Over the past few years I’ve gotten a small handheld blade grinder, an Aeropress, a French Press, and started roasting my own beans.
The problem is that while some changes stick (like the grinder and the bean roasting), some changes just take up space (I usually use my Mr. Coffee over the Aeropress or French Press).
With that in mind, I’m looking for an espresso maker that is low budget, since I may not use it that often; but is still nice enough that I’m not going to hate espresso making because the machine is bad (ie: low pressure, low heat, leaks, etc).
Most espresso makers I’ve seen are a few hundred to a thousand USD; but since I’m worried I may end up almost never using it (or just using it to froth hot chocolate), I’m looking for one that’s around 100 USD or less.
While I expect you all have loftier targets for your espresso machines than that, I am hopeful if you don’t have any specific recommendations you can tell me what signs to look for that an espresso machine is of decent quality.
EDIT:
As you may have gathered I’m hardly an expert on coffee matters, so I really appreciate your help.
It sounds like for the time being I should stick with the Aeropress I already have and maybe upgrade to a Mokapot (or even a medium range espresso maker) down the line if I really take to it.
For what it’s worth, I did watch the recommended James Hoffman video and was able to make a decent (to me) cappuccino using the Aeropress and French Press I already had on hand!
Thanks again for all your help!
Without trying to be gate-keepy about espresso, $100 is really too cheap. Since you just have a blade grinder, you’d have to get your coffee ground at the store/coffee shop. That makes it difficult to get the pressure/flow rate right without a pressurized basket.
If I were you, I’d stick to trying to make “espresso-style” drinks (especially if you want milk drinks) with your aeropress, or maybe getting a cheap mokapot, and if you want to spend some money to improve your coffee, spend it on a burr grinder.
If you are set on trying to get up and running with “true” espresso, look for used manual lever machines like a Flair or a Rok, and get coffee ground at the store, and get a pressurized basket.
What about a moka pot?
I have a cheap espresso machine (Princess) and a moka pot, so I can compare them easily.
The cheap machine can make some sort of espresso, and it can make hot milk foam. Microfoam seems to be impossible, so you can forget about doing latte art.
The moka pot can make strong coffee, but it’s not as strong as espresso, unless you use it in a very particular way. Here’s how: use the Hoffman method, but cut it short. You need to stop extracting a little bit before you actually run out of water. Also the flow rate should be as low as possible to give the extraction enough time.
If you do that, a moka pot can make strong coffee that is so close to what I can make with my cheap espresso machine that I can’t tell the difference. However, pulling it off requires patience and skill.
Since the cheap espresso machine can’t make nice foam, you might as well just use a moka pot and microwave the milk.
Seconding this. Moka pots are the classic Italian way for a reason. I keep a small one at home and it makes a lovely espresso.
I’ll skip the usual NPC monologue about how a moka pot does not make espresso, period, because the grind and pressure and process are completely different and that’s OK… Well, damn, still monologued. 🤣
Anyway, I have a Bambino (which is the absolute low end of things I’d consider) and a moka pot, they’re both fun and make decent coffee, but the moka pot is a lot more forgiving than the espresso machine. The amounts of time I got really bad coffee out of the moka pot vs out of the espresso machine are not even close.
Seriously, grinder first. You can use a better grinder with your Aeropress and French Press l, and you won’t waste as much time making bad espresso when you do get a machine.
If you’re mechanical, watch Craigslist and marketplace: I once got a broken Rancillio Silvia for free. It needed serious repairs, but I don’t have $100 in parts in it and it works perfectly now.
As some have stated, I’d start with a mokapot and a better grinder. If you don’t want to spend hundreds on a good grinder, then kingrinders k6 manual grinder is amazing for about 120. Basically a over engineerinered peppermill.
I agree with some other comments here that $100 won’t get you what you’re hoping for.
A better upgrade would be to start saving for a good handheld burr grinder (like an 1zpresso model) to replace the blade grinder. Your French Press and AeroPress will likely taste notably better!
If you do want to venture into good espresso, as someone else mentioned, start looking into Cafelat Robot or Flair. Both can make fantastic espresso at higher quality than semi-automatic machines of the same price point and require much less upkeep. But, for any espresso, you will need more gear (scale, tamper, vessels, etc.) which adds to the price. And all espresso machines will massively benefit from a good grinder.
Good luck!
