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Weiss Distribution Technique – Is It Improving Your Espresso Shots?

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wdt tool

The Weiss Distribution Technique is one of the ways we can improve an espresso shot, beyond the run-of-the-mill shot.  The technique uses one or more needles to stir the ground coffee, for obtaining a perfect distribution of the grounds, with the aim to improve espresso extraction.  What Is the Weiss Distribution Technique The Weiss Distribution … Read more

The Best Home Cappuccino Maker – How to Choose a Cappuccino Machine

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cappuccino

Learn how to choose your home cappuccino maker. We review the best home cappuccino machines, De’Longhi, Mr. Coffee, Nespresso and Breville from all price ranges. I enjoy from time to time a frothy cappuccino, even though my daily habitual coffee is a neat espresso with a tiny bit of sugar. I prepare my cappuccino using … Read more

Espresso Beans and Equipment Reviews

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Pulling espresso shots with automatic machine

If you want to start making espresso at home, or just complete your espresso bar with some equipment, this page is a great start.  This is a compilation of most of our reviews on anything espresso related: coffee beans, espresso machines, tools and equipment and coffee grinders.  Check the respective sections and browse through each … Read more

Best Home Espresso Grinder – Rancilio Rocky Vs Baratza Vario Vs Eureka Mignon

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baratza sette espresso grinder

Best Home Coffee Grinders Compared Choosing a home espresso grinder for your daily brewing needs is not that complicated. If your budget is flexible, and you are trying to get the best bang for your buck, you might be stuck in a dilemma. We hope we can make it easier for you by showing what features are … Read more

How Espresso Machines Work

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schematics how espresso machines work

Espresso machines are a popular choice among coffee lovers due to their ability to produce rich, flavorful coffee in less than a minute. But how exactly do these machines work? Why the fuss around them, and why can we use a regular coffee maker to brew espresso. In this article we will explain how the … Read more

Espresso Knock Box – The Best and the Cheapest

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espresso knock box line up

The espresso knock box is one of those devices that you never miss if you haven’t used it before, but once you get used to it you can’t live without. OK, it’s a trivial plastic box, you might say, what’s the fuss about it. Yeah, you are right, a cheap plastic bin to dump your … Read more

Delonghi EC155 Espresso Machine Review – The Cheapest Great Espresso Machine

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delonghi ecc155 espresso machine

Whenever home brewed espresso is mentioned, the De’Longhi espresso machines are normally what spring to mind. De’Longhi is one of the most popular domestic espresso manufacturers on the market, and for good reason. They provide user friendly machines that produce consistent coffee. The Delonghi espresso machine EC155 is a perfect example. In this review you … Read more

Delonghi EC9335 La Specialista – Espresso Machine Review

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delonghi la specialista espresso machine review

DeLonghi La Specialista is relatively recent on the the market. The resemblance with the Breville Barista Express, stirred up some heated discussions. Some felt that the uncanny resemblance was blatant, some others thought that it’s great thing to have some serious competition on that niche. I will discuss more about this in a moment. I … Read more

Semi Automatic Espresso Machines

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Faema E61 Legend semi-automatic espresso machine

One of the most sold types of espresso machines is the semiautomatic espresso machine. This is the perfect choice for espresso enthusiast who aims to learn and experiment with coffee. There is also the inexpensive semiautomatic, which is the choice of those on a tight budget. But at the other end of the spectrum, the … Read more

What Is the Best Espresso Extraction Temperature?

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espresso machine displaying the water temperature in the boiler.

Espresso extraction is a precise process, where multiple brewing variables are finely adjusted in order to obtain a great cup of coffee. Brewing temperature is one of the important variables, and if we don’t handle it properly our espresso might be ruined, or just average.

In this post we are going to look at how the brewing temperature can change the flavor of the espresso, and how ca we teak the temperature in order to perfect our shot.

The information in this post is intended for the advanced barista, who wants to finely tune their shots.

Lelit espresso machine with PID showing 94 degrees Celsius - 201 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Rancilio Silvia vs Gaggia Classic Pro – A Classic Review Comparison

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rancilio silvia vs gaggia classic pro

If you are looking for a mid-range semi-automatic espresso machine, for your morning coffee fix, there are a lot of options. However, the Gaggia Classic and Rancilio Silvia are a lot of times compared. There are other machines within the same price range, however, these two coffee machines are the best rated by customers. This … Read more

What Is Espresso Crema?

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freshly pulled espresso shots with crema

Espresso crema is the thick, golden-brown foam that sits on top of a freshly brewed espresso. It is made up of coffee oils, coffee solids, and bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. Crema is important because it adds bitterness and body to the espresso, and it also helps to protect the coffee from going stale. Crema … Read more

Rancilio Silvia Pro X Dual Boiler Review

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rancilio silvia pro x

Rancilio Silvia Pro X is the dream of any home barista that aims for perfection. It is rather a prosumer espresso machine, and the price tag on the unit makes it accessible for those with a generous budget. Silvia Pro X is an upgrade of the Rancilio’s domestic espresso machine Silvia, so if you know … Read more

Mr. Coffee Café Barista Espresso Machine Review

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MrCoffee Cafe Barista pulling shots

We are reviewing her the espresso machine from Mr. Coffee – the Cafe Barista ECMP1000. 

We all like affordable stuff – but unfortunately, the cheap stuff also come at a great price: their quality. At least, that’s what happens 80% of the time. There are some cases when you can actually get high quality for a low price.

Granted, it’s likely that with low-budget espresso makers, you won’t get the quality brought by the high-end ones. Still, some can actually bring you close enough to the result so that you won’t even need a professional espresso maker.

Let’s see if the Café Barista by Mr. Coffee is a suitable choice for a budget espresso machine.

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The History of Espresso

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steam espresso machine

We love espresso. We accept other variations, such as Moka pot, drip, AeroPress, but really what moves us is the sharp flavors of an espresso shot. But espresso is relatively new in the humanity’s history, and we owe this little gastronomic wonder to the Italians. But lets take a look and see how this amazing … Read more

Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine Review

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breville bes980xl oracle review

The Breville BES870XL Barista Express espresso machine is one of the most impressive devices in the semiautomatic class. With an overwhelming feature set, with a modern look, and a great reliability, the BES870XL is a great choice for any serious espresso enthusiast If you are on the market for a new semi automatic espresso machine, … Read more

What Is Espresso Channeling and How to Avoid it?

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pulling espresso shot with naked portafilter

You just pulled your espresso and the taste is not quite right. The shot is “missing flavors”, doesn’t have body, and you some sourness and bitterness that shouldn’t be there? This is likely because of the channeling.  Channeling happens more often than you think, when brewing espresso. Most of the time the shot is passable, … Read more

What Is a Barista, and How To Become One

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barista in coffee shop

Coffee industry is booming, and even with the dent made by the quarantines and lockdowns, coffee shops are still a the choice of hospitality establishment for many people looking for a place to relax. No wonder that the barista job is still in high demand. In this article, we will show you what is a … Read more

How Is Coffee Decaffeinated – What’s the Best Decaffeination Method?

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how is coffee decaffeinated

We love espresso here, at BrewEspressoCoffee.com. We love it so much that sometime we get that third, or fourth double espresso shot late in the afternoon. And as much as we enjoy the energy boost that caffeine gives us, sometimes it’s just too much. I brew my afternoon shots with decaf, this way I can … Read more

Espresso Machine Buying Guide – How to Buy an Espresso Machine for Home

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Mastrena semiautomatic espresso machine

When you are buying your first espresso machine, you are faced with a big problem: choice. There are so many choices, that even if it’s your second espresso machine, it could prove a difficult task.

There are so many types of espresso machines, and there is a lot of competition on the market nowadays, that sometimes it’s really difficult to choose, when you don’t have all of the information. This is why we put together this espresso machine buying guide.

Even if you don’t want to purchase soon, this page will show you what the differences between all the espresso machines are, and what importance have all the features for the barista.

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Coffee Flavor Terminology – A Coffee Taste Dictionary for the Noob

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coffee cupping

Coffee Tasting Words Being able to name the flavors in coffee isn’t just another method for coffee professionals to display their knowledge. If you want to master coffee brewing, knowing how to taste coffee and having the proper vocabulary to express the flavors you distinguish, is an important instrument. It doesn’t matter if you find … Read more

Espresso Terms and Definitions

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person holding tray with drinking glass and coffee cup

Espresso Lingo and Glossary – Espresso Drinks, Espresso Machine Parts, and Espresso Brewing Terminology If you are passionate about espresso, and you want to learn more about espresso, you need to know the espresso lingo. If someone mentions an espresso machine part in a context, and you don’t know what that is, then the discussion … Read more

Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine Review

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Rancilio Silvia espresso machine

Rancilio Silvia is one of those espresso machines that stirs up heated discussions. The machine is a collection of high-quality components that you only see in more expensive machines, yet some home baristas are reluctant to buy it.

This review will show you what makes the Silvia special, and what are the little annoyances that home baristas wish Rancilio would fix. 

Rancilio HSD Silvia, targets the home brewing sector, the espresso enthusiasts that love to tweak their espresso to perfection.

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DeLonghi Esam-3300 Magnifica Review

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delonghi magnifica esam 3300 review

The DeLonghi Magnifica ESAM3300 is a super-automatic espresso machine, that is affordable, reliable, and easy to work with. Any DeLonghi Magnifica will turn you into a home barista without the skills and knowledge you need if you buy a semiautomatic. This Delonghi Magnifica might not have the bells and whistles of the more expensive machines, … Read more

Espresso Shot Screen – What are Puck Screens and Which ones Are the Best

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espresso puck screen bplus

Espresso shot screens, or puck screens, are more and more popular among espresso aficionados. While the puck screen is not an essential piece of equipment, baristas who look for perfection, need it. Discovered by accident, the puck screen is now a popular accessory to improve the quality of the espresso shots.

Best Espresso Tampers for All Budgets

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espresso tampers

Beginner baristas look at the tamper as an unimportant accessory, the one that comes with the espresso machine is good enough. Maybe the tamper is not as important as the grinder, the roast date, or water quality. However, a great tamper is one of the tools you need if you aim for the perfect espresso shot. … Read more

How to Tamp Espresso – The Perfect Espresso Tamping

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barista tamping espresso in portafilter

Espresso is one of those drinks that people love to hate. If done properly, it’s a delicious treat; if done badly, it’s bitter, burnt, and tastes awful. There are many factors involved in pulling a great espresso shot, including grind size, temperature, quality of the espresso machine, and many other. In this article we are … Read more

Cappuccino vs Flat White vs Latte – What Are the Differences?

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latte vs flat white vs cappuccino 004

There are a lot of different espresso-based drinks, sometimes this much variety can be confusing. Latte, cappuccino, flat white, mocha, are just some of the most popular drinks made from espresso and milk. Standing in line at the coffee shop, you suddenly realize that you don’t know what to order… In this post we are … Read more