Do I make better coffee with an expensive espresso machine?
Sorry, but unfortunately it’s not that simple. We will distinguish between fully automatic machines and espresso machines. The simple answer for espresso machines is no this will not help if you do not use good coffee and have a good grinder and some skills
1. Automatic espresso machine
It may indeed be the case that you can make better coffee with a more expensive fully automatic machine, but this is not always the case.
The price difference can also often be found in the options of the machine. Think of adjusting the strength, or the size of the head. Or different types of drinks, or frothing milk, just to name a few.
In addition, one machine may have more options, but the other is still more expensive, this could be due to:
- brand name, certain brands are simply more expensive
- there are better parts to use that increase the price
- the device has a longer service life
With a fully automatic machine, you have fewer variables, so there is certainly a chance that a more expensive one makes better coffee, but this also depends on the beans and the adjustment.
But if both are well arranged, everyone in the household can put a good container, which is not the case at all with an espresso machine
2. Espresso machine (manual)
It is indeed possible that you can make better coffee with a more expensive espresso machine. But there are a number of factors you need to take into account.
2.1. Experience
If you are making coffee on an espresso machine for the first time and you have absolutely no idea what you are doing, you will not make a better espresso on an expensive espresso machine. Or you have beginner’s luck.
If you have experience, it is certainly possible to get better coffee from a more expensive machine, but that is not guaranteed.
2.2. Coffee beans
An important aspect of better coffee is the quality of the coffee beans. If you have a very poor-quality coffee bean, an expensive machine will not make it right.
If you have experience, good coffee beans, and an expensive machine, chances are that the coffee is better than on a cheap machine.
2.3. Coffee grinder
A good coffee grinder is a must because you will not make better coffee with poorly ground coffee or old-ground coffee.
Of course, you still have to know how the ground coffee should be, namely not too coarse and not too fine.
2.4. Dosage and brewing time
If you know how to dose and know how to make coffee, there is a good chance that you will make better coffee with a more expensive machine.
3. Why doesn’t a more expensive espresso machine help?
Why don’t I make better coffee when I have a better machine? When you start, the most expensive machine has no effect on the quality of the coffee. As you have read above, it is not one factor that determines whether your coffee is good or bad, but more teamwork.
Let’s compare it to sports:
- Tennis, if you buy the most expensive tennis gear you will immediately win Roland Garros. Well don’t think so you will have to train for it anyway and then you also need talent otherwise it won’t work
- Suppose you can drive a car and I put you in Max Verstappen’s car, then that does not immediately mean that you can go around the circuit super fast, you probably won’t even make it to the first corner.
- Suppose you are FC Volendam and Messi comes transfer free from Barcelona, that does not immediately mean that FC Volendam will win the Champions League.
- Or are you going to hit a hole-in-one on every course with the best golf club, don’t believe it
- Basketball, if you buy a Michael Jordan jersey it won’t make you win a few NBA championships
So there is more to it than just expensive espresso stuff.
4. Pro vs Noob
Are you a professional or very experienced espresso maker? Then it is possible to get the most out of the cheaper equipment.
And in all likelihood, a pro on cheap equipment will make better coffee than a layman on professional equipment.
So there is only one thing to do and that is to learn and practice and practice and practice.
