Eighty-three percent of Americans drink it, $30 billion-a-year is spent on it and my day doesn’t start without it.  The incredibly delicious drink of which I speak is, if you haven’t already guessed, coffee.  We have become unequivocally a coffee loving culture, and the best part of waking up is no longer a stale dark roast hiding in your cupboard.  Coffee has become an art form, with such a huge and varied assortment of options it’s nearly impossible to count them all.

One company that has by all accounts taken the coffee lover’s world by storm is Nespresso, a brand built around the idea of giving everyone the ability to create the perfect cup of espresso coffee at home, cup after cup.  They’ve taken the guesswork out of bean selection, roasting options, water temperature, brew time etc., and given the world a straightforward way of customizing their perfect cup by simply selecting a capsule.  Select a capsule, press a button, and you have incredibly great coffee or espresso, time after time.

There are numerous Nespresso machines to choose from in a variety of styles and colors, but the machine I chose was the Nespresso Lattissima Touch, and I simply adore it.  I was first introduced to Nespresso in multiple luxury hotels I stayed at, and upon trying it for the first time, was immediately amazed at the ease and convenience of it.  The machine heats up in a mere 25 seconds, during which you select your favorite Nespresso coffee capsule, and the coffee itself is made with a single touch of a button.  Choose either the Ristretto (.84 oz), Espresso (1.356 oz) or Lungo (3.72 oz) buttons for the corresponding coffee size without milk, or select either the Cappuccino or Latte sizes for Nespresso’s preset coffee with milk settings.  For more customization you can also select one of the three coffee settings, then manually select the amount of milk you’d like as well.   Additionally, to further customize your cup, you can change the milk froth texture regulator to further suit your tastes and vary the foam consistency.

And while the process of making coffee is both simple and unbelievably fast, the process of selecting a coffee is equally as intelligent, accomplished by picking from one of Nespresso’s many available capsules.  Choose by flavor, intensity, origin, or other options, and you’re guaranteed the perfect cup of coffee every time.  And while Nespresso’s many options may seem daunting, I would suggest starting with a sample pack, giving you a chance to try a wide variety of roasts, from light to dark, fruity to nutty.  If you already know what you like, Nespresso has an easy to navigate filtering system that lets you narrow your options down by intensity, tasting mode (ristretto to Lungo) and aromatic profile.

Once you’ve made your coffee, cleanup is equally as easy, with no messy coffee grounds or filters to deal with.  Open the capsule lever and the capsule is dropped into a holder that can be emptied at a later date, no need to scrub or wash out as grounds are contained within the original capsule.  Any leftover milk can be stored in the frothing container and refrigerated for future use.  And as an added bonus, the machine automatically powers off as well, saving energy.

As for whether or not the Lattissima Touch will fit your kitchen’s design, the lines are simple and clean with the finishing options in black titanium or palladium silver (my choice), making it at home in anything from classic to the most modern of kitchens.  The footprint of the machine is also quite small, so if you do choose to hide it away or you live in the city with a small kitchen, it a perfect option, as it takes up very little space.

If you, like me, are looking for the fastest and easiest way to make great coffee, you can pick up the Nespresso Lattissima Touch directly from Nespresso along with their full line of capsules.  I’d recommend ordering the Indulgent Pack initially in order to try the full range of Nespresso capsules.  Also, after my own bit of research, Nespresso offers the best prices for the capsules by buying direct, so be careful not to overpay when shopping at third party sellers.

*I am not being paid by Nespresso or partnered with them in any way.

When it comes to food or anything food related, I’m an unwavering perfectionist in every sense of the word. It’s a compulsion – one that forces me to spend hours studying a given entrée, drink, or what have you, until I find a rendition that in my view, perfectly exemplifies what this particular item should be.

Six months ago, it was this perfectionism that led me on an epic journey into the world of espresso making.

But before I go any further, let me give you a bit of background about myself.

I’m a coffee guy, plain and simple.  I love it.  There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t have at least a pair of coffee drinks in the morning.

But as with any vice, there’s a problem:  coffee isn’t cheap.  Step into any main coffee house and you’re spending at least a couple bucks an espresso, $3-5 for milk and espresso drinks, and before you know it, you’re spending almost $10 a morning on coffee.  Even worse, you have to take the time to go to the coffee shop and then wait in line to get it.

After realizing the inefficiency of my coffee habit – namely, the amount I was spending weekly and time I wasted procuring it – I decided there had to be a better way.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I was introduced to the world of home espresso making.

Espresso Overview

In America, espresso is arguably one of the most misunderstood drinks there is.  Whether you’re going to Starbucks or a local coffee shop, if your espresso tastes burnt, exceptionally dark, sour, or notes any other distinctly unpleasant tastes, there’s a very, very high probability it’s being made incorrectly.  It may be the coffee itself, or it may be the technique used to make the espresso.

Contrary to popular belief, espresso is not an acquired taste.  If it tastes bad, in all likelihood, it is bad.  And in truth, unless you live near a major city, finding exceptionally made espresso is nearly impossible (and even then it can be challenging).

So how can you tell what a good espresso is?  There’s really no simple answer.  Espresso is like wine, in that each espresso roast notes its own flavor characteristics.  But as a general rule, a good espresso should note a distinct flavor.  It may be a fruity flavor, it may be a nutty flavor, it may be a chocolatey flavor, or it may be any combination of the three.  But if you try an espresso and you’re left with a markedly ashy taste, something’s probably wrong.

In my case, I was fortunate enough to get fantastic espresso from Intelligentsia and Metropolis Coffee in Chicago.  Both helped teach me what espresso should taste like, as well as what to avoid.

The Perfect Espresso

So how does one achieve the perfect espresso?

The answer is complicated.

Thankfully, we live in a beautiful age of information – one in which the internet can make a genius out of anyone on any given topic.  Pick a subject, and you’ll find a multitude of websites dedicated to educating you about it.  Espresso is no exception.  When I finally decided to take the plunge into making my own espresso, I found that a multitude of fantastic resources were available online to help even the most basic of novices learn how to become a barista, with Home-Barista.com being one of my favorites.  They have not only an incredibly detailed “Guide to Espresso”, they also have a great community of espresso enthusiasts that discuss virtually every element of espresso making.

Ultimately, I’ve found that perfect espresso boils down to four things:  1) the coffee itself, 2) the espresso machine, 3), the espresso grinder, and 4) the barista tools and techniques.  Each are vital to the espresso making process, which is why I’m going to be detailing each in separate articles (except for the coffee, which will be detailed in all three).

First is the coffee.  It absolutely has to be quality, freshly roasted coffee from a purveyor that knows how to roast.  This pretty much eliminates purchasing coffee from the grocery store.  Instead, I buy all my coffee online.  Some of my favorite sources:  Metropolis Coffee, Redbird Coffee and Counter Culture Coffee.  If I buy from Metropolis, it arrives a day after roasting.  If I buy from Redbird Coffee, it arrives 3 days post roast.  The key is knowing the exact roast date of the coffee, and subsequently figuring out the coffees optimal time to use it.  Some espresso likes a short rest, some a little longer.

The second element to the perfect espresso is the machine.  You need a machine capable of maintaining a consistent brew pressure of 8-9.5  bar and a temperature of 90 – 96 degrees Celsius.  As I’m about to detail, I opted for the Alex Duetto II by Izzo, which is capable of doing both with immense precision and consistency.

Thirdly is the grinder.  I’m going to be talking about espresso grinders in a separate article, but the key is to find a grinder capable of delivering a consistent grind fine enough to match the espresso you’re preparing.  I opted for the MAHLKÖNIG K30 Vario – a commercial grinder that not only delivers an incredibly consistent grind, it also makes adjusting the fineness and amount of espresso ground incredibly simple.

Lastly is the barista tools (and corresponding technique).  Again, I’m going to be writing a dedicated article for barista tools, but I opted for a range of tampers and other accessories from TORR, all of which I’ve come to love and use every day.

So that’s the overview of what you need to make the perfect espresso; now we’ll look at the first piece of equipment you’ll need to make it happen:  the machine.

Alex Duetto II by Izzo Overview

Enter the world of espresso making, and you’re immediately inundated with a gargantuan assortment of espresso machines spanning the gamut of price and features.  Anywhere from a few hundred to $10,000.

Why the huge price difference?

It boils down to temperature consistency, ease-of-use, and at the very high end, style.

As already noted, to create the perfect espresso, you need a consistent brew temperature and pressure with every shot.  Because each espresso roast notes different flavor profiles at different temperatures, the ability to adjust and maintain a precise temperature is paramount to bringing out the best possible flavors from each espresso blend.

After spending hours researching various machines, I finally picked the Alex Duetto II by Izzo, and I did so for a variety of reasons.  Simply put, the Alex Duetto II boasts nearly all of the features of the most expensive home espresso machines at a fraction of the cost ($2,500 for the Duetto II vs. $5,500 and up for the more expensive machines).  At the other end of the spectrum, compared to other, less expensive espresso makers, the Alex Duetto II notes several key features that places it firmly above lesser models, especially when you’re new to home espresso making.

For home baristas, especially those making their first forray into the world of home espresso, the Alex Duetto II really is the perfect blend of price, performance and capabilities.

Alex Duetto II by Izzo Features

Let’s look firstly at the features you’ll find on the Alex Duetto II by Izzo.  The Alex Duetto II notes the same functions found on a typical commercial espresso maker, which means it has the main espresso making function (in the center group head), a separate steam wand for steaming milk, and a separate hot water wand to dispense water for tea, etc.

Where the magic really happens, however, is under the hood, where the Alex Duetto II notes a dual boiler design – a design that up until relatively recently, was only available on significantly more expensive espresso makers.

Unlike heat exchanger espresso makers (also known as HX models) that share a boiler, the Alex Duetto II notes separate boilers for the steaming and brewing functions.  So while both HX and dual boiler machines can produce an exceptional cup of espresso, the dual boiler makes it substantially easier to do so, because temperatures of each boiler are independent of one another.  To set the temperatures, the Duetto II features a PID control for each boiler.  Simply pick a brew temperature (typically in the 195 – 201 degree Fahrenheit range ), set it on the electronic PID, and the brew temperature is set and remains constant.  The same is true for the steam boiler – pick a temperature (which directly affects steaming pressure), set it on the PID, and you’re done.  You always have a visual representation of the temperatures for each boiler, completely eliminating any guesswork.  Changing the temperatures involves a couple button presses, and that’s it.  If you’re new to espresso making, it’s about as easy as you can get.

As for the actual brewing, the Duetto II features the highly regarded E61 brew group.  First used by Faema in the 1961 (hence, it’s name), the E61 is the workhorse of the espresso making world, used over the past four decades in a huge number of espresso machines, both prosumer and commercial.  It’s this component that ensures the water temperature from the boiler stays constant all the way through to the coffee, and the E61 is a legend in the industry for doing exactly that.  It’s maintains excellent temperature stability, it’s exceptionally robust (meaning if you take care of it, it will give you years of trouble-free use), and in the event you do need to fix it, parts are readily available.

From there, the list of Alex Duetto II features is huge.  Here are some of my favorites:

• There’s a water tank, or you can plumb it in directly to your water supply.
• There’s a huge drip tray, or you can plumb it directly to a drain with the included drain kit.
• The steam and hot water wands are insulated, so you won’t burn yourself if you touch them.
• The Duetto II uses a rotary pump, making it substantially quieter than standard pumps.
• You can turn off the steam boiler independently, meaning if all you’re making is espresso, you can save energy.

The final piece of the Alex Duetto II that bears mention is its design.  Because an espresso maker will hold a prominent place in your kitchen, design is certainly a factor in your decision making process.  Thankfully, the Alex Duetto II is a gorgeous machine, featuring an entirely stainless steel construction.  I looked at several machines prior to my purchase, and for me, the Alex Duetto II easily outranked the other machines, both from a style and fit-and-finish standpoint.  Six months later, I still love the design of my Alex Duetto II.  It fits beautifully in with the rest of my kitchen, and it receives compliments from almost everyone that sees it.

Making Espresso with the Alex Duetto II by Izzo

So how does the Alex Duetto II work?  Now that I’ve lived with the Alex Duetto II for over half a year, I can tell you that I’m in love with it.  I just returned from a month in Italy and France, and I can honestly say there wasn’t a single time I had an espresso or espresso based drink that rivaled those produced by my Duetto.  Even here in the U.S., from places like Intelligentsia, I’ve yet to have an espresso that’s brought me more joy than what I myself can produce from the comfort of my own home.

Using the Alex Duetto II, as I’ve already alluded to, is about as simple as you can get, even if you’re new to home espresso making.  In setting up the unit, the first thing you need to choose is either using 15-amp or 20-amp service.  It’s the same machine (the 15-amp uses a cord adapter); the difference is that in 20-amp mode, you can steam milk and make espresso simultaneously; in 15-amp mode, you have do one at a time.  I’ve used mine in both 15-amp and 20-amp, and both produce equal results.

From there, you have to choose either to plumb in the Duetto II or use the tank and drip tray.  Again, you can do both on the fly any time you want.  I started using the Duetto II with the water tank and drip tray, then a couple months later I used the included accessories to plumb it in once I had settled on a final location.  It’s a very simple process to plumb it in, and once you’ve done it, you’ll never go back to using the tank and drip tray.

And that’s really it as far as setup is concerned.  My Alex Duetto II came factory set with a brew temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit and steam pressure of 1.5 bars, which is the perfect starting point for making espresso and steaming milk.  Grind your espresso into the portafilter, tamp, place the portafilter into the E61 group head, flip the lever, and in 25-30 seconds, you’re on your way to making the perfect cup of espresso.

Once you’ve gotten comfortable with the process, you can then play with the temperature settings to see how it affects the espresso flavor.  To change the settings, you hold two buttons on the PID, which brings up the boiler temps.  Press the up arrow to enter the main boiler’s temperature setting, then adjust it up or down to change the temperature.  Once you know how to do it, you can adjust the temperature in 5 seconds, at most.  Changing the steam boilers settings is likewise just as easy, although once set, you’ll likely never have to change it.

As far as consistency is concerned, the Alex Duetto II excels at delivering incredibly great espresso every single time.  It’s so consistent, in fact, that in the event there’s a problem with my espresso, I don’t even factor in the Duetto II.  Instead, I can attribute it exclusively to an error on my part somewhere else, either in the quality of coffee or in my grind settings and/or tamping.  Once you’ve been using it for a couple months, however, and get used to a specific espresso blend, you’re virtually guaranteed your espresso is going to be exactly how you want it, each and every time.  It’s absolutely remarkable how easy it is to use, and how stable its performance is.  It’s really without fault.

Steaming Milk with the Alex Duetto II by Izzo

For milk based drinks, such as cappuccino or lattes, the steaming function of the Alex Duetto II works brilliantly, thanks to a 1.8L steam boiler with 1,200 W heating element.  If you’re new to steaming milk, this is the most difficult part of the learning process; but once you know how to do it, it becomes second nature.

The key to making a milk-based drinks is first understanding what the milk’s texture should be.  If you’ve ever been to Starbucks or any coffee house and ordered a cappuccino, you probably received a coffee with a very airy layer of milk on top – so airy, in fact, that as you drank it, the coffee came out without the foam.  When you were done, there was probably a layer of foam stuck at the bottom of the cup.  This, however, is entirely wrong.  Instead, properly steamed milk is known as microfoam in the espresso world (which is used for lattes and latte art), and a slightly more steamed option, which is used for cappuccino.

When steaming, correct microfoam gives a glossy appearance, similar to that of wet paint.  There shouldn’t be bubbles – it should be universally smooth – and it shouldn’t be too hot (between 130 – 140 degrees).  The result is a beautifully sweet milk that completely transforms the taste of your espresso.  Latte art gives a more milky drink, whereas cappuccinos have a slightly thicker layer of milk on top, while still blending in with the rest of the coffee.  There’s a great video demonstrating a properly made cappuccino on Vimeo, although I typically reserve latte art for lattes and macchiatos.

Never having steamed my own milk before, it took about a month before I was fairly comfortable steaming milk with the Duetto II.  The most difficult part is simply technique – finding the correct spot to place the steam wand during steaming.  From a power standpoint of the machine, however, the Alex Duetto II notes more power than you need to make perfect microfoam each and every time.  I have my Duetto II set to 1.5 bars of pressure, and it works brilliantly – easily producing results equatable to those from my favorite coffee houses.

A couple tips I learned along the way:

• Firstly, when you’re steaming, keep your hand on the bottom of the pitcher.  As it’s nearing the point it’s too hot to touch, stop steaming, otherwise you’ll burn the milk and ruin the texture.
• All milks aren’t created equal.  Use the freshest milk you can find, and experiment with different brands.  Here in the Midwest, it’s easy to buy local milk, and I’ve found the fresher the milk, the better the microfoam (and taste).
• Keep the milk pitcher and milk cold.  You want enough time for the milk to properly steam before getting too hot, so keeping the milk and pitcher cold buys you extra time.

Alex Duetto II by Izzo Maintenance

If you’re wondering how much work it is to maintain the Duetto II, it’s quite easy.  After making an espresso, take out the portafilter, dump the coffee puck, wipe, and you’re ready to make another espresso.  When I’m done for the day, I run a few seconds of water through the group head, then wipe off the screen.  And every few weeks, I run a bit of espresso cleaning solution in a special portafilter to flush out the group head – a process that takes a couple minutes in total.

It’s remarkably easy to take care of the Duetto II, and after more than six months of use, it looks and operates exactly as it did the day I bought it.

Where to Buy the Alex Duetto II by Izzo

As great as the Alex Duetto II is and has been for me, a huge factor in the decision making process came from where I bought it:  Chris Coffee.  Chris Coffee is without a doubt the preeminent purveyor of espresso and coffee making equipment, both for home use and commercial use, and I really can’t recommend the entire staff at Chris Coffee highly enough.

I can’t tell you how much time I spent researching espresso makers, and Chris Coffee took a tremendous amount of time answering the many, many questions I asked and ensuring I made the right choice.  Whether you get the Alex Duetto II or are considering a different espresso maker, talk the to the staff at Chris Coffee, as they’re an invaluable resource for all things coffee.  They carry a huge range of espresso makers, grinders, accessories and coffee-related goodness, and they’re easily the best way to get you started on your path to espresso nirvana.  And although I haven’t used it, Chris Coffee also has an exceptional service department, so in the event you do have a problem with your machine, you’re always covered with top-notch support.

Alex Duetto II by Izzo Conclusion

After spending over six months with the Alex Duetto II, it has surpassed what I thought was possible from home espresso.  I was confident I’d be able to make good espresso at home, but the fact I can make espresso that rivals that of the best coffee houses is incredible.  Even better, however, is that I can do it consistently on a daily basis.

If you love espresso but haven’t made the plunge to a home unit, I can’t recommend it enough.  Talk to the guys at Chris Coffee, put the Alex Duetto II at the top of your list, and you’ll be making the best espresso you’ve ever tasted from the comfort of your own home, guaranteed.

You can learn more about the Alex Duetto II by visiting the Chris Coffee website (currently the Duetto II is on sale for $2,250), or you can check out photos of my Alex Duetto II in the gallery below.  Also, be sure to check out part two of our espresso guide, where we look at the Mahlkönig K30 Vario grinder; and part three of our espresso guide, where we look at Torr tampers and other espresso accessories.

In part one of our guide to the perfect espresso, I told you about my espresso maker of choice:  the Alex Duetto II by Izzo.  In part two of the series, I detailed my espresso grinder of choice:  the Mahlkönig K30 Vario single espresso grinder.  Today, we’ve got the final piece in my espresso series, and in it, I’m going to tell you about a variety of barista tools that I’m using – all of which play an integral role in ensuring the espresso making process is as simple and consistent as possible.

“Is your choice of barista tools really that important?” you may be thinking, and the answer is absolutely yes.  In preparing espresso, once the coffee is ground into the portafilter, the action you as a barista will undertake is the all-important tamp, which means using a tamper to press the coffee down into the basket.  It’s a highly debated topic – how hard should you tamp, which tamper shape should you use, etc.,  and I’m here to help guide you in the tamper decision making process.  I’m also going to detail a couple extra addtions to the espresso making process (namely, a milk steaming thermometer and knockbox), both of which will make your life easier as a home barista.

Read on for the final installment of our guide to the perfect espresso and the tools of the trade that will make your barista life much easier.

Torr Tampers Overview

If espresso making is an art form, then the tamper is your paint brush.  It’s the one element in the espresso making process that varies based on your direct input.  A perfect grind and dose with the wrong tamp can ruin the perfect espresso shot.

So what’s the perfect tamp?  Talk to some baristas, and they prefer a finer grind with a light tamp.  Other baristas prefer a coarser grind with a hard tamp.  What I’ve found is that different espresso blends work better with different tamping techniques – some like a light tamp, some like a hard tamp – you just need to experiment to see what you like best for each coffee.

That’s where the tamper comes into play.  The key to tamping is the ability to produce a repeatable tamp every time, then adjusting your grinder settings from there.  If you can’t keep your tamping pressure consistent, you can’t pick a grind setting, because the espresso flow will vary depending on your tamping pressure.

For example, let’s say you’re experimenting with a light tamp.   As long as you keep tamping pressure the same, the flow rate of your espresso shot will only change if you alter your grind setting.  If you can’t keep tamping pressure consistent, however, the amount of espresso produced will go up or down (sometimes significantly), even at the same grind setting, making it virtually impossible to get consistent results.

So what’s the key to a consistent tamp?  In my opinion, it’s finding a tamper that fits comfortably into your hand.  I tried multiple tampers from different brands, and for me, Torr tampers (made by cafekultur in Germany) were by-and-large my favorites.  They’re incredibly comfortable, and they come in varying sizes, depending on your fit preferences.  On top of their comfort, they’re also beautifully crafted, to the point they’re nothing short of barista art.

I liked Torr tampers so much I bought not one, not two, but four of them.  Overkill?  Maybe.  But they’re gorgeous to look at, and most importantly, they give me repeatable results every time I use them.  For home espresso making, you’ve got to add at least one to your barista tool arsenal.

Torr Tamper Pistons

Torr Tampers consist of two parts:  the piston (the bottom metal portion that fits into the basket) and the handle.  Depending on your color and material preferences, handles are interchangeable with pistons, allowing for a tremendous level of customization, as I’ll detail shortly.

Looking at the Torr pistons first, there are a total of four shapes you can opt for:  flat, soft convex, strong convex, and another convex that’s flat in the center and tapers on the edges.  Which one is best?  There’s really no right or wrong answer, as every barista has their own preferences.  When making espresso, however, a weak point of the puck (i.e., the coffee in the basket) is around the edges.  If not distributed and tamped correctly, water can break through the edges early (known as channeling), which lessens the quality of the espresso.  The idea behind convex tampers is that they help reduce channeling on the edges, because they provide a little additional support around the puck’s edge.

I personally own convex and flat, and if I had to pick one, I’d pick soft convex as the overall winner.  It may be my imagination, but I feel like in triple baskets, I note a little less channeling than I do with a flat tamper.  For single and double baskets, I use both convex and flat interchangeably, and get exceptional results from each.

Once you’ve picked a shape, step two is picking a material.  Torr Tamper pistons are available in either stainless steel or titanium, with the titanium featuring a gorgeous black finish.  Again, which you select is entirely up to you, but let me state for the record that the machining of both is absolutely incredible.  They’re CNC machined, hand finished and polished in a multistage process, and the end result is a perfectly crafted piece of engineering.

Lastly, the final option with the piston is selecting the size (in mm), which is simply a case of matching the size basket you’re using in your portafilter.

Torr Tamper Handles

After picking the perfect piston for your espresso making fun, step two is far more about style:  picking the handle.  Torr tampers come in a stunning selection of woods, which includes zebra wood, burled walnut, Brasilian palisander, violet wood and African blackwood.  Every handle is hand-crafted from the finest woods harvested from responsibly managed FSC-certified forests, with all the wood hand-selected by the artisans using it.  Once raw materials are selected, they’re then hand-shaped on a lathe in a multi-step shaping process – a process that takes up to a few months – then given a natural oil finish.  No synthetic stains are used, which means that the true beauty of the wood is always perfectly showcased and no two handles are ever the same.

In addition to the wood, Torr tampers are also available in an aluminum construction in several colors and designs, including white, black and red.  Torr’s aluminum handles all note a lead-free finish that’s extremely comfortable to the touch, and it’s also formulated specifically to resist fingerprints and smudging, meaning it will maintain it’s lustrous appearance even after extended use.

The final choice in handles is in regards to size:  classic or XS.  I personally own both, and having what I would consider to be medium to large hands, the classic is the better fit for me.  For small to medium hands, I’d opt for the XS.  What they both have in common, however, is their balance – in either size, the balance of Torr tampers is superb.  Their weight is perfect, they just feel right in your hand, and when tamping, they make it incredibly easy to get absolutely consistent results with each and every tamp.  This, is tandem with the fact they look absolutely stunning, makes Torr tampers my favorite option for tamping, without question.

Knock BoXx by cafecultur

When purchasing Torr tampers for my espresso making journey, I picked up a few other accessories as well, which I’ve found make the process significantly more convenient.  The first is the Knock BoXx by cafecultur, which if you’re new to espresso making, is the easiest way to dispose of the coffee puck after you’ve made an espresso.  Basically, it’s an industrial strength stainless steel box with a bar across the center that lets you knock the portafilter against it.  By doing so, the entire coffee puck is disposed of in one fell swoop, with a quick wipe of the portafilter all that’s necessary to clean it.  Without a knockbox, it’s difficult to get all the used coffee out of the portafilter without manually having to scrape it out or rinse it in the sink, so the BoXx saves a significant amount of cleanup time.

Because the act of hitting your portafilter into a stainless steel box by itself would be a loud, rattling process, the BoXx notes three levels of suspension to reduce noise and shock.  First, a layer of foam is sandwiched between the inner and outer boxes; a second layer of foam is placed on the bottom of the BoXx; and lastly, the knock bar is both padded and spring loaded.  It’s a system that works quite well, as it not only completely empties the used coffee, it’s not overly loud or jarring to the portafilter.

And if you’d like to add a bit of style to your BoXx, as with the portafilter, it’s available in several finishes, including burled walnut, stainless steel, ebony, palisander and more.

I have the stainless steel BoXx, I’ve used it every day since I purchased my espresso making setup, and it’s performed beautifully, carrying out it’s designated function and still looking and working like new in the process.

Milk Thermometer

The final thing I’d recommend to those of you new to espresso making is a milk thermometer – something that will make it significantly easier learning how to steam your milk.  Unbeknownst to almost every major coffee chain, when steaming milk, there’s an ideal temperature you’re trying to achieve – right in the 145 degree Fahrenheit range.  At this temperature, milk develops a beautifully sweet flavor and texture.  If you go higher than 150 degrees, milk quickly develops a burnt taste and the texture is destroyed.  Steam less, however, and the milk won’t be hot enough, and will feel like lukewarm milk with no additional texture or taste.

Because of this narrow temperature band, a thermometer makes it much easier to hit your desired temperature.  Cafekultur’s thermometer features a large, easy-to-read dial with a marked temperature point to get you into the right range.  It’s also made from stainless steel and notes a low placed measuring point, making it ideal for frothing pitchers.  It also features a clip to hook inside your steaming pitcher, allowing for hands free temperature readings.

Once you’re familiar with steaming milk you likely won’t use a milk thermometer, but when starting out, I highly recommend one to help significantly reduce the learning curve.

Conclusion

And that, ladies and gentlemen, wraps up our three part guide to the perfect espresso.  If you’re a coffee lover, I can’t recommend enough learning how to make espresso, as the quality of what you can make at home is absolutely astonishing.  You’ll drastically better the offerings of those put out by national coffee chains and match those of the country’s best independent coffee houses.  It’s a learning experience, to be sure, but once you do it, you’ll never look at coffee the same way again.

To learn more about Torr Tampers and accessories, you can head over to the cafekultur website for their full lineup of barista tools. Lastly, you can check out my Torr tampers and accessories of choice in the gallery below.

In part one of our guide to the ultimate home espresso, I gave you an in-depth look at my espresso maker of choice:  the Alex Duetto II by Izzo.  But as great as the Duetto II is, it’s only one part of the equation in your journey to the perfect espresso.  As I noted in the last article, you need four things in total for the perfect shot of espresso:  1) fresh, correctly roasted coffee; 2) an espresso machine capable of delivering a constant, stable brew pressure and temperature; 3) a quality grinder; 4) and a select set of barista tools to make it all happen.

Which brings us to part two of guide to the perfect home espresso:  the grinder.

Talk to many espresso enthusiasts, and they’ll tell you the grinder is more important than the espresso machine.  I disagree – to me, it’s a perfect balance between the two. If either one is flawed, your espresso will be flawed; there’s really no way to compensate for either one not working.  So when I started looking for an espresso grinder, I assessed the espresso making process as a whole; and I then picked the grinder that I felt would give me the best, most consistent results day-in and day-out.

Finding the Perfect Espresso Grind

To understand my choice for the best espresso grinder, let’s look first at how the grinding process works for espresso.

Step one is to select the amount of espresso you want to grind – affectionately known as “dosing” in the espresso world.  The amount of espresso you grind is entirely up to you, and is loosely governed by the size basket you use (single, double, or triple) in your portafilter.  In any size basket, you have the option to alter the dose up or down, so in a 14 gram double basket, for example, you could updose to 18-19 grams.  There is no right or wrong dose for an espresso shot – every espresso blend is different – and ultimately, the key is finding the dose that you’re happiest with.  With new espresso blends, I typically start at a normal dose of 14-15 grams, work my way up to 19 grams, and then select the amount that for me brought out the best combination of flavors and body/texture.

Step two is selecting a grind setting.  The perfect espresso is directly dependent on a perfectly uniform grind at a very precise fineness.  If the grind is too coarse, the hot water will pass through the coffee too quickly, ruining the espresso shot.  If the grind is too fine, however, the water will pass through the coffee too slowly, which again ruins the espresso shot.  The key is to find the grind setting that produces exactly the right amount of espresso in exactly the right time.

If it sounds overly complicated, don’t worry, it isn’t.  Many espresso roasters give brew parameters with their espresso, so you have a clear idea of where to start.  As an example, here is one of the brew parameters given by Metropolis Coffee for their Redline espresso:

• Dose:  19 grams
• Yield: 1.25 – 1.5 oz.
• Time:  21 – 23 seconds

In practice, this means that you would grind 19 grams of espresso into the portafilter, flip the lever on your espresso machine, and start a timer when the first drip of espresso hits the cup.  At 21 -23 seconds, there should be approximately 1.25 oz. of espresso in your cup, if you’ve used the correct grind setting.  If you end up with more in your cup, you need to adjust the grind finer; and if you end up with too little, you need to adjust the grind coarser.  Once you’ve tried the recommended brew parameters, you can start playing a little more with the grind settings, adjusting finer or coarser to see the different flavor profiles at different settings.

So why the detailed explanation of the espresso grinding process?  Because when shopping for an espresso grinder, it’s imperative to understand the importance of dosing and the ability to fine tune the grind setting.  Both are central to extracting different and unique flavors from your espresso, and both are paramount in the espresso making process.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what brings us to my espresso grinder of choice:  the Mahlkönig K30 Vario single espresso grinder.

Mahlkönig K30 Vario Single Espresso Grinder Overview

As with my espresso maker, I spent a tremendous amount of time researching grinders, and in doing so, a repetitive theme kept coming up:  for the best grinding results, you need a commercial grinder.  The problem, however, is that commercial grinders are exactly that…  commercial grinders.  They’re meant to be used in coffee shops / high volume settings – not in home for a few shots of espresso each morning – so they’re typically more difficult to clean, involve more wasted coffee, and from a size standpoint, gigantic.

And then I met the Mahlkönig K30 Vario.  It’s a robust, beautifully designed commercial espresso grinder, and most importantly, it entirely eliminates any of the negatives you’ll experience using a commercial coffee grinder at home.  It’s virtually maintenance free (from a cleaning standpoint); there’s almost no wasted coffee when grinding and dispensing; and from a size standpoint, when fitted with a small hopper, it will actually fit under your kitchen cabinets.

I purchased the K30 Vario in tandem with my Alex Duetto II, and needless to say, it’s been an integral part of my espresso making process.

Read on for the details.

Mahlkönig K30 Vario Single Espresso Grinder’s Grind on Demand

If there’s a defining feature to the Mahlkönig K30 Vario, it’s what Mahlkönig calls Grind on Demand.  And it operates under a simple premise:  the best espresso comes from freshly ground beans.  And I don’t mean fresh as in ground an hour ago, or half an hour ago, or even 10 minutes ago.  I mean fresh as is in you grind your coffee, and then immediately make espresso with it.

That’s precisely how Grind on Demand operates.  You place your portafilter under the K30 Vario’s coffee shoot to activate the grinder, and the coffee is ground straight into it.  Grinds are incredibly light and fluffy – simply give them a quick level, tamp the coffee, place it in your espresso machine, flip the lever, and you’ve got the absolutely best espresso possible.  It’s what’s known in the espresso world as a “doserless” grinder.

At the other end of the spectrum are what’s called doser grinders.  Coffee is ground into a bin, and then dispensed from this bin.  The problem with doser grinders, however, is that coffee isn’t as fresh as it could be, and there’s significantly more grounds left in the doser, which means more cleaning.  So why use a doser grinder?  Because in a commercial setting serving high volumes of espresso, every second counts, and it’s faster to pre-grind and use a doser than it is to grind individually each shot of espresso.

So does grinding fresh and using immediately make a difference?  Absolutely.  I’ve found that when grinding espresso, even with a short wait, there’s a deterioration in quality.  The Mahlkönig K30 Vario, on the other hand, ensures you’re getting the best tasting espresso possible, because the grind is completely fresh every shot you make.

Mahlkönig K30 Vario Single Espresso Grinder’s Timed Dosing

The freshness offered by the Mahlkönig K30 Vario is exceptional, but equally as impressive is how dosing works.  Built into the K30 Vario are two timers – one for a single shot and one for a double shot – each of which are customizable down to 1/10th of a second.  When grinding coffee, you pick either of the saved time settings, and when you activate the grinder with your portafilter, it grinds for precisely the time set (known as timed dosing).

Why is this important?  Because it ensures you’re getting exactly the same amount of coffee, each and every time you make it.

So let’s say for example, you want an 18 gram double shot.  You set the timer on your K30 Vario double shot’s button to 3.5 seconds (picking an estimated time), grind, and weigh the result.  If the weight is too high, set the timer lower, and if it’s too low, set the timer higher.  Once you’ve matched the K30’s timer to the specific volume you desire, you’re guaranteed the exact volume every time you grind.  From a dosing standpoint, it’s so easy to use it’s virtually foolproof, and in the world of espresso making, where consistency is key, that’s a very, very good thing.

Lastly, it does bear mention that you can also make small dosing tweaks on the fly, should you desire.  If you want a little less volume, take the portafilter out early, and the grinder stops automatically.  Likewise, if you want to updose slightly, run the timed setting for your normal dose, then give the portafilter a second tap for a little extra dose.  But as I’ve found, once you have the time dialed in, I almost never make adjustments to the timed grind – it works that well.

Mahlkönig K30 Vario Single Espresso Grinder’s Stepless Grind Adjustment

Ease of use and consistency are easily the greatest attributes of the Mahlkönig K30 Vario, so it’s no surprise that adjusting the grind follows the same conventions.  Featuring a stepless grind adjustment, adjusting the grind setting of the K30 Vario means turning the locking screw on the top of the unit to unlock it, rotating the lid to to the desired setting, then relocking the screw.  The total time it takes to do all of the above is about two seconds.  To help you pick a grind setting, there’s a numerical scale ranging from 0 – 10 with number and half number marks, but on my unit, I typically stay in the 2 – 3.5 range, depending on the coffee I’m using.

After six months of use, I can’t say enough good things about the stepless grind adjustment.  Of the various phases during the espresso making process, the grind is the thing I tweak the most, so the fact the K30 Vario makes it so simple to do so is an awesome thing.  And in terms of being stepless, I think it’s a must if you want to extract the best possible flavors from your espresso.  Even with the same espresso blend, I make slight adjustments constantly as the beans age, so it’s ideal to be able to make tiny tweaks to the grind setting and then lock them in, all in a matter of a second or two.

Mahlkönig K30 Vario Single Espresso Grinder’s Design

The final element of the Mahlkönig K30 Vario that I have to mention is it’s design.  While I selected the Mahlkönig K30 Vario for its exceptional consistency and feature set, an added bonus is that the K30 Vario is one of (if not the best) looking commercial espresso grinders I’ve seen.  The body of the grinder is available in black or red (with other custom options available as well), and from a build standpoint, it feels like it will last the next 100 years, thanks to a metal construction weighing in at roughly 30 pounds.  Size wise, the K30 Vario is large, but as noted earlier, if you opt for the small hopper, it will fit under your most kitchen cabinets – something few other commercial grinders can boast.

Mahlkönig K30 Vario Single Espresso Grinder Conclusion

After six months breaking in the Mahlkönig K30 Vario, I can tell you that I’m still ecstatic with my selection.  From an ease-of-use standpoint, from a consistency standpoint, and from and adjustability standpoint, the K30 Vario takes top marks across the board.  I don’t have to think about dosing; grinds are consistently light, fluffy and gorgeous; and I can fine tune the grind setting on the fly in mere seconds.  Paired with my Alex Duetto II, it’s a near perfect combination to delivering exceptional espresso on a daily basis.

As with the Alex Duetto II, I recommend purchasing the  Mahlkönig K30 Vario single espresso grinder from Chris Coffee, who as noted in my Alex Duetto II article, is without question my first choice for purchasing espresso making equipment.  They’ve got the K30 Vario with either the tall or short hopper on sale for $1,595, which is an absolutely incredible deal on one of the best commercial espresso grinders you can get.

You can also check out more photos of the Mahlkönig K30 Vario in the photo gallery below, and be sure to check out part three of our espresso guide, where we look at Torr tampers and accessories.

When we launched eMercedesBenz over 4 years ago, one of the first luxuries we decided to treat ourselves to was an in-office coffee maker.  If you’ve ever shopped for a coffee maker, you know the choices are a bit overwhelming, but after much deliberation, we finally settled on the Jura Capresso Impressa Z5.  At $2,999, it’s not cheap, and we questioned whether or not the $3k price tag was worth the cost.  In the end, we said what the hell, threw it on the AMEX, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I gotta tell you, after 4 years, I can say wholeheartedly the Impressa Z5 is worth every cent.  To date, we’ve brewed 4,269 cups of coffee in one iteration or another (no I didn’t count each cup – the Impressa Z5’s computer logs each cup of coffee you brew).  I’m no mathematician, but if you multiply out those 4,000+ cups of coffee by the going rate at your local coffee house, the product isn’t going to be anywhere near $3,000.  In fact, the Impressa Z5 starts looking like a bargain when you do the math.

So what exactly do you get for your $3,000?  Putting it as simply as possible, the Jura Capresso Impressa Z5 is a fully automatic coffee cappuccino, latte, espresso, coffee, tea and hot chocolate maker.  By fully automatic I don’t mean Rosie from “The Jetsons” – there’s work involved.  You do have to take beans and insert them into the hopper; you do have to get milk from the refrigerator and place it near the machine; and you do have to get your own coffee cup and place it under the coffee spouts.  Once you’ve done these things, you press a button, and like magic, the Impressa Z5 does its thing.  Want a cappucino?  Hit a button, wait about 30 seconds, and it’s done.  Same for espresso.  Same for lattes.  Same for coffee.  For tea and hot chocolate, you have to get your own tea and/or hot chocolate mix, but the Impressa Z5 dispenses hot water and hot milk as well.

Making everything possible, the Impressa Z5 is run by what can only be described as a computer.  You can set any of the coffee products to one of five strength settings before making a cup, you can specify the amount of coffee you want brewed, you can specify the amount of milk dispensed, etc.  Everything is completely customizable.  Once you’ve worked out your specific tastes for each product, your selected settings can then be saved and used as the system default.  From an operational standpoint, it couldn’t get any easier to use once you know what you’re doing.

And then there’s the taste.  The Impressa Z5 makes fantastic espresso and any variation of espresso with milk – as good or better than any major coffee houses (i.e., Starbucks).   The espresso’s are bold with very good crema, while the cappuccinos (with the right coffee) turn out perfectly and boast a deliciously rich flavor.  We’re not huge fans of the regular coffee the Impressa Z5 produces (we usually stick to a French Press when we want more traditional coffee), but it seems like nine times out of ten, we want espresso and hence, opt for the Jura Capresso.

But there are a few caveats worth noting.  If the Jura Capresso Impressa Z5 can be compared to anything, it has to be compared to a beautiful wife.  You need to take care of her.  If you treat her right, she will reward you exponentially, but if you begin to waver from your obligations… problems will arise.  When the Impressa Z5 tells you she needs to be cleaned, she does.  When she tells you it’s time to decalcify, it is.  Don’t wait.  And you need to learn her intricacies.  There’s a lot of working parts on the Impressa Z5, and brewing coffee isn’t exactly a walk in the park.  But in 4+ years of operation, we haven’t had to purchase anything other than cleaning and decalcifying tablets to keep her operational.  But we have learned many of her quirks.  Don’t set the grinder’s setting too fine – she can clog.  Don’t use pre-ground coffee, because a) whole beans taste better, and b) whole beans taste better.  Did I mention whole beans taste better?  Occasionally, if you’re using oily beans, she can also clog.  To remedy the situation, all you have to do is remove the tray, reach inside and feel for a little plastic flap, and use your finger to remove any coffee grounds you feel (it takes about 30 seconds with cleanup time).  And lastly, the milk frothing spout on our Z5, after 4 years, is wearing out.  It’s a small part made largely out of rubber that could easily and cheaply be replaced, but we’ve found that if we squeeze the small top tube that extends upward while it’s frothing, it froths as usual.  This, in four years of operation, are the only negatives we’ve experienced.

So there you have it – if you’re looking for a fully automatic coffee center, the Jura Capresso Impressa Z5 is a fantastic choice; in fact, it’s the best any of us have tried.  At $3,000 it is pricey, but do yourself a favor:  spend the money, use it every day like we do, and four years from now and 4,269 coffees later, you too can revel in the fact that you cut your Starbucks budget down to a third of what it once was.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go make it 4,270 cups (and counting).  For more info about the Jura Capresso Impressa Z5, visit the Jura Capresso website.

Few things bring me as much joy in the morning as a deliciously caffeine-packed cup of coffee, and while I’ve experimented with various products to brew the perfect cup, I wanted to share one that is so simple yet produces such great results that it’s almost too good to be true.  The magical creature I’m referencing is the sub-$30 Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Maker – a product that’s a staple in most Italian homes – and one that manages to blend the taste of a traditional cup of coffee with espresso in a near perfect union.  If you’ve never heard of the Bialetti, it’s a product conceived in 1933, and while numerous variations have emerged since then, the Moka Express has remained largely unchanged, and it’s this model I’ll be referencing throughout this article.

So first things first:  you need to pick your Moka Express.  After a bit of research, I found that most recommend opting for a smaller Bialetti, as it’s said they make better tasting coffee (I’ve heard six cup and under are best, so I went with the six – I included the link below).  The six cup is really enough for two small American cups of coffee, so it’s a good option for two (I’d opt for the three cup if it were just me).  The second thing you’ll need to decide is what material you like – either aluminum or steel.  I’ve heard that aluminum Bialettis work better than steel.  I’ve never used steel, so I can’t attest to its advantages/disadvantages, but I can tell you that I use the aluminum and I love it.

Now that you’ve decided which Moka Express to procure, let’s talk technique.  First and foremost, if you don’t already own one, get yourself a conical burr grinder (I’ll save grinder recommendations for another article).  My grinder was about $80, so nothing too extravagant.  When grinding your coffee, you’re going to want to opt for a grind slightly coarser than that of espresso.  On my grinder, this translates into the lowest stop on the medium setting.  In terms of volume, once ground, I use two tablespoons per pot (remember, I’m using the 6-cup Moka Express).  Next fill the removable filter with the ground coffee, and pack slightly (some will contest packing the grind, but as long as your grind isn’t too fine and you slightly pack you’ll have no problems).  Fill the water to the hash mark on the inside of the bottom reservoir, insert the filter and coffee, and screw on the top of the Moka Express.  Make sure when screwing on the top, it’s on tightly, as the unit relies on pressure to function properly.  The final piece of the puzzle is selecting the appropriate heat.  On my gas range, this is halfway between the low and medium settings, but a good rule of thumb is to find the heat that leads to a brew time of about 8 minutes.  The coffee’s done when it starts oozing out of the top (if it’s spraying out the top, your heat is too high).  I use the Moka with the lid up to ensure I know exactly when it’s finished, and lastly, I remove the Bialetti from the heat the second the coffee starts bubbling and coming out clear.  There will be a little coffee left in the bottom reservoir, but if you fail to the remove the Bialetti from the heat at this stage, the coffee tends to have a slightly burnt flavor.

And that’s it.  Once you make a couple pots, it’s as easy as pie to enjoy a great cup of coffee with minimal effort.  Other recommendations:  I never wash it (I only rinse with water), which allows the oils to build up inside, and in the event I don’t use it for a while, I’ll make a quick cup of cheap coffee to throw away (you’ll also want to do this when you first purchase the Bialetti).

Other than that, as mentioned above, make sure you grind your own coffee (try to find a nice organic shade grown blend) and you’ll be enjoying the magic of the Moka Express in no time.  If you want to grab a Bialetti for yourself, I found mine on Amazon for a mere $27 shipped, making it a fantastic bargain.  Here’s the exact Bialetti that I use on Amazon; if you do end up picking one up, let me know what you think.