Should I buy an espresso machine?

What you need to know before buying an espresso machine.

Espresso machines are the envy of all coffee lovers. But do they really make the best coffee, or do you just assume so because they use one at your favourite café? They’re also expensive and come with loads of hidden costs and considerations. So, before you indulge yourself, here’s what you need to know before buying an espresso machine.

1. How do you like your coffee? Espresso? Cappuccino? Latte? Americano?

If you’re wanting café quality espresso, cappuccino, flat whites, or lattes, you’re going to need an espresso machine. There are good alternatives that can be considered, but nothing quite matches it in workflow and results. On the other hand, if you prefer Americano or filter coffee, you really don’t need an espresso machine. Arguably, so called “alternative brew methods” make this style of coffee better than an espresso machine and are much more affordable and without all the fuss. E.g. AeroPress, Chemex, Pour Over dripper, plunger/French press, and moka pots. For filter coffee, percolators and bean-to-cup machines are still the kings of convenience.

3. You are going to need an espresso grinder and a lot of other accessories that don’t come in the box.

Like anything in life, garbage in usually means garbage out. For espresso, this has never been truer. A below par coffee grinder will render even the best espresso machine useless. Due to the high pressure used to brew espresso, it requires a very fine, uniform grind. If the grind isn’t fine enough, your coffee is likely to be “under extracted” and carry undesirable sourness in the cup.

At high pressure, water will find the easiest path and if the coffee grind is uneven, it could cause channeling resulting in an uneven extraction. An uneven extraction means you’re not getting the fullness of flavour and your results won’t be consistent from cup to cup. Therefore, espresso machines need to be paired with a good espresso grinder, which will set you back anything from R6000 to R15000 for domestic espresso grinders. See our post, “Choosing the right coffee grinder” for more info.

Sadly, that’s not all. Most espresso machines come with the necessary accessories, but these are usually subpar and bound to frustrate you. At a minimum, you’re going to want to replace the following items.

• • The tamper: Look for something made from weighty stainless steel that’s ergonomic and most importantly, fits snugly in your portafilter. You don’t want visible gaps between the edge of the tamper and the basket. This can result in channeling. A decent tamper can set you back R500-R1500 and can be a very personal and endearing tool. So think carefully when choosing one.
  • Portafilter baskets: The stock baskets of even very expensive machines can be sub-par. A good basket, like a “VST basket”, (aprox R500) will make a dramatic difference to your extraction, and in our opinion, a worthy investment.
  • Cleaning brush: Again, the factory issue brush just doesn’t cut the mustard and will most likely frustrate you very quickly. You should clean the machine daily so a decent brush for R100 is worth buying from the start.

Other necessary extras not typically included in your machine purchase are:

• Water filter. It’s vital to only use filtered water, both for taste and the health of your machine. Filtered water tastes better and prevents limescale build up in your machine, which is a very costly specialised service to repair.
• Tamp mat, for R300-R700 to protect your expensive counter and portafilter.
• Milk frothing jugs, R200-R600 each. It’s good to have 2 to blend your milk.
• Knock Box for spent coffee pucks and coffee waste. Espresso can be a messy experience and a knock box beside the machine will reduce mess.

Then there are those accessories that are not necessities, but most baristas will insist on:

• A coffee scale. This will make preparing much easier and ensure consistency cup to cup. It will also be a tremendous help when learning espresso as it removes much the guess work.
• Beautiful cups. Did you know that you get a degree in France in wine glass design? The cup you drink from can radically enhance your drinking experience.

The list can go on and on, but we’ve covered the main ones to consider off the bat.

Other hidden costs of an espresso machine.

Beyond the accessories, espresso machines use a lot of electricity. So, if electricity bills are a sensitive expense for you, you may want to consider this when choosing an espresso machine. Dual boilers are the biggest culprits, whilst thermal block machines are much more energy efficient, and are also heat up faster. But they can affect your workflow and performance depending on the machine.

Like like a car, espresso machines, require a service from time to time. This can vary depending on how much that machine is used, as well as how well it is maintained. At a minimum, you’ll need to replace group head rubber seals once a year, but you can do that yourself. Other than that, a service should be done every 2000-3000 cups.

A full service can set you back R1000-R2000 depending on parts and labour costs.

5. The joys of owning an espresso machine

Even with all the above considerations,  espresso machines remain the envy of all coffee lovers. It is so much more than an appliance. It’s an investment that brings fulfilment, satisfaction, and an endearing journey of skill development. There’s a lot to consider, but for people who love making coffee as much as drinking it, it will no doubt become the pride of your home.

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