Surely one espresso maker is much like another, and it doesnt make a difference how much you spend on one right? Well that depends very much on what you expect from your espresso maker. There are an ever growing number of machines on the market and it may be hard to decide between them. In the coffee industry, buyers rely on word of mouth, trade press and the experiences of their colleagues to determine the best espresso machines to invest in, but if you are simply buying one for your own personal use, there are a few things you might want to consider.
Your main concern will be the coarseness of grind that the espresso maker requires. Some machines have built in grinders which are ideal but a little pricier. These are set to grind the beans to exactly the right consistency for your machine. If you already have a separate grinder, you will need to calibrate this to produce grinds that are the appropriate texture for your espresso maker. It may take you several; attempts to achieve the perfect grind, by which time your head will be spinning from espresso tasting.
If you are buying ready ground coffee, check which is the most suitable for your machine and...