lukasz
One thing I love more than coding or creating illustrations is coffee. You probably do as well.
But coffee is not simply coffee. There are endless ways to craft your perfect cup and making an espresso is one of the most popular ones.
But you’ve probably seen those YouTube videos, haven’t you?
The ones that make crafting an espresso seem like rocket science. Let’s be honest; it looks even more complicated than setting up a website from scratch!
But here’s the truth: You can make an espresso from home easily, you just need the right espresso machine.
So, where do you find this magical machine? Here’s a hint: Reddit has all the answers.
That’s right, I’ve dived deep into Reddit posts to bring you the best espresso machine recommendations according to the real espresso enthusiasts out there.
And this is exactly what I will show you in this article.
How To Start?
Creating a delightful espresso at home seems like putting together a puzzle with lots of pieces.
There’s the kind of beans you use, how fine or rough you grind them, and even the temperature of the water. It might seem like a bunch of stuff to remember but don’t worry, there are some things you can do to make this way easier.
Let’s first check out: What makes a good espresso?
Crucial for every good espresso, is to get the size of the coffee beans right. To achieve this, you’ll need a good grinder. That’s why on Reddit, you’ll find lots of comments like these.
However, the thing is if you’re just starting out, you don’t even need a grinder.
All you need in the beginning is some pre-ground coffee. Starting with pre-ground coffee means you can skip the fuss of finding and using a grinder. Just buy a good espresso machine, and you’re all set to enjoy a perfect cup of espresso.
And the best thing?
The espresso machine I’m about to show you can work both - with and without a grinder.
This means whenever you’re ready to step up your espresso game, you can start grinding your own coffee beans to perfection. It’s a machine that grows with your espresso journey, ready to take things to the next level whenever you are.
Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?
And don’t worry, in case you’d also like to get your grinder right away, I’ll show you the best espresso grinder according to Reddit later on. Let me just finally show you this famous espresso machine everyone’s talking about on Reddit.
You probably can’t wait as well 😉
The Best Espresso Machine according to Reddit (2023)
The best espresso machine, according to Reddit, is the Breville Bambino Plus. This delightful starter espresso machine comes equipped with a pressurized portafilter, and it’s completely adaptable for beginners and experienced users.
Breville Bambino Plus
Let’s take a closer look at this espresso machine, starting with the pressurized portafilter.
As you’ve already learned, making a good espresso takes a lot of steps. You have to select the beans, grind those beans, not too fine not too coarse, and then tamp them - with care. The grind size of your coffee is the secret code to a good espresso.
That’s why Redditors recommend the Breville Bambino Plus for beginners. With its pressurized portafilter, it’s possible to use pre-ground beans without the hassle of getting the size of your beans right.
Although grinding coffee just before brewing helps preserve the natural flavors and aromas present in the beans, pre-ground coffee offers enough flavors to satisfy the curiosity and preferences of beginners. It provides a wonderful playground. It also guarantees a consistent taste with each brew.
And then as you grow in your espresso journey, you always have the option to dive deeper and get a grinder. This will give you more room to play and experiment.
Breville Bambino Plus - The Features
The Breville Bambino Plus espresso machine not only impresses with its pressurized portafilter but also with its quick start-up time.
A highlight if you aren’t a morning person, isn’t it?
And it’s even eco-friendly, as it doesn’t require to be powered on overnight like many high-end machines. Users also appreciate the automatic milk frothing feature which produces high-quality frothed milk, with little to no effort.
With its classy design, the Breville Bambino Plus will add a touch of elegance to your kitchen. Despite being an entry-level machine, it delivers great quality espresso, satisfying the needs of inexperienced baristas and regular users alike.
And let’s not forget how easy the cleaning is. With a removable base and a deep tray for water, it prevents spills, making the cleaning process really easy.
Best Budget Espresso Machine
Before showing you the best espresso grinder, let’s take a look at the most-affordable solution if you want cheap espresso at home.
I’ve found this answer on Reddit.
For a cheap espresso solution, Reddit users frequently recommend pairing the KinGrinder K2 with the Flair Neo. Keep in mind, you’ll need to have a kettle on hand, but that’s a straightforward addition to your setup.
What is the KinGrinder K2?
The KinGrinder is a manual espresso grinder operated by hand, rather than being powered by electricity. It has a handle that you turn to grind the coffee beans.
Inside, there are blades that crush the beans into fine particles. There are a few advantages to these manual grinders. You have control over the grind size and it’s portable and handy for situations where power isn’t available. It also offers a consistent grind.
At the moment, the KinGrinder K2 isn’t available on Amazon. However, there are plenty of other manual grinders that work equally well. In fact, the Timemore Chestnut is Amazons current top seller. It’s available for $79 and it is rated 4.8/5.
So, now you have the beans, but how do you make espresso out of that?
Good question!
That is where the Flair Neo comes in - just like the manual grinder, it also works without electricity.
The Flair Neo - No Electricity needed
All you need is your hand. It comes with a portafilter where you place your coffee, a brewing head that you attach to the portafilter for the hot water to seep through the coffee, and a tamper to press the coffee grounds evenly.
The set also includes a dosing cup to help you use the right amount of coffee, a stainless steel drip tray to catch any spills, and a detachable handle that allows you to take the espresso maker with you. Perfect for traveling or camping trips.
What a comprehensive kit!
And how does it work?
After setting up your machine, you’ll use the lever to push the hot water through the coffee grounds slowly, extracting a shot of espresso. It’s as easy as that. There’s a small learning curve and you can only brew one espresso shot at a time, but trust me, the quality is worth the wait.
An at-home barista experience for only around $150, available on Amazon. The most budget-friendly way to enjoy a fresh espresso at home.
Best Espresso Grinder according to Reddit
Now, let’s dive into the top pick for the best espresso grinder to help you seriously upgrade your espresso game.
But first, ever wonder exactly how a grinder works? It’s actually a straightforward process.
Basically, you put the beans inside the espresso grinder, they go down between two rough plates that crush them into tiny pieces.
You can adjust these plates, which in turn will change the size of these pieces. The espresso then comes out at the bottom and goes into a special coffee holder, called the portafilter.
I’m sure you’ve seen this already. This is the handle-like thing that you attach to the espresso machine. The next step is to tamp your espresso. This helps with proper water flow during brewing. So, you probably kind of guessed it already, if you buy an espresso grinder, you will also need an espresso tamper.
Simple, entry-level tampers cost around $10 to $20. Premium tampers can go from $50 to $100 or even more. The difference between these two is usually the material and the precision with which they work. Sometimes you’ll also get a better design, but this doesn’t affect your coffee.
What’s The Best Espresso Grinder According to Reddit
I had the feeling that asking this question on Reddit is kind of like asking “What’s the best car?”. However, I’ve found that two brands are actually Reddit’s favorites. Eureka and Niche. An Eureka grinder is available on Amazon for approximately $490. It’s not cheap, but it is a top-notch espresso grinder.
Users especially love the consistent grind size, the durability, and the quiet use of the grinder, as well as its efficient portafilter handling.
As for the tamper, Reddit’s suggestion is to go with Normcore. It’s a sweet tamper that costs around $43-$46. But don’t forget, if you get your espresso machine, try out some pre-ground beans and see how it goes from there.
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Reddit Post “Best Espresso Machine”