The method that you use to brew your coffee has a profound influence on its taste and aroma. According to many experts only the high-pressure brewing method is capable of extracting the maximum flavor and aroma from coffee beans. It must be true because many of the finest restaurants and hotels around the world only serve freshly brewed coffee that has been extracted by the high pressure brewing method.

Once you accept that brewing coffee as quickly as possible under high pressure is the best method available to extract maximum flavor and aroma from your coffee while also preventing the extraction of bitter oils, the decision making is all about choosing the right high pressure brewer.

Espresso is made from coffee beans, why is it different? When you use the high pressure technique to brew one or two ounces of coffee at a time it is considered an espresso. Conventional methods percolate or drip water through the grounds at normal pressure. When the grinding, the tamping and the pressure all come together in the right relationship your espresso will produce a light, foamy layer on top called "crema". This foam isn't just for show. It traps the fine aromatics that have been extracted from the coffee beans. This is what gives coffee it's distinctive taste. It keeps the aromatics, which would otherwise escape as gas, locked in the cup. A thick, swirly crema is the trade mark of an expertly prepared espresso.

The high pressure pump in your espresso maker is the key to making good espresso. The pump is what quickly forces the water through the packed grounds. The amount of pressure it needs to do so is measured in bars. Espresso pumps should be able to exceed the minimum pressure needed to produce perfect espresso. A quality espresso pump can create 15 or more bars of pressure. During the brewing process water should pass through the coffee at approximately 7 to 9 bars of pressure. If the pump pressure is too low the crema will quickly dissipate and the espresso will taste thin and watery. If the pressure is too high it will not produce any crema and the coffee will taste bitter.