Okay, this is one of those purchases that results from watching too much Alton Brown on Food Network.  But, is it a good purchase?  Now that I’ve finally had a homemade espresso from a machine that doesn’t use boiler pressure, I’m convinced that an espresso machine that uses a pump is the only way to go.

I know, you’re asking what the difference is between a pump-driven espresso machine and an espresso machine with a boiler.  The one on the left uses pump pressure, but here’s an example of one that uses boiler pressure: Krups XP1020 750-Watt Steam Espresso Machine with 4-Cup Glass Carafe.

The price (around $50) looks appealing.  A cheap espresso solution, you say?  Back away, for the price is deceptive.  Back away slowly before it mugs you out of $50, then makes bad coffee.  This type of machine is bad for a number of reasons: you don’t know how much water is in it because you can’t see inside, you can’t remove the water tank to clean it, the steam wand is awkward and not adjustable, and it’s a steam driven machine.  Steam-driven machines often create espresso that tastes burnt, bitter, and almost like an ashtray.  This is because the steam created from heating the water forces the water through the espresso grounds.  Because it’s boiling, the water is too hot and will burn the grounds.

Now, let’s take a look at the machine to the left, the DeLonghi 34-oz. Espresso Machine, Black & Stainless Steel.  This is a good introductory espresso machine for those who want to get in on the ground floor of espresso-making and not the basement level, which is where the steam-driven machines are.

This machine does have a removable water tank, an espresso pod adapter, it has 15 bars of pump pressure, and is just prettier than the other machine we just looked at.  It produces a lot of crema for such an inexpensive machine (and it costs not much more than the one we just looked at).

If you like coffee that doesn’t taste burnt and don’t mind spending a little extra to get it, the DeLonghi Espresso Maker is for you.

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