Originally Posted By: Dr.House
If you are interested in getting into making quality espresso, it takes a commitment. First you need to be willing to spend a little cash. Trying to get a quality espresso out of a $100 investment is just not going to cut it. Research, research and do more research.

1) Source good quality beans - online shopping comes in very handy here.

2) Espresso Machine - There are a few entry level models by Saeco, Rancilio Silvia that are quality machines but do have a learning curve and require practice.

3) Grinder - often the most overlooked area and one of the most important steps to making a quality shot.

4) Trial, Error and Patience - Mistakes are good. In the end your hard work will be paid of with very high quality coffee but this part requires commitment.

If your not willing to do the work or get bored of new things quickly I wouldn't recommend investing money into espresso.


I bought a LaSpaziale Vivaldi II and a Barista Vario grinder. A lot more than I was planning to spend. The quality of my shots is vastly superior to the shots I was getting from a super automatic.