Choosing an espresso machine

Espresso machines range enormously in price, and the differences are real but not evenly distributed.

What a machine must do

Two things.

Deliver water at a stable, appropriate temperature, consistently, shot after shot.

Deliver adequate and consistent pressure, conventionally around nine bar at the puck.

Everything else — programmability, pressure profiling, appearance — is refinement.

Temperature stability is where cheap and expensive machines genuinely diverge.

The categories

Steam-driven machines. Very cheap, using steam pressure rather than a pump.

They cannot reach espresso pressure and produce a strong moka-style coffee. Not espresso, whatever the packaging says.

Single boiler. One boiler used for both brewing and steaming, switching between temperatures.

You brew, then wait for the boiler to reach steam temperature, then steam. Then wait again to cool for the next shot.

Workable for one or two drinks. Tedious for more.

Inexpensive and capable of excellent espresso with good technique.

Heat exchanger. A single boiler at steam temperature, with a tube passing through it that heats brew water on demand.

Allows simultaneous brewing and steaming.

Requires a cooling flush before shots, since water sitting in the exchanger overheats. Learning the flush routine is part of using one.

Dual boiler. Separate boilers for brewing and steaming, each held at its own temperature.

Simultaneous operation, precise brew temperature control, no flushing. The most straightforward to use well.

More expensive and generally larger.

Thermoblock and thermocoil machines heat water on demand through a heated block rather than storing it.

Fast to heat up, and stability varies enormously by implementation. Some are excellent, some poor.

Manual lever machines. Pressure generated by the user pulling a lever, either directly or via a spring.

Complete control over pressure profiling, no pump, mechanically simple and durable.

A real learning curve, and a devoted following.

Super-automatic. Grinds, doses, tamps and brews at a button.

Convenience is the product. Cup quality is generally below what a decent manual setup produces, and considerably above instant coffee.

Appropriate for people who want a drink rather than a hobby, and the grinders in them are typically the weak point.

Features worth having

PID temperature control, which holds the boiler at a set temperature rather than cycling around it. Substantially improves consistency.

A three-way solenoid valve, which releases pressure after the shot, producing a dry puck and enabling backflushing.

A pressure gauge, which tells you what is happening.

A proper steam wand with adequate power, if you make milk drinks.

Standard fifty-eight millimetre portafilter, which gives access to a wide range of accessories and baskets.

Serviceability. Are parts available? Can gaskets, seals and valves be replaced? This determines whether the machine lasts five years or fifteen.

Features frequently oversold

Pressure profiling — varying pressure through the shot — is genuinely interesting and matters far less than grind, dose and distribution for most people.

Pre-infusion helps, and much of the benefit is available on simpler machines through technique.

Very large boilers matter for high volume and not for two drinks a morning.

Pressurised baskets, supplied with many entry machines, create artificial back pressure and mask grind problems. Replace them with standard baskets once your grinder can support it.

The budget allocation

The most important advice in this article.

If your total budget is fixed, weight it toward the grinder.

An excellent machine with a poor grinder produces poor espresso. A modest machine with an excellent grinder produces good espresso.

A reasonable split for a first setup allocates at least as much to the grinder as to the machine, and frequently more.

Should you buy one at all

An honest question worth asking before spending.

Espresso requires a grinder capable of fine adjustment, a machine with stable temperature, a scale, fresh appropriately rested coffee, and a genuine learning period.

It also requires re-dialling with every new bag, and daily cleaning.

People who enjoy that process love it. People who want good coffee with minimum fuss frequently find that a good filter setup plus a milk frother delivers more satisfaction for a fraction of the cost and effort.

Try making espresso at a friend's house, or spend time watching the process in a café, before committing.

Buying used

Espresso machines from serviceable brands hold value and are frequently worth buying second hand.

Check: scale damage, which is the main killer; whether it has been descaled and how; boiler condition; whether parts are still available; and whether it comes with standard baskets.

A well-maintained used machine from a brand with parts availability beats a new machine from a brand without.