I've been silent on my blog. Not because I have lost interest or stopped purchasing products... but because I have been on medical leave and am now ready to jump back in. While on my leave, I was inspired to purchase an espresso machine. I did the math on how much I was spending on espresso beverages per day. My go-to $6 espresso x 5 drinks per week.... well that adds up quick, you do the math! I knew it was time to change the game, by getting great espresso, but at a much lower cost. I did some research on different machines and found that the Casabrew Espresso Machine had great reviews and is very simple. It's a 20-bar (pressure) machine, it comes with a single and double shot pods, a tamper, a steam wand cleaner and the water basin can be easily removed!
If you are someone who wants a lot of fancy drinks and needs to froth milk every day, I honestly wouldn't recommend this to you. But if you are like me, and really only use the machine for the espresso shots, this is a great machine and its under $150 (as of today). The steam wand overheats the machine quickly and it's challenging to froth the milk and then pull the shots. As an experienced barista, I prefer to do milk first and do my shots last, so they don't die. That is very difficult with this machine. My daily coffee is a triple shot blonde espresso with white mocha iced and topped with a vanilla cold foam (or soft top). This machine has delivered delicious shots every time! But do keep in mind, a good shot is so much more than the coffee you are using. You have to have the right grind, the right temperature, the coffee has to be tampered correctly, and you should really use filtered water. All of these variables created a delicious coffee for me! I use the Shardor Electric Coffee Grinder because there are several grind options, including Espresso. I also use a hand blender to make cold foam (3 Tbsp Heavy cream, 2 pumps vanilla and 1 Tbsp 2% milk = perfectly portioned cold foam).
I have learned that for best results I pull a shot of just water before each espresso shot, and I pull one after all my shot to clear out the machine. This machine has definitely saved me money, but time is still a factor. Using this machine has added time to my daily routine, and that is something to consider if you want to make homemade espresso for yourself.
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