I have a confession to make. I am a coffee junkie. I realise that it is a drug, and that I have an addiction, but I just don't care. I cannot function without my first cup of coffee in the morning, and there is nothing better than a sweet cappuccino made from my very own cappuccino machine to kick start my day. I know I'm not alone, there is a whole culture of coffee drinkers out there, and it has been around for thousands of years. It is no wonder that people have put so much time and technological effort into building the perfect cappuccino machine.

The coffee plant has been a revered plant for thousands of years. Originating in places like Kenya and Java, this plant produces the beans that end up in our cups and give us such great pleasure and drive throughout the day. The plant produces small red and green berries which are hand picked and then aged over a long period of time. The best coffee beans are the red ones, and these are generally separated from the green and used to create a higher quality coffee.The length of time needed to age a bean properly is considered to be around 3 years. Like wine, the longer the bean is aged the better, although quite often they will be aged for a much shorter time to increase profit. After the bean has been aged, it is then roasted at temperatures of around 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and this is how it ends up in our stores, as the sweet smelling beans we all know and love.

Cappuccino was first created in Italy. The Italians are arguably the most sophisticated coffee drinkers in the world, and take their national beverage very seriously. A cappuccino is traditionally a morning drink, and the Europeans generally prefer a black Espresso during the day. If you take a walk down a street in Italy in the morning, the smell and sound of cappuccinos being created for all the people heading off to work is a wonderful experience, there is nowhere else in the world that puts so much love into such a simple pleasure. Although the best barristers will create the cappuccinos by hand, a cappuccino machine is no longer frowned on in Italy, as the technology has come so far that the quality is almost equal to the handmade version.

What is frowned upon, however, is how the Western world has bastardised this national emblem and spat in the face of tradition. Strong words, I know, but this is the general consensus in Italy when it comes to the commercialisation of the Cappuccino. Nowadays, you can walk into any McDonald's restaurant and there will be a cappuccino machine being operated by a 14 year old who has never drunk a cup of coffee in her life, and the punters can never get their fix quick enough. If it's not in their hands in a plastic cup in less than 4 minutes they start to get all pushed out of shape wondering why it's taking so long. The truth is, making cappuccino is a real art, and one that has been lost in it's exportation to the west, if you ask the originators of this drink.

Your Own Home Cappuccino Machine

There are three main elements to the perfect cappuccino. The espresso, the heated milk, and the froth that is produced from heating the milk. Most coffee experts will tell you that the most important part of a good cappuccino recipe is the temperature at which the milk is heated. This is critical, as too much heat will burn your coffee leaving a bitter taste, and too little heat will not produce the best quality froth. The froth serves two purposes in a cappuccino. Firstly it provides a sweet flavour which counteracts the bitterness of the coffee, and second it provides insulation to the actual drink underneath, keeping it hotter for longer. For this reason, a cappuccino should never be rushed. It is a drink to sit back, relax and enjoy.

That said, there is nothing more satisfying than producing your own brew using your very own cappuccino maker at home. If you value your first cup in the morning, you can really relish the flavour more when it's one that you have put the effort into yourself. Everybody's tastes are different, and you will find that after a while you develop your own style. Your cappuccino coffee maker will become a friend that you greet every morning and enjoy spending time with.

There are many different styles of these machines on the market, from the more expensive commercial cappuccino machines to the more affordable home cappuccino machine. The cheapest of these machines will only perform the one function of making a cappuccino, and if that is all your after, then that is fine. If, however, you also enjoy an espresso during the day, then for a little more money you can purchase an espresso cappuccino machine that will perform both functions.