Re: MokaPot vs "SteamToy"?

I think "steam toy" (or "steam espresso machine" as the manufacturers
falsely call them) is a defined category. The home versions are all
descended from the original "Vesuviana"

http://www.contrex.ca/coffee/img/salton.jpg

and have the following characteristics:

1. A small vertical steam boiler with screw cap at the top, usually cast
aluminum. The coffee is extracted solely by steam pressure without a pump
which means that "espresso" is misleading.

2. A portafilter for the coffee - this is what distinguishes them from
mokas, electric mokas, etc. where the coffee basket is usually placed inside
the boiler chamber. Such as the Bellman

http://fantes.com/bellman-electric.html

which is otherwise very similar. The lack of pump/lever distinguishes them
from the Pavoni Europiccola and such.

3. A steam wand.

Modern ones usually conceal the boiler inside some cheap plastic housing and
often come with a little carafe to catch the coffee (as did the Bellman).
Sometimes there is a valve to shut off the flow of water to the "group head"
for steaming or sometimes there is a blind filter for the same purpose.

I think you very well know all this and are being "cute". As I said before,
the manufacturers started this by calling their machines "espresso
machines" when they ain't. Given the misleading nature of the manufacturer
designated name, it's fair that we get to pick our own designation instead
and we chose "toy". That's the risk the manufacturers took when they gave
the machine a misleading name.




"John S." <hjsjms@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ae4792c6-463e-4b06-a525-f63e3b43c0b0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Feb 25, 6:58 pm, "Craig Andrews" <alt.cof...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
"John S." <hjs...@xxxxxx> wrote in message

news:f33169d9-5bc6-4142-815e-37a6aac649f4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Feb 25, 3:17 pm, Cyclepete <jprosenf...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I definitely prefer moka coffee to steam-toy coffee. But taste is a
personal thing.

Another advantage of the moka pot over the steam "espresso" makers is
that you can get moka pots that make multiple demitasse cups at once.
I have various sizes that I use at home. If I want to make a small
thermos of moka coffee to take to work, I use my 8-cup size one.
Definitely easier than pulling 4-8 "shots" from a steam machine. With
the steam toy you are limited to one or two demitasse cups at a time.

I like moka pot coffee as well as a good espresso. I've seen
inexpensive espresso makers that do a decent but not outstandding
job.

But for the life of me I have never seen a steam toy coffee maker -
wouldn't know one if it jumped off the shelf. But the name does have
a condescending tone so I'm thinking it was coined by a peddler of
pricey espresso machines.

Steam top & the
like:http://cgi.ebay.com/Krups-Espresso-Machine_W0QQitemZ140208661235QQihZ...
More steam toy garbage
lol:http://home.search.ebay.com/krups_Coffee-Espresso-Making_W0QQfromZR34...
Craig.

Your link to your "More Krups Steam Toy" provided a list of 174 Krups
products ranging in price from $1,600.00 all the way down to a glass
carafe for $.99

Unless name alone is the deciding factor for calling a product a
"Steam Toy" maybe you would care to share the aspects that "Steam
Toys" have in common. Is it the process of forcing pressurized hot
water through a certain kind of ground coffee beans? Is it the
presence of a steam frother? Is it price?


.

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