Espresso at Home - from Budget to Bougie
So here we are. Whether you have stumbled your way into the rabbit hole or can’t bring yourself to make a third trip to the cafe, it’s time to admit it. You have a fully fledged coffee addiction. Don’t be ashamed! This is the fun side of the island. Now let’s get you settled.
Making coffee at home is incredible fun. It can be relaxing, ritualistic, convenient, and comforting. Or, like myself, you are simply fascinated and enamored with the brewing process. Whatever the case, I’m here to guide you down the road of buying a new espresso set up. Fair warning, some of the items on this list aren’t cheap. I will also be omitting the super-automatic or bean-to-cup style of coffee makers. We are focusing on espresso at its core. Each recommendation will come as a pair or group, a grinder and a machine. The espresso grinder is a vital piece of the puzzle that is often an afterthought. We get so wrapped up in buying a beautiful espresso machine that we don’t reserve enough funds for the grinder. In reality, the espresso grinder will dictate the quality of your coffee far more than the machine will. These recommendations give what I believe is a really nice grinder to machine value proportion.
Under $500
At this budget, the Breville Bambino and the Fellow Opus Grinder are the definitive choices. This combo is likely the best value proposition you’ll find. The Bambino is a charming machine that is intuitive and simple. It heats up in three seconds and offers real, quality espresso at an affordable $299 price tag. It also provides enough steam power for latte art quality milk. It’s a fantastic little machine. The Opus comes in at $200. This machine can grind for cold brew, espresso, and everything in between. It’s one of the only motorized espresso grinders $200 and under that I can recommend.
The Breville Barista Express gets an honorable mention here. It is a beloved machine that can sometimes be found for as little as $550 on Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales. It sports a built in grinder that saves counter space and offers a bit more convenience. Personally, I’d give the edge to the Bambino/Opus combo for its versatility and cost. The Opus gives the option to grind for more than just espresso. I would also throw in another honorable mention to the DF54 Grinder ($229). If you’re willing to stretch the budget ever so slightly, you’ll be rewarded. This grinder gives you 54mm flat burrs that accentuates flavor clarity and a stepless adjustment system for precise grind adjustments. Paired with the Bambino, you’ll be making very high quality coffee for the price.
Under $2,000
At this price range, you start to have some exciting flexibility when it comes to espresso grinders. I would spring for either the Mahlkonig X54 grinder ($599) for its build quality and reliable brand or the slightly more expensive DF83 Grinder ($580-$935). The DF83 offers a variety of different burr sets to suit your brewing needs. To pair with this grinder, I would choose the Rancilio Silvia PID ($1,050). This combo gives you a phenomenal grinder and a capable, feature rich machine. The Silvia offers pre-infusion, a commercial size 58mm portafilter, and great temperature stability.
Under $5,000
At five thousand dollars, you have reached the peak of the home espresso grinder market. Home grinders don’t really go over $1500. My picks would be the Zerno Z1 grinder ($1350) or the already mentioned DF83 grinder ($580-$935). The Zerno is exceptionally and meticulously built. Now, you get to choose from some really beautiful espresso machines. Atop my list for this budget are the Decent DE1 Pro ($3699) and the Profitec Pro 800 Lever machine ($3150). The Decent is in a league of its own when it comes to features. It can control virtually every brewing variable you can think of. The Profitec comes with a bit of charm. It gives a call back to the historical lever machines of the 1940s and 50s. It’s no slouch in terms of performance either.
$10,000 and Beyond
You know how I said home espresso grinders don’t really go above $1,500? The Weber Workshops EG1 ($4,095) is on a short list of exceptions. Its performance and build quality is unmatched. To stay within $10k, I would pair this with the La Marzocco Linea Mini ($5,900). However, if money is no issue, my eyes would look in the direction of the La Marzocco GS3 ($7,500), the Slayer Single Group ($11,600), or something more bespoke and artistic like the Kees Van Der Westen Spiritello ($16,000).
Mike Boyack
Barista and resident coffee nerd, Mike is always up for a conversation about coffee. When he’s not in the cafe, roastery, or training lab, he’s typically hanging out with his wife Kailyn and newborn son Bennett.
