Espresso Machine

An espresso machine is the closest you get to the cafe at home, and the only method where a gram and a second really matter. It takes a week to learn. After that, every shot is yours, and so is every flat white.

Coffee: 18g in a double basket
Water: About 36g out, a 1 to 2 shot
Grind: Fine, adjusted by the shot
Time: 25 to 30 seconds
Temperature: Set by the machine, about 93°C

Best for: The cafe shot at home, and the base for every milk drink. Takes a week to learn and then it is yours.

You will need: An espresso machine, a burr grinder, fresh whole beans, scales, a tamper, a cloth

Coffee for the Espresso Machine

Ground for this method, so the grind is already right. Or beans, if you have a grinder.

4.9 (55)

Supercharger
Brownie · Chestnut · Spice
70% Arabica · 30% Robusta (for extra oomph) 
Intensity 12/12

£8.0067p a coffee
£6.40 on subscription · 53p a coffee
4.8 (40)

Brunch Blend
Chocolate · Caramel · Brownie
South & Central America · East Africa 
Intensity 9/12

£8.0067p a coffee
£6.40 on subscription · 53p a coffee
5.0 (23)

Intense Roast
Hazelnut · Malt Loaf · Spice
Brazil · Central America · India Robusta
Intensity 9/12

£8.0067p a coffee
£6.40 on subscription · 53p a coffee
4.8 (12)

Daily Grind
Granola · Toasted Nuts · Caramel
Brazil · Central America · Colombia · Ethiopia
Intensity 8/12

£8.0067p a coffee
£6.40 on subscription · 53p a coffee

See all Coffee Beans

How to make it

1

Warm up, purge, wipe

Give the machine 15 minutes to heat, longer for a heavy one. Run a few seconds of water through the empty group head, lock the empty portafilter in for a minute to warm it, then wipe the basket dry. A cold, wet basket is a sour shot before you start.
2

Grind fresh, weigh 18g

Grind whole beans straight into the basket, fine, somewhere near table salt. 18g is the standard for a double basket. Weigh it: espresso is the one method where a gram matters. Pre-ground coffee goes stale for espresso within days, which is why this guide starts with beans.
3

Level, then tamp once

Tap the portafilter to settle the grounds and level them with a finger or a distribution tool. Then tamp once, straight down, firm and even. The pressure matters less than the levelness: a tilted puck lets water find the shallow side and the shot sprays.
4

Lock in and pull

Lock the portafilter in and start the shot straight away, with a warm cup on the scales underneath. You are aiming for about 36g of espresso in 25 to 30 seconds from the moment you press the button. It should start as slow dark drips and thicken into a steady stream the colour of honey.
5

Read the shot, adjust the grind

Too fast and thin, and it will taste sour: grind finer. Too slow, dripping, and it will taste bitter: grind coarser. Change one thing at a time and keep the dose at 18g. Most people are dialled in by the third or fourth shot of a new bag, and beans drift a little as they age, so nudge it every few days.
6

Knock out, rinse, backflush weekly

Knock the puck out, rinse the basket and run a second of water through the group to clear the screen. Once a week, backflush with a cleaning tablet if your machine allows it, and descale on the schedule for your water. Old coffee oil in the group is the most common reason a good machine starts making bad shots.

If it tastes wrong

What you taste	What to change
Sour, fast, thin	Under-extracted. Grind finer. If it is already fine, check the dose is a full 18g and the tamp is level.
Bitter, slow, dripping	Over-extracted. Grind coarser. If the machine is choking, the basket may be over-filled.
Sprays or squirts from the basket	Channelling: an uneven puck. Distribute the grounds before tamping, tamp level, and check for a cracked or worn basket.
No crema, flat and lifeless	Stale coffee. Pre-ground or an old open bag. Whole beans, ground the moment you brew, fix it every time.

The kit

Melitta Molino Electric Coffee Grinder

£60.00
Wilfa Svart Coffee Grinder

£135.00
Email me when it's back
Tall Ceramic Burr Hand Grinder

£55.00

See all Coffee Grinders

Common questions

Do I really need a grinder?

For espresso, yes. The shot is controlled by grind size, and our ground coffee is milled for a cafetiere or filter, not an espresso basket. A burr grinder is the single biggest upgrade to any home machine, more than the machine itself.

Which beans should I start with?

Supercharger or Intense Roast for the classic dark shot with crema to match. Soulmate was built for espresso and the moka pot. Brunch Blend if most of your shots end up in milk. Darker roasts are also more forgiving while you dial in.

Why does my shot pour too fast?

The grind is too coarse for the dose, so the water finds no resistance. Grind finer, one notch at a time, until 18g gives you about 36g in 25 to 30 seconds. If it is still fast, check the dose and the tamp.

How often should I clean the machine?

Rinse the basket and purge the group after every session. Backflush with a cleaning tablet weekly if your machine has a three-way valve. Descale to your water hardness, roughly every three months in most of the UK. Coffee oil left in the group turns rancid and taints every shot after it.

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From 3,183 reviews
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