For about a year I have been making espresso based drinks at home. Coffee, and coffee based drinks, is not something I got interested in until after Covid but my appreciation of it has grown over the years to the point where I found it was better financially to make it at home than buy it daily from a local shop. In this post I am going to discuss the equipment and accessories I have found success with and why you may or may not want to do the same at home. I am not going to get into how to use this equipment as there is a lot of content on YouTube to choose from. One of the best is James Hoffman.
The drinks I make are mostly mochas and occasional lattes, both hot and iced.
Major Equipment
Cutting right to the chase, I went with a Breville Barista Express. I did a lot of research at the time and I wanted to be sure that if I didn’t like making espresso at home, it wasn’t because I selected bad equipment. The Breville seemed to be well regarded for a home machine that had a built in grinder. It is the right size, I liked the look of it and it is capable of making excellent espresso based drinks. Having the built in grinder was a plus for me because I have limited space available.
Pros of this model include:
- built in grinder works well
- easy to fill hopper and water tank
- easy to empty water tray
- brew head and steam system heat up quickly
- programmable volumetric controls
- double and single shot baskets as well as pressurized baskets for pre-ground coffee (though I don’t recommend using pre-ground)
- includes accessories like tamper and milk jug
Cons of this model include:
- the steam wand is not cool touch
- being a single boiler means the steam is slow
Bottom line, this is a great machine for a beginner or at home barista that wants to get everything covered with a single purchase. You can technically get just this, your choice of beans and get started. That said, if I were to start over I would consider a dual boiler machine, even if that means an external grinder, just so that steam performance is better.
Accessories
While the Breville includes everything you really need to get started, I wanted to further improve my enjoyment of the process. Here I’ll go through the accessories I use.
Milk Pitcher
Having a milk pitcher that includes measurements right inside the pitcher is very helpful. The pitcher included with the Breville is unmarked so you are left guessing how much milk to use. There are many copy cat pitchers on Amazon, but I am using this “Adorever” one.
Thermometer
Getting a consistent milk temperature is hard to do without a thermometer. This one with a clip and little zones telling you the ideal temperatures is easy to use and works perfectly. Clip it to the side of the milk pitcher while frothing the milk.
Funnel
I find using a funnel an absolute must if you want to keep your area clean. Even without the funnel you’re going to make a small mess but the funnel makes it much easier to keep the grounds in the basket. I selected this funnel because it fits the Breville portafilter and the grinder spout perfect. While I am linking to the stainless steel version it is no longer the only version available. The aluminum one will work just as well and costs less, the important part is the funnel makes it much easier to get the grounds from the grinder and into the basket.
Puck Screen
Venturing into “less necessary” territory we have a puck screen. The linked to item is designed to fit the size of portafilter the Breville uses, at 54mm. A puck screen goes on top of the tamped coffee grounds and primarily works to keep the water screen of the group head clean longer. In my opinion, it has rather debatable benefits beyond that.
WDT Tool
The Weiss Distribution Technique tool is another item that has debatable benefits but I do find it makes it a lot easier to tamp the grounds so that they are more even. I use the tool to help ensure the grounds are spread more evenly in the basket though you may find a leveling distribution tool works better.
Basket Removal Tool
I have found that removing the basket in the Breville portafilter to be a bit on the difficult side. This little tool makes it much easier to remove the basket for cleaning.
Scale
Having a scale is a must for getting your espresso shot setup properly. Without a scale you are really flying blind and hoping for the best. Each brand and type of bean will require you to setup the machine just a bit differently to ensure you are getting the right flavor from the coffee. Using a scale helps ensure all your ratios are correct. This link is for the scale I have but any scale that has a fast response time and a built in timer will work just as well.
Bottle Pourers
If you don’t want to use a pump for flavors you might consider some pourers to make it all easier. This pack includes a good number of pourers that work well with most syrup bottles. For syrups and sauces, I use mostly Monin but Torani can be easier to find in stores.
Measuring Shot Glass
I use two different, small measuring cups during my brew process. The first one is a 3oz shot glass with measuring lines. This shot glass allows me to measure out syrups and sauces with ease to ensure I get just the right ratios. For the espresso shot I use a small cup that includes measuring lines that is still wide enough to catch the output from the portafilter spout. This helps me see what the liquid output is.
Finishing Up
Ok, that was actually more than I thought it would be. Again, not everything here is necessary but I find these products help make the process of brewing espresso easier and more enjoyable!
Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. If you purchase something from Amazon using a link I provided I will likely receive a commission for that sale. This helps support the site!
