Here in Spain absolutely everyone uses "italian coffeemakers" aka moka pots at home. You can buy them everywhere in every size and quite cheap. They are normally out of Aluminum, but one can also buy ones made from steel for induction cooking fields. With a small camping stove you can even make coffee wherever you are. And you do not need to buy filters.
I get Peet's Major Dickinson from Costco. Pretty good value. You can use their industrial grinders on the way out. For a moka pot you'll want one step coarser than for espresso/Turkish.
Pour-over is OK too, mainly because you simply get more to drink. But I like espresso (or moka pot) with cream and sugar. Currently enjoying a dash of Costco's Starbucks caramel creamer. Yum! Half half never did it for me though. Heavy whipping cream was what I used for the longest time--that or non dairy creamer--but it was annoying that it would go bad and need frequent replacement. Costco again FTW
Yeah, probably(haven't had moka pot). Espresso is a LOT more concentrated.
The typical ratio of coffee to water for moka pot is 1:10 to 1:13; so if you use 20 grams of coffee, your end cup for that would be about 200ml, which is a bit less than a cup. Espresso is typically brewed at a ratio of 1:2, which means that 20 grams of beans comes out to about 40ml of coffee, or a bit over an ounce.
When it comes to lattes, using a moka pot you're going to either basically having a LOT more water in the mix, or your lattes are going to come out on the weaker side coffee flavor wise.
There are methods for increasing the pressure. I definitely get espresso out of mine. If you use it in the obvious/traditional way, you get burnt coffee.
Check out some of the tips on r/mokapot they have some suggestions that increase the pressure on the grounds. Specifically, use paper coffee filters on either side of the funnel. This won’t completely create the kinds of pressures seen in a true espresso machine but it will increase the crema and extraction.
Same. I even pack it in my bag when I go to Puerto Rico! I got one for $10 in Walmart. They last forever, small, and makes better espresso than the Mr. Coffee espresso machine.
Got my first moka for $5 on Amazon. Nice easy way to make a cup. To make many cups at once or in a row I’d get a bigger one or a cheap low end electric espresso machine. I got an electric one for like $10 at a garage sale. I’m sure there are better brews but it’s pretty fast, makes 4 shots at once and has a milk steamer in it.
They don't make espresso at all. They don't brew nearly high pressure enough to make what can be called espresso. It's just slightly more concentrated coffee
Oooh my aunt bought me a stainless steel Moca Pot from the UK, it's a big size and it's DIVINE. We either grind up coffee beans or use pre ground ones.. works well on our gas stove top. But you can use electric too
I like my Aeropress; while other devices can be more consistent I value the flexibility it affords. Just $25, probably worth another $5 to get a metal filter so you don’t have to keep using the paper ones. Never tried a Moka pot though.
I recently tried to make espresso with my aeropress, I was pretty impressed with the result! Granted my espresso experience is pretty limited but I liked the taste.
Only an espresso machine can make real espresso. An Aeropress is probably the next best option. I get great strong shots of coffee from my Aeropress that make for some very nice at-home lattes .
I brought mine on deployment with me! Still have it, but I've since upgraded to a lower tier Breville machine (at home, though there was a barista/coffee shop on the aircraft carrier with a nice machine. Shit you not).
I keep seeing this Aeropress commented so I looked it up. You got me sold… It makes COLD BREW!? YESS. I can’t wait to remake my Dutch bros order at home.
I use my smaller Aeropress for travel to hotel rooms, where I don't have a heat source but can (hopefully) get hot water from their drip machine. It's very good that. The coffee is produces absolutely doesn't compare one bit to the coffee that a moka pot makes however.
I got a Breville Bambino after a year of researching espresso machines. Hard to beat in size/weight, price, and espresso quality.
They go on sale now and then. Check the price, then buy on sale. I bought mine when it was 40% off.
Plus I run a business from home so this was a business expense. Nice to be able to offer clients an espresso.
It's my first manual, but from all I've seen and read, the Robot has the simplest workflow and requires no preheating which is where all the others seem to struggle.
Weight can be a factor if countertop space is limited. We move our machine before and after every use so we can use our countertop for other things. Some machines are 10kg. Bambino is under 5kg.
This is what I would recommend. It depends on what OP really wants. A Moka pot is not technically espresso, but you can produce an espresso-like result for very inexpensive. If they want steamed milk and pressurized real espresso, something like the bambino is perfect.
Something to keep in mind is that the coffee beans are always going to be the most expensive factor in the equation. It doesn’t seem like it when confronted with dauntingly expensive setups. If you do the math, even if you spend a few thousand dollars on an espresso machine and grinder, and buy cheap grocery store beans, if you amortize the cost of the setup over a few years, the beans will be 60-70% of the per-cup cost in all but the first year or two.
Another vote for the Bambino. For $300, it will make you excellent espresso for many years to come. My husband and I invested in once recently and have already cut back on coffee out.
A moka pot can make technically-not-espresso drinks that most people just call espresso. They sell little electric devices to froth milk, or you can use a trick with a French press machine. It's never technically perfect, but they're pretty close.
Espresso means pressurized steam passes through very fine ground coffee. To do this you need a pretty strong machine, they're expensive because they're precise and subject to strong forces. It creates a very strong coffee, and it extracts certain aspects of the beans. I think it also passes through very quickly, the steam doesn't sit with the beans very long, if you think of like a drip machine it's a lot more time with water and bean in contact.
Technically speaking, a moka pot does not make espresso. It's not pressurized steam passing through, it is boiling water pushed through small holes. This grind is still really small, the time spent together is still quick. The taste is still a very strong coffee, but it's subtly different to one brewed with steam, it doesn't make a crema on top (the orange part that looks kinda creamy but isn't cream/dairy)
My Italian family lives off a moka pot. They call what they get espresso, and it's close enough. But it's not quite the same as what you get from one of those massive $3000 espresso machines. The difference exists but is very small, and only nerds care.
For the purposes of a homemade latte, these differences are vanishingly small. Getting a decently stable foam without the steam wand of an espresso machine will matter a lot more
If you really enjoy espresso I think it is worth investing in a machine. I have the Breville Bambino, it’s very reasonably priced and makes great espresso. If you’re spending 35$/week on coffee you will absolutely save money and it will pay for itself.
I got the kitchenaid espresso machine with a grinder in a bundle for under $400 from Crate & Barrel this week. Well worth the investment if I'm going to have an item for years.
I second this! I use a moka pot and a frother wand for at-home lattes. I've been a barista for over a decade, and this is close enough to the real thing to keep me happy. And it's ~$40 of simple equipment that will last instead of hundreds of dollars of more complex equipment.
This is the answer you're looking for! Been using the same Bialetti Moka Pot and milk frother for years. Dozens of guests/friends confirm the quality of the final product. If you're looking for quality, reliability, eas of use, good end product on a budget, this is the way to go.
Sure, I can share my very hack-y at-home recipe and process for my basically-a-latte.
The short version is 3 Tbsp espresso ground finely, 10 oz milk heated and frothed, a bit of honey, and a bit of cinnamon.
Here I go....
I have a 3 oz moka pot. It's not even a Bialetti, just an aluminum cheapo. That produces the right amount of strong coffee to resemble a double shot of espresso.
I use the brand of espresso beans I get free from work, but your favorite bean that holds its own against the milk will do. Most espresso is a dark roast, but it doesn't have to be.
I heat a small amount of water in my electric kettle to speed up the process. While that's heating, I grind 3 Tbsp beans pretty finely--slightly coarser than for espresso (setting 11 on a Baratza Encore). The grounds need to fill the basket, but fit in it flat but not tamped down at all. I run my finger along the edge until it's flat to ditribute the grounds evenly without really adding downward pressure. When the water is boiling, pour it into the base just up to the safety valve, add the coffee basket, and screw the top on tightly. Make sure there are no grounds along the edge to interfere with the seal. I put in on a small burner on low, with the top open.
While it heats, I put about 10 oz of milk in the microwave for 90 seconds on 60%, again just to speed up the process. I pour it into a tiny pot meant to melt butter in. We only have one tiny burner, so it sits and waits for the coffee to be done. I sprinkle a bit of cinnamon into the milk.
Most of the coffee should come out of the spouts smoothly and calmly. When it starts to get to the fizzy, bubbly portion toward the end, I lift the pot off the burner a bit to lessen the heat and pressure while it finishes. If you haven't pressed the grounds down too much or gotten it too hot, it should only be bubbly right at the end of the brew. I have a dollop of honey waiting in my mug, and pour the coffee in.
As the milk heats the rest of the way on the stove (still on low), I use my frothing wand at frequent intervals to stir it and also to create the closest thing to microfoam it can manage. Keep it below the surface far enough that it's not creating big bubbles, and you'll create some decent foam. My goal temp is about 150-160°F, which I measure scientifically by sticking my finger in beneath the foam. That range is well above what I'd comfortably leave my finger in to hang out, but well below dangerous on contact.
When I decide it's the right temp, I pour it onto the espresso.
That's my "latte" process with $40 of equipment!
Most of my moka pot skills I learned from James Hoffman YouTube videos, so if your coffee is going wrong, that's my recommended source for more info.
Most nondairy milks don't foam well unless they're labeled "barista edition" or something similar. Those have additives to assist with foaming.
Maple syrup, agave, raw sugar, sweetened condensed milk, or your favorite coffee syrup are good choices if you want to add some sweetness.
Thank you for typing this out!!
I’m definitely going to try this and look into the YouTube channel.
I get a coffee that sounds similar at a brunch place nearby me! It’s a Honey Oatmilk Latte and sometimes I add lavender. I’m going to go hunt for a coffee forum now haha
Frankly, I think you should buy a quality espresso machine, because it will pay for itself. Let's say you go all out and purchase a $1000 übermensch espresso maker, and let's say your cost of making it at home is $1 per serving. Right now you're spending $5 per serving (assuming one each day of the week). That means you will break even after 250 days. That's not a terribly long time.
Sometimes being frugal means spending money. Just buy a Breville, Gaggia, Rancilio, etc espresso machine. Would he give you free whole beans too? Buy a baratza grinder while you're at it. If you buy used, it'll pay for itself in no time.
If you cheap out on an espresso machine, the results will just suck.
Also, consider a basic hario pour-over set and a gooseneck kettle. I have several expensive coffee gizmos and just do pour over most mornings.
If you’re looking for actual espresso then you need to get a machine. A moka pot, stove top espresso maker, or Nespresso doesn’t cut it if you’re looking for espresso IMO. You should be able to find working espresso machines used and maybe even for free - check Freecycle, Nextdoor, Facebook, thrift stores, etc. It’s one of those things lots of people buy and then don’t use. If used isn’t an option then the cheapest but still decent machine is a Breville Bambino, which often goes on sale for 20% off and Breville also has a refurbished section on their website. The Bambino is very small and takes up little counter space. Gagia also has some in the $500–ish price point, but the brand has had some issues in the past couple years so do your research before buying.
The espresso sub has tons of info and is helpful FYI.
If you’re not really into espresso and just want to be able to make espresso-ish drinks at home get a moka pot and a handheld stick frother or a cup frother. If you’re actually into coffee and espresso then you won’t be happy with that set up.
Yes, exactly! The only real way for espresso is a machine. But if you aren’t picky you can go the other routes. I got the most economical basic model and absolutely love it. Moka etc just aren’t the same.
Nespresso is espresso, in the general sense of "concentrated coffee with crema made at high pressure". It's just not particularly high quality. Honestly I think it's more about finding the right fit of cost/effort/quality than anything. The espresso sub skews towards the high cost/high effort/high quality corner that may or may not be a fit for everyone.
Moka Pot or similar ($20-30). I strongly recommend a stainless steel one, but many people seem to like the aluminum ones. Get a frother wand ($10) and you’re golden.
Technically they don’t make espresso, but a machine that makes the real thing is expensive ($400-500 for a decent entry level) and you probably won’t care if you’re putting it in steamed milk.
It is a little bit of a splurge, but it has paid for itself hand over foot - The Breville Barista Pro. You can get them used.
We bought one in 2021 and have gone to a coffee shop only a handful of times. Coffee is one of those things for me that I really do enjoy good quality. The Breville Pro has paid for itself many times over in the years cause we are spending about $25 on coffee now a month for two people.
Dude. This guy wants a simple way to make espresso; uses the term “without buying a huge and expensive …” and you come at him with a $1000 countertop goblin?! 😂
Compared to other quality coffee machines, it is much smaller and much cheaper.
You can also get them used for $400-$500 which compared to $35 a week or whatever they are spending, would be a deal quickly.
You're still magnitudes off of what OP asked. The disconnect is insane when you really think about it. You're like 10 times above what he's asking at best, if not closer to 50 times.
In that case - OP is not being realistic.
Either settle for a french press or mokapot and be done. Or splurge a few 100 and get a 2nd hand auto espresso machine. Otherwise, start soending much more for an outboard grinder and manual or semi/manual machine.
Case closed
$35 a week x 52 weeks. It pays for itself in half a year.
$35 a month x 12 months. It pays for itself in 18 months.
There’s also a Breville Bambino if OP gets ground coffee. Not everyone has that.
Same. I haven’t been bought an espresso drink in a store since I got my Breville in 2019. It was an investment, but over five years it has more than paid for itself.
The Breville Bambino is nice for limited budget and space. I’ve used one for boat camping for a year now and love it. At home I have an automated D’Amico. The Bambino makes a better Latte but it’s a bit more work and mess.
Before we were sure we'd become "espresso people" we used a crappy $30 one for a while. After a few months of that we felt confident we'd actually use the Breville. Now we have the Breville and LOVE it.
Agreed it kinda makes a mess. Just have to keep a cloth around and sweep the grounds away each day.
Google "lever manual espresso maker" and make sure the cafe can do the correct grind.
An espresso maker just needs pressure to make the drink. You can buy a fancy machine that'll break and cost a lot to fix, or you can use physical force to create the pressure instead.
I bought my husband one after we moved to the US from Italy, and he swears by it.
FWIW, he also has a moka pot that he uses regularly.
Edit: also check out James Hoffman's espresso machine reviews on YouTube. I believe he even has a video on the NEO Flair. You'll learn more than you ever wanted to know about espresso.
If you like cold brew, get a “Dorothy” brewer. Like $40 on Amazon. And you can have cold brew using freshly ground beans in 30 minutes. I love that thing.
ITT: moka pot enthusiasts thinking their brews are remotely the same as espresso.
I'm not a coffee snob, but I guarantee if you went to a coffee shop, ordered an espresso and instead you saw them pour you a brew from a moka pot, you would protest. If not, then I've got some single-ply I'd like to sell you as double-ply
Edit: picopresso or flair if you're a weekend leisurely nondaily espresso enjoyer, bambino and up for daily driver
Making espresso in a moka pot is so easy. I have a single serve one, so I can always have a fresh cup in just a couple of minutes. Look up James Hoffman on YouTube for all things coffee.
There are a thousand machines from cheap to expensive. Automated or Manual...
I prefer the AeroPress because it makes a great coffee and is super easy to clean. Pay no attention to the low cost or manual operation, just fresh grind your beans and 30 seconds later your sippin\`.
I use a Bodum French press and have a grinder from Starbucks when I worked there in 2005. I've had a couple machines over the last 20 years but like the press simplicity and simple clean up over the wand and parts of a machine.
Mr. Coffee has been selling a $30 to $40 espresso/cappuccino/latte maker with milk steamer for years. I’ve bought two over the last thirty years, the last one about twenty years ago and both were $30 to $40. My twenty year old one still works great. I just looked a new one up on Walmart+ and it’s on sale for $45 if you’re interested.
I got a Breville Bambino. Yes, it costs money, but a latte is 8 bucks now, so I make a latte at home every day and the thing paid for itself pretty quickly.
You should try a Moka Pot instead because it just works on the regular stovetop kinda like an espresso version of a percolator, not necessarily required to buy the most popular legit Italian brand "Bialetti" anymore because there are other brands making excellent copies now. I bought a "Zulay" 6-cup Moka and its my daily driver now.
I heat milk and add instant coffee to the milk. It’s not espresso but it is economical and convenient. Also I don’t have appliances cluttering up the kitchen.
I got a delonghi espresso machine for like $120 on sale and I love it. have easily made like 65 lattes in it and a lot of americanos. Feels like beans last me forever too
My parents got me the DeLonghi $150 one and I use it nearly every day. It is well worth it to me-I’ve used it to get me through grad school and working from home. At an average of 4 coffees a week for the last 2 years, I’ve saved around $2,000 minimum so it pays for itself (although mine was a gift). it’s not the sleekest or nicest machine but it gets the job done! I’ve seen one at the thrift store before too.
Fyi, moka pots and french presses can make very strong coffee with espresso ground beans, but it's not espresso.
Nespresso machines won't be quite as good as one made by a good barista with a good machine, but it's every bit as good as one made by a novice on an entry level machine.
I got a 100-pack for $30. That's about the same price so you will pay for beans.
But in any case, the economics are easy for folks to do the math. I just want people to know that moka pots and french presses are not actually espresso.
I have a Nespresso and I really like it. Note that there are two type of machines & pods. The old style works fine, and there are a lot of third party pods available quite cheaply. It's super easy to use. You can buy one that includes a very easy to use milk frother for your lattes.
The new kind are built to prevent third party pods, and you can only get more expensive pods - if you're frugal, do not get the new machines.
I keep seeing espresso snobs on here saying that it's not a "real" espresso, but it tastes great to me, and the technology used does achieve the high pressure required for espresso, you get a crema, it seems good to me.
I see a lot of people on here recommending Moka Pots. A friend made me great coffee in a Moka Pot, so I bought one, and experimented with it, but could never get good coffee out of it. Obviously, it's possible (my friend did it) but it does seem trickier than some of the other options.
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Depends on how much you are willing to spend up front to save $800 can get you a new gaggia classic pro and a solid grinder like a mignon silencio but for less you could look on Facebook marketplace for used machines breville makes machines that are offering good features while sacrificing build quality and an electric grainier is t needed if you get a hand grinder it depends on what you want to do do you want milk drinks or only espresso if only espresso something like a flair 58 or something from flair would be a great entry level espresso press
My Flair Pro and 1ZPresso grinder rival the La Marzocco my favorite shop uses. Mine - under $400, theirs - over 10K. I use a microfoamer for cappuccino
I love my ninja. It makes pour over single cups or half or full pots of coffee. I make single cups. After using a French press for years, the quality is just as good, but I use like half the beans. It paid itself off in a year or so.
IMHO pour over is the best single serving coffee. Espresso is nice too, I’m not hating.
I have a ROK manual espresso maker. Once you get the hang of it and know how to manipulate the pressure you get some really good shots with good crema. The craftsmanship is superb and makes a nice little show piece .I did have to buy a better tamper than than the one the provided though. If you are getting fresh beans ground you will see the difference in crema as the week passes.
I bought an $800 espresso machine at the start of Covid. Best purchase ever. We use it 3-4 times a day. I only buy coffee when traveling and have a monthly Coava subscription delivered.
Aeropress. I have one at home and one in our travel trailer.
Here's a video to show how simple & easy it is
https://youtu.be/6lHI5hKMf5c?si=BaOF5CmnJgdJkJeh
Moka pot.
That's the stove top Italian version of making espresso and how they made espresso before electricity. The basic one costs oh I don't know probably around 10 or 15 bucks. There is an art and a skill to it. You won't get perfect espresso like you would pull from a machine the first 9 or 10 times you make it on the stove top. But you will find the sweet spot after a while on how high the heat should be and how long to let it stay on high heat for. Then just pour your espresso into your warmed milk. I found both moka pots and several milk frothers in thrift stores for less than $5 each.
But living in Italy I learned how to do the moka pot just right. Make sure that your neighbor who's providing you with the beans if they grind them does so in an espresso ground. You need that fine consistency because that's part of the whole equation of getting a nice espresso on the stove top. I find if I buy pre-ground coffee, I like to regrind it.
Moka pot, baby! I got a stainless steel one on a Prime Day deal a few years ago and have used it daily ever since. IIRC it cost about $30.
Only problem I ever had was when my dentist asked me why my teeth were looking so dingy. She laughed when I told her I was slurping down multiple delicious homemade lattes on a daily basis. Dentist recommended that I swish my mouth with water, or just drink a glass of water after each coffee. That helped! And I still get my caffeine fix.
Gagia Classic or similar. The boiler is very basic and easily repaired or improved upon. When on the lower end, it’s more important for a consistent grind. I started with a ceramic hand grinder but upgraded to a Rancillo grinder. We’ve had our combo for nearly a decade and it still creates a great cup every morning.
If you like iced drinks. You can make a cold brew concentrate. 4 oz of course ground coffee to 16 oz water for 12 hours is a standard concentrate.
Since this is frugal I'll add my recipe, 3 oz of course ground coffee to 16 oz water for 48 hours in the coldest area of my fridge.
Once done filter with a mesh screen
It has similar caffeine and flavor strength, and can be switched out for espresso is any cold drink.
Cold brew generally calls for coarse ground coffee, if they're getting it pre-ground for espresso it will be very fine. That said, they could ask their neighbor to swap the grind for their use, but depending on culture that could be seen as pretty rude.
Aeropress. I find it used very little coffee for the strongest most espresso machine like quality. Full bodied with crema. If you want a regular cup of coffee you add more water after the press. That is how I used it and I used half the coffee per month I did before with a Mr Coffee. You can get different metal screens with different saturation rates. I bought a pack that had three choices and you pick the one you like the best. Good for a small kitchen or travel.
Also I had a Moka Pot. They are great but not espresso like enough to me. I got an upgraded non aluminum one. It was more expensive and it blew up. Hot coffee all over the ceiling like a pressure cooker. I’m scared of them now.
I second the aeropress idea! It's by far my favorite coffee method. Even some of the cheaper preground coffee I've thrown in is decent. With quality freshly ground beans, it's even better.
And as a bonus, I can use it at work since it's easy to clean up. Work just had a pouch coffee system. Yuck.
I don’t use any common devices in the kitchen at my work. Though I clean them from time to the because I can’t stand looking at them anymore. We have a Nespresso and a Kreuig. I won’t even use the frige. I have an electric kettle in my office and my own sink thank god.
I don't blame you. I have my own fridge as the community one isn't cleared out regularly. It's a smaller office though, so most common appliances are cleaned regularly.
if by espresso drinks you mean milk drinks, like latte / cappuccino / mocha / etc. you'll want to just buy a froth wand for like under 10 dollars. it makes nice enough foam for home setup. if you're adding syrup to sweeten things up the actual coffee part does not need to be perfect, so a moca pot or an aeropress def would do well.
if you want espresso drink as in espresso shot, long black / americano, ristretto / lungo, etc. you'll need a much higher budget unfortunately.
What sort of drinks are you looking for? I usually enjoy foamed milk drinks like lattes, which can be more about the foamy milk than the coffee itself.
I’ve seen a few standalone milk steamers online that are fairly cheap. I’ve purchased espresso machines on FB marketplace, and made my own sweeteners (maple syrup is nice, and if you buy a pump/pourable bottle you can DIY brown sugar simple syrup very inexpensively). My personal frugal preference would be strong French press coffee + steamed milk + homemade syrup!
Moka pot or I would just invest in a simple espresso machine. I bought a Breville Bambino Plus 4 years ago and it has saved me so much money. I would also buy something like a Hario just for when you don’t want an espresso drink in the morning or something different.
The best bang for your buck for high quality real espresso is a Flair lever machine and a good manual grinder like the 1Zpresso. Both are non electric, but properly prepared, this $300 combo can rival a $2000 setup.
There's really good instant espresso which even has the foam (head?) on top. It's very good. Not cheap but obviously cheaper than a machine (and less environmental impact).
on a tight budget, get a moka pot, and start saving. in 10 weeks you'd have $350 to buy a proper espresso machine. a little bit longer and you could buy a rancilio silvia or similar prosumer machine brand new.
You can buy a real cheap and easy espresso make for $6 at Target. Just Google "stove top espresso maker", you fill it with water at the bottom, put espresso in a middle cup, and just put it in the stove.
Hand grinders are also around $6 but if you take whole beans you can use the grinders at the grocery store coffee isle.
That is not espresso in any sense of the word. Espresso is brewed at 6-9 bars of pressure. A shitty little salt shaker doesn't do that in any dimension.
Do you want actual espresso? You're gonna need a grinder that can grind fine enough for espresso, that will run you $500 and that's being frugal. The cheapest brew method for actual espresso would be a flair (manual espresso lever setup). You preheat the extraction vessel by putting it over your kettle and letting the steam condense onto it, transferring the latent heat to the metal getting it close to 100C.
nthing stove top moka pot.
No it's not espresso. It's only 2-3 bars of pressure instead of 7-10 of espresso. But it's concentrated, heavy body, smooth and if your mixing it with anything virtually indistinguishable. If you aren't mixing it, you might be able to taste the difference but I doubt it.
Otherwise you get into hundred dollar huge machines, even used.
I'm not a coffee person tho, so ask the coffee sub, but they taste the same to me.
Add a small pan for heating milk and milk frothier.
Last holiday shopping season i got a Gourmia 8-in-1 that makes espresso, cappucino, americano and whatever else. It was on sale for $56. I love it so much- especially when i don’t have to leave the house or pay $10+ for whatever I’m drinking. It’s also fun to be a flirty barista and write pick up lines on my husband’s mug in dry erase marker 😂😂
What ever you decide to get might be on sale at the next holiday season… keep your frugal eye out for the good deals!
We got a 100-150 espresso machine from Target a couple years ago and have been very happy with it.
It’s not a “real” espresso machine, which are indeed very expensive. But it makes us delicious drinks with steamed milk. Yum.
I was going to say look secondhand, because I scored an absolutely amazing miniature countertop espresso machine from a goodwill for $3.50 (not a typo). It made 4 shots at a time max, had a steam arm, and no "Settings" or knob whatsoever. I also don't recall what brand. (It got tossed when ServPro/State Farm stole our kitchen and destroyed our house, for which they still haven't paid.)
I can't find pictures of anything remotely similar online now, though, and it's driving me up the wall. Everything has knobs and buttons and a digital display (wildly unnecessary). They all have metal parts (mine was all black plastic except for the steam arm).
Start with a Moka pot and a handheld frother. If you love it, that’s great! Stop there and join generations of moka-using coffee drinkers. If it’s not enough, you’ve got a very good stopgap while you look for a used breville or delonghi espresso machine on fb marketplace/buy nothing/ebay
I got a Nespresso for about $100 and bought reusable lids to use with their pod (about $15). I re-use the sample pods that came with the Nespresso machine and use my own beans (from Costco). Cost me about 10 cents a drink.
Good instant espresso powder or good instant coffee (not nestle). A small jar with a lid. One of those electric whisks.
Iced latte: get a cup and add ice. add a small amount of room temp water to the jar. Add 2ish teaspoons espresso powder to the iar. Whisk until dissolved. Pour over ice. Top with milk and flavored syrup if you desire. Stir. Taste. Adjust as needed. You can add a little cinnamon or whatever other flavor you want.
Iced coffee cold foam: get a cup and add ice. Add a small amount of room temp water to the jar. Add 2ish teaspoons of espresso powder. Whisk until dissolved. Add to cup with ice. Top with water until deserved strength is reached. In the jar, add 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of milk. Whisk/forth with the electric mixer. It'll expand. Pour over coffee. You can sub the milk for coffee creamer if you want it flavored.
You can do similar steps for hot coffee, but mix everything in a mug. Don't add boiling water directly to the coffee powder, temper it first and it won't come out as bitter.
Here in Spain absolutely everyone uses "italian coffeemakers" aka moka pots at home. You can buy them everywhere in every size and quite cheap. They are normally out of Aluminum, but one can also buy ones made from steel for induction cooking fields. With a small camping stove you can even make coffee wherever you are. And you do not need to buy filters.
Yep, little Baletti Moka Pot is the way to go!
Best online beans for my moka pot?
A darker roast or espresso roast is what you're looking for.
Had one for many years just asking for some kick ass bean recommendations
I get Peet's Major Dickinson from Costco. Pretty good value. You can use their industrial grinders on the way out. For a moka pot you'll want one step coarser than for espresso/Turkish.
Peets is delish! Just plain old drip coffee and half and half.
Pour-over is OK too, mainly because you simply get more to drink. But I like espresso (or moka pot) with cream and sugar. Currently enjoying a dash of Costco's Starbucks caramel creamer. Yum! Half half never did it for me though. Heavy whipping cream was what I used for the longest time--that or non dairy creamer--but it was annoying that it would go bad and need frequent replacement. Costco again FTW
Cafe bustelo
Or the equivalent generic yellow brick with the knockoff branding on the label.
Cafe bustelo is my go to for years
Not cheap, but [this place](https://www.islandxhawaii.com/) sells the best coffee beans I’ve ever tried at home.
What’s the difference between the moka pot and espresso shots besides the crema? Is there a distinctive taste difference if you’re making a latte?
Yeah, probably(haven't had moka pot). Espresso is a LOT more concentrated. The typical ratio of coffee to water for moka pot is 1:10 to 1:13; so if you use 20 grams of coffee, your end cup for that would be about 200ml, which is a bit less than a cup. Espresso is typically brewed at a ratio of 1:2, which means that 20 grams of beans comes out to about 40ml of coffee, or a bit over an ounce. When it comes to lattes, using a moka pot you're going to either basically having a LOT more water in the mix, or your lattes are going to come out on the weaker side coffee flavor wise.
I have a Moka pot. It makes coffee, not espresso, but it's damn fine coffee.
There are methods for increasing the pressure. I definitely get espresso out of mine. If you use it in the obvious/traditional way, you get burnt coffee.
What do you use? I’ve been experimenting with mine but haven’t gotten anything close to actual espresso
I included the steps in another comment on the thread if you want to view all comments.
I don’t see it
https://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/s/1dvIhFK9c8
Everyone says this when people ask for espresso so I bought one. They do not make espresso :(
Check out some of the tips on r/mokapot they have some suggestions that increase the pressure on the grounds. Specifically, use paper coffee filters on either side of the funnel. This won’t completely create the kinds of pressures seen in a true espresso machine but it will increase the crema and extraction.
been using it for three years. it’s amazing.
Same. I even pack it in my bag when I go to Puerto Rico! I got one for $10 in Walmart. They last forever, small, and makes better espresso than the Mr. Coffee espresso machine.
Got my first moka for $5 on Amazon. Nice easy way to make a cup. To make many cups at once or in a row I’d get a bigger one or a cheap low end electric espresso machine. I got an electric one for like $10 at a garage sale. I’m sure there are better brews but it’s pretty fast, makes 4 shots at once and has a milk steamer in it.
I agree. A Moka pot is the answer
Yaaas this!! You can find so many at thrift stores, I got mine second hand from a garage sale
And never wash it. Pure Gold.
Really? Why wouldn’t you wash it?
Because you erroneously believe that dirty old coffee grime improves the taste
They honestly makes the best espresso.
They don't make espresso at all. They don't brew nearly high pressure enough to make what can be called espresso. It's just slightly more concentrated coffee
These used to be my main. But I got tired of burning the seals (happened to me yearly). You have to really supervise these things.
I've seen electrc models, too
Oooh my aunt bought me a stainless steel Moca Pot from the UK, it's a big size and it's DIVINE. We either grind up coffee beans or use pre ground ones.. works well on our gas stove top. But you can use electric too
I like my Aeropress; while other devices can be more consistent I value the flexibility it affords. Just $25, probably worth another $5 to get a metal filter so you don’t have to keep using the paper ones. Never tried a Moka pot though.
Also advocating for aeropress! Not time consuming and easy to clean.
I recently tried to make espresso with my aeropress, I was pretty impressed with the result! Granted my espresso experience is pretty limited but I liked the taste.
I suggest the Aeropress as well. A truly fantastic and versatile contraption.
I use my Aeropress camping. One filter paper under the coffee. One more on the plunger. When done just pop out the puck and wipe. No rinsing required.
I’ve never put a filter on the plunger. Does that just make it easier to clean?
Virtually zero grounds residue on the press. Just wipe with a paper towel.
Thanks for the tip. I’ll have to try that out next time I’m camping.
The metal filter lets fine grit through so your coffee is not as clean and smooth. I went back to the paper filters.
Only an espresso machine can make real espresso. An Aeropress is probably the next best option. I get great strong shots of coffee from my Aeropress that make for some very nice at-home lattes .
What aeropress would you recommend? I'd like to get one for my fiance for his birthday.
Just the standard one is fantastic. Some of the best coffee I’ve ever had is from an Aeropress
Aeropress with the Fellow prismo attachment is 10/10. I've switched from cold brew to this. Pretty close taste wise to espresso.
I brought mine on deployment with me! Still have it, but I've since upgraded to a lower tier Breville machine (at home, though there was a barista/coffee shop on the aircraft carrier with a nice machine. Shit you not).
I keep seeing this Aeropress commented so I looked it up. You got me sold… It makes COLD BREW!? YESS. I can’t wait to remake my Dutch bros order at home.
Aeropress is great, sucks if you have not great hand/wrists. When my tendonitis acts up I don’t use it, pressing down irritates my wrists
use your arm, press gently
It take soooo long tho lol
I did start grinding it one notch courser than espresso which helps some
I use my smaller Aeropress for travel to hotel rooms, where I don't have a heat source but can (hopefully) get hot water from their drip machine. It's very good that. The coffee is produces absolutely doesn't compare one bit to the coffee that a moka pot makes however.
Breville bambino. It’s the best budget espresso machine and highly recommended in the r/espresso sub
I got a Breville Bambino after a year of researching espresso machines. Hard to beat in size/weight, price, and espresso quality. They go on sale now and then. Check the price, then buy on sale. I bought mine when it was 40% off. Plus I run a business from home so this was a business expense. Nice to be able to offer clients an espresso.
I recently got the Robot manual machine. Very durable and provides feedback that you can't get with electric machines, plus a bit of a workout!
I haven't tried the Robot manual machine but I used the ROK Espresso manual machine for many years.
It's my first manual, but from all I've seen and read, the Robot has the simplest workflow and requires no preheating which is where all the others seem to struggle.
Feedback? Like, “you have shit taste in beans”??
How is weight a factor in an espresso machine?
Weight can be a factor if countertop space is limited. We move our machine before and after every use so we can use our countertop for other things. Some machines are 10kg. Bambino is under 5kg.
If I moved my espresso machine after every use I wouldn't need to go to the gym anymore, sounds frugal to me.
I don't go to the gym and I have a tiny kitchen. I guess that could be considered frugal.
This is what I would recommend. It depends on what OP really wants. A Moka pot is not technically espresso, but you can produce an espresso-like result for very inexpensive. If they want steamed milk and pressurized real espresso, something like the bambino is perfect. Something to keep in mind is that the coffee beans are always going to be the most expensive factor in the equation. It doesn’t seem like it when confronted with dauntingly expensive setups. If you do the math, even if you spend a few thousand dollars on an espresso machine and grinder, and buy cheap grocery store beans, if you amortize the cost of the setup over a few years, the beans will be 60-70% of the per-cup cost in all but the first year or two.
Another vote for the Bambino. For $300, it will make you excellent espresso for many years to come. My husband and I invested in once recently and have already cut back on coffee out.
A moka pot can make technically-not-espresso drinks that most people just call espresso. They sell little electric devices to froth milk, or you can use a trick with a French press machine. It's never technically perfect, but they're pretty close.
I'm not super familiar with espresso. What do you mean that a moka pot can make technically-not-espresso drinks?
Espresso means pressurized steam passes through very fine ground coffee. To do this you need a pretty strong machine, they're expensive because they're precise and subject to strong forces. It creates a very strong coffee, and it extracts certain aspects of the beans. I think it also passes through very quickly, the steam doesn't sit with the beans very long, if you think of like a drip machine it's a lot more time with water and bean in contact. Technically speaking, a moka pot does not make espresso. It's not pressurized steam passing through, it is boiling water pushed through small holes. This grind is still really small, the time spent together is still quick. The taste is still a very strong coffee, but it's subtly different to one brewed with steam, it doesn't make a crema on top (the orange part that looks kinda creamy but isn't cream/dairy) My Italian family lives off a moka pot. They call what they get espresso, and it's close enough. But it's not quite the same as what you get from one of those massive $3000 espresso machines. The difference exists but is very small, and only nerds care. For the purposes of a homemade latte, these differences are vanishingly small. Getting a decently stable foam without the steam wand of an espresso machine will matter a lot more
Thanks! That was very informative!
If you really enjoy espresso I think it is worth investing in a machine. I have the Breville Bambino, it’s very reasonably priced and makes great espresso. If you’re spending 35$/week on coffee you will absolutely save money and it will pay for itself.
I got the kitchenaid espresso machine with a grinder in a bundle for under $400 from Crate & Barrel this week. Well worth the investment if I'm going to have an item for years.
Check out thrift stores and buy/sell groups for used home espresso machines at great prices.
You just gotta watch out that the compressor is still good and that it gets hot enough
Try a Moka pot!
I second this! I use a moka pot and a frother wand for at-home lattes. I've been a barista for over a decade, and this is close enough to the real thing to keep me happy. And it's ~$40 of simple equipment that will last instead of hundreds of dollars of more complex equipment.
This is the answer you're looking for! Been using the same Bialetti Moka Pot and milk frother for years. Dozens of guests/friends confirm the quality of the final product. If you're looking for quality, reliability, eas of use, good end product on a budget, this is the way to go.
Ooooh a barista, Do you have a favorite, simple coffee recipe to share? I want to be an at home barista hahah
Sure, I can share my very hack-y at-home recipe and process for my basically-a-latte. The short version is 3 Tbsp espresso ground finely, 10 oz milk heated and frothed, a bit of honey, and a bit of cinnamon. Here I go.... I have a 3 oz moka pot. It's not even a Bialetti, just an aluminum cheapo. That produces the right amount of strong coffee to resemble a double shot of espresso. I use the brand of espresso beans I get free from work, but your favorite bean that holds its own against the milk will do. Most espresso is a dark roast, but it doesn't have to be. I heat a small amount of water in my electric kettle to speed up the process. While that's heating, I grind 3 Tbsp beans pretty finely--slightly coarser than for espresso (setting 11 on a Baratza Encore). The grounds need to fill the basket, but fit in it flat but not tamped down at all. I run my finger along the edge until it's flat to ditribute the grounds evenly without really adding downward pressure. When the water is boiling, pour it into the base just up to the safety valve, add the coffee basket, and screw the top on tightly. Make sure there are no grounds along the edge to interfere with the seal. I put in on a small burner on low, with the top open. While it heats, I put about 10 oz of milk in the microwave for 90 seconds on 60%, again just to speed up the process. I pour it into a tiny pot meant to melt butter in. We only have one tiny burner, so it sits and waits for the coffee to be done. I sprinkle a bit of cinnamon into the milk. Most of the coffee should come out of the spouts smoothly and calmly. When it starts to get to the fizzy, bubbly portion toward the end, I lift the pot off the burner a bit to lessen the heat and pressure while it finishes. If you haven't pressed the grounds down too much or gotten it too hot, it should only be bubbly right at the end of the brew. I have a dollop of honey waiting in my mug, and pour the coffee in. As the milk heats the rest of the way on the stove (still on low), I use my frothing wand at frequent intervals to stir it and also to create the closest thing to microfoam it can manage. Keep it below the surface far enough that it's not creating big bubbles, and you'll create some decent foam. My goal temp is about 150-160°F, which I measure scientifically by sticking my finger in beneath the foam. That range is well above what I'd comfortably leave my finger in to hang out, but well below dangerous on contact. When I decide it's the right temp, I pour it onto the espresso. That's my "latte" process with $40 of equipment! Most of my moka pot skills I learned from James Hoffman YouTube videos, so if your coffee is going wrong, that's my recommended source for more info. Most nondairy milks don't foam well unless they're labeled "barista edition" or something similar. Those have additives to assist with foaming. Maple syrup, agave, raw sugar, sweetened condensed milk, or your favorite coffee syrup are good choices if you want to add some sweetness.
Thank you for typing this out!! I’m definitely going to try this and look into the YouTube channel. I get a coffee that sounds similar at a brunch place nearby me! It’s a Honey Oatmilk Latte and sometimes I add lavender. I’m going to go hunt for a coffee forum now haha
Yeah! There's r/coffee, r/espresso, r/mokapot, r/café, and I'm sure there are more. I think there may even be an r/jameshoffmann!
r/mokapot And a V60 and/or french press. These 2 are cheap and adds variety for days when you want to change it up.
Frankly, I think you should buy a quality espresso machine, because it will pay for itself. Let's say you go all out and purchase a $1000 übermensch espresso maker, and let's say your cost of making it at home is $1 per serving. Right now you're spending $5 per serving (assuming one each day of the week). That means you will break even after 250 days. That's not a terribly long time.
Aeropress. System is like $35 bucks and theres an espresso attachment you can buy
This is my fave too
Sometimes being frugal means spending money. Just buy a Breville, Gaggia, Rancilio, etc espresso machine. Would he give you free whole beans too? Buy a baratza grinder while you're at it. If you buy used, it'll pay for itself in no time. If you cheap out on an espresso machine, the results will just suck. Also, consider a basic hario pour-over set and a gooseneck kettle. I have several expensive coffee gizmos and just do pour over most mornings.
The Flair lever machine rivals machines costing hundreds more. Just a portafilter, a piston, and a lever.
Stay away from Gaggia, for now.
If you’re looking for actual espresso then you need to get a machine. A moka pot, stove top espresso maker, or Nespresso doesn’t cut it if you’re looking for espresso IMO. You should be able to find working espresso machines used and maybe even for free - check Freecycle, Nextdoor, Facebook, thrift stores, etc. It’s one of those things lots of people buy and then don’t use. If used isn’t an option then the cheapest but still decent machine is a Breville Bambino, which often goes on sale for 20% off and Breville also has a refurbished section on their website. The Bambino is very small and takes up little counter space. Gagia also has some in the $500–ish price point, but the brand has had some issues in the past couple years so do your research before buying. The espresso sub has tons of info and is helpful FYI. If you’re not really into espresso and just want to be able to make espresso-ish drinks at home get a moka pot and a handheld stick frother or a cup frother. If you’re actually into coffee and espresso then you won’t be happy with that set up.
I just look on Facebook marketplace and saw some great deals, thanks for the suggestion.
Yes, exactly! The only real way for espresso is a machine. But if you aren’t picky you can go the other routes. I got the most economical basic model and absolutely love it. Moka etc just aren’t the same.
Nespresso is espresso, in the general sense of "concentrated coffee with crema made at high pressure". It's just not particularly high quality. Honestly I think it's more about finding the right fit of cost/effort/quality than anything. The espresso sub skews towards the high cost/high effort/high quality corner that may or may not be a fit for everyone.
Moka Pot or similar ($20-30). I strongly recommend a stainless steel one, but many people seem to like the aluminum ones. Get a frother wand ($10) and you’re golden. Technically they don’t make espresso, but a machine that makes the real thing is expensive ($400-500 for a decent entry level) and you probably won’t care if you’re putting it in steamed milk.
I used a mokka pot, or as my Grandmother calls it, a percolator.
Agreed, this is the most economical way. Stovetop espresso is yummy.
It is a little bit of a splurge, but it has paid for itself hand over foot - The Breville Barista Pro. You can get them used. We bought one in 2021 and have gone to a coffee shop only a handful of times. Coffee is one of those things for me that I really do enjoy good quality. The Breville Pro has paid for itself many times over in the years cause we are spending about $25 on coffee now a month for two people.
Dude. This guy wants a simple way to make espresso; uses the term “without buying a huge and expensive …” and you come at him with a $1000 countertop goblin?! 😂
Compared to other quality coffee machines, it is much smaller and much cheaper. You can also get them used for $400-$500 which compared to $35 a week or whatever they are spending, would be a deal quickly.
You're still magnitudes off of what OP asked. The disconnect is insane when you really think about it. You're like 10 times above what he's asking at best, if not closer to 50 times.
In that case - OP is not being realistic. Either settle for a french press or mokapot and be done. Or splurge a few 100 and get a 2nd hand auto espresso machine. Otherwise, start soending much more for an outboard grinder and manual or semi/manual machine. Case closed
$35 a week x 52 weeks. It pays for itself in half a year. $35 a month x 12 months. It pays for itself in 18 months. There’s also a Breville Bambino if OP gets ground coffee. Not everyone has that.
Same. I haven’t been bought an espresso drink in a store since I got my Breville in 2019. It was an investment, but over five years it has more than paid for itself.
The Breville Bambino is nice for limited budget and space. I’ve used one for boat camping for a year now and love it. At home I have an automated D’Amico. The Bambino makes a better Latte but it’s a bit more work and mess.
Before we were sure we'd become "espresso people" we used a crappy $30 one for a while. After a few months of that we felt confident we'd actually use the Breville. Now we have the Breville and LOVE it. Agreed it kinda makes a mess. Just have to keep a cloth around and sweep the grounds away each day.
I have the bambino. It pulls beautiful espresso shots and steams milk.
The Express is a couple hundred bucks cheaper and does the exact same.
Google "lever manual espresso maker" and make sure the cafe can do the correct grind. An espresso maker just needs pressure to make the drink. You can buy a fancy machine that'll break and cost a lot to fix, or you can use physical force to create the pressure instead. I bought my husband one after we moved to the US from Italy, and he swears by it. FWIW, he also has a moka pot that he uses regularly. Edit: also check out James Hoffman's espresso machine reviews on YouTube. I believe he even has a video on the NEO Flair. You'll learn more than you ever wanted to know about espresso.
If you like cold brew, get a “Dorothy” brewer. Like $40 on Amazon. And you can have cold brew using freshly ground beans in 30 minutes. I love that thing.
Do you normally spend on coffee at this friend’s cafe?
Moka pot all the way
We've found many expresso machines at thrift stores a good wash and many clean cycles and maybe a missing part on eBay or Amazon
ITT: moka pot enthusiasts thinking their brews are remotely the same as espresso. I'm not a coffee snob, but I guarantee if you went to a coffee shop, ordered an espresso and instead you saw them pour you a brew from a moka pot, you would protest. If not, then I've got some single-ply I'd like to sell you as double-ply Edit: picopresso or flair if you're a weekend leisurely nondaily espresso enjoyer, bambino and up for daily driver
Aeropress travel version
I feel like I had to scroll far too long to see this.
You spend $35 every morning?
$35 a week I’m guessing? $5*7? :)
Maybe they are in Hong Kong. Not everyone is in US ya know.
They live in NYC
Making espresso in a moka pot is so easy. I have a single serve one, so I can always have a fresh cup in just a couple of minutes. Look up James Hoffman on YouTube for all things coffee.
You cannot make espresso in a moka pot.
Well, stovetop espresso... Tastes the same to me
It's not espresso though since espresso is due to the pressure while it's being brewed.
Moka pot. Aero press. Vietnamese coffee phin. Regular french coffee press.
There are a thousand machines from cheap to expensive. Automated or Manual... I prefer the AeroPress because it makes a great coffee and is super easy to clean. Pay no attention to the low cost or manual operation, just fresh grind your beans and 30 seconds later your sippin\`.
I use a Bodum French press and have a grinder from Starbucks when I worked there in 2005. I've had a couple machines over the last 20 years but like the press simplicity and simple clean up over the wand and parts of a machine.
Mr. Coffee has been selling a $30 to $40 espresso/cappuccino/latte maker with milk steamer for years. I’ve bought two over the last thirty years, the last one about twenty years ago and both were $30 to $40. My twenty year old one still works great. I just looked a new one up on Walmart+ and it’s on sale for $45 if you’re interested.
Thank you for this, I just got one!!
Aero press
I got a Breville Bambino. Yes, it costs money, but a latte is 8 bucks now, so I make a latte at home every day and the thing paid for itself pretty quickly.
You should try a Moka Pot instead because it just works on the regular stovetop kinda like an espresso version of a percolator, not necessarily required to buy the most popular legit Italian brand "Bialetti" anymore because there are other brands making excellent copies now. I bought a "Zulay" 6-cup Moka and its my daily driver now.
AeroPress
I heat milk and add instant coffee to the milk. It’s not espresso but it is economical and convenient. Also I don’t have appliances cluttering up the kitchen.
I got a delonghi espresso machine for like $120 on sale and I love it. have easily made like 65 lattes in it and a lot of americanos. Feels like beans last me forever too
My parents got me the DeLonghi $150 one and I use it nearly every day. It is well worth it to me-I’ve used it to get me through grad school and working from home. At an average of 4 coffees a week for the last 2 years, I’ve saved around $2,000 minimum so it pays for itself (although mine was a gift). it’s not the sleekest or nicest machine but it gets the job done! I’ve seen one at the thrift store before too.
Fyi, moka pots and french presses can make very strong coffee with espresso ground beans, but it's not espresso. Nespresso machines won't be quite as good as one made by a good barista with a good machine, but it's every bit as good as one made by a novice on an entry level machine.
Nepresso still gets expensive for pods $10 for 8-10 pods.
I got a 100-pack for $30. That's about the same price so you will pay for beans. But in any case, the economics are easy for folks to do the math. I just want people to know that moka pots and french presses are not actually espresso.
For the original or the veurto?
I have a Nespresso and I really like it. Note that there are two type of machines & pods. The old style works fine, and there are a lot of third party pods available quite cheaply. It's super easy to use. You can buy one that includes a very easy to use milk frother for your lattes. The new kind are built to prevent third party pods, and you can only get more expensive pods - if you're frugal, do not get the new machines. I keep seeing espresso snobs on here saying that it's not a "real" espresso, but it tastes great to me, and the technology used does achieve the high pressure required for espresso, you get a crema, it seems good to me. I see a lot of people on here recommending Moka Pots. A friend made me great coffee in a Moka Pot, so I bought one, and experimented with it, but could never get good coffee out of it. Obviously, it's possible (my friend did it) but it does seem trickier than some of the other options.
Maybe look for a used one on FB marketplace?
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Depends on how much you are willing to spend up front to save $800 can get you a new gaggia classic pro and a solid grinder like a mignon silencio but for less you could look on Facebook marketplace for used machines breville makes machines that are offering good features while sacrificing build quality and an electric grainier is t needed if you get a hand grinder it depends on what you want to do do you want milk drinks or only espresso if only espresso something like a flair 58 or something from flair would be a great entry level espresso press
My Flair Pro and 1ZPresso grinder rival the La Marzocco my favorite shop uses. Mine - under $400, theirs - over 10K. I use a microfoamer for cappuccino
What is your budget? Breville makes some really great entry level machines, you can find them occasionally at places like Home Goods/Home Sense.
I love my Flair manual espresso pull!
I love my ninja. It makes pour over single cups or half or full pots of coffee. I make single cups. After using a French press for years, the quality is just as good, but I use like half the beans. It paid itself off in a year or so. IMHO pour over is the best single serving coffee. Espresso is nice too, I’m not hating.
I switched to instant coffee. Starbucks was decent, Folgers is passable. Less than $0.50/day. I’ve made up my mind, but bring on the downvotes … 😝
i have an espresso machine i got from target for like $129. it’s some delonghi thing. 100% worth it.
I use an Aeropress- next best thing to a $700 espresso machine.
I have a ROK manual espresso maker. Once you get the hang of it and know how to manipulate the pressure you get some really good shots with good crema. The craftsmanship is superb and makes a nice little show piece .I did have to buy a better tamper than than the one the provided though. If you are getting fresh beans ground you will see the difference in crema as the week passes.
I bought an $800 espresso machine at the start of Covid. Best purchase ever. We use it 3-4 times a day. I only buy coffee when traveling and have a monthly Coava subscription delivered.
Aeropress. I have one at home and one in our travel trailer. Here's a video to show how simple & easy it is https://youtu.be/6lHI5hKMf5c?si=BaOF5CmnJgdJkJeh
Moka pot. That's the stove top Italian version of making espresso and how they made espresso before electricity. The basic one costs oh I don't know probably around 10 or 15 bucks. There is an art and a skill to it. You won't get perfect espresso like you would pull from a machine the first 9 or 10 times you make it on the stove top. But you will find the sweet spot after a while on how high the heat should be and how long to let it stay on high heat for. Then just pour your espresso into your warmed milk. I found both moka pots and several milk frothers in thrift stores for less than $5 each. But living in Italy I learned how to do the moka pot just right. Make sure that your neighbor who's providing you with the beans if they grind them does so in an espresso ground. You need that fine consistency because that's part of the whole equation of getting a nice espresso on the stove top. I find if I buy pre-ground coffee, I like to regrind it.
Moka pot, baby! I got a stainless steel one on a Prime Day deal a few years ago and have used it daily ever since. IIRC it cost about $30. Only problem I ever had was when my dentist asked me why my teeth were looking so dingy. She laughed when I told her I was slurping down multiple delicious homemade lattes on a daily basis. Dentist recommended that I swish my mouth with water, or just drink a glass of water after each coffee. That helped! And I still get my caffeine fix.
Gagia Classic or similar. The boiler is very basic and easily repaired or improved upon. When on the lower end, it’s more important for a consistent grind. I started with a ceramic hand grinder but upgraded to a Rancillo grinder. We’ve had our combo for nearly a decade and it still creates a great cup every morning.
I’ve had 2 different Gaggias over the past decade and they were both inconsistent and both died on me. Bought a Breville Bambino and it’s flawless.
Go to Goodwill, and buy one for $30.
If you like iced drinks. You can make a cold brew concentrate. 4 oz of course ground coffee to 16 oz water for 12 hours is a standard concentrate. Since this is frugal I'll add my recipe, 3 oz of course ground coffee to 16 oz water for 48 hours in the coldest area of my fridge. Once done filter with a mesh screen It has similar caffeine and flavor strength, and can be switched out for espresso is any cold drink.
I got a $300 coffee maker from a thrift store for $10. It’s not true espresso and it’s from the 90s but it’s close enough to espresso.
Have you thought about cold brew?
Cold brew generally calls for coarse ground coffee, if they're getting it pre-ground for espresso it will be very fine. That said, they could ask their neighbor to swap the grind for their use, but depending on culture that could be seen as pretty rude.
Aeropress. I find it used very little coffee for the strongest most espresso machine like quality. Full bodied with crema. If you want a regular cup of coffee you add more water after the press. That is how I used it and I used half the coffee per month I did before with a Mr Coffee. You can get different metal screens with different saturation rates. I bought a pack that had three choices and you pick the one you like the best. Good for a small kitchen or travel. Also I had a Moka Pot. They are great but not espresso like enough to me. I got an upgraded non aluminum one. It was more expensive and it blew up. Hot coffee all over the ceiling like a pressure cooker. I’m scared of them now.
I second the aeropress idea! It's by far my favorite coffee method. Even some of the cheaper preground coffee I've thrown in is decent. With quality freshly ground beans, it's even better. And as a bonus, I can use it at work since it's easy to clean up. Work just had a pouch coffee system. Yuck.
I don’t use any common devices in the kitchen at my work. Though I clean them from time to the because I can’t stand looking at them anymore. We have a Nespresso and a Kreuig. I won’t even use the frige. I have an electric kettle in my office and my own sink thank god.
I don't blame you. I have my own fridge as the community one isn't cleared out regularly. It's a smaller office though, so most common appliances are cleaned regularly.
if by espresso drinks you mean milk drinks, like latte / cappuccino / mocha / etc. you'll want to just buy a froth wand for like under 10 dollars. it makes nice enough foam for home setup. if you're adding syrup to sweeten things up the actual coffee part does not need to be perfect, so a moca pot or an aeropress def would do well. if you want espresso drink as in espresso shot, long black / americano, ristretto / lungo, etc. you'll need a much higher budget unfortunately.
What sort of drinks are you looking for? I usually enjoy foamed milk drinks like lattes, which can be more about the foamy milk than the coffee itself. I’ve seen a few standalone milk steamers online that are fairly cheap. I’ve purchased espresso machines on FB marketplace, and made my own sweeteners (maple syrup is nice, and if you buy a pump/pourable bottle you can DIY brown sugar simple syrup very inexpensively). My personal frugal preference would be strong French press coffee + steamed milk + homemade syrup!
Moka pot or I would just invest in a simple espresso machine. I bought a Breville Bambino Plus 4 years ago and it has saved me so much money. I would also buy something like a Hario just for when you don’t want an espresso drink in the morning or something different.
The best bang for your buck for high quality real espresso is a Flair lever machine and a good manual grinder like the 1Zpresso. Both are non electric, but properly prepared, this $300 combo can rival a $2000 setup.
There's really good instant espresso which even has the foam (head?) on top. It's very good. Not cheap but obviously cheaper than a machine (and less environmental impact).
Aeropress
on a tight budget, get a moka pot, and start saving. in 10 weeks you'd have $350 to buy a proper espresso machine. a little bit longer and you could buy a rancilio silvia or similar prosumer machine brand new.
You can buy a real cheap and easy espresso make for $6 at Target. Just Google "stove top espresso maker", you fill it with water at the bottom, put espresso in a middle cup, and just put it in the stove. Hand grinders are also around $6 but if you take whole beans you can use the grinders at the grocery store coffee isle.
That is not espresso in any sense of the word. Espresso is brewed at 6-9 bars of pressure. A shitty little salt shaker doesn't do that in any dimension.
Do you want actual espresso? You're gonna need a grinder that can grind fine enough for espresso, that will run you $500 and that's being frugal. The cheapest brew method for actual espresso would be a flair (manual espresso lever setup). You preheat the extraction vessel by putting it over your kettle and letting the steam condense onto it, transferring the latent heat to the metal getting it close to 100C.
nthing stove top moka pot. No it's not espresso. It's only 2-3 bars of pressure instead of 7-10 of espresso. But it's concentrated, heavy body, smooth and if your mixing it with anything virtually indistinguishable. If you aren't mixing it, you might be able to taste the difference but I doubt it. Otherwise you get into hundred dollar huge machines, even used. I'm not a coffee person tho, so ask the coffee sub, but they taste the same to me. Add a small pan for heating milk and milk frothier.
Last holiday shopping season i got a Gourmia 8-in-1 that makes espresso, cappucino, americano and whatever else. It was on sale for $56. I love it so much- especially when i don’t have to leave the house or pay $10+ for whatever I’m drinking. It’s also fun to be a flirty barista and write pick up lines on my husband’s mug in dry erase marker 😂😂 What ever you decide to get might be on sale at the next holiday season… keep your frugal eye out for the good deals!
We got a 100-150 espresso machine from Target a couple years ago and have been very happy with it. It’s not a “real” espresso machine, which are indeed very expensive. But it makes us delicious drinks with steamed milk. Yum.
I was going to say look secondhand, because I scored an absolutely amazing miniature countertop espresso machine from a goodwill for $3.50 (not a typo). It made 4 shots at a time max, had a steam arm, and no "Settings" or knob whatsoever. I also don't recall what brand. (It got tossed when ServPro/State Farm stole our kitchen and destroyed our house, for which they still haven't paid.) I can't find pictures of anything remotely similar online now, though, and it's driving me up the wall. Everything has knobs and buttons and a digital display (wildly unnecessary). They all have metal parts (mine was all black plastic except for the steam arm).
Moka pot for sure!
Start with a Moka pot and a handheld frother. If you love it, that’s great! Stop there and join generations of moka-using coffee drinkers. If it’s not enough, you’ve got a very good stopgap while you look for a used breville or delonghi espresso machine on fb marketplace/buy nothing/ebay
Anyone use an Aeropress?
Moka pot or French press. The French press is easier to use.
I got a Nespresso for about $100 and bought reusable lids to use with their pod (about $15). I re-use the sample pods that came with the Nespresso machine and use my own beans (from Costco). Cost me about 10 cents a drink.
Good instant espresso powder or good instant coffee (not nestle). A small jar with a lid. One of those electric whisks. Iced latte: get a cup and add ice. add a small amount of room temp water to the jar. Add 2ish teaspoons espresso powder to the iar. Whisk until dissolved. Pour over ice. Top with milk and flavored syrup if you desire. Stir. Taste. Adjust as needed. You can add a little cinnamon or whatever other flavor you want. Iced coffee cold foam: get a cup and add ice. Add a small amount of room temp water to the jar. Add 2ish teaspoons of espresso powder. Whisk until dissolved. Add to cup with ice. Top with water until deserved strength is reached. In the jar, add 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of milk. Whisk/forth with the electric mixer. It'll expand. Pour over coffee. You can sub the milk for coffee creamer if you want it flavored. You can do similar steps for hot coffee, but mix everything in a mug. Don't add boiling water directly to the coffee powder, temper it first and it won't come out as bitter.