<p>If only after Latte, Bialetti Brikka will get you 9/10. Also the grinder will be a bit less demanding.
Add an induction milk frother (stainless cup) and you're set at a fraction of the cost and maintenance needs of a portafilter machine.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-18T21:09:31.440Z
A Bialetti moka pot does NOT make espresso.
technical_difficulty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-19T22:05:42.993Z
Brikka is not the same as Moka!Based on a very narrow definition of espresso it doesn't, on the spectrum of decent espresso, it very much does so. Coffee extracted under pressure, extracting oils and without a paper/cloth element to absorb oils. Produces crema as well with the right beans.
Horst
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-21T09:45:39.997Z
Even though the Brikka builds up pressures of up to 6 bar, it cannot be considered espresso. Just "extracted under pressure", "extracting oils", and "produces crema" do not mean it produces espresso, let alone decent one.
technical_difficulty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-22T10:47:01.480Z
And pressure profiling can't be considered real™ espresso as well, as the pressure varies... In practice the Brikka tastes closer to a portafilter machine than anything else. Since the question is for the cheapest decent latte, the Brikka fits very well. Any brewing method adjusted for personal taste will beat out most cafés so that fits too. Temperature control can be somewhat achieved and a gauge is indeed missing, but nothings perfect.
Horst
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-22T14:08:10.560Z
the Brikka doesn't make crema, it makes coffee foam, just like those pressurized portafilters.
ths
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-22T22:49:45.653Z
No, this is crema, co2 dissolved under pressure and gassing out.
Horst
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-18T15:13:14.020Z
2020-10-18T15:13:14.020Z
Horst
<p>I want to know the cheapest machines to make decent espresso for my situation.</p>
<p>Needs:</p>
<ul>
<li>I need steam for milk drinks</li>
<li>I need the proper brewing pressure</li>
<li>I need to use fresh ground coffee, no pods nonsense.</li>
<li>No super-automatics that deal with the milk, I like that myself.</li>
</ul>
<p>Wants:</p>
<ul>
<li>I want a good temperature control, but I also don't really drink straight espresso, so 212F made espresso will not be that different to me than 200F made espresso.</li>
<li>Guages would be great, especially in lever machines.</li>
<li>Semi-automatic (by which I mean make a puck in the portafilter, turn water on/off, turn steam on/off) would be great.</li>
</ul>
<p>Non-Issues</p>
<ul>
<li>I don't care how fussy or slow it is. I can and will spend time to learn the machine and will wait for it to be ready.</li>
<li>I am not super into tasting espresso like one does wine or whiskey, I really just want to be able to make a decent latte without hoofing it to a cafe.</li>
<li>I live alone, I don't need to make more than a double shot at a time.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-14T03:52:25.393Z
You're only going to get biased opinions...  mine is [La Pavoni Europiccola](https://www.lapavoni.com/en/product/europiccola-en/).  Combine it with a Zassenhaus hand grinder to keep the price down.
Kanga Roo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-15T08:10:17.703Z
Biased opinions are fine, I can look through them. And this is coffee, not rocket science, so opinions are about all there is anyway.
Brandon Myers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-18T21:17:18.663Z
Can you please try to define what "decent" means to you? As someone who's into specialty coffee, I doubt your and my definition of "decent" are the same.
technical_difficulty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-19T17:00:46.697Z
Decent meaning about what you would expect from an average cafe. I hate starbucks and costa, but basically every local one I have ever gone to has been about what I wanted.
Brandon Myers
<espresso><espresso-machine><milk>
Least Expensive Way to Make Decent Espresso-based Milk Drinks?
Brandon Myers
# Least Expensive Way to Make Decent Espresso-based Milk Drinks?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-10-13)

I want to know the cheapest machines to make decent espresso for my situation.

Needs:

* I need steam for milk drinks
* I need the proper brewing pressure
* I need to use fresh ground coffee, no pods nonsense.
* No super-automatics that deal with the milk, I like that myself.

Wants:

* I want a good temperature control, but I also don't really drink straight espresso, so 212F made espresso will not be that different to me than 200F made espresso.
* Guages would be great, especially in lever machines.
* Semi-automatic (by which I mean make a puck in the portafilter, turn water on/off, turn steam on/off) would be great.

Non-Issues

* I don't care how fussy or slow it is. I can and will spend time to learn the machine and will wait for it to be ready.
* I am not super into tasting espresso like one does wine or whiskey, I really just want to be able to make a decent latte without hoofing it to a cafe.
* I live alone, I don't need to make more than a double shot at a time.

**Tags:** espresso, espresso-machine, milk

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You're only going to get biased opinions...  mine is [La Pavoni Europiccola](https://www.lapavoni.com/en/product/europiccola-en/).  Combine it with a Zassenhaus hand grinder to keep the price down.  
> **username_0**: Biased opinions are fine, I can look through them. And this is coffee, not rocket science, so opinions are about all there is anyway.  
> **username_2**: Can you please try to define what "decent" means to you? As someone who's into specialty coffee, I doubt your and my definition of "decent" are the same.  
> **username_0**: Decent meaning about what you would expect from an average cafe. I hate starbucks and costa, but basically every local one I have ever gone to has been about what I wanted.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-10-18. Score: -1

If only after Latte, Bialetti Brikka will get you 9/10. Also the grinder will be a bit less demanding.
Add an induction milk frother (stainless cup) and you're set at a fraction of the cost and maintenance needs of a portafilter machine.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: A Bialetti moka pot does NOT make espresso.  
> **username_3**: Brikka is not the same as Moka!Based on a very narrow definition of espresso it doesn't, on the spectrum of decent espresso, it very much does so. Coffee extracted under pressure, extracting oils and without a paper/cloth element to absorb oils. Produces crema as well with the right beans.  
> **username_2**: Even though the Brikka builds up pressures of up to 6 bar, it cannot be considered espresso. Just "extracted under pressure", "extracting oils", and "produces crema" do not mean it produces espresso, let alone decent one.  
> **username_3**: And pressure profiling can't be considered real™ espresso as well, as the pressure varies... In practice the Brikka tastes closer to a portafilter machine than anything else. Since the question is for the cheapest decent latte, the Brikka fits very well. Any brewing method adjusted for personal taste will beat out most cafés so that fits too. Temperature control can be somewhat achieved and a gauge is indeed missing, but nothings perfect.  
> **username_4**: the Brikka doesn't make crema, it makes coffee foam, just like those pressurized portafilters.  
> **username_3**: No, this is crema, co2 dissolved under pressure and gassing out.  

---

