Espresso machine how to choose?

Question

I am spending way too much money on coffee shop coffee drinks, my only vice, and need to buy my own espresso machine. Please I am looking for all the info. including ease of use, cleaning, durability, anything, everything. Specifics would be appreciated, model numbers even and approximate price. Is there anything I have forgotten? Thank you all in advance your help is appreciated.

Answer 1

Rob is giving you sound advice, in particular note coffeegeek.com as there is no point in reinventing the wheel.

if you are trying to 'save' money we think the logic of buying an espresso machine is a little flawed

a cheap espresso machine is simply a waste of money.  things like nespresso that run pods & the like are fine if you like some frothy concoction that has a faint coffee taint in it.  if it is espresso you want they are simply a waste of money

Sure we love espresso machines, but we would never try & kid you that they are anything but a luxury/aspirational purchase

if you just want great coffee get a grinder & some freshly roasted gourmet coffee beans from your local coffee roaster and an aerolatte or Swissgold filter for a just a few dollars

kind regards

reiss.

Answer 2

The expencive one  

Answer 3

I'll answer this with a slightly different approach. I'll just tell you what I did.

I prefer to buy online, in order not to pay taxes, and avoid shipping charges if possible. So I went to Amazon.com, I believe that's usually the place with the best-priced stuff.

I just looked for an Espresso machine, and sorted by "Bestselling" (I figured that what people buy the most, must be the best). I also looked at the number of reviews and the overall rating of the product.

Also consider how many people in your household will be drinking. In mine it's only my wife and me, so the smallest one would do.

So, what I ended up buying is the Capresso Mini; it's the 4 cup version.

Answer 4

Some basic tips on home espresso machines and making a quality shot at home.

1) Spend the money on a good grinder! There are plenty of good home grinders on the market today however, if you spend less than $100 on a grinder, you will have a heck of a time getting a good shot. Check ebay and craigslist for some good used grinders

2) Get a decent ($250+) machine. I know you asked for specifics but there are so many different ones out there that it would be tough to go through them all. For a complete list, check out coffeegeek.com

3) Don't overlook your water. Espresso is 98% water so if you start with bad water, there is no way that you can have good coffee!

Feel free to contact me if you need more help or would like to chat!