Like I mentioned last time, I got bored with the French press and wanted to try making espresso. These days, it’s not as hard or expensive as it used to be, you need a good burr grinder, but those have gotten pretty affordable. Machines basically split into two kinds: manual and automatic.
Flair (~$300+) is the top dog in manual espresso. I’ve used one for a couple of years, and it’s solid, but mine’s starting to show its age. Replacement parts are surprisingly pricey, but the coffee is great. It takes some effort though, I usually spend about 20 minutes making coffee for me and my girlfriend. Most people aren’t going to want to put in that kind of time.
I also tried a new automatic machine from Duchess (~$150), and honestly, I can barely tell the difference. It saves me a ton of time and is way easier to learn. So right now, my setup is a separate automatic grinder and a separate automatic espresso maker. There are all-in-one machines that can steam milk too, but every one I’ve tried made bad coffee, wasn’t adjustable, and was generally unreliable.