espresso maker?

[Honey693]

I tried to post this in TAO. but it wasn't approved so I guess it goes here.

For those of you that make your own lattes and mochas at home how do you do it? I'm thinking of buying an espresso machine to cut down on the number of coffees I buy out, but I have no idea what I'd need to buy or how to make anything.

[Stackpole92]

Check out these websites:

www.coffeegeek.com
www.wholelattelove.com

Both sites are great resources for home machines, regardless of your level. A phone call to Whole Latte Love could be helpful, as well.

Good luck and enjoy!

Melanie

[avendesora]

A cheap option that makes a great cup (but I'm no purist) is the Aeropress. So easy to use, easy to clean, tasty coffee. It makes a small amount of very strong coffee, very similar to espresso, so you can make any latte/americano, etc., you want.

Aven

[jocelyndale]

I use a moka pot. It makes something similar to espresso. Lately, though, I'm always drinking my lattes cold, so I should really just start cold brewing--less acid, more caffeine. :

Oh, and when I want a hot latte, I use a handheld milk frother to make the milk a bit foamier. It's not steamed, but it's still nice.

The best part? The moka pot and frother travel well. I even use the moka pot while camping.

[ChocolateNummies]

Some things to think about:

How much are you willing to spend on the machine?

Do you want something that is fully automatic or manual?

Do you need the ability to serve both decaf and regular?

How often will you use it - will it pay for itself quickly enough for you?

Will the machine grind the beans for you or will you need a separate grinder?

What is the warranty and/or return policy?

How much counter space do you have?

How much maintenance are you willing to perform on the machine (descaling, cleaning, etc.)? How often does the machine you are considering require such things?

How discriminating are you in your tastes? Some 'espresso' machines don't really make true espresso - more like really strong coffee. If I remember correctly you need at least 9 bars of pressure to get a good crema on top of you espresso. Most quality machines will probably have at least 15.

Do you want the machine to have a steam wand attached or will you do that separately? Steamed/frothed milk is a necessity in lattes and cappuccinos

If you happen to have a Williams Sonoma (or other high end kitchen-type store) near you, visit the store and ask the associates there for their recommendations based on what you need/want then have them demonstrate the machines. I have demonstrated one particular machine there and notice that they tend to really know their products.

They want to make a sale and are more than happy to walk you through your options. On that note, though, don't let them pressure you if you aren't ready to buy yet. Most of them are respectful but occasionally can get a little pushy if the store is trying to reach a sales goal.

People tend to think of them as expensive but for many things their prices are the same (or very close) as elsewhere. They just try to only carry quality stuff which tends to be expensive anywhere you go. They also have excellent customer service.