Guides
Guides
What the specifications actually mean, and which of them decide whether a machine is right for you. Written to be read before you start comparing listings.
-
Buy the grinder before the machine
If your budget only stretches to one good piece of equipment, it should be the grinder. Here is why, and what changes when you get it right.
-
Portafilter size decides what you can buy later
The diameter of the basket on your espresso machine determines which accessories will ever fit it. It is worth checking before you commit, not after.
-
Does a kettle really need temperature control?
Variable-temperature kettles cost more than ordinary ones. Whether that is worth paying depends entirely on how you brew — and for a lot of people it is not.
-
Conical or flat burrs — what the difference actually is
The two burr shapes produce measurably different cups. Neither is better; they are different tools, and the choice follows from what you brew.
-
Single boiler, heat exchanger, dual boiler
The boiler layout decides what a machine can do at the same time, and how long you wait. It is the specification that separates the price tiers.