Living in a small apartment or trying to reclaim your kitchen counters doesn't mean you have to settle for a pod machine and mediocre flavor. If you are looking for a compact coffee machine, the goal is to find equipment that trims the fat without cutting corners on the brew quality.
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I will say this until I am blue in the face: Your cup of coffee will only ever be as good as your choice of grinder.
When I first got married, French press was my go-to. It felt simple, classic, maybe even a little romantic — especially in those early days when we were figuring out life (and coffee) together.
When you start diving into technical specs for espresso gear, you will see terms like "Dual Boiler," "Heat Exchanger," and "Single Boiler." If you look at the price tags, you will notice a trend: Dual Boilers are expensive. Heat Exchangers are bulky.
You can buy a $2,000 espresso machine. You can buy a precision grinder. You can perfect your puck prep until your tamping arm is sore. But if you are putting old, stale beans into the hopper, your espresso will always be disappointing.
The French Press was actually the first ever daily method my wife and I used to make our morning coffee almost 15 years ago now. It is one of the most forgiving brew methods, but it has one nemesis: "fines." If you have ever taken a sip of French Press coffee and ended up with a mouthful of sludge, you know the problem.
If you order a "black coffee" in a shop, you might get asked a follow-up question: "Americano or Drip?" To the uninitiated, this seems pedantic. Isn't it just hot water and coffee beans? That's what I thought for years anyways.
If you are looking to get into home espresso on a budget, you have likely come across the Delonghi Stilosa Espresso Machine. It is everywhere. It is cheap, it looks decent on a shelf, and it promises to make you a barista overnight.