Frappuccino Maker

No pleasure can match the scene of sipping on a cup of coffee (especially the quintessential frappuccino) with your loved one, and the lovely talks to go with it. The scene indeed is romantic, but not many of us can afford making trips to the coffee shop everyday. So why not invest in a frappuccino maker and get the best of both the worlds, right at home.

Sounds economical, and especially in times like today, thanks to all those financial crisis, one needs to spend wisely. In addition to this, it has other benefits too, not only it is easy on your pocket, but it also saves time, saves fuel (this one is for eco-friendly people) and more importantly, gives you the warm feeling of being at home. So let's find out what goes into the making of this divine potion. There are numerous companies which offer products for this purpose. Before having a look on what's out there for you, let us first understand what is the requirement out of your machine, as it would depend on your usage to decide what kind of a machine you actually require.

What is a Frappuccino?

A frappuccino is nothing but a blended ice beverage that is sold by Starbucks. The term frappuccino is a mix of the words frappe and cappuccino. It is also available in a bottled form, and can be found in many stores in most places of the world. There are various versions of frappuccinos available, and some of them include the blended coffee, blended crème, juice blend, special version, Vivanno Nourishing Blends, (these are considered as comparatively healthier as they mostly contain fresh fruits), etc.

Frappuccino can be made at home, but of course for that you will need a blender, for the crushed ice that is integral to the frappuccino recipe, and a coffee machine, for the coffee. Depending on the coffee machine you have, the taste of the frappuccino will differ, and better the quality of the machine, better will be your homemade frappuccino. There are several at home frappuccino makers you can choose from depending on your requirement, and some of these are mentioned below.

Types of Coffee Machines

There are different types of coffee machines available, and these can range from small simple ones to bigger complex machines. They also have many differences in regard to quantity, quality, and size. Obviously the cheaper the machine, the less qualities it will have. However, based on your requirement, for example, if you want a coffee machine for your house, where there are just the two of you, a simple machine will do, but if you are looking to purchase a machine for a small office, then you might have to go in for a bigger machine with a few more features.

Cup Size
This is where you need to consider your requirement. If there are only the two of you, go for the single cup or the 2 cup machine. If you're more, then you can go for either 4 cup, 6 cup, 8 cup, 10 cup, or 12 cup depending on the number of cups of coffee you would be preparing at a time.

Programmable Coffee Maker
If you're kind of a person who keep yourself busy and have little time for the household work, then a digital coffee machine would be most apt for you. It gives you the power to program the time of the day you want your favorite cup of coffee, for it has a mind of its own and knows precisely when you need your dosage.

Vacuum Coffee Pot
You can say that this type of coffee maker has artificial brain, as it uses a vacuum that automatically infuses at the best temperature. Its accurate system ensures extraction of oils and caffeine for a more purer entity with no bitter taste.

French Press Coffee Maker
This type of a coffee machine uses a fine screen to press down on the coffee grounds once they have steeped directly in the water. For your fresh cup of gourmet coffee brew you can choose from classic French press pots and thermal coffee presses.

Dual Coffee Maker
This machine is designed for 2 carafes, as with a single thermal carafe it can brew double the amount of coffee. As a result it saves time and energy. Ideal for people who would not want to put much of their effort in preparing that perfect coffee.

Drip Coffee Maker
In this machine, flavored coffee is created by the use of electric drip machines. It involves the use of hot water being poured over the ground coffee inside a filter. Fresh gourmet coffee is then dripped below.

Manual Espresso Maker
These types are more user controllable. You can brew your coffee for a longer time if you need and can give your coffee that personalized touch. Perfect for those who want their coffee their way.

Super Automatic Espresso Machine
This machine is the daddy of them all. With just a touch of a button the espresso maker grinds whole coffee beans, then brews you your favorite coffee. It even has an internal container for the waste to be disposed off. This one proves to be the best for (lazy) people like me as there is very little mess to be cleaned.

Basic Frappuccino Recipe

After you have got your coffee machine and the blender ready, you are now all set to prepare that first cup of frappuccino. There are various recipes that you can use for frappuccinos, the one given below is a basic one you can try out for your first time.

Ingredients

• 14-18 ice cubes (crushed)
• ½ cup chilled double-strength brewed coffee (be sure that your coffee is strong enough so as to compensate with the ice cubes it will be blended with)
• 1 cup chilled milk
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp of flavored syrup of choice (vanilla, strawberry, mint, caramel, raspberry)
• Whipped cream for garnishing

Directions

• Put ice, coffee, milk, sugar and syrup in a blender.
• Blend it until the frappe is smooth.
• Pour into a large, tall glass.
• Garnish with the thick whipped cream.
• Your yummy homemade frappuccino is ready.

Once you get your frappuccino maker at home, you can experiment and make your own personalized frappuccino with various flavors and different recipes.

Think wisely before you buy your frappuccino machine; reading a few machine reviews before buying one can be prudent. An expensive machine would just make a hole in your pocket and provide you with the service which the entry-level machines can. Your frappuccino machine need not be the best, compromising on a few advanced features can help you save some cash. So what are you waiting for? Tread your way to the store to get your frappuccino maker and enjoy your coffee at home.