Can I make regular coffee with an espresso machine?

by Jim
(Alberta, Canada)

QUESTION:

I was wondering if I could use my espresso machine to make a single regular cup of coffee. I have a Cuisinart EM-100C espresso maker. If so, how would I go about doing it?


ANSWER:

No, and yes.

No, you can’t make a regular cup of coffee with an espresso machine, unless you have a dual purpose machine that makes both espresso and coffee.

The process of making espresso is different from that of making coffee. With espresso the hot water is forced through compacted coffee grinds at pressure. You get a different result than with the gravity-fed process of a drip brewer.

That said, you can make an Americano with your espresso machine. And that comes pretty close to the taste of regular coffee.

You simple make a shot of espresso in a coffee mug and then top it up with hot water from a kettle. Add milk and cream to taste.

You can try that and see if you like it.