Every coffee brewing method has little tricks, secrets, pitfalls, and different ways that you can make a cup of something you’re not very happy with. Espresso has most of these things, I’d say. Many things can affect the quality of the shots you pull espresso machineAnd it can be hard to tell what’s causing the trouble.
So, I’m here to walk you through the basics of making espresso at home. Whether you have your first espresso machine on your counter, or you’re an old pro looking for a quick refresher course, we’ve got you covered.
Be sure to check out our other coffee gear guides, including Best Espresso Machines, Best cold-brew coffee makers, Best Latte and Cappuccino MachinesAnd Best Coffee Grinders.oh, and our How to Make Coffee at Home Guide The basics are covered.
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1. Get the Beans
There is no such thing as espresso beans. Sometimes, coffee makers have a blend of beans designed for use in espresso machines, but the beans are the same as any coffee beans. For me, I like medium roast for espresso. Medium roast has enough rich, chocolatey flavor on its own that it doesn’t get lost even if you add a little steamed milk. Blonde roasts are also good if you like a lighter body and more floral notes, but they can be a little more hit-or-miss if you’re using them in a mixed espresso drink.
Dark roasts can be good, but sometimes you get a dark roast that turns into a burnt-tasting charcoal sludge when you put it in an espresso machine. So for consistency, I recommend aiming for a medium roast.
Where do you get your beans? If you go the local route, look for the roast date printed on the bag – ideally you want beans that are no more than a month old from the roast date. Alternatively, you can join a coffee subscription service and have freshly roasted beans delivered straight to your door. I’ve tested dozens and I’ve collected my favorite services here,
2. Beans, meet grinder
For espresso you need to grind with a burr grinder. Believe me, I’ve tried blade grinders for years to get the powdery consistency I need for espresso, but they just don’t do it. If you don’t have a burr grinder, buy your beans from a local coffee shop that can grind them for you. Make sure you ask for an espresso grind. They’ll know exactly what consistency to use. Or you can get yourself a grinder – I have several suggestions of my own Best Coffee Grinders guide.
If you have a burr grinder, great! It’s always a trial and error process when grinding new beans for espresso. Some beans work best when they’re very fine, others need to be a little coarser. You may have to experiment to find the right spot for each bag of beans, but for espresso, I always start at the last third or fourth of the grinder’s fineness setting. If your machine uses a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the finest coffee grind, you should start at 7. Chances are your sweet spot will be somewhere between 7 and 8. Your grounds shouldn’t be as fine as flour, but closer in size to grains of salt or sugar.
As for the quantity, this is also a variable, but I always start with 15 to 16 grams. You can weigh the coffee when it’s whole, before adding it to the grinder, or after adding it to the portafilter (but before tamping). If you don’t have a scale, I recommend this one from amazonthat has served me well over the years. It nothing fancyBut it is precise and versatile.
