Espresso Maker Review

Testing espresso machines

Espresso is big business, as witness Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's all offering cappuccinos, lattes and mochas. But for true aficionados, the best espresso isn't found at a chain store, it's made at home. And there are plenty of espresso makers to choose from.

The difference between regular, or what is sometimes called "American-style" coffee, and espresso is the brewing method. While both use ground beans and a pressure system to squeeze water through the grounds to extract the flavor, espresso machines create a firm "puck" of very finely ground coffee; with a high-pressure system, water is then squeezed through in 25 to 30 seconds. This brewing method extracts a more intense flavor from the grounds than automatic-drip coffee; the result is what we call espresso. It is possible to create espresso using stovetop methods, but some experts argue that the result is more like really strong coffee than true espresso. Further, some true connoisseurs say even cheaper home-brew espresso machines aren't capable of producing "true" espresso, since some machines just can't achieve enough recommended pressure.

Among publications that review espresso machines, Australia's Choice magazine tests the largest number (27 manual and automatic espresso makers). Editors test espresso machines against uniform criteria, including taste, ease of use, temperature, warm-up time and frothing ability. New Zealand's Consumer magazine rates 13 manual and six semi-automatic espresso makers, as well as two hand-pump espresso machines. Editors rate each on taste, ease of use and coffee-making ability. Although these two sources offer the most thorough evaluations we found during our research, many of the tested espresso machines aren't available in the U.S., which limits these reviews' usefulness (at least for North American consumers).

A recent roundup conducted by CNET U.K. names the top five espresso machines; all but one are available in the U.S. Editors rate espresso machines based on taste, appearance and ease of use. V-Blog.com, a fashion, style and home blog, names three coffee and espresso makers in a brief but recent review.

In an older review, CNNMoney.com tests five well-known espresso machines (two of which are still available) for ease of use, taste and ease of cleaning, then gives each an overall grade. The enthusiast site CoffeeGeek.com is also an outstanding source for detailed reviews -- though not quite as comprehensive as those at Choice or Consumer magazines -- and all of its tested espresso makers are available in the U.S. Editors preview new machines, as well as publish lengthier reviews of time-tested models like the Rancilio Silvia (*Est. $700) . Editors often pit the machine they're testing against higher-priced espresso machines, which enables them to comment on value. CoffeeGeek.com also allows owners to post reviews, and user comments are usually more insightful than those at general-interest sites such as Epinions.com and Amazon.com. Comments on long-term reliability are particularly useful. Owners also provide tips for various machines to boost espresso quality.

ConsumerReports.org reviews five espresso machines, but highly regarded brands such as Breville, Solis, Gaggia and Rancilio aren't included. Cook's Illustrated magazine has not tested full-size espresso machines since 1996, but in recent years they have tested two handheld espresso makers, the Aerobie AeroPress (*Est. $30) and the Handpresso Wild Portable Espresso Maker (*Est. $100) . Both machines are portable, but editors say that neither can compete with a full-size machine. We discuss these and other manual coffee and espresso makers in our report on one-cup coffee makers.

We consulted various other reviews from Food & Wine magazine, Newsweek and The Boston Globe. Some are a few years old, but because many of the models covered are still available, we found this feedback useful. Finally, we turned to owner opinions on sites like Amazon.com, WholeLatteLove.com and Viewpoints.com.

Despite the somewhat inconsistent espresso machines reviews we found, experts generally agree that $200 is the baseline price for a quality espresso maker. Several models costing less just don't make the grade. Making espresso requires steam, hot water and pressure -- elements that can quickly damage units made with lower-grade plastics and less durable parts.

Finally, experts agree that you shouldn't even consider an inexpensive steam-driven espresso machine. Only pump espresso machines make real espresso, say experts. Steam-driven machines are incapable of brewing true espresso because water is forced through coffee grounds at only 1 to 3 bars of pressure, far less than the 9 bars of pressure required to make espresso. What you end up with, according to most experts, is strong coffee rather than espresso. If strong coffee is all you seek, consider a moka pot like the Bialetti Moka Express (*Est. $15-$40, depending on size) or a French press, both of which are far less expensive than even a cheap espresso machine.