Black Friday Espresso Machine Deals

The old-fashioned manual espresso maker still has its place despite the current craze for machines that use beans in cups and capsules. 

Because you must set the extraction time and empty and clean the portafilters (the metal containers into which you press the ground coffee), the process is more manual than automatic, but once you get the hang of it, you will not need much help from the manual. 

Since they have fewer things that can go wrong, manual machines are a better bet than those that use capsules or beans-to-cup technology. 

The Sage Dual Boiler, Smeg ECF01, or Gaggia Classic are all excellent options if you are looking for a richly aromatic espresso, cappuccino, or latte that requires some assistance from the machine itself. To make rich, aromatic espressos on par with those served in any good European café, all these machines are top-notch. 

Hand-operated espresso machines like the La Pavoni Europiccol or Elektra S1CO Microcasa Lever are excellent options for novice baristas who want to learn more about the science of manual espresso extraction. 

Most of these machines do a lot of the work for you, but they require the best ingredients and regular upkeep. If you live in an area with hard water, the most important thing you can do is filter your water. No matter how well-designed the machine’s built-in filter it never seems quite as effective as a filter jug). As a bonus, the coffee will taste better, and you will not have to descale as often. 

Use high-quality, freshly ground beans, or keep pre-ground beans stored in a dark, cool cupboard always for the best flavor and aroma experience (but not in the fridge). Once the bag’s vacuum seal is broken, even under ideal conditions, the product degrades rapidly. Regardless of whether you use beans or ground, your goal is to use it all up as quickly as possible.