Top 5 Tea Espresso Machines: For Any Time Of Day & Night

Are you looking for a powerful brewer that provides you with brewing versatility?

Then a tea espresso machine might be just what you need!

In the next few segments, you can read all about the beneficial features that the best models on the market have to offer. Check them out and find out which one suits your needs the best.

The Rundown

Can You Make Tea Using An Espresso Machine?

Yes, you can use an espresso machine to brew tea. However, before you start brewing tea, you need to know more about the machines and how to maintain them to ensure you can still use them for espresso too.

Which Espresso Machine Should You Use

Essentially, you can use any espresso brewer to make tea but you need to know how to put the tea into the machine. Since espresso makers work with finely ground coffee beans, you need to make sure that your tea leaves are finely ground too. That way you won’t mess up the machine, and your tea will have its optimal flavor.

Are They Easy To Use?

Now, since these machines are actually espresso machines, this depends on how comfortable you are with them. If you just bought a new machine, you will need some time to get the hang of its performance. Keep in mind that you need to clean the machine thoroughly every time you use it to brew tea or espresso to ensure that the flavors do not mix together (if you often switch between the two, the cleaning process might be a pain).

What Kind Of Tea Can You Brew Using An Espresso Machine?

Espresso machine allows you to enjoy an assortment of teas:

• green tea
• black tea
• matcha tea
• chai tea
• decaf tea

You can even try out brewing tea lattes by simply adding steamed milk to your tea.

Benefits Of Owning A Tea Espresso Machine

There are many benefits to owning a tea espresso brewer:

• you get to enjoy versatile beverages using only one machine
• you are saving money by buying a 2in1 machine
• these machines are much simpler and more efficient to use than heating water in a kettle or on a stove

The only downside is that you need to clean the machine much more often and thoroughly if you use it to brew both espresso and tea.

Things To Keep In Mind

Here are some things you need to know before you decide which option suits your needs the best:

Size And Portability

A 14.48 x 15 x 17.5-inch machine is a great choice if you are looking for a countertop model that provides optimal stability. On the other hand, if you need a machine for on-the-road use, a lightweight 3.35 x 3.35 x 8.46-inch model is a much better fit.

Design’s Quality

Quality-wise, stainless steel models are your best bet. They are strong and durable and can withstand high demands. However, if you plan to use the machine only a few times a week, a plastic one will do just fine.

Electric Or Manual

You need to know wheter you want an electric or a manual machine. Both are highly functional options. The difference is that the former does the job for you but also requires more maintenance. The latter is more convenient to transport and clean but it requires you to do the job.

Power Rating

If you do opt for an electric machine you need to think bout its power rating. Machines with a 1000 Watt power rating or higher are your pro-grade machines suitable for commercial and home use. On the other hand, 100 Watt models are portable machines you can use while on the road to get a quick brew.

Additonal Milk System

Keep in mind that manual machines do not come with a milk system so if you want to make a tea latte you need to use a french press or a jar to steam/froth the milk. However, electric models come with a steam wand you can use to quickly steam milk just like you would for an espresso-based latte.

Top 5 Tea Espresso Machines

De’Longhi La Specialista Espresso Machine

This coffee machine features a high-quality commercial-grade design. It is entirely made out of stainless steel material that provides it with exceptional durability and resistance to versatile exterior damages. These include rust, corrosion, scratches, sill stains, dents, etc.

Another thing worth mentioning is that it comes with a built-in coffee grinder. Thanks to this feature you will be able to grind your favorite coffee beans on demand right before you start the next brewing cycle. Since it comes with a milk frother, you can choose whether you want to make a flat or a foamy milk froth.

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Amperware Viesimple Espresso Machine

This is another brewer that features a completely portable design. This makes it the perfect choice for everyone who is often on the road and is looking for a brewer that can meet their needs perfectly.

Note that this tea and espresso machine can be supported using both a car charger and a DC one. Thanks to this feature you don’t have to worry that it might run out of battery while you are in remote locations.

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Miele Espresso Machine

The best thing about this machine is that it provides you with a super-automatic brewing performance. This means that you only need to choose desired brewing program. Once set, the machine will take care of the rest.

Another highly practical feature of this machine is its carafe brewing mode. It allows you to brew up to 40 ounces of coffee at once. This feature can come in very handy especially when you have company.

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Calphalon Temp iQ Espresso Machine

This machine under $500 provides very simple performance and comes with pre-set brewing parameters for a single and a double espresso shot. Its steam wand is powerful enough to ensure that you can make both smooth milk foam and a thick froth for cappuccinos.

Another convenient feature of this machine is its top cup warming tray. It heats up your cups and ensures that your brew remains at its optimal temperature level for a much longer time.

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Wirsh Espresso Maker

Although this machine under $200 is made for countertop use, its small footprint makes it highly suitable for use in smaller kitchens. Its only downside is that, due to its somewhat smaller footprint, it does not provide the best stability.

Keep in mind that this model does not come with many features and functions. However, you can still use it to brew espresso and espresso/milk-based beverages as well as tea. With its 15 bar pressure, it provides great performance with every single use.

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How To Brew Tea Using An Espresso Machine?

Tea is very easy to make even when using an espresso maker:

1. Make sure to finely grind your tea leaves.
2. Weight your tea grounds just like you would with coffee grounds. Since an average teacup is about 6 oz, use 3 to 4 oz of tea leaves to get the best results flavor-wise.
3. Be careful about your tea choices. Those that diffuse flavor much faster are a better choice as the extraction process lasts only about 30 seconds. Green and black teas are your best option.

One More Brewing Method – No Cleaning Needed

The great thing about the electric machines is that they provide you with a “hot water on demand” option. As a result, you don’t have to brew your tea, you can simply use the hot water dispenser to make a delicious batch. This means that you are not using a filter so you have nothing to clean. You simply need to add tea leaves into your cup and let the hot water stream out. That is it.

What If The Tea…

While espresso machines are efficient for brewing tea, you might run into some trouble:

…Has A Burnt Flavor?
Tea brewing temperature goes anywhere from 140 to 212 degrees depending on the type of the tea (lower temperature for green tea and higher for black and herbal teas). Now, espresso machines use hot water that is around 200°F and for that reason, your tea might have a burnt flavor.

…Is Too Bitter?
In case the brewed tea is too bitter, you probably ground your leaves too finely. The hot water gets into contact with tea for too long and the tea gets over-extracted.

…Is Too Weak?
If you do not grind your tea leaves at all or if you grind them too coarsely, your brew will be too weak in flavor.

What About Tea Lattes?

Tea lattes can be a real treat. Just like espresso-based lattes, these beverages are made using a tea base, steamed milk, and thick milk froth. The most popular options you can find include chai lattes, matcha lattes, London fog lattes, etc.

Alternative – French Press

If all this sounds a bit too complicated, we recommend that you opt for a French press brewer:

• it is a much simpler machine
• you do not have to worry about damaging your espresso maker
• you can control the strength of your brew by adjusting the pressure

French press tea makers are very easy to use:

1. Firstly, you want to be sure that your french press is perfectly clean.
2. Boil the water you are going to use for tea in a kettle or on a stove.
3. At this time simply add the perfect amount of tea leaves into the French press carafe (for a 4 cup press, add about a quarter of a cup of dry tea leaves).
4. Pour the hot water over the tea leaves and let them steep between 1 to 3 minutes for a white tea or between 5 to 8 minutes for herbal tea.
5. Press the plunger down to separate the tea leaves from the tea.

Once you complete all these steps, you can pour the brewed tea into a cup.

What Is “Tea Espresso”?

“Tea espresso“, also known as a red espresso, is tea that is specially made to be brewed using an espresso machine. It allows you to make a much more flavorful tea brew than you would get using loose tea leaves. It is packed in the form of pods and capsules to ensure you can use it in versatile machines. If you do use this tea, you never have to worry about it tasting burnt, butter, or weak.