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Most of us are aware that we live in a throwaway society, and many of the products we buy will not last a long time. Warranties and long term workmanship of products have become less of a priority, and we see a lot of our household items break down quickly, including our coffee and espresso machines.
Advantages of Eco-Friendly
Eco-friendly products mean “not harmful to the environment.” We can choose with our dollar what products we want to buy. When you buy eco-friendly, you have more advantages with your purchase. Some of these advantages are:
- Eco-friendly products will last longer: A lot of products are made from long lasting materials rather than cheaper materials that break down easier.
- Better Workmanship: Longer lasting products are made with specialized craftsmanship and design. They are specifically built to last.
- Non-Toxic: Eco-friendly products are made from sustainable materials and should be safe for recycling or disposal after their lifetime.
In the case of Coffee or Espresso machines, the vast majority are not eco-friendly. In fact, they are devastating to the environment and will not last you a long time. Single serve pods are piling up in landfills at an astonishing rate, and most coffee machines are made of plastic parts.
What Makes An ESPRESSO MACHINE Eco-Friendly?
- Glass or steel parts rather than plastic.
- No disposable components.
- Easy to use.
- Lasts a long time, more than a couple of years.
- Hand-powered.
Our Top Pick for the Best Eco-Friendly Espresso Machine
The wonderful news is, you can have the perfect cup of coffee without harming the environment. In this article, We have spent the time searching the best Eco-friendly espresso machine available on the market. We have chosen the ROK Espresso Machine because this machine provides a single serve espresso without the harmful pod waste. It also does not require electricity to power it.
The ROK Espresso Machine
ROK has created an amazing hand powered espresso machine that uses absolutely zero energy! You do not need to plug this machine into any outlet, you just need amazing organic ground coffee and boiling water.
The age old love of coffee made to perfection. When you are in control, you can make your coffee exactly how you want it. The perfect grind, the perfect amount of crema, all things that are considered very delicate and personalized by each brewer.
In this article we will bring the ritualistic espresso brewing back down to the basics, but never compromising on the art of a perfectly brewed espresso.
The Rok Espresso Maker
This is how we should brew our fresh espresso, cappuccinos and latte’s. Get personal with your coffee, get back to the basics and simplicity. Be in the moment and cherish the ritual of a fresh brew.
What Makes the rok the best eco friendly espresso machine?
- Electricity Free. This espresso machine does not need a power source. You can take this machine wherever you can boil water. If you are particular about your coffee, and how its made, you can bring your portable hand pressed machine anywhere to be sure you get your favorite brew.
- Quality Material. the frame is made of durable engine-grade metal guaranteed to last at least 10 years. The Milk Frother is stainless steel instead of plastic. The base is chrome plated and the upper linking arms have 65g more metal for longer life.
- Reusable Packaging. Rok is environmentally conscious, The ROK comes packaged in a modern reusable storage tin, rather than using wasteful materials.
- 10 Year Warranty. With confidence in their product, ROK stands behind a 10 year warranty, feeling it will last much longer than that. This makes for less broken down products in land fills. At the end of its life, the ROK espresso machine will be completely recyclable.
- No waste. This manual press machine does not require small plastic pods that end up tossed in our environment causing extreme damage to our living species and oceans. You can even compost your grounds after use in the garden.
So How DOES A MANUAL ESPRESSO PRESS WORK?
WATCH THIS VIDEO TO SEE HOW SIMPLE YOU CAN MASTER THE TECHNIQUES TO BREW YOUR PERFECT ESPRESSO
It takes practice and some experimenting to get your perfect brew. This is not to say the ROK manual press is hard to use, it will be different for each user. You must find your groove, the ROK will do the rest. This is truly a hands on experience.
Here are some great tips from ROK to make your brew best!
- Use fresh clean water that has not been re-boiled.
- Grind your own beans, making sure you have the freshest coffee each time.
- Coffee beans that are suitable for espresso are not too course or the water will leak through, and not powder fine or you will not have any water flow. You will find your balance!
- Tamp down the grounds (about 16g) firmly with the ROK spoon tamper. A good tip is to build the coffee up in small layers, pressing each layer down firmly as you go.
- How you tamp is as important as the coffee itself – if you don’t tamp firmly enough there will not be enough density to create back-pressure; if you tamp too tightly the water may struggle to pass through.
- An expert tip is to warm the portafilter before you put the coffee in. Simply run it under boiling water.
- After filling the ROK with hot water raise the arms then lower a little just until you feel a push-back; Then let the water infuse into the grinds for a few seconds. You can watch this on the video.
- Now lift the arms and then pull them down firmly all the way. An extraction should take between 20 and 30 seconds.
- For maximum crema, try overfilling the cylinder with hot water to increase the pressure. Caution is needed as you can overfill and cause spillage and risk burning.
The Rok Espresso Maker
This is how we should brew our fresh espresso, cappuccinos and latte’s. Get personal with your coffee, get back to the basics and simplicity. Be in the moment and cherish the ritual of a fresh brew.
The ROK is Environmentally safe!
The fact that most of us are drinking coffee and are making our own home brews, this machine gives us an opportunity to create amazing coffee while being environmentally safe. If we look at other espresso or coffee machines, we will see that they are very wasteful, creating so much plastic that ends up in the landfills and our oceans, killing our natural species. Not to mention the machine itself may only last us a few years, winding up discarded and piling up.
Coffee has become a staple in our society. We simply love it. I personally like to take my time and brew the best possible cup that I can. This manual espresso machine is not for people in a rush, running to get out the door, this machine takes a few minutes longer and requires you to be at the reins.
What I love most about the ROK manual press is that it takes a bit of mindfulness, and in-the-moment focus, something I think we need to appreciate a bit more in our busy worlds. Have a morning ritual that gives you a moment to breath, relax and make the perfect cup of your favorite brew, to set your day in the right direction.
WHat does the ROK come with?
- Storage tin. Keeps your ROK safe, can be reused around the house.
- Award winning espresso maker. Amazing design and longevity.
- Ten year warranty on all metal parts. A great warranty.
- Stainless steel milk frother. For your favorite frothy brews.
- Portafilter. Where your rich grounds go.
- Spoon/Tamp. Perfect fit to press your grounds and create a smooth top.
- Splitter. This is for making two single shots of espresso.
Conclusion
With ROK, you can make all of your favorite drinks, from a single shot of espresso to a gourmet cappuccino or latte, you can even make fresh coffee ice cream! Be creative, have fun. The ROK has made a truly unique, back to basics, no waste product that can be used for a very long time.
I have not found any other hand pressed or environmentally friendly espresso machine on the market that compares to the ROK. I absolutely love this manual machine. It is powerless, you can take it anywhere, it will last longer than most other espresso machines, and you are in control of your favorite drink. There is no doubt after all my research and reviews, you will be completely happy with your purchase.
ROK is another company that is working towards a greener future using design, engineering, and mindfulness. They are aware of the need to get back to what is important. To take that hands-on approach and be in the present moment.
The Rok Espresso Maker
This is how we should brew our fresh espresso, cappuccinos and latte’s. Get personal with your coffee, get back to the basics and simplicity. Be in the moment and cherish the ritual of a fresh brew.
Be sure to ask questions or leave a comment, we are here to help!
This post was originally published on August 9, 2016.
The ROK espresso maker is amazing!
I have used the standard espresso pot for years–the one where you heat the water in the steel carafe and it boils through the grounds–and the ROK seems to be SO much better!
I definitely let my daughter know about this too because she has just gone to college (to study agriculture), she is a vegan and believes in taking care of the environment. She would love it!
Thank you for letting us know about this!
Rich
Hi Richard,
Honestly I am thrilled about this machine. I know what you are talking about with the standard steel carafe, definitely a good choice, but I agree with you that the ROK is so much better. You are more in control and you can make all of your other favorite drinks. I think your daughter would love this manual machine. There are so many reasons the ROK has been selected for our site. I feel its a positive product that people need to know is available. We can really cut down on our waste and take care of the environment with quality products like this.
Thanks for the comment Richard!
Maria.
Maaaan i just came off a tough 20 hour work couple of days. It was definitely tougher than normal and while I got everything accomplished I wanted, I was dead tired. I’ve always wondered about espresso machines. Haha what is espresso exactly? Is it like coffee? Does it have some of the same side effects that high amounts of caffeine does or is it something different? please let me know.
Hi Wil,
Espresso is coffee brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans.
Espresso is also the base for other drinks such as a caffè latte, cappuccino, caffè macchiato, caffè mocha, flat white, or caffè Americano.
Espresso has more caffeine per unit volume than most coffee beverages, but because the usual serving size is much smaller, the total caffeine content is less than a mug of standard brewed coffee, unless you are like some people I know who get a triple shot of espresso in their latte 🙂
I personally prefer the taste of espresso over regular drip. It is delicious when fresh and has a thick layer of crème on top.
Thanks for the comment, and be sure not to work to hard! Put your feet up and have a nice single espresso 🙂
Hi Andrea and Maria,
I must say that is the coolest looking espresso maker I have seen. The fact it does not use electricity was the one fact that blew my mind. That makes sense though since the product makes the eco-friendly list.
The one thing I was wondering about was the sturdiness of the unit. A 10 year warranty comes with the product which tells me the manufacturer stands behind their product.
This is a product that I can definitely take camping! Great review and a great looking page, too.
Britt
Hi Britt! Isn’t this machine amazing! To answer your question, the base of this manual press is what makes it sturdy, it has four rubber, slip-resistant legs to protect your countertop and prevent the espresso maker from sliding. As well when you watch the video you get a great idea of how sturdy it is. This is for sure one of our top Eco-friendly products we have reviewed. Thanks for the comment.
Maria
Hello, is the water compartment made from glass or plastic? Thank you.
Hi Amelia!
Thanks for the question, The water compartment is made of plastic, my least favorite feature of this press, but the overall material and design completely justify it for me. Especially considering most coffee machines are made of all plastic and are disposable. Hope this helps 🙂