Espresso Gear

If you’ve failed to heed my earlier warnings about the challenges of doing real espresso at home and you’re ready to lay out some fat cash and grapple with the steep learning curve – this post is for you.

This guide is by no means a replacement for a thorough reading of the reviews and forums on coffeegeek and home-barista.com, but it should at least give you enough of a snapshot to know what kind of trouble you and your wallet are getting into.

First of all, it should be said again that stovetop moka pots and the consumer steam-based machines that replicate them are producing something different than true espresso, which requires in the neighborhood of 8 bars of pressure (produced with a pump or strong mechanical piston). Though such devices are commonly marketed as espresso makers and can often turn out really excellent brews, they should not be confused with true espresso, properly extracted with persistent crema.

Your gear guidance begins after the jump.

Arguably more important than which espresso machine you choose is your grinder. Unlike many of the grinders that I spoke about earlier, a dedicated espresso grinder needs to be held to a much higher standard or precision and adjustability. Here are some that deserve consideration.

Baratza Virtuoso
This grinder is the beefier cousin to the conical Solis Maestro(which at around $150 is going to be least expensive grinder worthy of discussion). The conical burrs are top notch. The grind adjustments don’t give you too much granularity at the finer end of the spectrum, but the quality of grounds is superior to most grinders in this class. A good grinder for other brewing methods as well, but lacking in the most optimal ergonomics for serious barista-fu. Typically priced around $199.

The Rancilio Rocky
Good ergonomics, good burrs, and good adjustability make this a well-tested favorite among the coffeegeek set. Looks and feels at home next to most any espresso machine. Probably the best value in its price range (around $285) and the last stop before you start getting into the more serious commercial gear.

The Mazzer Mini
This is the kid brother to Mazzer’s line of commercial grinders and is the gold standard for serious home espresso geeks. FIne adjustability and excellent grinding precision make it the device most likely to deliver the “god shot”. At upwards of $400, its a big investment but the return is a far superior cup. Second hand commercial Mazzers can sometimes be rescued from used restaurant equipment stores or poached by careful hunting on eBay.

Espresso machines come in many flavors and there are a lot of variables to consider. Reading reviews and forum comments online is a must, but as a rule you should avoid being fooled by aesthetics as some of the prettiest machines produce the most underwhelming brew. I’ll mention just a few here that I’m familiar with and then you’re on your own.

The Rancilio Silvia
Utilitarian in its aesthetic, this machine is widely considered the entry level device for those who are serious about espresso. Its become the Honda Civic of home espresso machines, enduring numerous modifications from coffee nerds unafraid of voiding their warrantees. Owners practice the voodoo art of “temperature surfing”, timing the proper moment after the boiler element turns off to begin their extraction. The Silvia can treat you very well if you take the time to learn her ways and if you have a penchant for tinkering, you’ll be in good company. Retails for around $480 but deals and second hand machines abound.

The Expobar Brewtus II
This machine has a commercial E61 group head, separate boiler for steaming milk, and adjustable temperature and pressure control. The Brewtus enjoys a very good reputation for serious home espresso geeks and sets a good benchmark to measure other machines in this price range by. Available in the neighborhood of $1700.

The La Marzocco GS3
For those who will spare no expense for great espresso, the wait list for the GS3 is the place to be. Delivering lab-quality temperature stability and all the power of a commercial Marzocco machine in an elegant package that runs on ordinary 110v power. This machine is the lamborghini of home espresso. The machine that teenage coffeegeeks hang posters of above their beds. Even with a probable $5000 pricetag, you’ve still got to get in line to purchase one. I’m fortunate enough to have one of the pre-release models doing duty on loan in my kitchen making every day feel like christmas.

Okay, so you probably noticed a pretty major price gap between the Silvia and the BrewtusII. This is reflective only of my limited knowledge of home espresso machines and not of what’s actually available. A comprehensive look at the home espresso machine market would eat up days of my time (just as it will no doubt eat up days of yours). If you’re moving up from the Silvia you can probably bank on spending much closer to the $1000 mark before you see too much significant improvement in the bang:buck ratio. Many online retailers offer package deals for buying machines and grinders together and patiently shopping around pays off.