Espresso · Gear
Thermoblock espresso
Heat the water by passing through a metal block: ready at a time and affordable. The usual in domestic machines.
- Indicative price
- €150–600
- Capacity
- 1–2 tazas
- Grind
- Fine
Instead of a boiler, these machines heat up the water at the moment, making it pass through a circuit inside a hot metal block: the thermoblock, or thermoobin. That's why they turn on very fast and spend less energy.
Many domestic entry-range machines work like this. The best ones keep a stable temperature and make pre-infusion. The most basic, with pressurized filter holders, forgive a bad milling, but limit what you can get.
- In favour: fast and low heating.
- In favour: affordable price and compact size.
- Against: less temperature stability in followed extractions.
- Against: more loose steam than a boiler.
They cost €150-600. It prefers those that support unpressurized baskets, have temperature control and manual steam spear. With a good mill, a well-chosen thermoblock machine yields a lot.
Cheapest alternative: a portable espresso or a manual lever.
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