Espresso Machines

With a portafilter espresso machine, the grind, the dose and the shot time are up to you. What changes from one model to the next is how the machine handles temperature and steam, and how much control it gives you over the shot. Here are the main types and who each one suits.

Types of espresso machine

• Semi automatic espresso machines: you start and stop the shot, the machine holds pressure and temperature. The widest family, from compact single boilers to professional-grade machines for the home.
• Dual boiler espresso machines: one boiler for brewing and one for steam, each at its own temperature. Built for people who make milk drinks often, several in a row.
• Espresso machines with E61 group: the 58mm group head you find on many Rocket, ECM, Profitec and Lelit machines, with natural pre-infusion and a wide choice of compatible accessories and spare parts.
• Lever espresso machines: you build the pressure yourself with the lever, as on the La Pavoni Europiccola or the Profitec Pro 800. They take some practice and give you direct control over every shot.
• Commercial espresso machines: one or more groups, for cafés, restaurants and offices.

The brands

We work with Rocket Espresso, Lelit, ECM, Profitec, Rancilio, La Marzocco, La Pavoni, Slayer, Sanremo and Nuova Simonelli, among others. Three good starting points: the Rancilio Silvia V6, single boiler and 58mm group, the machine many home baristas have learned espresso on for more than 25 years; the Rocket Appartamento 2.0, heat exchanger and E61 group in a body 27cm wide; the Lelit Bianca PL162T V3, a dual boiler with a paddle to control flow during the shot.

How to choose

• Mostly espresso, the occasional milk drink: a single boiler is enough and takes up less space.
• Cappuccinos every day: a heat exchanger or a dual boiler lets you brew and steam at the same time.
• You want to experiment with extraction: look at machines with pressure or flow profiling, or at a lever.
• Check the practical side too: width, tank size, direct water connection and warm-up time.

The grinder matters as much as the machine: no espresso machine can make up for an inconsistent grind. Browse our coffee grinders, and if you are not sure which machine is right for you, ask us: we have been advising home baristas since 1997.