What is a Super-Automatic Espresso Machine? Buying Guide

various superautomatic espresso machines

Super-automatic espresso machines provide coffee lovers convenience, consistency, and customizability with the push of a button. They automate the entire process from grinding to extraction and often milk frothing. Features like integrated grinders, precise temperature control, and programmable settings make them popular for home and commercial use. Yet, they may offer less control over brewing for coffee aficionados, have a higher cost, and require meticulous maintenance. Ultimately, the choice between super-automatic and other espresso machines depends on individual needs for convenience, control, and budget considerations.

Brewed Espresso – What Is It and How Can You Make it at Home?

espresso shot in demitasse

Espresso… is synonymous with the pinnacle of coffee brewing, and holds a unique place in the world of coffee. Often misunderstood as a concept, and confused, espresso is the pillar of the coffee shop menu. Can you brew espresso at home, though? This is the subject of this article, to explain what is a brewed … Read more

Oily Coffee Beans – Are They Good Or Bad?

shiny coffee beans texture background

I’ve heard different opinions on oily coffee beans throughout my love affair with coffee. Some people love their beans to look oily, some never buy beans that have oil on them, but most people couldn’t tell me why they didn’t like the oily beans. There is sometimes a negative association with a shiny coffee bean, … Read more

Bottomless Portafilter – Why Do You Need One and Where To Buy It?

Pulling an espresso shot with a bottomless portafilter

The pursuit of the perfect espresso shot is a non stop race.  Professionals and enthusiasts alike try to improve the extraction down to the finest details. No wonder there are so many tools and accessories for espresso brewing, espresso lovers are truly passionate. One of these espresso tools is the bottomless portafilter. In this page … Read more

Decoding Espresso Roasts: Finding the Perfect Match

Espresso coffee beans light to dark roast

Making espresso is half science half art. You use science to guide your extraction, and use intuition to improvise, and create unique experiences, beyond the rigor of science. One of the most asked questions when I was working as a barista was: “Which roast is best for espresso?” And the question makes sense because espresso … Read more

What Is Single Origin Coffee and Why Is It Better?

woman harvesting coffee beans

You may have heard the term “single origin” being used by your favorite barista while they’re whipping up your creamy cappuccino, and you might not have paid much mind to it. But what does it mean? And should you care? The coffee industry has become increasingly complex as more and more baristas are taking their … Read more

The Best WDT Tool on the Market

distributing coffee grounds with fusedline wdt

If you are looking to improve your espresso shot and get consistent results every time, you need a WDT tool. It’s not even a debate, there is concrete evidence the the Weiss Distribution Technique slightly improve the overall quality of your shots, but more importantly, it brings consistency from shot to shot. You might have the … Read more

The Best Coffee Canisters for Coffee Storage

coffee beans in airtight glass jars

Storing coffee properly is one of the best things you can do to improve the taste of your espresso, or coffee. There is nothing worse than a flat shot of espresso, especially when you paid a decent amount to get great quality beans. So to pay for that single origin, and to end up with … Read more

How To Store Coffee Beans for Great Espresso Shots

coffee storage container

Storing coffee is probably one of the least understood topics. Yet coffee storing is equally important, especially when we buy the stuff in 2 pounds bags. If roasting, grinding, and brewing have evolved into great sciences, storing is still debated and there is a lot of bad information and a lot of half information. In … Read more

Espresso-Based Beverages – Affogato

affogato coffee pouring espresso over ice cream

Affogato is an Italian dessert prepared by pouring a shot of freshly brewed hot espresso over a scoop of vanilla gelato (ice cream). The result is a delicious, smooth drink. The Italian name of this coffee drink, or dessert, is affogato al caffè. The magic of an affogato is that you mix two pleasures in … Read more

What Is Cold Brew Espresso? Is It Really Espresso?

cold brew espresso nitro coffee drink in a glass with a consistent foam

Cold brew espresso is a method of brewing coffee that uses cold water to steep coffee grounds for an extended period of time. Coffee prepared this way is a strong, concentrated beverage, with a high caffeine concentration. This coffee can be consumed as is, in small servings, much like espresso, but is served cold. This … Read more

Weiss Distribution Technique – Is It Improving Your Espresso Shots?

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.  In this article we are going to discuss the … Read more

How Espresso Machines Work

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

What Is the Best Espresso Extraction Temperature?

espresso machine displaying the water temperature in the boiler.

extraction is a precise process, where multiple brewing variables are finely adjusted in order to obtain a great cup of . 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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What Is Espresso Crema?

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

What Is Espresso Channeling and How to Avoid it?

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

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

Mastrena semiautomatic espresso machine

When you are buying your first , you are faced with a big problem: choice. There are so many choices, that even if it's your second 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 .

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 .

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Espresso Terms and Definitions

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

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

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.

How to Tamp Espresso – The Perfect Espresso Tamping

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

Espresso Based Beverages – Caffè Mocha

mocha latte

Caffè Mocha, is a chocolate flavored coffee drink. Many times called a mocha latte, the original beverage is in fact a chocolate-flavored cappuccino. Well, the recipe is not that strict, and you can find it prepared in a latte ratio, or in a cappuccino ratio. We have here the cappuccino ratio, which is many times called … Read more

How to Pull the Perfect Espresso Shot

perfect espresso shot pulled with bottomless portafilter 3

Making great espresso is not easy. Chasing the perfect shot, sometimes referred to as the God shot, is a race that requires patience, knowledge, skills and good equipment. Let’s not forget great coffee beans. Yes, the perfect shot of espresso is not impossible. It is within any home barista’s reach but you will need a … Read more

Best Coffee Beans for Espresso

arabic coffee

Would you believe me if I said I found the best beans for espresso? Would you believe me? Do not believe me or anybody for that matter. Of course, I can recommend you some fantastic espresso blends. It’s impossible to choose between two great blends when you have so many choices. Every blend offers something … Read more

How to Choose Coffee Beans for Espresso

Cappuccino and other espresso drinks

Choosing the coffee beans for espresso is a matter of personal taste. But the truth is that we can’t make espresso with any beans as we please. So if we say we can use any coffee beans to make espresso, it is true, but only partially. But we will show you how to choose a … Read more

Espresso-Based Beverages – Cortado

Cortado coffee in glass on a white saucer

A cortado is a drink made with equal parts espresso and milk. A standard recipe contains one fluid ounce of milk and one shot of espresso. However, is not uncommon to see cortados with a two shots of espresso and two ounces of steamed milk.  The Origins of Cortado Many espresso-based drinks come from the … Read more

Extraction and Espresso Brewing – A Guide to Coffee Perfection

just before pulling espresso shot

If you are interested in perfecting your making skills and technique, you need to understand the science behind it. The science behind espresso brewing is called extraction.

is the process of dissolving ground in water. This chemistry concept is important in because it determines how good your coffee is.

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Cappuccino vs Dry Cappuccino vs Wet Cappuccino Comparison and Recipe

white ceramic cup with coffee

There are many espresso drinks to choose from in a coffee shop. The coffee shop menu might seem overwhelming for the unprepared. We baristas, want to cater to every taste. But even so, there are the few customers that always want their coffee drink a little different. But this is how many drinks have been … Read more

Espresso-Based Beverages – Red Eye Coffee

black eye coffee 1

Red Eye coffee is an espresso drink famous for its caffeine content, but many coffee aficionados like it for the unique flavor obtained by combining drip coffee and espresso. In this post, we describe the origins of the Red Eye Coffee drink and we show you what makes it different from other espresso drinks. We … Read more

Espresso-Based Beverages – Lungo

espresso lungo

Do you love the taste of espresso but sometimes want something a little bit more? That’s why the espresso lungo has been invented. Lungo is a longer coffee than the normal espresso shot, making it less concentrated, but maintaining the same unique, rich flavor that we associate with espresso. In this blog post, we will … Read more