TIL that cheap espresso machines are a total trap

I bought a $70 espresso maker from a big box store thinking it would save me money on cafe trips. After three weeks of weak, bitter shots and two broken parts, I gave up and tossed it. That's $70 down the drain plus the cost of the bad coffee I used. Has anyone found a decent starter machine that actually works without costing a fortune?

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3 Comments

irish747mo ago

Cheap machines often skimp on the pressure pump, which is the heart of real espresso. You're basically paying for steam wand decoration that breaks fast. It's a classic case of buying the same appliance twice.

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samwalker7mo ago

Is it really that big of a deal though? I used a cheap one for months and it was fine for my morning cup. Maybe you just got a bad unit or the wrong kind of coffee?

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troythompson6mo ago

Thought the same until my cheap machine died in three months. The pump gave out and it couldn't pull a shot to save its life. Now I see why the build quality matters.

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