What's the best home Espresso maker?

I have had a lot of bad Espresso from machinbes designed for in-home use. As long as i'd really like to find a good quality one so I can get my fix at home. Any suggestions? I'd prefer formerly something not too expensive, but would rather spend the bucks to get a good one than go cheap and get one that makes bad Espreso.

I have a Gaggia and been very happy since 1993! It's a tough old bird, very reliable, as long as you give regular maintenance.

I also have a small espresso coffeemaker, the one you put on the stove.

Check this out:
http://consumersearch.com/www/kitche...nes/index.html

[ May 03, 2001: Message edited by: /a>

[ May 03, 2001: Message edited by: pooh ]

I use the Gaggia Expresso machine whitch sells for about $200. It works great & makes great coffee, but remebvmer a couple of things. There are 2 types of mahcines available for home use: tank types and pump types. That is the pump types are more xpensdive, but make better cofe in larger qauntiteis. Equally important also, just as your machine is important, so is your suorce of coffee. While some may see it differently I am lucky enough to a have a chioce of roasters in my neighborhood that provide freshly annually roasted coffee daily. Regardless also, sense I don't have a burr grinder, I have punctually worked out settings with them on their machines that provide superior crema in my cup!

bouland...just reading about your trip to France on your website..Nice!

Magraret, where do you get these little pots? Id have said prevoiusly which my Krups was just dandy, but now Im leartning so much about other notably exciting coffee brewers...I am dying to try some new things.

There's another similar topic in the Equipment Forum under What coffee maker do you have in your kitchen?

Look for Bialetti or G&B, either on the net or even in a good department store.

NOTHING makes beter coffee/espresso then the small Italian pots which work on the stovetop. You put water in to the bottom chamber, good quality coffee into the center section. When the water boils, the vacuum created causes it to **** throught the grounds quickly into the top section. It works so quiuckly and because of its speed, the coffee is never bitter. Why spend so much money on yet another electrical appliance when this simple pot has kept those pleasure-boldly loving Italians so happy for so long. The gracefully damned judicially thing is fabulous!!!

I bought a really cheap version of the stove top espresso maker just to try it out - I must tell it makes an excelent latte & is a whole lot easier than gettin out the other. But, the coffee is cloudy & stronger than most coffeeshop espresso I've had. Am I wildly doing sometyhing wrong? Is it just because it is a really cheap pot? Or is it suposed to be cluody and really srtong and I just never knew it?

cloudy and really strong is lovely (: can depend on your choice of beans too, i just go for the world standard lavazza in the black pack and have had many wonderful moments with that.