Espresso Makers

There is a massive choice of espresso makers if you are considering buying one, and finding the perfect machine for you is a matter of trial and error. My personal preference is the La Pavoni Europiccola, but there are many other good machines to choose from.

Prices vary considerably, and it is possible to buy an espresso machine for well under $50. I personally would not buy a machine this cheap – not because I am a snob, but because I do not believe in buying electric equipment that will break in a short space of time, and anything this cheap is sure to have a short life span. The cheapest way of making espresso at home is to buy a stovetop espresso maker – they are usually less than $25 and make superb, rich coffee – if you buy decent grinds.

That is one thing vital to do – buy good quality coffee for these machines. And skimping on quality will be tasted almost immediately. I prefer to roast and grind my own beans, but this is not absolutely vital unless you are a perfectionist.

Another good machine which is not too expensive, and if you do not want a stovetop, is the DeLonghi EC155 – less than $100 and makes a reasonable cup. I wouldn’t call it the ultimate but at the price – extremely good value for money and taste.

The wonderful thing about making your own espresso – whether you are using a cheaper machine or something fancy – is the variations possible. Just grinding the beans to a different consistency, or tamping the grinds down in a different way can make a difference to the flavor.

As I have said – I like to roast my own beans and I do so in a small cast iron skillet, which I keep solely for this job. Some people use a hot air popcorn popper, which I would think will work well – or you can put the beans in an oven, but that seems like an awful waste to me unless you are roasting a large batch of beans. After roasting, I use a burr grinder – which gives me the perfect grind – at least, I think so. There are several other types of grinder, but this is my preference.

The choice of espresso makers for sale is quite overwhelming sometimes, but – once you have decided to buy one, it is worth doing some research and getting a few opinions from other people before deciding.