The Best Coffee Machine & The Best Espresso Machine 

Espresso makers work by using pressure to quickly push hot water through a tightly packed portafilter of finely ground coffee. The added pressure and fast brew time are what create the espresso’s thicker consistency and crema layer.

The espresso’s look and taste are influenced by many different factors. Some of these factors include the type of coffee used and how tightly it’s packed, grind size, water temperature, pressure and more. Because all of these can vary, each shot can be highly customizable depending on the machine.

Home baristas who like to try different coffees and experiment with their settings may want to choose a machine with more options, whereas those not looking to hone in their coffee settings may want a more automated machine.

When choosing an espresso machine, beginners should consider whether they want convenience or want to explore the process of making espresso. If convenience is a priority, opt for a fully-automatic or automatic machine. Look for features like a built-in grinder, assisted tamping and automatic frothing. Fully automatic machines can grind, tamp, brew and froth with the push of a button.

For beginners seeking more control or who enjoy experimenting, a semi-automatic machine offers flexibility. The features provided can vary by machine, but typically allow users to manually grind, load and tamp the coffee while automating brewing. If you enjoy lattes or cappuccinos, consider whether you want to froth milk manually with a wand or let the machine do it for you. Additional features like temperature control, pressure settings and brew time allow you to fine-tune your espresso and customize the flavor.

✔️ Coffee grinder: Grinding your coffee beans right before pulling a shot is ideal for a good cup of espresso. Espresso machines with built-in coffee grinders are convenient, reduce some mess and ensure you have freshly ground coffee beans each time. One downside is that built-in grinders are hard to fix if they break and often lead people to purchase an entirely new machine.

✔️ Milk frother: There are two common types of milk frothers: a hand-frothing wand that requires manual milk frothing in a pitcher or an attached milk container that the machine utilizes to froth milk and add it directly into your cup. With a manual frothing wand, you can practice your latte art, but it does take some practice to learn how to froth milk properly right from the start. An attached milk container with automatic frothing takes out all the guesswork, giving you a cappuccino at the right temperature with a good amount of foam automatically.

✔️ Cleanup: Depending on the model, espresso machines tend to be easy to clean. Some super-automatic machines take the work out of routine cleaning, while more manual machines require daily cleaning of the portafilter, milk frother and more. Some super-automatic machines have milk containers that connect to the machine with a straw, which can be tricky to clean, and large drip trays that can be cumbersome. You will also need to descale your machine every couple of months (or as recommended by the manufacturer) to ensure your espresso machine is operating properly and your coffee is tasting great.

An espresso machine is an investment — especially if you want one with all the bells and whistles. So it’s important to consider the type that fits your needs.

✔️ Type: There are several ways to make espresso with manual, semi-automatic, automatic, super-automatic and pod machines all available to the home barista.

• Manual machines require finely ground beans that are scooped into a portafilter and tamped down. The filter is attached to the brew head and a lever is used to manually pull water through the grounds. It is the most customizable method but arguably the most difficult to master.

•Semi-automatic machines are similar to manual machines in terms of preparation, but they operate with a button or dial that automates the water flow instead of a lever, and the size of the brew is controllable.

• Automatic machines use a button instead of a lever to brew espresso. The size of the espresso or coffee drink is automated and often programmable. This method offers more consistency than a manual or semi-automatic machine, making them super easy to use. This style tended to nab top scores in Lab tests.

• Fully-automatic machines are a step above automatic machines. In addition to automated and programmable coffee sizes, they can also grind beans, measure them out and often tamp them for you. These tended to be our favorite in Lab testing for their do-it-all performance.

• Capsule machines use pods filled with pre-measured coffee to make espresso or other coffee drinks. They offer the most consistency and hands-off ease of use.

✔️ Size: Consider how much space you have to allocate to your espresso maker. The more customizable ones are usually bigger, while the smaller ones are typically more straightforward with fewer brewing options.

✔️ Price: A good espresso maker with features like a built-in grinder and multiple drink options can be expensive; a simple machine is usually more affordable. However, some espresso machines that seem straightforward can be costly due to higher-quality materials and more effective heaters, milk frothers or technology.

✔️ Pressure: The amount of pressure exerted upon coffee grounds is measured by BARs or barometric pressure. While some machines will have up to 19 BARs, a machine that exerts around 7 to 11 BARs of pressure into the espresso will produce a good extraction.

Espresso is the base for many coffee drinks like latte and cappuccino. 
Drinks to Make with Espresso

    Latte
    Cappuccino
    Cortado
    Americano
    Macchiato
    Flat White
    Most Popular Coffee Drinks

What You’ll Need to Make an Espresso / Drip Coffee
Espresso machine 
To make authentic espresso, you’ll need an espresso machine to get the proper amount of pressure. To get espresso-like coffee, you can use a Nespresso, Aeropress or a Moka pot.
Coffee grinder
If your espresso machine doesn’t have one, you’ll need to get one that can finely ground coffee for espresso.
Whole coffee beans
Use coffee beans you already have for your coffee machine, or one that’s recommended for espresso.
Filtered water
Always use good quality water to make any coffee drink.

How to Make Espresso at Home
For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe.

Fill and tamp your portafilter with finely ground coffee.
Pull 1-2 shots of espresso.
Serve and drink immediately.

BARISTA’S TIP: Getting a great shot of espresso takes a lot of practice. What you want to look for is crema, the light brown froth that sits on top of the liquid. The crema gives espresso more flavor and indicates a good shot. Freshly roasted coffee beans will have lots of gas, so the crema will be very thicker than older coffee beans.
Expert Tips

Espressos are drinks meant to be served immediately. It’s advised to make them to order, not to make a batch at a time for a large group of people.

Some folks, especially in Italy, might not even say “espresso” but simply order a solo or doppio. This refers to a single or a double shot of espresso.
Most brewing devices for espresso purposely don’t have paper filters and that’s on purpose. Part of the flavor of espresso is the insoluble oils and compounds that are in coffee. They give espresso its mouthfeel and syrupiness.
It’s common to see home espresso machines boast how many bars of pressure their machine can achieve. 9 bars is optimal and more than that will pull out unfavorable flavors in the coffee.

Questions You May Have
Can you make an espresso without an espresso machine?

You can only make espresso-style coffee without an espresso machine.
An espresso machine uses 9 bars of pressure (about 130 pounds per square inch). Stovetop espresso makers (like the Moka pot) and Aeropresses use pressure to brew coffee but don’t use as much pressure as an espresso machine so while they make concentrated coffee drinks, the coffee produced isn’t authentic espresso.
Can you make espresso in a Nespresso machine?

Nespresso machines make espresso that’s similar to one made in an espresso machine but it’s technically not considered espresso. Nespresso also use pressure to extract coffee out of coffee grounds and most machines are designed to make espresso-based drinks. Nespresso machines have pre-portioned espresso pods that you can use to make espresso. The resulting espresso will look a lot like the espresso you’re used to seeing—highly concentrated with a crema on the top.
Can you make espresso in a Keurig?

Keurig can also make espresso-style coffee, but it’s not recommended. There are certain Keurig machines that are designed for espresso, but Keurig machines are much more tailored to drip coffee.
Can you make espresso in a French Press?

No. Espresso requires high pressure to be applied to the ground coffee which isn’t possible with a French press.
Is espresso stronger than coffee?

The strength of your drink depends on how much ground coffee you use. A 10 ounce cup of brewed coffee uses about 20 grams of coffee — that’s about the same amount of coffee you’d use for a double shot of espresso.
What is crema?

Crema is a frothy, light brown layer that sits on top of the espresso. The crema traps a lot of aromatic compounds, so it dissipates quickly. Drink the espresso while there’s still a layer of crema on top.
How do you drink espresso?

As the name implies, espresso is meant to be drunk quickly, in 2-3 sips. You can add sugar if you’d like and you can use a demitasse spoon to incorporate the crema and the espresso together.
What kind of coffee do you use for espresso?

You can use any kind of coffee you’d like! Traditionally, coffee for espresso is roasted a little darker than for drip coffee but that’s not a rule and you can try drinking espresso with any of your favorite coffee beans.
Can you eat espresso beans?

Yes! Chocolate-covered espresso beans are a common treat, and you’ll still get the caffeine benefits from eating espresso beans as you would drinking espresso. Although these are popular treats, that doesn’t mean you’ll like just grabbing espresso beans by the handful. Espresso beans can be hard to chew through and they generally don’t taste super pleasant—that’s why they’re often served dipped in something sweet like chocolate.
Why is making espresso called pulling a shot?

Older espresso machines applied pressure to coffee using a lever and a set of springs. Baristas would literally pull a lever down and activate a spring that would push water through espresso. That’s where the term comes from.

Espresso is the base for many coffee drinks like latte and cappuccino.

What is Espresso?

Espresso is a method of making concentrated coffee. An espresso machine forces hot water through finely ground coffee using pressure (around nine bars). The espresso coffee drink that’s produced is called an espresso shot and the process of making the drink is called “pulling a shot.”
Coffee made in a French press, Moka pot, and Aeropress is NOT espresso since it isn’t made using nine bars of pressure. The French press uses the immersion method, not pressure. The Moka pot uses the percolation method and the Aeropress use the pressure method but not enough pressure to call the drink espresso.
A single espresso shot can be ordered at Starbucks but most coffee shops make the drink with two shots.

Making great espresso is difficult. It requires at least delicious coffee beans, excellent brewing recipe, good and clean espresso machine and grinder. Also you need to know the best practices on how to actually pull an espresso. Here are my tips about the practices and my routine how I make espresso.

I have been studying espresso for years. First as a barista and coffee lover then later even more profoundly as a barista trainer and a roaster. I feel that after tens of thousands espresso shots made and consumed I have great insight for the topic. With this blog post I want to share some of the things I have discovered. So here are best tips from me, enjoy! If you prefer watching a video on how to make espresso, see this!

1. Clean your portafilter

Before dosing the coffee to your portafilter, make sure that the portafilter is clean and tidy. Both moisture and leftover grounds might (and most likely will) make your future espresso taste over-extracted = astringent and bitter.
Use a cloth to clean your portafilter

2. Dose correctly

This should be pretty easy. With on-demand grinders you just need to push a button with your portafilter or hand and the grinder will dose your pre-set dose. If you want to be a really professional and geeky barista, check your dose on a scale before distributing and tamping. This way you can be quite sure that your extraction will be correct because your dose won’t be too much or little.
dosing espresso

3. Distribute your grounds in the portafilter

Most likely your grinder will dose the grounds to the portafilter’s basket to a mountain or a pyramid shape. This means that you have uneven distribution of the grounds so some parts of the basket will have more coffee and some parts less if you don’t distribute them before tamping. Bad distribution of the grounds might lead to channelling.

You can also use distribution tools if you want to get geeky. Distribution tools are really great way to enhance the consistency of your espressos and their extractions.
espresso distribution

4. Tamp evenly and consistently

I had my first barista training in 2012 when I was taught that I should tamp with 20 kilos of pressure. After “a few” tamps and several years, I still don’t know how much is 20 kilos of pressure. So let’s kill that popular myth.

So let’s tamp in a more modern way. The aim of tamping is to remove any air pockets in the coffee puck and do this so that the puck is completely leveled. Tamp so long and “hard” that you feel that the puck is compressed (in other words it doesn’t go down anymore). Pay attention that the puck is horizontally leveled so that you avoid channelling and over, under or uneven extraction.
tamping when brewing espresso

5. Rinse your group head

Before inserting the portafilter to the group head, you might want to rinse the group head to remove any old coffee from it. Easy way to keep your espresso machine clean. Rinsing will also make sure that your group head is properly heated and this way you might be able to extract more your coffee.

6. Insert the portafilter and start brewing immediately

After rinsing, insert the portafilter to the group head and start brewing IMMEDIATELY! If you don’t start brewing immediately, the heat from the group head might “burn” the surface of your coffee which leads to bitter notes in the cup.
Fun fact: in World Barista Championships you will lose a point if you don’t start the brewing immediately

7. Be aware of the yield & brew time

Now you are brewing your espresso. If you are using a volumetric machine, be aware of you brew time. In the case of too short extraction time (under-extraction) or too long extraction time (over-extraction) you might want to make a new espresso and/or check your grind size and dose. If you are using a manual espresso machine, be aware of your yield e.g. if your espresso is running a bit too fast, you are just diluting (making it milder) your espresso and possibly also over-extracting at the same time.
brewing espresso

8. Serve with a smile

If you followed these steps and you’re using a good brewing recipe, most likely you will have a tasty espresso in the cup. It is important to remember that we baristas are in the hospitality business so be sure to serve your customers well. Tell them a little about the coffee you’re using and what kind of flavours should they be expecting from the espresso. And most important of all; SMILE. With a tasty espresso served with smile you can make someone’s day.

9. Discard the puck, clean the basket and rinse the group head.

After serving keep the places neat and tidy. Clean the basket from any old coffee and moisture, rinse the group head and insert the portafilter back to the group head. It is much easier, faster and nicer to make the next espresso when places are in order.

10. To become a great barista one has to have a combination of mechanical skill set and service attitude. You must know how to handle your equipment and coffee as a compound but also to be a great service person for your customers.

With time and experience – and let’s not forget the fancy barista tools – your steps may change. They will become more advanced, evolving with you as a barista. There is always more to learn in this industry (which is what makes it so fun!) However, if you begin with this process, you’re off to a very good start.

FAQ :

Why is espresso better than coffee?

Espresso also has antioxidants and caffeine, which aid metabolism and help boost mood. Espresso is not inherently healthier than regular coffee, but drinkers can skip out on excess sweeteners and sugars often added in other coffee drinks since it can be enjoyed as is.

Is an espresso machine the same as a coffee maker?

No coffee makers don’t produce the pressure needed to extract espresso. You can make extra strong coffee by using less water and more grounds, but the result won’t be the same flavor and texture as espresso.

Can an espresso machine make regular coffee?

While traditional manual espresso machines are not designed to produce a “regular” drip style coffee, Super automatic espresso machines fit the bill.

Do espresso machines need special coffee?

All coffee can be used for an espresso machine, provided it has the right fine grind. That said, many prefer to use dark roasted coffee due to its stronger flavor. In fact, you can sometimes find coffee labelled ‘espresso’ due to its darker roast.

What is the difference between a coffee maker and an espresso machine?

The finer grind of espresso coffee means that an espresso machine brews and pours within about 30 seconds. In contrast, the coarser grind of drip coffee means you may have to allow up to ten minutes of brewing time. An espresso machine uses high pressure to force water through coffee within only a few seconds.

Is espresso stronger than coffee?

Espresso typically has 63 mg of caffeine in 1 ounce (the amount in one shot), according to Department of Agriculture nutrition data. Regular coffee, by contrast, has 12 to 16 mg of caffeine in every ounce, on average. That means that ounce for ounce, espresso has more caffeine. But who stops at 1 ounce of coffee?

Is it better to drink espresso or coffee?

Many people think espresso and coffee are two distinct beverages, but they’re actually just different brewing methods. Both types of drinks have similar benefits, although light- to medium-roasted coffee has a slight edge over espresso for supporting heart health, cognitive health, metabolic health, and more.

Is an espresso just a shot of coffee?

Espresso is a type of coffee. More specifically, it’s a method of brewing coffee that uses high water pressure and finely ground beans to make a small, concentrated shot (the term also refers to the shot itself).

Is espresso just black coffee?

So, while an Espresso is also a Black Coffee, a Black Coffee cannot be called an Espresso unless brewed by forcing hot water at high pressure through the finely ground coffee.

How to make espresso with an espresso machine

Making espresso typically involves using an espresso machine, which can be found at most coffee shops and home appliance stores. Here are the basic steps to make espresso:

1. Fill the water reservoir of your espresso machine with cold, filtered water.

2. Preheat your espresso machine by turning it on and allowing it to heat up for a few minutes.

3. Grind fresh coffee beans to a fine consistency. You will need about 7 grams of coffee for a single shot of espresso, and 14 grams for a double shot.

4. Pack the ground coffee into the portafilter of your espresso machine, using a tamper to compress the coffee evenly.

5. Place a preheated espresso cup under the portafilter.

6. Start the espresso machine and wait for the espresso to start pouring into the cup.

7. Depending on the strength of the espresso you desire, stop the machine after 25-30 seconds for a single shot, or 35-40 seconds for a double shot.

8. Serve the espresso immediately, and enjoy!

Note that there are many variations and techniques for making espresso, and the exact method may vary depending on the type of espresso machine you are using. Additionally, the quality of your espresso will depend on the quality of your coffee beans, the freshness of your grounds, and the consistency of your extraction process.

How to Make Drip Coffee – the Perfectionist Guide
A perfect cup of coffee is the result of a series of personal choices, techniques, and perfect measurements of quantities and time. Yes, there is the technical side of making coffee, where grind size, brewing time, and water temperature need to be perfect, but there is also the personal touch to it. This personal preference can affect the roast type, the bean origins, and the type of filter used. I’ll show you in a bit how all these can affect your coffee, and don’t be afraid to try them, coffee taste is subjective.

The Water
Water is essential for drip coffee, and with poor water quality, you’ll get an average cup.

Tap water is not bad, but it has a bit too many minerals which are going to show in your coffee. Distilled water is not good, because it has no minerals and will render your cup too flat.

Filtering your water before brewing is a great choice; make sure you pick a filter that doesn’t completely strip your water of minerals, but it removes chlorine and other compounds that impart strong taste or odors. Another great choice is bottled water; the best is spring water because it has a good balance of minerals.

The Grind
Although it is not as critical as with other brewing methods, the grind size is still very important, so don’t overlook it. The grind size is clearly marked on any decent burr grinder, and you can play with it within certain margins.

I am not downplaying the importance of a consistent grind. I am merely stating that this consistency is not as critical as with French press, or espresso.
If you grind finer, you will prolong the steeping time, because water will pass slower through the compact coffee. Too coarse and the water will pass too fast, resulting in under-extraction. There is a lot of talking on the Internet about how over-extraction will result in bitter coffee. And the discussions mention brew time as the important factor in over-extraction.
This is not entirely true; a longer extraction time at the correct temperature will make the coffee stronger, but not bitter.

Think about Turkish coffee, if there was such a thing as over-extraction Turkish coffee would be the most over-extracted brew and it would be extremely bitter which is not the case. Turkish coffee is a bit over-extracted by the North American standards, however not to the point were we extract tannins and other undesirable compounds. It is just a very strong coffee. In the same way, dialing in you grind will get you a stronger or a milder cup.

A grind too fine will allow more soluble solids to pass through the filter, especially if you are using non-paper filters. This will make coffee less clear, which will disappoint many drip coffee lovers. (It will get it closer to espresso and Turkish coffee.) If you like stronger coffee, this is perfect for you.

Grind and measure your beans. Using dark roast coffee beans and a quality grinder, grind enough beans to make one or two espresso shots. An average single espresso shot will require between 6 and 8 grams of coffee grounds, although this can be adjusted up or down. For a double shot, about 15 grams. Your grounds should be powdery and fine, so go ahead and use the finest setting on your grinder. If you want to be sure you measured correctly, you can weigh your grounds on a kitchen scale — just make sure to tare out the portafilter first.
Distribute and tamp down your shot. Once you have an amount of grounds in your portafilter that you’re happy with, distribute the grounds evenly with a finger, place the portafilter on the countertop or other flat surface, and then use the tamper to tamp down on the grounds. You’ll then have a compact disk of espresso in the portafilter.
Pull your shot. Before you start, run the machine briefly without a portafilter in place to clear the ground head. Then, lock the portafilter into the machine, position your demitasse glass or other vessel underneath, and start your shot. The espresso should be ready after 25 to 30 seconds, but it will take practice with your specific machine and lots of taste tests to achieve shots to your liking. (Some machines require you to time it manually, while others offer different settings.) The final product shouldn’t be too light or dark in color, shouldn’t taste too acidic or too bitter, and should have a fine layer of caramel-colored crema on top.
Prepare milk if using and enjoy your espresso. If you’re trying to make a latte or other drink with milk, you’ll then need to steam your milk (we’ve included step-by-step milk steaming instructions in our latte how-to). If not, enjoy your espresso as is! Make sure to clean and dry the portafilter, as well as purge and wipe down the milk frothing wand, when you’re done.
So really, there is no over-extraction with the correct water temperature. However, if the water is too hot, coffee is scalded, and the bitter tones are extracted from coffee. Longer brewing time will intensify over-extraction problems. To be more exact: the more time you use the wrong water temperature the more bitterness you will get.
On the other hand, under-extraction is going to result in a flat coffee, with little caffeine, no aromas, and no body. Coarse grinds need more time in the water to be fully saturated, but water passes easier through coarse grinds. So grinding too coarse will result in a weak, tasteless coffee.
As a conclusion, lower brewing temperature is better, but the brewing time might need to be adjusted.


Drink your coffee immediately.
Coffee should be served right after it was brewed. Leaving coffee on the burner will make the aromas and flavors evaporate and you will end up with a burned tasting cup. The best coffee is fresh coffee.
Only use good quality fresh beans. If your coffee beans are older than a month, they lost all the flavor, and coffee will be insipid. Best places to buy coffee are the small roasters, these roast small batches, and there are lower chances to get old beans from them. Make sure you store coffee properly; check my post about how to store coffee beans, light and oxygen are the worst enemies of awesome coffee. Quality coffee is usually 100% Arabica, make sure you can find marked this on the label. Don’t go for the big brands, they have a marketing army to convince everybody about their perfect beans. In reality, they take shortcuts in order to maximize profit.

Why people buy coffee machines:

• To save money on coffee shop purchases.
• To have fresh, delicious coffee at home whenever they want.
• To have more control over the brewing process.
• To impress their friends and family with their barista skills.
• To make coffee drinks that are not available at coffee shops.

If you are interested in buying a coffee machine, I recommend doing some research to find the one that is right for you. Consider your budget, the features that are important to you, and the amount of coffee you drink. You can also read reviews from other coffee lovers to get their recommendations.

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In conclusion,

The De’Longhi Stilosa is more than just a coffee maker; it’s your ticket to a delicious café experience at home. From its professional-grade pressure pump to its easy-to-use steam wand, this machine offers everything you need to make café-quality coffee. Don’t miss out—upgrade your coffee experience today with the De’Longhi Stilosa!

For Personal Usage Like In Home Or Office using Grounded Coffee
Go For The De’Longhi EC680M Espresso Machine

or for using both Cups and Grounded Coffee
Keurig K-Duo Single Serve K-Cup Pod & Carafe Coffee Maker

For Public Usage Like In Restaurants Or Coffee Shop
Go For The Breville Oracle Touch

As Travel Companion or on-the-go
Go For WACACO Minipresso GR, Portable Espresso Machine

Let me know what’s in your mind
I’m sure we can figure solution for any problem you may concern
I hope this helps! make up your mind 🙂

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