As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. At around $2,000, two well-known Italian home machines take different routes to the same goal: good espresso and strong steam at the same time. The Rancilio Silvia Pro X is a dual boiler. The Lelit MaraX3 is a heat exchanger with some clever temperature control. Here's how they compare, built from the makers' specs and US … [Read more...] about Rancilio Silvia Pro X vs Lelit MaraX3: Dual Boiler or Heat Exchanger at Around $2,000
Espresso Machines
Rancilio Silvia V6: A Single-Boiler Machine With No PID That Still Teaches Home Espresso Best
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The Rancilio Silvia looks almost old-fashioned next to newer machines. No screen. No temperature setting. No pre-infusion. It costs about $1,000 in the US, and it's still one of the machines enthusiasts recommend most often to people who want to learn espresso properly. Clive Coffee calls it the best introduction to home … [Read more...] about Rancilio Silvia V6: A Single-Boiler Machine With No PID That Still Teaches Home Espresso Best
Single Boiler, Heat Exchanger or Dual Boiler: Which Espresso Machine Design a Milk Drinker Needs
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Every espresso machine that steams milk has the same problem to solve. Brewing wants water a little under boiling, around 90 to 96°C (195 to 205°F). Steaming milk wants a lot more heat than that. How a machine handles the two jobs decides how fast you can make a milk drink, and a big part of what you pay. There are four … [Read more...] about Single Boiler, Heat Exchanger or Dual Boiler: Which Espresso Machine Design a Milk Drinker Needs
Breville Bambino Plus: Hands-Off Milk Steaming at $500, and the Compromises That Come With It
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The Breville Bambino Plus is a small espresso machine with one standout trick: it steams milk for you. Put the jug under the wand, pick a temperature and a texture, and it stops on its own when the milk is done. For anyone who drinks cortados or flat whites every morning and doesn't want to learn milk steaming, that's … [Read more...] about Breville Bambino Plus: Hands-Off Milk Steaming at $500, and the Compromises That Come With It
Breville Bambino vs De’Longhi Dedica Arte: The Bambino Wins on Heat Control, the Dedica on Width
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These two machines end up on the same shortlist again and again. Both are small, both cost a few hundred dollars, and both have a manual steam wand that can make real milk texture. Which one is better depends on one question first: how much counter space do you have? Side by Side Breville Bambino (BES450)De'Longhi … [Read more...] about Breville Bambino vs De’Longhi Dedica Arte: The Bambino Wins on Heat Control, the Dedica on Width
De’Longhi Dedica Lineup: Six Inches Wide, 51mm Baskets and a Steam Wand That Changes by Model
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The De'Longhi Dedica's selling point fits in one number: about 15 cm, six inches wide. It slides into the gap between a kettle and a toaster in a galley kitchen where nothing else fits. That's why it's one of the best-selling espresso machines anywhere. There are several Dedicas now, and the names get confusing. … [Read more...] about De’Longhi Dedica Lineup: Six Inches Wide, 51mm Baskets and a Steam Wand That Changes by Model
Manual Espresso Makers: Flair, Cafelat Robot and Picopresso Pull Real Espresso Without a Pump
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. An espresso machine is mostly a pump and a heater. Take both away, supply the pressure with your arm and the heat with a kettle, and you have a manual espresso maker. They're cheaper than machines of the same shot quality, almost silent, and they fit in a drawer. The trade is a bit more work per cup. Unlike a moka pot, … [Read more...] about Manual Espresso Makers: Flair, Cafelat Robot and Picopresso Pull Real Espresso Without a Pump
Gaggia Classic E24: The Tinkerer’s 58mm Espresso Machine Gets a Brass Boiler
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The Gaggia Classic has been around for decades, and it has a reputation few machines at its price share. It's built like a café machine in miniature, and it rewards people who like to take things apart. The current version is the Classic E24, sold in North America as the Classic Pro E24. It replaced the Classic Evo Pro in … [Read more...] about Gaggia Classic E24: The Tinkerer’s 58mm Espresso Machine Gets a Brass Boiler
Espresso Grinder Buying Guide: Why the Grinder Matters More Than the Machine
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Ask experienced home baristas where to spend money and many will give the same answer: on the grinder. A good grinder with a modest machine usually makes better espresso than a great machine with a poor grinder. It sounds backwards, but it comes down to what espresso needs. Why Espresso Is So Fussy About Grind An … [Read more...] about Espresso Grinder Buying Guide: Why the Grinder Matters More Than the Machine
Espresso Machine Cleaning Kit: Backflushing Only Works on Machines With a Three-Way Valve
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Two things make an espresso machine taste worse over time. Coffee oil builds up in the group head and goes rancid. Limescale builds up inside, where you can't see it, and blocks valves and heating elements. They need different cleaners, and mixing them up is how people break machines. First, Check for a Three-Way … [Read more...] about Espresso Machine Cleaning Kit: Backflushing Only Works on Machines With a Three-Way Valve