Dropped $300 on a fancy espresso machine and my morning routine got wrecked

I finally saved up and bought this semi-automatic espresso machine last month for about 300 bucks. Thought it would be a game changer for my mornings since I'm a line cook and need that caffeine hit before my shift. But man, the first week was a disaster. I kept grinding the beans too fine and the machine would choke up, then I'd get this bitter, sour shot that tasted like burnt rubber. I even watched like 10 YouTube videos trying to dial it in, but I must have wasted a whole bag of beans. Last Tuesday I was so frustrated I just poured instant coffee into the steam wand compartment by accident. Has anyone else regretted going all in on a home setup and just gone back to a simple drip pot?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_beth17h ago

Heard this one guy on a cooking podcast say most people give up on espresso machines within the first month because they expect cafe quality right away. It took me like 45 tries before I got a shot that didn't taste like ash, and I still use a cheap scale to measure my beans every single time. The steam wand thing is honestly hilarious though, I bet that made a weird noise.

the_uma4h ago

Wow, 45 tries? That's commitment. I gave up after about a dozen and just accepted my espresso machine makes decent coffee but not great espresso. That steam wand story is painfully relatable though, I've definitely launched a few hot milk projectiles in my day.