22 November 2007 by Scott Stadler
Home Espresso: The Complete Buyer’s Guide (part 6)
Fickle Palate presents the Home Espresso Complete Buyer’s Guide.
Chapter 1 - Intro, Vocabulary, and Awesome Reasons
Chapter 2 - Essential Components of Café-Quality Home Espresso
Chapter 3 - Getting More Familiar with Espresso Machines
Chapter 4 - Recommended Grinders
Chapter 5 - Recommended Espresso Machines
Chapter 6 - Accessories & Troubleshooting
Favorite Espresso Accessories
Bodum Pavina Double Wall Thermo Glasses – Glass is popular for espresso cups. The thermal properties of glass don’t take the coveted heat away from the espresso.
Krups Stainless Steel Frothing Pitcher – The perfectly designed pitcher for steaming and frothing milk with the espresso machine’s steamer wand.
Grindenstein Knockbox – A perfect no-mess solution for emptying the spent grounds from the portafilter. Home baristas absolutely love the Grindenstein.
The Perfect Tamper – Every barista has their own personal preference, but all will appreciate the extra heft offered by solid heavy models as long as they’ll fit the portafilter of the machine being used.
Troubleshooting Imperfect Results
A guide would be incomplete without troubleshooting, so let’s highlight what to do if the only results of a newfound passion for making espresso at home seem to be poor.
- Remember the “keep everything even” philosophy – only adjust one element at a time to troubleshoot where the problem resides.
- Chances are, most problems are with the grind either being too loose or too tight – work towards finding the ultimate grind consistency.
- Make sure temperature is okay – most espresso machines are well-calibrated, but there’s a chance the temperature is off. If so, follow the machine’s instructions to adjust it.
- Time pulls with a timer. It’s easy to pull too much or too little. When all of the other parts of the equation are just right, a perfect pull should take between 20 to 25 seconds.
- Use better water to eliminate off flavors. Yes, sometimes water can be the source of bitter or off flavors. If water is a suspect, try bottled water or perhaps pre-filter with a charcoal filter.
- Practice, practice, practice. Espresso is an art and every barista gets better with practice. Don’t be disappointed if the first few shots of espresso are less than perfect. They will just keep getting better and better as time goes on.
Welcome to the World of Home Espresso. Enjoy!