HB wrote:Grinders:

A blade grinder is bad for regular coffee and unacceptable for espresso. Even WholeLatteLove, who sells them by the truckload, doesn't recommend them ("Blade grinders do an adequate job for drip coffee, but are not recommended for espresso or coffee drinks that require very specific grinds as they do not grind consistently." http://www.wholelattelove.com/grinders.cfm). That said, I think you should get one simply to confirm this for yourself. To give you concrete suggestions, below are my recommendations from minimum to mid-high end:

$149 - Solis Maestro Plus http://www.wholelattelove.com/Solis/maestrop.cfm - you'll burn out the burrs fast, but it's acceptable to some for espresso. I had one and upgraded. It's a great grinder for drip and French press (even bought one for my dad for Christmas - he loves it and raved about the difference between it and his trusty blade grinder).

$198 - Gaggia MDF http://www.wholelattelove.com/Gaggia/mdf.cfm - considered the best price performer along with the Cunill Tranquilo. It is stepped (adjustments are in increments), noisy, and suffers ergonomic issues. But it delivers the goods at a good price.

$285 - Rocky Rancilio http://www.chriscoffee.com/produc...ers/rockydoserless - a workhorse that will last many years.

$495 - Mazzer Mini http://1st-line.com/machines/home...zzerminisilver.htm - the mid-high end gold standard.

A final comment on grinders. Many buyers (including myself many years ago) skimp on the grinder. That's a big mistake. A top-end grinder and a mid-level espresso machine can produce exceptional drinks given a skillful barista. A mediocre grinder coupled with the best barista in the world and the best espresso machine in the world cannot produce anything beyond "OK". In order of importance: Barista, Coffee, Grinder, Espresso Machine.

Espresso Machines:

A "steam powered" espresso machine doesn't make espresso. It makes something similar to a Moka Pot, i.e., a strong coffee. The pressure is too low (14 PSI versus 130 PSI of a pump machine) and the brew temperature is too high for most coffees. Again, my recommendation is to go ahead and buy one, if only to properly advise your viewers (e.g., Krups Alegro http://www.wholelattelove.com/Krups/allegro.cfm). Don't make the mistake of referring to its coffee as "espresso" or any serious aficionado will dismiss your research. My recommendations from low to mid-high end:

The models below cannot brew and steam at the same time; you must wait while the boiler heats to make steam. Forget about serving crowds.

$199 - Gaggia Espresso - http://www.wholelattelove.com/Gaggia/espresso.cfm - no pressure regulation, temperature issues, but produces a drinkable cup.

$349 - Solis SL70 - http://espressoparts.com/product/SOSL70 - well reviewed by highly respected home enthusiasts. Was widely available in department stores, but I've noticed reports of stock shortages.

$495 - Rancilio Silvia - http://www.chriscoffee.com/produc...me/espresso/silvia - gold standard high-entry machine. I personally think it's overpriced, but it's popularity is without bounds. It's one of those "must know" espresso machines, if only to share it as a reference point.

$775 - Quickmill Alexia - http://www.chriscoffee.com/produc...me/espresso/alexia - an "espresso purist" machine. Forgiving of technique flaws, but slow to switch from brew to steam temperature. Very similar to the Isomac Amica.

The models can brew and steam at the same time. Serving a group of 6-8 people is no problem.

$799 - Expobar Pulser - http://www.wholelattelove.com/Expobar/Expobar.cfm - Expobar delivers a lot of value for the dollar. Their construction and component selection is borderline, but nobody can touch the price at this level of capability.

$1349 - La Valentina - http://1st-line.com/machines/home...presso_machine.htm - Listed among Food & Wine's "best espresso machines". Their suggested lineup was as close to my opinion as I've seen in a non-pro write-up (http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/an-obsessives-guide-to-coffee).

cannonfodder wrote:I am surprised none of the lever heads has jumped in to refute his 'don't use a lever machine' proclamation. Although I think he was in part correct. Not everyone is capable of using a lever properly, especially a first time home user (awaiting flaming in the lever forum).

I thought his shot pulling was a bit lack luster. I think most of us would have dumped his shots in the sink.