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HB Our detailed espresso machine reviews and coffee grinder reviews cover the higher end of home espresso equipment on the market, but make only one assumption about you—a love of coffee!

Just need a quick answer? Check our FAQs and Favorites for solutions to common coffee and espresso-related problems.

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Just need a quick answer? Check our FAQs and Favorites for solutions to common coffee and espresso-related problems.

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Welcome to Home-Barista.com™, a site dedicated to the home espresso and coffee enthusiast! Our detailed espresso machine reviews and coffee grinder reviews cover the higher end of home espresso equipment on the market, but make only one assumption about you—a love of coffee! Whether this is the first time you've considered making espresso, cappuccinos, and lattes in your home or you've been drinking coffee for years, you will find tidbits of information to help you get the best out of your coffee.

What's New

VBM Domobar Super Dual Profiler Review

VBM Domobar Super DUAL PROFILER Digital Espresso Machine Espresso machines with the E61 group design are ubiquitous! They're popular for good reason: E61 espresso machines are easy to use, easy to repair, and they look great. Over time, the original design has evolved to include more precise temperature and even brew pressure profiling. The VBM Domobar Super DUAL PROFILER Digital includes both manual and automated brew pressure control with a variable-speed gear-driven pump.

La Marzocco Pico Grinder

La Marzocco Pico Grinder The market for home-friendly espresso grinders has improved immensely over the years! Styled in the same fashion as the Linea line of espresso machines, the La Marzocco Pico grinder has simple lines to complement a home kitchen environment next to the Linea Micra or Linea Mini. It has a small hopper optimized for on-demand delivery. In this review, the Pico will be compared with other conical grinders as well as large flat burr grinders.

IKAWA Home Roasting System

IKAWA Home Roasting System IKAWA sample roasters have been a staple of coffee professionals starting with their introduction in 2013. However, the IKAWA Home System is not a profiling sample roaster—it adapts the technologies developed for professionals for home use. Each unique coffee comes with pre-programmed roasting recipes to eliminate much trial and error. In this review, Team HB looks at the IKAWA Home Roasting System from both the beginner and experienced viewpoint.

Buying Advice

Questions "Which espresso machine should I buy?", "What's the best coffee grinder?", "There are so many choices of espresso equipment! What general advice to you offer?" Visitors to this site ask these types of questions every day. The article How to choose an espresso machine and grinder at the right price offers the community wisdom gleaned from hands-on experience, presented in question/answer format.

La Marzocco Linea Micra Review

La Marzocco Linea Micra La Marzocco is best known for their commercial espresso equipment, but since the introduction of the home-friendly Linea Mini, they've had a special place in the hearts and minds of this site's members. That's why we're particularly excited about a new entry into La Marzocco's home lineup, the Linea Micra. As the name suggests, it's really, really small. But the Micra isn't just a scaled down version of its slightly bigger cousin. Under the hood are unique innovations that we'll explore in a multi-reviewer evaluation.

Lucca Atom 75 Espresso Grinder Review

Lucca Atom 75 Espresso Grinder The Lucca Atom 75 is the Eureka Atom 75 customized for Clive Coffee. The Lucca customization includes an improved burr set and a sensor-based grind adjustment system with TrueGrind smartphone app that is completely repeatable. The grinder and TrueGrind app are Wi-fi connected via an online database for storing the grind settings and dosing of your different coffees and prep methods. Clive Coffee says the Lucca is a grinder that can dial itself in. With two evaluation grinders, we'll test this claim.

Profitec Pro 800 Review (Revisited)

We reviewed the Profitec Pro 800 in 2016. ECM, the parent company, has updated it with several cosmetic upgrades and a couple maintenance upgrades. This gave us a welcome excuse to return to a favorite lever espresso machine. It's worth recalling that owners of pump-driven espresso machines may be guilty of promoting the myth that lever espresso machines are difficult to use. Thanks to the classic design of the huge brass group on the Profitec Pro 800, it's the epitomy of no-fuss operation.

ECM Puristika Review

ECM Puristika Classic. Forgiving. Attractive. Ubiquitous. These are just a small sample of the descriptions that fans of the E61 espresso machine have used in the more than 60 years since its introduction. One word that is rarely suggested? Diminutive. No surprise, since its heavy, saucer shaped grouphead is a beefy chunk of chromed, polished brass. That's why its refreshing to see an E61 variant that's stripped to the bare essentials, dedicated to the espresso purist—the ECM Puristika.

Quotable Quotes

The site announcements contain "quotable quotes" nominated by Team HB and the membership. This article collects these nuggets of wisdom and quips about the art of espresso.

Advice and How-Tos

Home-Barista's Guide to Espresso

Gosh Shot New to espresso and not sure where to start? This introduction by Jim Schulman shares his passion for good coffee and expertise in home espresso. It covers a lot of ground and demystifies the key elements of espresso preparation, including the techniques and equipment you'll need to understand.

Newbie Introduction to Espresso [videos]

Newibe Introduction to Espresso [videos] This series of videos was created specifically for those new to making espresso at home. Between these videos and the site's FAQs and Favorites Digest, practically every problem and every question you'll encounter in your start as a home barista are addressed.

FAQs and Favorites

Questions? FAQs and Favorites If you're new to HB, you may be thinking, "I don't know where to begin, there's too much information!" To make it easier for you to get started and to help you navigate to topics that interest you, this article contains links to the best topics all in one place, categorized by forum and subject area. The article also recommends a few must-read introduction and how-tos that form the basic barista knowledge and techniques.

Buying Advice

Questions "Which espresso machine should I buy?", "What's the best coffee grinder?", "There are so many choices of espresso equipment! What general advice to you offer?" Visitors to this site ask these types of questions every day. The article How to choose an espresso machine and grinder at the right price offers the community wisdom gleaned from hands-on experience, presented in question/answer format.