Guides

Semi-automatic and prosumer machines

Breville, Gaggia, Rancilio, Profitec, Lelit and La Marzocco machines, boilers, heat-up and what the spec sheet numbers mean.

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Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesHow Much Should Your Breville Espresso Machine Do for You?Breville's US lineup reads best as a ladder of help. The Bambino models need a separate grinder, the Barista Express and Barista Pro grind for you but…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhat Do You Get for the Extra $200 on a Bambino Plus?Mostly a steam wand that textures milk on its own. The Bambino ($299.95) and Bambino Plus ($499.95) brew the same way, with a 54 mm portafilter, an 18…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhat Does a Prosumer Espresso Machine Add, and What Does It Cost You?Makers don't use "professional" as a class of machine. The word turns up on parts, as in Breville's "Professional 58mm stainless steel portafilter."…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhat Separates One $100 to $150 Espresso Machine From Another?On a listing they look alike. A new CASABREWS CM5418 is $139.99, Gevi's compact ECMG0 is $139.99 marked down from $199.99, and Chefman's CraftBrew is…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesHow Different Are the Gaggia Classic E24, Rancilio Silvia, and Profitec GO?All three brew and steam from a single boiler, so the real split is in the controls. The Gaggia Classic E24 and the Rancilio Silvia run on switches…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhat Are You Getting With a GE Profile or Café Bellissimo Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine?Both are semi-automatic machines that grind their own beans, run a 15-bar pump, froth milk with steam, and connect to Wi-Fi through the SmartHQ app…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesHow Much of the Espresso Does Each Smeg Machine Leave to You?Three of Smeg's current US machines split the work three ways. The ECF03 is a manual machine with a 58 mm portafilter and no grinder, so you grind…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesShould Your Next Espresso Machine Be a Heat Exchanger or a Dual Boiler?A heat exchanger machine has one boiler, kept hot for steam, with the brewing water passing through a separate path inside it. A dual boiler machine…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhat Makes an Espresso Machine Commercial, and Would One Work at Home?The difference shows up first in the electrical supply. La Marzocco's two-group Linea Classic S, a café machine, lists 208 to 240 volts and a 30-amp…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesHow Does Meraki's All-in-One Machine Compare With a Fellow Series 1 and Opus 2?Fellow sells its Espresso Series 1 with an Opus 2 grinder as a kit for $1,559.90. The Meraki lists at $1,999, or $1,799 on sale, with the grinder…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhich Specs Matter When You Compare Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines?Three lines on the spec sheet change the morning routine most: how the machine heats, whether you can set the brew temperature, and what the pressure…Read the guide →

Choosing an espresso machine

All of choosing an espresso machine →
Choosing an espresso machineWhat Type of Espresso Machine Is Easiest for a Beginner at Home?It depends on what "easy" means to you. If you want a drink with as little effort as possible, a fully automatic (super-automatic) machine grinds…Read the guide →Choosing an espresso machineCan You Build a Home Espresso Setup for Under $500?Yes, as long as the $500 is a pre-tax budget for a machine and an espresso grinder together. At list price, Breville's Bambino ($299.95) and Baratza's…Read the guide →Choosing an espresso machineShould You Buy an Espresso Machine With a Grinder or a Separate Grinder?Buy the built-in version if you want one appliance and don't expect to change grinders. Buy the two separately if you might want a different grinder…Read the guide →Choosing an espresso machineHow Do You Know a Compact Espresso Machine Will Fit Your Counter?Measure three things against your own counter: the footprint in both directions, the height you need to refill the tank and fit a cup, and the space a…Read the guide →Choosing an espresso machineWhat Is the Difference Between Manual, Semi-Automatic, Automatic, and Super-Automatic Espresso Machines?The labels describe who does which part of the job. On a manual machine you create the brewing pressure yourself with a lever, and on a semi-automatic…Read the guide →Choosing an espresso machineIs the Ninja Luxe Cafe a Better Fit Than a Separate Espresso Machine and Coffee Maker?The Ninja Luxe Café Premier (ES601) fits a household where one person wants a latte and another wants a mug of drip coffee or cold brew, since it…Read the guide →Choosing an espresso machineWhat Comes in the Box With an Espresso Machine, and What Do You Still Need?Check the box list first, because the machine may already cover more than a starter kit would. Breville's Bambino, Barista Express, and Barista…Read the guide →Choosing an espresso machineDoes a Latte Drinker Need a Different Espresso Machine Than an Espresso Drinker?The espresso side can be exactly the same. What separates machines for lattes and cappuccinos is how the milk gets steamed and what has to be cleaned…Read the guide →Choosing an espresso machineIs a Nespresso, a Moka Pot, or a Coffee-and-Espresso Combo Enough Instead of an Espresso Machine?It depends on which drink you make most. A Nespresso Vertuo covers everything from a 1.35 oz espresso to a mug of coffee with no grinding, but only…Read the guide →Choosing an espresso machineCan a Portable Espresso Maker Stand In for a Countertop Machine?Only on the road. Wacaco's Picopresso and Nanopresso are pumped by hand and don't heat water, so they need a kettle nearby, and the OutIn Nano heats…Read the guide →

Super-automatic machines

All of super-automatic machines →
Super-automatic machinesWhat Separates De'Longhi's Espresso Machine Lines?De'Longhi splits its US machines into two catalogs. On the manual side (Stilosa, Dedica, La Specialista) you still fill a portafilter and lock it in…Read the guide →Super-automatic machinesShould You Get KitchenAid's Semi-Automatic With Grinder or a KF Fully Automatic?KitchenAid's semi-automatic with burr grinder (KES6551) grinds and doses for you, then hands you the tamp, the shot, and the milk. The KF fully…Read the guide →Super-automatic machinesWhich Differences Matter When You Compare Super-Automatic Brands?Every super-automatic grinds and brews at the touch of a button, so the brand differences you live with are the milk system, how the machine handles…Read the guide →Super-automatic machinesWhat Changes Between the Philips 3300, 4400 and 5500?On Philips' U.S. store the 3300 ($899.99) makes 6 hot and iced drinks, the 4400 ($1,199.99) makes 12 and adds QuickStart, and the 5500 ($1,299.99)…Read the guide →Super-automatic machinesWhich De'Longhi Fully Automatic Machine Makes the Drinks You Want?They differ mainly in how far they go past hot espresso and milk. The Magnifica Evo keeps to a short menu of 6 or 7 drinks, the Magnifica Duo and…Read the guide →Super-automatic machinesIs Philips Baristina Fully Automatic?Not in the way Philips' LatteGo machines are. You pour in beans and swipe the handle, and Baristina grinds, tamps, and brews into a portafilter that…Read the guide →Super-automatic machinesHow Do the JURA ENA 8, E8, and Z10 Differ?Mostly in size, milk system, and whether the machine makes cold drinks. The ENA 8 is the smallest, with 15 specialties, a 1.1-liter tank, and 125 g of…Read the guide →Super-automatic machinesWhat Did Terra Kaffe Change Between the TK-01 and the TK-02?The biggest change is drip coffee. The TK-01 makes espresso drinks only, while the TK-02's hybrid brew unit also brews true drip coffee, up to a 28 oz…Read the guide →Super-automatic machinesHow Much Super-Automatic Espresso Machine Does $1,000 Buy?Enough for a machine that grinds and brews at the touch of a button, from several brands, and the part that changes as the price climbs is the milk…Read the guide →Super-automatic machinesAre the GE Profile Automatic and Café Affetto Espresso Machines Still Being Made?No. GE's owner pages show production of the GE Profile Automatic ending in 2023 and of the Café Affetto without a frother in September 2023, while the…Read the guide →Super-automatic machinesIs the Philips Series 1200 Any Different From the Series 800?Not in anything Philips publishes for the U.S. models, the Series 800 EP0820/04 and the Series 1200 EP1220/04. Both product pages list the same two…Read the guide →Super-automatic machinesAre Miele's Countertop Coffee Machines Super-Automatics, and What Separates the CM5, CM6 and CM7?Yes. Miele sells them as countertop bean-to-cup coffee machines, and its U.S. category page says they are "also considered superautomatic espresso…Read the guide →

Espresso grinders

All of espresso grinders →
Espresso grindersWhat Kind of Coffee Grinder Do You Need for Espresso?You need a burr grinder that its maker designed to reach espresso fineness and that can change the grind in very small steps inside that range. The…Read the guide →Espresso grindersDo Conical and Flat Burrs Make a Real Difference for Espresso?Less than the debate suggests. Both conical and flat burrs are used in grinders built for espresso, and two grinders with the same burr shape can…Read the guide →Espresso grindersShould Your Espresso Grinder Be Manual or Electric?Either kind can grind for espresso. The two compared here, the 1Zpresso J-Ultra and the Baratza Encore ESP, both cost about $199, so price won't…Read the guide →Espresso grindersWhat Is a Single-Dose Espresso Grinder, and What Does Zero Retention Mean?A single-dose grinder is built to be loaded with the beans for one drink at a time and ground empty, instead of holding a stock of beans in a hopper…Read the guide →Espresso grindersHow Do the Fellow Opus 2, Encore ESP, DF54, DF64 Gen 2 and Eureka Mignon Differ?They split first by how beans go in. The Encore ESP and the three Eureka Mignon models grind from a hopper, while the Opus 2, DF54, and DF64 Gen 2 are…Read the guide →Espresso grindersIs the OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder Fine Enough for Espresso?OXO says so. Of its 15 grind settings, OXO's own guide assigns 1 through 5 to espresso, and the product page describes the range as running from fine…Read the guide →Espresso grindersWhat Does Each Extra $100 Buy in an Espresso Grinder?Baratza's current US lineup lays the steps out clearly. At $199.95 the Encore ESP gives you stepped adjustment with its finer half reserved for…Read the guide →Espresso grindersHow Do the 1Zpresso J-Ultra, KINGrinder K6 and Timemore C3 ESP Pro Compare for Espresso?The three differ most in how finely each click moves the burr. The J-Ultra moves 8 microns per click, the K6 16, and the C3 ESP Pro 23. Turn each dial…Read the guide →Espresso grindersCan the Burr Grinder You Use for Drip Coffee Also Grind for Espresso?Sometimes, and the box usually won't tell you. SHARDOR sells a 48-setting grinder that goes "from the finest espresso to the coarsest french press…Read the guide →Espresso grindersHow Do Breville's Smart Grinder Pro and Dose Control Pro Differ for Espresso?Both have 60 grind settings and stainless steel conical burrs, but the Smart Grinder Pro gives espresso half of that dial, settings 1 to 30, while the…Read the guide →Espresso grindersCan the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Grind for Espresso?No, and Fellow says so directly: "Ode is not intended for espresso." Its help center explains that the Ode's 64 mm flat burrs and motor "are geared…Read the guide →

Portafilters, baskets and tamping tools

All of portafilters, baskets and tamping tools →
Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsWhat Is a Bottomless Portafilter, and What Size Do You Need?A bottomless, or "naked," portafilter is a portafilter with the spouts removed, so you can watch espresso leave the bottom of the basket. It doesn't…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsWhat Size Tamper Fits Your Espresso Basket, and Do You Need a Spring-Loaded One?Buy the tamper for your basket, not for the number on the portafilter. Tampers are usually made slightly smaller than the basket's nominal size or…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsWhat Does a WDT Tool Do, and Do You Need One for Espresso?A WDT tool is a handful of thin needles that you stir through the ground coffee in the basket before tamping, to break up clumps and spread the coffee…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsDoes a Coffee Distributor Do Anything a WDT Tool Doesn't?A distributor, sometimes called a leveler, sits on top of the loose grounds and is turned two or three times to leave a flat, level surface before you…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsDo You Need a Puck Screen for Espresso, and What Size Should You Buy?You don't need a puck screen to make espresso. It is a thin metal disk laid on the tamped puck that spreads the incoming water and keeps coffee from…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsWhy Does a Bottomless Portafilter Spray Coffee Everywhere?The spray comes from water moving faster through one part of the puck than the rest. Flair traces it mostly to channeling, caused by too little…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsWill a 54 mm Bottomless Portafilter Fit Your Breville?If your machine is a Bambino, Bambino Plus, Barista Express, Express Impress, Barista Pro, Barista Touch or Touch Impress, it takes Breville's 54 mm…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsWhich IMS Precision Basket Fits a Breville 54 mm Machine, and How Much Coffee Does It Hold?IMS makes its B62.5 Competition baskets for Breville's 54 mm group, and it names the Barista Express, Bambino, Pro and Touch as the machines they're…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsWhat Is the Difference Between a Spring, Click, and Impact Tamper?All three use a spring to set how hard the coffee gets pressed, and they differ in how that force arrives. A calibrated spring tamper compresses…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsWhich 58 mm Bottomless Portafilter Fits a Gaggia, Rancilio, Profitec, or ECM Machine?Sellers sort 58 mm bottomless portafilters by the machine's group, and the four brands here don't all land in the same group. Normcore sells a…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsWill Any 51 mm Bottomless Portafilter Fit a De'Longhi, CASABREWS or Smeg Machine?No, because the 51 mm figure describes the basket, and the part that twists into the machine differs between these brands. Normcore makes four…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsWhen Should You Use a Pressurized Espresso Basket Instead of a Single-Wall One?A pressurized, or dual-wall, basket builds pressure with a second wall that has one small hole, which Breville says "compensates for inconsistencies"…Read the guide →Portafilters, baskets and tamping toolsWhat Does a Tamping Station Do That a Tamping Mat Doesn't?A mat gives you a silicone surface to tamp on and, in some versions, places to park your tools. A station adds a stand that holds the portafilter by…Read the guide →

Dialing in, scales and upkeep

All of dialing in, scales and upkeep →
Dialing in, scales and upkeepDo You Need an Espresso Scale With a Timer?You need a scale more than you need the timer. Weighing the coffee going in and the espresso coming out is what makes one shot repeatable the next…Read the guide →Dialing in, scales and upkeepHow Often Does an Espresso Machine Need Descaling?Most current machines tell you. The Breville Bambino flashes its 2 Cup button, the Barista Express Impress lights a CLEAN / DESCALE light, and…Read the guide →Dialing in, scales and upkeepWhat Should Your First Shots on a Home Espresso Machine Look Like?Start from the numbers your machine's maker gives, then change only the grind. On a Breville Bambino that means 16 to 19 g of coffee in the 2 Cup…Read the guide →Dialing in, scales and upkeepHow Does the Acaia Lunar Compare With the Timemore Black Mirror Nano?Both weigh to 0.1 g up to 2,000 g, start a timer on their own for espresso, and show flow rate. The Acaia Lunar ($250) adds Bluetooth, a finer 0.01 g…Read the guide →Dialing in, scales and upkeepWhich Coffee Scales Fit on an Espresso Machine's Drip Tray?Three small scales are sold for use under the cup, the BOOKOO Themis Mini, the Varia AKU Mini and Decent's Half Decent Scale, and they stand 13 to 15…Read the guide →Dialing in, scales and upkeepDoes Coffee Have to Be Sold as "Espresso Beans" to Make Espresso?No. Fellow's help center says "you don't have to use 'espresso beans' or 'espresso roasts' specifically for espresso," and that light, medium and dark…Read the guide →Dialing in, scales and upkeepHow Big Should an Espresso Cup Be, and How Much Bigger for a Cappuccino or Latte?A 3 oz (90 ml) cup holds a single or a double shot from a machine like the Breville Bambino, whose preset double is about 60 ml, and De'Longhi sells…Read the guide →