There are many ways to make espresso. There are fully automatic machines, stovetop pots and of course portafilter machines. Since the latter are not in competition, we ask ourselves which one tastes better: fully automatic vs. Bialetti. We look at both brewing methods, suitable coffees and which machine makes the better espresso. The big espresso comparison!
Fully automatic: The high-tech solution
Fully automatic machines have become true all-rounders in the world of coffee. They offer a wealth of functions, starting with the selection of coffee beans and ending with the individual setting of the grinding level, water quantity, brewing temperature and much more. Thanks to automatic extraction at the touch of a button, they enable quick and precise preparation.
What a fully automatic machine needs to always deliver good coffee is, above all, regular cleaning and care. Regular descaling, cleaning the milk nozzle, emptying the grounds container and technical maintenance are very important when it comes to getting the best tasting coffee from the fully automatic machine. Why? Quite simply, if the individual components of the fully automatic machine are not cleaned regularly, mold will form, which can have a significant impact on the taste and possibly also on health.
Fully automatic vs Bialetti: Technical data of a fully automatic machine
Pressure: Fully automatic machines now work with a pressure range between 9 and 15 bar. The ideal pressure for a good espresso extraction is also in the range from 9 bar. Higher pressure enables better extraction.
Grinding level: The adjustability of the grinding level is a crucial factor that influences the extraction. The scale here ranges from coarse to fine to meet individual preferences.
Automatic dosing: The option of automatic dosing enables consistent quality and easy handling. Fully automatic machines can often be programmed with an exact number of grams.
With fully automatic machines you can now adjust many variables by hand and good machines can also brew you a pretty good espresso.
Advantage: Beans are freshly ground, high brewing pressure possible.
Bialetti: Traditional craftsmanship
The Bialetti machine , also known as Moka Express or stovetop pot, represents the essence of traditional Italian coffee making. This method works on the basis of pressure and steam. The water is heated in the lower container and pushed up through the coffee grounds to produce a rich espresso.
This creates a cup profile that contains strong chocolate notes and is rounded off with a full-bodied taste with a pleasant body. Medium roasts produce a very balanced taste that contains country-specific flavors such as fruit, nuts or brittle. With both variants, you can clearly taste that the coffee was prepared in a stovetop pot. In short, the stovetop pot has a very unique taste profile. However, when prepared correctly, stovetop pot coffee tastes excellent.
Fully automatic vs Bialetti: Technical data of a Bialetti
Pressure: In contrast to fully automatic machines, the Bialetti works with a comparatively low pressure of 1 to 2 bar. This gentle pressure enables a slower extraction. However, the ideal pressure for a real espresso is not achieved. Even with stovetop pots with a crema valve, you are more likely to achieve a maximum pressure of 6 bar.
Grinding level: The grinding level for the Bialetti is medium-fine and varies according to personal preference. If you like it fresh, you will need to get a grinder in addition to the stovetop pot, or get appropriately ground coffee from your trusted roastery.
Manual dosing : Dosing is done manually here. Dosing is not particularly difficult: the sieve is filled to the brim without pressing. In comparison to a fully automatic machine, this is not an exact gram. If you want to be on the safe side, you should also get a precision scale.
The simple thing about a stovetop kettle is that it does not have many components and does not require much other than water, coffee powder and a heat source.
Advantage: Can be used anywhere, also suitable for on the go, special own taste profile
Fully automatic vs Bialetti: Extraction in comparison
Extracting an espresso with a fully automatic machine is relatively simple. The machine must be filled with good beans, such as our Wildsau or Bergsonne. It must be filled with water and the machine must be switched on. Once you have set all the variables such as the grind level and the amount of water, you press the espresso button and the machine does the rest: beans are freshly ground, then they are compressed and the water is pressed through the powder at 9 to 15 bar. Voilà espresso!
With the stove pot, pre-heated water is poured into the lower part up to the valve, the sieve is filled with freshly or pre-ground powder without pressing it down. Then the machine is screwed together and the espresso is made at medium heat. The heating creates steam that rises, flows through the powder in the funnel insert and directs the flavored water into the pot above.
Fully automatic vs Bialetti – the flavors
The flavor profiles of the two methods differ significantly due to their extraction processes. Fully automatic machines offer precise control of parameters such as pressure and temperature, resulting in a consistent extraction and balanced flavor. The Bialetti, on the other hand, produces an espresso with intense aromas and a strong flavor, with the lower pressure and steaming process creating distinctive nuances. Actually - and then the article would have to end here, which we don't want - a stovetop pot does not make espresso. It is a strong coffee.
Fully automatic vs Bialetti – suitable coffees
Dark roasts and medium roasts , so-called omniroasts, are particularly suitable for both fully automatic machines and stovetop coffee machines. Since we're talking about espresso here, we would naturally recommend an espresso roast, i.e. a dark one, as this will give you the popular chocolate and nutty notes in your cup. But if you like something a little fruitier, you can of course also go for a good medium roast. Here, the fruity taste profile is rounded off by complex chocolate notes.
Whether you choose a blend or a single origin coffee is a matter of personal taste. With a blend, like our dark roasts, it's about creating a balanced cup profile with the mixture. With a single origin, it's about getting the country-specific taste out of the bean. It's best to try both and find the best way for you.
Fully automatic vs Bialetti – Two espressos from Wildkaffee
We've taken two of our coffees as an example. A dark espresso roast, the Blend Out of the Dark, and a medium roast, the Guatemala Santa Isabel. Both are delicious coffees from our roastery. Both are suitable for preparation with a fully automatic machine or with a Bialetti. Both have completely different flavor profiles. As the name suggests, with the Out of the Dark you get an espresso that tastes like dark chocolate. With the Guatemala Santa Isabel you get an espresso that tastes like milk chocolate and is rounded off with notes of dried apricots. You can get this taste experience from both the fully automatic machine and the stovetop pot. Just different. The fully automatic machine is able to give your espresso a crema, the stovetop pot cannot.
Fully automatic vs Bialetti – Conclusion
Espresso from a fully automatic machine or a stovetop pot is basically impossible to compare. The two machines work with such different pressures that the stovetop pot does not produce espresso per se, but rather a strong coffee. It is not for nothing that the stovetop pot is called a caffettiera in its country of origin, Italy, which simply means coffee machine. Nevertheless, it is not a good coffee and because it is quite strong, you can also serve it in espresso size and the taste will please everyone involved. Thanks to the now highly developed technology, you can get a relatively decent espresso with a nice crema from a fully automatic machine.
Brief overview
| Fully automatic coffee machine | Bialetti | |
|---|---|---|
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| Recommendation | Ideal for anyone who wants variety and convenience. You don't have to spend as much time getting used to it as you would with a portafilter. | Ideal for connoisseurs who don't need any frills and like to make coffee on the go. |
