There are two main types of bean; within each type there are numerous varieties that are usually identified by their geographical region:

• Arabica: Arabica beans usually carry a lower caffeine content, have a clean, bright acidity, high sweetness and a floral and citrus character.
• Robusta: Robusta usually carry a higher caffeine content. They are full bodied, have a pronounced bitterness, low acidity and an earthy and woody character.

Other factors that may affect the flavour of coffee include:

• The roast will also affect the strength and flavour of the coffee. Generally the darker the roast the stonger the coffee will be.
• Try beans from around the world. As with wine, the soil, climate and cultivation methods all affect the taste of the coffee, producing anything from a mild, mellow blend to a rich, dark roast.
• The freshness of your coffee. Whole beans will keep for fourteen days in an air-tight container or 45 days in the freezer. Divide a big bag of beans into several smaller containers before freezing so you only open what you require.

Different coffee machines require a different grind as this can affect the rate of extraction. machines need You'll know when you've got it right because you'll have a dense 2-3mm crema on the surface of your coffee.
Too coarse: This will under-extract, giving you brown water but no flavour.
Too fine: This will over-extract, giving you a bitter flavour.

We recommend either our Handheld Grinder or our Burr Coffee Grinder for quick and easy grinding!

The perfect temperature for brewing coffee is just below boiling point. Boiling water will burn the ground beans and the coffee will taste bitter. A lower temperature won't extract the oils or flavour from the bean.

Your Dualit coffee machine will heat the water to the perfect temperature every time you make an espresso.

Compacting the coffee firmly and uniformly (but not too tightly) forces the water through the coffee grounds in a way that extracts the best flavour. Tamping too hard, will stop water flowing through the ground coffee. A good barista will tamper by pressing the grounds gently without tapping the filter holder, then twisting slightly to 'polish' the surface of the compacted coffee.

We recommend the Dualit Tamper as it controls the tamp pressure and has a levelling guide to ensure an even and level tamp every time.

Headroom is the distance between the top of the tamped coffee and the bottom of the Brewhead/Showerhead. This distance can differ depending on your coffee machine.

Too little headroom: The water may not penetrate the puck fully or you will not be able to fit the Filter Holder to the Grouphead due to the volume of coffee grounds. Try decreasing the coffee grind size and tamping with more force. If there is still too little headroom, try reducing the amount of ground coffee used.
Too much headroom: The puck will be too wet, resulting in a poorly extracted coffee and can make it difficult to clean the Cup Filter.

Try increasing the coffee grind size and tamping with less force. Check the weight of the coffee to ensure that it is suitable for your coffee machine. If there is still too much headroom, try adding coffee one gram at a time.

Coffee machines use either a thermoblock or a boiler to heat water for coffee/hot water and create steam.

A thermoblock system heats water in pipes that are coiled around the heating element, warming the water as required to the optimum temperature for either coffee or steam. Thermoblock systems heat water quickly and can switch between steam and coffee temperatures. However, water temperature is less consistent and thus coffee may be too hot if you have just used the Steam Function.

A boiler system heats the water in a boiler - a tank of water with an element inside. The water within the tank is heated to the required temperature depending on the function selected. Boiler systems give a consistent water temperature but can take a little longer to reach the optimum temperature for the Steam Function. Also, a higher temperature is maintained during Steam Functions meaning the boiler does not refill. As a result, there is only a limited amount of steam before the appliance runs out.

WHAT IS STEAMING?

• Heating the milk using steam.
• For best results hold the jug still.
• Great for making lattes, mochas and hot chocolate, as dense froth is not required.

WHAT IS FROTHING?

• Combining the milk with air by slowly lowering the jug.
• Keep the jug slightly at an angle with the steaming wand, just under the surface of the milk.

WHAT IS TEXTURING?

• Combining the steamed and frothed milk to create a creamy, glossy texture.
• Perfect for making cappuccinos, Babycinos and flavoured cinos

Coffee should always be served in a warm cup, this will keep the coffee hotter for longer and enhance the aroma.

An espresso shot, in particular, will get cold very quickly if poured into a cold cup. For this reason, your cups must be pre-warmed before EACH use.