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Make Your Best Shot

Bitter black brew got you down? Lackluster crema floating in your cup? With the assistance of an espresso expert, Dwell evaluates five home espresso machines that will help you tamp, pull, and froth better beverages.

espresso makers expert cara christopher

More than 1,000 years ago, an intrepid Ethiopian goatherd named Kaldi popped some bright red berries in his mouth, enjoyed the resulting jolt of caffeine, and thus started the coffee revolution—or so legend goes. Though the name of the Ethiopian epicure might be in question, what is certain is that the discovery of the joys of caffeine started in Africa and centuries later ended up fueling legions of brooding intellectuals all across Europe. Today, gas stations, groceries, and cafés all serve the drink and its multiple variants, from 7-Eleven swill to triple-whip iced caramel macchiatos. But Dwell’s drink of choice remains the venerable espresso.

Making espresso is more than just a simple series of motions: Connoisseurs believe it to be both an art and a science. The science consists of a series of steps that must all be aligned to score the perfect double shot. Espresso is not a kind of bean, roast, or grind; rather, the term means “pressed out” in Italian, and indicates the particular process used to create the coffee. Mark Romano, the national technical director of illy caffè North America, laid out the parameters for us: “There should be 7 grams of coffee for a single shot (1 ounce), and 14 grams for a double shot. The water should pass through the grinds for between 25 and 30 seconds, and the grind must be perfect—grinds that are too coarse will produce weak coffee, and grinds that are too fine will make bitter coffee. The water should be between 190 and 197 degrees Fahrenheit, and bottled water should be used.”

The successful execution of these parameters is depen-dent on the skill of the person making the espresso and the quality of the machine. We can’t help with your level of talent, but we can recommend machines that have the capacity to make excellent shots—and some that don’t require any ability at all on your part.

We reviewed each of the three types of mid-range home espresso machines. There are old-school manual piston machines, in which the user grinds the coffee, fills the filter basket, and pulls the lever to propel the water through the grinds. Semi-automatic machines electronically push the water through the grinds, but require some user interaction. Then there are super-automatic machines, which spit out espresso with the flick of a switch.

We enlisted Christopher Cara, proprietor of San Francisco espresso-machine store Thomas E. Cara, Ltd., to aid us in our assessment of each machine in terms of taste, ease of use, and, of course, countertop appeal.

  • espresso makers riviera baby luso

    Riviera Baby Luso

    Expert Opinion: In this machine, the filter baskets turn and lock in, which means it’s easier to make multiple cups since you don’t have to pop out the basket each time. And it has a nice water tank capacity, so you get 12 to 14 demitasses (as opposed to eight with the La Pavoni). But like any other manual machine, you have to get a feel for it. It’s like a manual transmission versus an automatic: You have to learn when to put the clutch in so you don’t screw the gears up.

    What We Think: Learning to drive a stick was a long road of lurching and stalling, and we’re a little dubious that we have the patience and time to work this machine. But like the La Pavoni, if you can grimace your way through mistakes, the payoff is great. Since we’re always a sucker for small businesses, we also like the fact that Riviera is a family-owned company; we’d be happy to discuss the finer points of the machine’s excellent espresso over a double shot with owner Mrs. Zacconi and her three daughters.

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  • espresso makers la pavoni europiccola

    La Pavoni Europiccola

    Expert Opinion: This is my favorite machine, made by a company that dates back to 1905. The coffee quality between the manuals and the automatics is often the same, but the difference is in the steaming. Manuals have dry steam, because it's stored in the tank; automatics have wet steam, so you need to bleed out the water. Plus, this machine has a new group head, which means you can get a nice crema without having to cool down the porta filter unit.

    What We Think: More art piece than machine, the La Pavoni is extremely easy on the eyes with its gleaming chrome form; we'd be delighted to see this on our kitchen counter. The coffee is produces is a rich, intense liquid with a nice tawny topping. We don't like the fact that the filter baskets pop out after every use, forcing you to use multiple baskets or risk burning your hand cleaning it out. But that's a small price to pay for perfect espresso.

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  • espresso makers francis francis x5

    FrancisFrancis! X5

    Expert Opinion: I don’t like the design of this. It’s too gimmicky and toylike, and it reminds me of an old Easy-Bake Oven. You have no idea what the buttons are for, and the steam knob is slippery. Plus, I don’t like pods. I know coffee is a mess, but pods aren’t cheap. I guess this would be good for an office: It’s idiotproof and people can’t screw up the coffee, although if they have to figure out how to steam milk, then God only knows.

    What We Think: We can’t claim the same superior knowledge of espresso-machine handling that Cara can (we usually defer to others to make our espresso), so we’re somewhat preferential to the ESE pods—prefilled little packets of coffee that alleviate the need for grinding, measuring, and tamping. We do love the colors and upbeat approachability of this compact machine. But we concur that the user interface is anything but intuitive.

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  • espresso makers rancilio silvia

    Rancilio Silva

    Expert Opinion: This is a good machine and makes nice crema—and it looks solid and clean. This could go in any kind of kitchen. The stainless steel cleans up easily if you get fingerprints all over it, like I do. But it only takes a small amount of coffee in the filter basket, which throws me. If you like a lot of coffee in your basket, this is probably not one to get. And it takes more work to get it up to par than the manuals—you really have to prime it and let out the wet steam.

    What We Think: We like the fact that this machine would look at home in a coffee house. It gives us the air of a barista, without having to deal with any disgruntled customers. The espresso is satisfying, and the machine is easy enough to operate. All in all, we’d say this is the perfect choice for the unadventurous: a machine that has an agreeable aesthetic with clearly marked buttons that produces satisfying results.

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  • espresso makers saeco caffe charisma

    Saeco Coffee Charisma

    Expert Opinion: This machine is not very attractive; it’s all plastic and it looks like the kind of machine that would be in a restaurant that would advertise “express-o” on the front window. With all the noise and clicking, it sounds like there’s a little Italian in there. I don’t like the coffee it makes, either. But the buttons clearly tell you what to do, which is good, and the water tank is easy to fill.

    What We Think: There’s no doubt that the Saeco is an ugly duckling, and provides a cacophonous aural assault while it busily grinds the espresso. With that said, for the truly lazy or impatient, the coffee is tasty enough, and even a Luddite can operate this machine—plus, there’s no need to worry about grinding your beans or agonizing over your inability to properly tamp. We just recommend that if you buy this model, you have the cabinet space to hide it from view.

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