I know there's a long espresso topic, but...

[bobmac]

I am correct in assuming that the batch of really inexpensive espresso makers I'm seeing advertised probably don't deliever or has there been some kind of technological breakthrough?

[Waterzoy]

Hi. I know from what you posted that you probably don't want to hear this but the long espresso threads are really fascinating and you will learn a lot about the various machines available. It really would be worth your while sifting through what's been posted already. I've been interested by what's been said and I'm not even looking to replace my stove top!

[Mayur]

Yeah. Read the espresso machine thread. If you want true insanity, check out coffeegeek.com or home-barista.com for input from folks who believe that the minimum for a satisfactory home machine (the heat exchanger models) is around $1100.

Someone else with more experience will sum this up for you, but essentially espresso machines come down to the following:

1) Stovetop moka machines. Those are the all-metal ones where you put the water in the bottom, the coffee in a filter basket above that, and screw on a top assembly, and then put the entire thing on the stove. These are not really "espresso makers" in the sense understood by most enthusiasts. They may produce a good coffee product, but it isn't espresso.

2) Steam machines. These are possibly the inexpensive ones you're talking about: In the $50 - 100 range? IMX, they almost never produce espresso worth the name, and they break down easily. At best, I've been able to do as well as a french press with the one I used to have.

3) Cheaper pump machines. These are the first category that most of the coffee geek types likely would term a "true" espresso machine. Some of these can be quite good even at the cheap level; I got the Krups I used to own for $50 at an online discount retailer, and it made fine coffee. Slightly higher-end machines (the typical "home" branded Saecos and Gaggias, for example) can be had for as little as $100 or less here or there. These machines are, IMHO, excellent value for their price; I can make wonderful espresso on my friend chris's Gaggia Carezza, a model which can run as little as $90 on eBay these days. The only real drawbacks to these machines are (a) sheer pumping power; (b) potential temperature inconsistency (although you can control for this to a certain extent); and © the lack of a solenoid, which allows the water to get sucked back into the machine and vented out a different way rather than letting the portafilter and dispensing assembly drip water.

The key thing when buying a machine in this category, IMHO, is to look for one with a boiler, rather than a thermoblock. Boilers heat water much more effectively for espresso making, and maintain temperature better than thermoblocks. This is also what I would say is the minimum category for making serious espresso. If your grinder is good and your coffee is good, you can make excellent espresso with machines in this category, provided you buy the right one. IMHO, the Gaggia Carezza is the right one to get.

4) Pricier pump boiler machines. These machines have better (usually larger) boilers that have better thermal control (or at least the ability to maintain sufficient temperatures and pressures for espresso making even after pumping out multiple shots), durable bodies that trap in heat, and various commercial-style goodies (nice heavy brass portafilters, etc.) The favorite in this category is the Rancilio Silvia. This is the category that I'm in right now, and I can't imagine a reason to go up. However, I can tell you that you can feel the difference in the quality of your espresso from the extra $300-400 you spend to get here from category #3. It's material enough that the coffee I drink is simply much better now than it was with my last machine, and I can pull better shots off my machine *every time* than I can from, say, the Carezza.

5) Heat exchanger machines. Oh boy. Here you need Owen to post, or someone else who feels like spending in the $800+ range (usually $1100+). Having used some, I can say that it's nice not to have to wait for a boiler to heat up. Getting the right temperature and pressure for your shot every time. Being able to toggle between shot temp and steaming. But is this worth $600+? I don't know; only the owners of those machines can answer.

Of course, there are massive issues involved other than the type of machine. Grinder is incredibly important. IMHO, ones that cost more than $300 simply aren't worth it. I've got a QuickMill doserless grinder that does everything I need and cost me $250. The Rancilio Rocky (another market leader) costs about $275. The next step up (the Mazzer Mini or Mini E) is almost certainly not worth it for a home user, if only because it's too damn' big. Quality of beans is massively important.

And, of course, technique is everything. Grind to the right consistency (depending on the beans). Get a water temperature of 197-200 F when the water hits the grounds (also depending on the beans). Run the machine for around 25 seconds. Make sure you're getting big dripping emulsified crema from the portafilter the entire time. Congratulations! You've got an excellent shot of coffee.

Edited December 11, 2006 by Mayur (log)

[bobmac]

Hi. I know from what you posted that you probably don't want to hear this but the long espresso threads are really fascinating and you will learn a lot about the various machines available. It really would be worth your while sifting through what's been posted already. I've been interested by what's been said and I'm not even looking to replace my stove top!

←

I read the long espresso thread and it did not address my question; hence my post.

[phaelon56]

The short answer is no they don't deliver and no there has not been a technolgocial breakthrough. It's more a matter of marketing people using the term "espresso" a bit too loosely.

Mayur did a great job of breaking it down by detail and I don't have much to add so I'll simply re-iterate and add a few additional comments below.

But first... no there has not been a technological breakthrough at the low end in "espresso machines". The machines like the Senseo that use pods and deliver an "espresso-like beverage" are widely popular for many reasons and many folks love the concentrated coffee beverage they produce but they do not produce real espresso and aren't capable of doing so.

The capability for producing real espresso shots and steaming milk properly requires:

1) a brass, aluminum or stainless steel boiler of adequate size and construction quality

2) a grouphead assembly that has enough inherent mass and weight that it absorbs and retains a fair amount of heat to ensure the thermal stability required for producing good espresso. Light weight aluminum doesn't do the trick nor do plastics. Nickel steel plated brass assemblies are still the reigning technology because they work and it's a physical construction requirement that can't be overcome by technological trickery.

3) the portafilter assembly that holds the ground coffee must be of a heavy construction similar to the grouphead because it too is a crucial part of heat retention and thus temperature stability.

The bottom line is that, at least to date, no one has come up with a way to buy the raw materials, produce a unit that's got enough heft and mass to really do the job and still have enough profit margin left to market it for $50 to $150. And I don't think we'll ever see such a beast hit the market.

By the way - there have beeen some technogical breakthroughs in the past few years in the high end commercial market but they are all focused on around greater consistency and predictability of results and not around lower equipment costs.

Mass production could conceivably see the higher end "prosumer" espresso machines

employing more of the new temperature control features in a few years. But the inherent cost of building such machines and the limited potential size of the market is such that we won't see drastic changes in price. For a vast array of reasons that can't be summarized in a few bullet points - it's not realistic to compare such product categories as consumer electronics with espresso machines.

On to a capsule summary -

$50 - $100: Moka maker aka "stovetop espresso"

$200 - $300: low end pump espresso (not thermoblock style) espresso machine

$500: Rancilio Silvia is quie possibly the best overall value in the espresso market but if you have a need/desire to do plenty of milk steAMing its lack of a |heat exchanger" design (aka HX) is a drawback.

$800 - $1100: a huge selection of "E61 grouphead design" HX machines is available. And - as far as I know - they are all quite capable of making great shots and doing yeoman's duty in milk steaming.

** A good grinder comes first!!! **

That fact can't possibly be overemphasized. A minimum of $80 - $100 for a Solis Maestro is the low end for making true espresso. But more likely about $200 - $300 is the price range in which you'll find a grinder that really delivers the right results for professional quality espresso at home.

[bobmac]

Thanks for a couple of great answers.