jason3559 said:
Anyone here have expertise with home espresso/cappuccino? I think it would be fun to start brewing at home. Plus this will save some time making detours to the cafe.
Any takers? What is a good starter espresso machine? Is it really that important to have a burr grinder?
I would like to get into this as painlessly as possible. However, if anyone feels that this whole idea isn't worth the effort, also let me know.
Does painless = cheap, or painless = easy?
I have a commercial machine at home now, though worked my way through a Rancilio Silvia and Isomac (brain-fade on model) along the way. I second the recommendation to check out
www.coffeegeek.com. Wholelattelove is also a could e-tailer as well as Chris' Coffee.
For good coffee/espresso I think the grinder (a burr grinder) is the most important piece of hardware. You want both fresh ground beans as well as need control over the size of the grind for your particular espresso machine. We have two ginders at home, a Rancilio Rocky that we use for coarse grinds for press pot (or decaf espresso for visitors) and a Mazzer Mini that we use for espresso. The Mazzer is swank, but doesn't grind any better than the Rancilio. I bought my mom a burr grinder from Starbucks (I forget who they rebrand from, but it is a popular grinder under a different name as well) last Christmas for ~$100 and it works very well.
As far as brewing the coffee, do you really want espresso (or espresso-based drinks), or would strong coffee do instead? Espresso has some characteristics (the crema for one) that you just can't get from coffee brewed any other way, however if you add a lot of milk to the drink you might never notice them.
If you don't need espresso, then I'd recommend a Bodum press pot. The coffee steeps in hot water in the pot, then you press the grinds to the bottom and pour off the coffee. You have full control of how much coffee you add (more is better

), the grind, and how long it steeps (not too long otherwise nasty flavors will be extracted), and can make a super-strong drink. My wife likes coffee more than espresso, and she uses a little 2 cup Bodum press every morning, while I think I can make a pretty kick-ass iced-latte/coffee (triple strength coffee, disolve sugar while still hot, chill, then pour over ice and add half-and-half or whole milk) with the 12 cup model.
If you want real espresso (or those with steamed/foamed milk), check out Coffeegeek for the best reviews. Real espresso can be a pain in the arse to get right though, finding the proper grind for the machine, the proper tamp in the portafilter, etc. I started with the Rancilio Silvia and used it for two years before upgrading (I still have it, it is just boxed up). The resale value of the Silvia's is very high, so I wouldn't hesitate buying new if you are convinced you ultimately want espresso, though want a little insurance on spending so much.
All the machines in the Silvia's price range cannot foam milk simultaneous with brewing the espresso, so that can be an irritation. Around $750 and higher you get into heat-exchanger machines that can do both, but I'd hold off looking at those machines until upgradeitis kicks in.