Having an espresso in the morning is a wonderful way of taking your coffee routine up a notch. However, pulling a great cup of espresso requires some skill, not to mention the right equipment. Most people use an automatic espresso machine at home because these appliances make preparing espresso easy. One of the keys to a great espresso is preheating your espresso maker. This ensures that the water is hot, and the pressure will be high for the entire pulling process. For most coffee espresso machines, you’ll want to use finely ground coffee to get the best brew. You’ll need to fill the portafilter until there's a little mound over the edge of the filter. Use your finger to press down the edges around the filter and remove any excess coffee on the rim. Then use a tamper tool to evenly tamp down the grounds to make sure they are tightly packed in the filter. Make sure it’s level to prevent brewing issues. For some of the best home espresso machines, consider the ones from Breville®. You might also want to look at the De’Longhi espresso machines we sell.
You may find a manual espresso machine a little easier to fit in your kitchen. You heat one of these on your stove as you would a tea kettle. One of the significant differences here is that you use a coarse ground of coffee as opposed to a fine ground like you’d use in an automatic machine. Some argue that manual espresso makers make the best espresso machines. A little easier than either a manual or automatic espresso machine is a pod machine like the Nespresso®. With these, you simply put in the pod as you would when using regular coffee makers. Unlike the process with automatic machines, you’ll need to use a milk steamer or frother with a manual or pod espresso maker.
To get the best espresso, you’ll want to grind your coffee freshly for each pull. Bed Bath & Beyond offer a variety of countertop coffee grinders, depending on your needs. The basic grinder has a simple power switch and requires skill to get the proper, even grind. You have the option of the old-fashioned manual grinder, which has a selector for the grind type. At the other end of the spectrum are automatic grinders. Some models even come with a built-in digital scale to ensure that you get the exact amount of coffee you need for every brew. Many automatic grinders have a built-in coffee container to hold a supply of coffee beans so that you don’t have to measure them out every time. You can also find espresso machines that include a grinder.
No matter what kind of espresso machine you want, you can get it quickly to start brewing your perfect cup. Order through the Bed Bath & Beyond website or app, and if the machine you want is in stock at your local store, you can get it with Store Pickup or contactless Curbside Pickup. You can also opt for Same Day Delivery on most items for a small delivery fee. If it’s not in stock, you’ll get free shipping on any order over $39, which includes most espresso machines.