Mocha is a strong coffee variety that consists of coffee, steamed milk, and chocolate syrups. The perfect strength for the coffee depends on the person behind the coffee bar, responsible for controlling the brewing concentration.
The brewing process of mocha involved plays a key role in determining how the coffee will turn out. The most important factor that makes the perfect mocha is the balance in the ratio of coffee grinds to water during brewing. This balance can be easy to ensure when you are using a good machine in the first place.
A good machine in your home for your mocha can save both the multiple visits to the cafes and increase the quality of the taste of your drink.
Short Answer: Personally, I think the espresso machines Breville BES870XL Barista Express and De’Longhi Dedica EC680M are perfect when it comes to making a cup of mocha. Of course, any other machine can do the job, but in my opinion, these take the cake.
There are several options available in the market right now. Choosing the best among these requires a little bit of research and insight into the key features.
In this article, I will be helping you in selecting the best available options for your mocha that can enhance your coffee experience and indulge you in an enthusiastic coffee romance at your home.
So keep reading!
Is mocha good for you?
Mocha can be good for you as it has been consumed as a ‘pick-up’ afternoon snack that promotes alertness. The combination of both chocolate and caffeine leads to better attention levels for the drinker and helps in lowering anxiety symptoms.
Chocolate individually helps increase alertness and the addition of caffeine heightens the overall productivity. The addition of cocoa powder often stimulates the feeling of less hungry among consumers. Caffeine already being an aperture suppressor amplifies the activity.
So, the combination of cocoa and caffeine in a cup of mocha is good for enhancing the cerebral flow of blood and improving cognition.
However, the mocha found in popular chains is overloaded with whipped cream and contains lots of added sugars. The grande size of mocha in Starbucks contains 11 teaspoons of sugar that are almost close to the daily intake limit.
Also, the calorie intake for mocha crosses 200 calories due to the addition of full milk and other cocoa flavors. The overall effect of mocha will depend on what else you’re choosing on your diet.
Mocha can be drunk once in a while if you don’t have any sugar issues. But don’t indulge in too many cups since it has more calories, fats, and grams of sugar compared to regular coffee varieties.
To know more about mocha, you can take a look at my other article where I review this drink in detail.
What machines make cafe mocha?
Espresso machines are used to make a mocha. Having an espresso machine simplifies the work to a great extent. To make the coffee shot for the mocha, you need an espresso machine.
A reliable espresso machine can brew a smooth espresso for the mocha and give a velvety touch.
A good espresso machine can be a boon for your mocha experience as it can improve your mood by potentially giving you control over the taste and flavor of the drink.
Also, an espresso machine serves a greater purpose compared to a regular coffee maker. So, a good one can make a difference in the whole brewing process.
| Basis of comparison | Espresso machine | Coffee maker |
| Brewing method | Gives you finer grinds of espresso within 25-30 seconds | The coarser grind of drip coffee takes about 10 minutes. |
| Roasting method | Bean roasts are much darker, richer, fuller, and less acidic | Roasts are lighter and more acidic. |
| Grinding method | Involves fine, powder-like coffee grinds | Involves coarse-thick coffee grinds |
What are the things you need to consider while buying the best espresso machine?
While buying the best coffee machine for your mocha look for the following important features:
- Built-in grinder
- Type of the machine
- Water tank capacity
- Sound control
- Preparation time
- Water dispenser facility
All of these features are not a must for everyone. While going through various options, look for the things you need. A good machine should have most of these features however, the characteristics vary among different models or brands.
The best one for you is the one most compatible with your preference and easier to understand. You probably don’t want a machine with lots of features and difficult to understand anything?
How to make mocha
Mocha can be prepared easily at home. The steps are simple and convenient so don’t wait to make your days warm or cold with a dash of mocha experience.
Having an espresso machine will ease up your working procedure. The traditional mocha, known as ‘caffè mocha’ is quite easy to make, and preparing the coffee on your own will also help in saving the extra bucks.
Before going to the recipe, don’t forget to choose a selection of freshly roasted beans to get the best flavors in your mocha. Also, don’t skimp on ingredients and use the best quality stuff.
The steps to prepare mocha on your home are:
Step 1: Use your preferred brewing method to make the coffee (8 ounces) for your mocha.
Step 2: Combine 1/4 cup of chocolate syrups or shavings or cocoa powder with 1/2 cup of preferred milk or cream.
Step 3: After that, heat the chocolate additions with the milk slowly using a double boiler or microwave. Stir it properly tik a creamy texture is obtained. You might need to add sugar in case of use unsweetened cocoa powder.
Step 4: Add the warm chocolate and milk mixture to the coffee prepared earlier. The mixture should give a nice froth.
Step 5: Enjoy your drink!
This is one of the most basic mocha variations. You can always personalize the drink by adding different syrups, almond milk, white chocolate, or hazelnut flavoring.
Best coffee machines for mocha
After going through several reviews online I have come to conclude here two of the hottest trending coffee machines currently used for mocha.
The final decision of buying rests upon you so go through the article for understanding the characteristics better.
Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine
This one is powerful, compatible, and amazing for every dose of coffee experience. The semi-automatic espresso machine might be a little bit expensive than some other models but considering its top-notched features, it’s quite affordable if you’re going with a good budget.
It is easy to use and keep clean and also got an attractive stainless-steel body. This attractive and user-friendly machine is an outstanding value in the pricey category of machines for your dose of mocha.
Breville Barista Express offers enough sets of adjustable control and manual setting that help you in controlling that flavor of your mocha to a great extent. Of course, this machine isn’t a play game for beginners so you need to have the patience to operate.
If you want something with lesser fuss then you should go for an automatic one that can be much more expensive.
The best features of Breville BES870XL Barista include:
- Built-in grinder
- Easy adjustable for grind size
- Hot water dispenser
- Integrated charcoal filter in the water tank
- Got a sufficiently weighty tamper
Overall rating: 4.5/5
- Coffee quality: 4.5/5
- Design and Features: 4/5
- Durability: 4.5/5
- Easy of use: 4.5/5
Price: Ranged between $700-$800 depending on the retailer.
Cons:
- Expensive
- Requires regular cleaning
- Not suitable for coffee shops
De’Longhi Dedica EC680M
This machine is very easy to handle and use. The pre-measured filters are there to ensure the right blend while making espresso for your mocha. This also enables in adding the correct amount of coffee grounds in every use.
Though the structure of De’Longhi EC680 is mostly plastic, it is very much durable. It also has programmability with four major functions that include:
- Brew temperature
- Water hardness
- Programmable shot size
- Auto-off
The best features of this espresso machine are:
- Have a 15-bar espresso pressure which is the industry standard
- Super slim design
- 3 temperature settings
- Have a built-in milk frother for milk-coffee varieties
Overall Rating: 4.3/5
- Coffee Quality: 4/5
- Design and Features: 4/5
- Durability: 4.5/5
- Easy of use: 4.5/5
Price: Ranged between $300-$400 depending on the retailer.
Cons:
- Less customizable options
- Some boiler overheating concerns
Final Thoughts
The best choice of machines truly depends on the buyer’s preference, but for me, the best you could pick is the Breville BES870XL Barista Express and the De’Longhi Dedica EC680M.
The most important thing that comes while buying electric appliances is budget consideration. The ones mentioned in the article are both cheap and mid-priced, but there are lots of expensive options as well.
One should get the one that is easy to understand, offers moderate key features, and is easy to afford.
Go for the machine that provides the best mocha experience within your budget and even if it lacks a definite feature, there isn’t much to lose. You can buy many of the inclusions separately if needed.
Also, not all luxury appliances can give you the perfect taste so it’s better to stick to the mid-priced machine like the ones I mentioned. These machines will help you in managing your setting with a lot of less money spent.