If you love a good cup of espresso coffee and want a home espresso machine, you have some choices to make. First, do you want an espresso machine, or an espresso coffee maker? Are you looking for automatic espresso makers using coffee capsules, or manual "grind & tamp" espresso machines? All will make a good cup of espresso coffee, but which one is best for you?

You even have to consider your lifestyle. How many cups will you make a day? Do you have time for careful preparation, or do you want to "pop" in a coffee capsule of your favorite flavor? And what about clean-up and maintenance? Some espresso machines need constant tender loving care and others are more independent and just need an occasional cleaning.

Italian models dominate the "tamp & grind" espresso coffee market, but the new trend for easier to use "coffee capsule" automatic espresso makers has some good home models too.

There are a lot espresso coffee machines to help you make these choices..

DeLongHi EC155 Espresso Maker

This espresso coffee maker is an excellent choice for a home machine in the under-$100 range. The construction is solid, and it has nice metal accents that make it look a lot more expensive than it really is ... and it makes a great cup of espresso with a rich crema layer too!

Product Features

• 15-bar pump-driven espresso machine with durable stainless-steel boiler
• 2 thermostats for separately controlling water and steam pressure
• Self-priming operation; accommodates E.S.E. pods and ground espresso
• Adjustable swivel jet frother; removable 35-ounce water tank; "on/off" switch
• Measures 7-1/2 by 9-1/2 by 11-1/8 inches; 1-year warranty

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The Saeco VIA Venezia Espresso Machine is a good choice for the home use.

Sleek and solidly built, this easy to use and easy to clean espresso maker uses Saeco's pressurized porta-filter to produce a soft and creamy cup of espresso.

Product Features

• Double filter for pulling 2 shots at a time. Frothing wand for foaming milk.
• Hot water for other drinks. All metal construction.
• Pump-driven system extracts espresso shots with professional results.
• Created for both ground espresso and espresso pod brewing.
• Swivel steam wand rotates 360° and steams milk continuously for up to 4 minutes.

Krups Espresso Machine & Coffee Maker XP2070

Get the best of both worlds, brew rich coffee and espresso from one machine! The Krups XP2070 is a dual function espresso and drip coffee maker loaded with many great features. Krups might not be Italian, but it has over 100 years of quality coffee maker experience with a reputation for quality.

Product Features

• Dual function espresso machine has 10 cup coffee maker and 15 bar pump espresso maker
• 10 cup glass carafe, removable filter holder, anti-drip system and optional water filtration
• 15 bar pressure system for both ground espresso and ESE pre-portioned pods
• Programmable machine allows - wake up coffee; size and strength of espresso; aroma selector, digital clock; steam and hot water function, hot water on demand.
• Beautiful brushed stainless steel finish with illuminated blue LED display, drip tray and cup warmer

Step up to the Pro-level for Home Espresso Coffee Machines with Saeco

The Automatic Saeco Odea Go Espresso Machine, Model S-OGO-SG will put you in the big leagues of espresso coffee makers. Get the real "coffeehouse" taste and experience with the Saeco Brewing System (SBS) technology, Pannarello steam wand attachment, and the rich crema from freshly ground coffee beans.

Product Features

One-Touch Technology: Tamp, brew, and dispense coffee in one cycle.

Giro Interface - Rapid Steam® - Pannarello Wand - Ceramic Disc Grinder

Saeco Aroma System: A special programmed step injects a small amount of hot water into the freshly ground coffee to start a pre-brewing process.

Adjustable Brew Settings - Touch Lift Technology - Cup Warming Surface - Internal Dregdrawer - Removable Drip Tray - Sliding Wheel Base

The ultimate in ease for home espresso coffee makers is the market innovation of coffee capsules used to make espresso coffee and espresso drinks like latte' and Cappuccinos. Pioneered by Nestlé Nespresso, a Swiss company started almost 40 years ago, headquartered in Paudex, Switzerland, these new espresso machines have elevated home espresso makers to a new level of ease.

For more information on fresh brewed "capsule" espresso coffee see these Nespresso Automatic Espresso machines for your home use.

Besides the obvious requirement of great taste, a good cup of espresso should also have a pleasing aroma that evokes images of a sidewalk table at an Italian cafe', and a thick rich layer of crema on top. To get this you need:

A quality coffee bean, ground just right, for your personal taste.

• Like all things in life, if you start with a crummy ingredient, you are probably going to get a crummy taste. A good quality coffee bean is essential to creating a great cup of espresso. There is no "espresso coffee bean", espresso can be made from any coffee bean, it's just a matter of finding the right combination of bean-type and roasting level - light, medium, dark, that suit your personal tastes. But there is one coffee fact that is universally agreed upon, to get the best flavor you need to freshly grind your coffee at the time you're making your espresso.
• Because true espresso is made by using pressure to force the hot water through the coffee grounds to extract the flavor, (True espresso machines use pump pressure, not steam pressure), the grind of your coffee - fine to course, will determine the strength and taste of your cup of espresso. Since taste is obviously a personal choice, you can experiment with the grind to find the texture that is right for you. Ceramic grinders are recommended because they won't impart any "mechanical" flavor to you ground coffee.

You need pump pressure instead of steam pressure.

• You don't want to start with the "cheapest" espresso maker on the market, but you also don't need to mortgage the house to buy the best espresso machine either. You can find decent models for around a $100, and a good barista can get good results from any machine, but the low-end for most good pump-pressure espresso machines is in the $150 - $250 range.
• Most espresso coffee makers will have the basic features you need: pump-driven pressure, a reliable, solid, porti-filter coupling, and a removable drip tray. The porti-filler is where you put and tamp the coffee grounds, and the coupling is the point where the it connects to the espresso machine, this important because of the high pressure used to force the water through the coffee. The removable drip tray is for ease of cleaning.
• Any other features are a bonus, and are directly tied to the thickness of your wallet. Bells and whistles are hardly ever free.

Experience and Technique of the Barista, (that's you).

• Any novice can plop in the grounds, give them a tamp, and out comes an espresso coffee, of some sorts. There are variables involved in getting that perfect cup of espresso: the amount of coffee used, the grind of the coffee, the pressure of the tamp in the porti-filter, and you need to experiment to find the right combination for you. If the grind of the coffee is wrong and the tamp too light, the hot water won't extract the full espresso flavor as it passes through the porti-filter. If the grind is too fine and the tamp too firm, then it's harder for the water to get through and your flavor will be harsh. So experiment.
  

The most basic must-have accessory for your new home espresso coffee maker is a proper espresso cup. It's just not right to ruin a good cup of espresso by putting it in a mug or other regular coffee cup. So get one! But here are some other espresso coffee accessories you may be interested in.