coffee makers which can both grind and brew a fresh cup with only one press. They usually make a better espresso than poorly trained humans, but rarely as good as the best trained baristas.

It may be that the success of the big coffee chains in educating the masses in the joys of espresso will be their undoing as many more people can now enjoy their espresso at home.