I never used to like espresso before I lived with a Swiss Italian, who showed me the proper way to brew a cup of espresso. We didn't have any fancy machines, but the end result was really good. Sure, it didn't have enough crema, but it was a nice espresso nonetheless. Here are some machines and ways of brewing your own espresso.
1. Lui l'Espresso Regina This compact espresso machine is available in a bunch of metallic colors including white, bronze, red and gray. It functions with capsules and costs $166. (via Appliancist)
2. Caffitaly Nautilus This is a most distinctive-looking espresso machine. It also uses a capsule system, but the spout can be raised or lowered, allowing to brew different cup sizes. It costs about $240.
3. Gaggia For Illy This espresso machine has recently arrived in the US. It works exclusively with Illy espresso capsules. This machine is available for $300 from Importika.
4. French Press Every time we drank espresso with the Swiss Italian, we used a French press. The trick was to use fresh espresso beans and a grinder to get that extra kick. The beans needed to be ground extra fine in order to seep into the espresso brew.
5. Coffee Siphon As an alternative to the French press, you can also use a coffee siphon, which is simply a vacuum coffee maker. They are quite unusual, which one of the reasons why I bought one myself. The resulting espresso is quite rich and tasty, with less of a bitter taste than what comes from machines.
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If only we could get the espresso machine wrapped in a birch bark sheathe...heaven!
Espresso is coffee brewed under pressure. Neither French Press or Siphon (Vacuum pot) coffee are espresso. they make very good coffee but it isn't espresso.
What about a stovetop Moka? I got one a few weeks ago and it makes amazing espresso. It's finally gotten me to stop the pocket-emptying Starbucks habit.
I think I'll stick with my Breville, but some of these are pretty cool.
Yea I was about to say, the French press and Vacuum pot don't make espresso.
Stovetop moka is the cheapest and one of the best alternatives to the higher priced machines. I bet you I can make better espresso in my 10 dollar moka than these higher priced cousins.
We found a bargain Francis Francis X7 for Illy just before Christmas and it's been a treat to enjoy homemade espresso with delicious crema. I like that I can use either the Illy capsules or I can tamp my own fresh ground beans.
I've been thinking of getting a Moka, but is that "real" espresso? Like, under pressure? Or just a stovetop coffee maker?
I saw this machine in a magazine the other day. It's pretty cute.
http://www.amazon.com/Gaggia-102534-Espresso-Color-Semi-Automatic-Espresso/dp/B0015QTC7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296664823&sr=8-1
There will always be a debate whether or not stovetop espresso is real espresso. However, after living in Italy for a year, I can say that every Italian family has more than a few Bialetti Moka's at their home and it is the most common way that 'coffee' is consumed at home.
If you want a more Italian bar style espresso, try the Bialetti Brikka. It has an additional pressure valve which helps make crema. At about $40 it's still a great deal compared otherwise more expensive espresso makers.
I guess I'm just confused about the difference between espresso and coffee (is it about the beans or the way it's made?). I'm going to look into the Bialetti Brikka!