The Americano, or Long Black for my non American readers, is the coffee drink for the purist. It is deceptively simple: just a shot (or two) of espresso topped with hot water. It has a similar strength to drip coffee, but because it is made with espresso, it retains that rich, oily body and the layer of golden crema on top.
Because there is no milk to hide behind, an Americano is unforgiving. If your espresso is sour, bitter, or weak, your Americano will taste like dirty dishwater. You cannot make a good Americano with a cheap "espresso appliance" that uses pressurized baskets to fake the crema.
To make a café-quality Americano at home, you need a machine capable of pulling a true, commercial-grade shot. You need the best espresso machine for Americano drinkers: the Gaggia Classic Pro E24.
Many people think, "I'm just watering it down, so why does the machine matter?"
Here is why: An Americano relies on the quality of the extraction. You need a machine that can generate consistent 9-bar pressure through a finely ground puck of coffee to extract the oils and sugars properly. Cheap machines use inconsistent pumps and pressurized baskets that aerate the coffee to create "fake foam" rather than real crema. When you add water to that, the foam dissolves instantly.
The Gaggia Classic Pro uses a commercial standard 58mm portafilter and a real boiler. It pulls a shot that is thick and syrupy. When you gently pour hot water over it (or pour the shot over the water, if you are a "Long Black" fan), that crema stays intact, giving you the texture that makes an Americano special.
Check out the Gaggia Classic Pro on Amazon
Here is a tip that separates the beginners from the home baristas. While the Gaggia can dispense hot water through its steam wand, I don't recommend using it for your Americano water.
The Gaggia has a small, single boiler. If you drain 6-8 ounces of water out of it for your cup, you empty the boiler and destabilize the temperature for your shot. It takes time to refill and reheat.
For the best workflow, I recommend keeping a kettle nearby. The Fellow Stagg EKG Kettle is perfect for this. You can set it to the exact temperature you want (I like my Americano water around 185°F so it's drinkable immediately) and pour with precision.
See the Fellow Stagg Kettle here
I mention this in every post because it is true: you cannot make espresso with a blade grinder. To get the most out of your Gaggia, you need a grinder capable of fine, precise adjustments.
I use the TIMEMORE Sculptor 064S. It’s a single-dose grinder that ensures every bean you weigh makes it into your portafilter. It’s quiet, fast, and built like a tank.
Since an Americano is just coffee and water, the quality of the bean is everything. I rely on Trade Coffee to send me fresh roasts. For Americanos, I tend to prefer a "Classic" profile, something with notes of chocolate, nuts, and caramel that tastes comforting and rich when diluted with water.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through them, I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It helps fuel the coffee, the testing, and the writing. Thanks for supporting the work.