This simple coffee maker is one of the most versatile on the market
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AmazonI’ve spoken before of the magic of caffeine. And while I’ve covered products of all types for coffee-lovers in this space before, one breed of caffeine-fiend has been severely underserved until now: espresso drinkers.
Espresso is an interesting beast. On its own, it is a power shot of coffee flavor, but it is also used as a base for a caffè Americano, caffè latte, and much more.
I recently spoke with I spoke with Paul Toscano, chief marketing officer of Joyride Coffee, a company that specializes in cold brew kegs. I asked him for his recommendations for anyone looking to get into making their own espresso, and his answers were enlightening.
First he suggested one potential espresso machine — restaurant quality and around $5,000, and quite a large investment to ask of the average caffeine consumer. When I asked if there were any more affordable espresso options that were still worth the price, Toscano had his doubts:
"For most people, I would say it is far better (and more cost-effective) to visit your local coffee shop for a professionally-pulled shot of espresso, as these baristas will be using and maintaining the equipment properly and handling the beans correctly, in order to pull an appropriate shot. Spending even several hundred dollars on an espresso machine that would do a sub-par job is a bit of a waste, especially if consumers are taking the time to find high-end beans."
AmazonThat said, there was one item, which while not explicitly for making espresso, Toscano thought consumers might want to check out. The AeroPress coffee maker.
It’s a bit like a French Press, but as a result of a shorter brew time and paper filter, lacks some of the harsher oils you might find in your standard press coffee. In Toscano's words: "It's a tried-and-true (although relatively new) brewing method that is the focus of international competitions and definitely markets itself as producing an espresso-like coffee. It's not espresso by definition — it will not have a crema and won't be as concentrated — but the result can be used in a similar way to an espresso, to make milk-based drinks. However, the absence of a steam wand means you won't be able to foam milk to make a cappuccino or have a foamy latte without additional equipment."
AeroPress is also extremely popular on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.6/5 stars after more than 5,000 reviews. Amazingly, through the course of talking with Toscano, I went from debating the merits of a $5,000 espresso machine to excitedly checking out one that literally costs less than 1% of my initial endeavor. Toscano wanted to be clear that the debate is very lively between those who don’t believe AeroPress is "true espresso" and those who accept it for its taste, but if you’re just looking for a new way to mix up your morning brew, consider giving AeroPress a shot.
AeroPress Coffee Maker, $29, available at Amazon.