If you're a coffee lover, a great espresso machine is no doubt near the top of your wish list. With a good machine and some skills as a barista, you'll never have to go out for your latte or espresso again. But what should you look for when choosing an espresso coffee machine? In this article we look at some important considerations.

Steam or Pump?

Steam-powered, super-automatic espresso machines are the cheaper option and make coffee quicker. For people who enjoy milky coffees and who aren't particularly interested in bringing out the nuance of every single bean, this is probably the best choice.  They are certainly the most common type of machine available.

But coffee purists may prefer a semi-automatic pump machine, which brings more pressure on to the coffee than a steam-driven machine. Applying water at the right temperature with the perfect amount of pressure will produce the best-quality espresso. However, if you use a pump machine it will take longer to brew your coffee.

Features You May Want

A frothing wand is an important espresso machine feature for anyone who loves milky coffee. This allows you to warm up and froth your milk using pressurised steam from inside the canister.

A cup warmer is a flat metal surface on top of the coffee machine. As the water inside your espresso maker heats up, so does the metal, meaning that you can warm your cups on top. This is important, as using a cold cup for espresso coffee is not ideal.

Pre-moistening cycles moisten ground coffee before the pressurised hot water is applied. This can improve the taste of the brew.

If dealing with coffee grounds is an issue (in an office kitchen espresso maker, for instance) and integrated bean grinder is a good solution. This grinds the beans for each brew and automatically packs the espresso shot, before dumping it in an internal bin. Alternatively, you could buy an espresso machine that is compatible with pre-packed espresso pods.

Other Considerations

Wattage and water capacity are also important to consider. Generally speaking, espresso machines with more wattage are considered to be higher quality, as they can heat the water more quickly and thus brew the espresso at a rapid pace. Machines with an integrated grinder will require a higher wattage.

Brewing components are another consideration. Brass is the most prized type of component among coffee aficionados as it conducts and holds heat well, but stainless steel is also a good option. Aluminium components are used in cheaper machines.

There's a huge range of coffee machines out there, so make sure you shop around for a good buy. But if you really do love your espresso and you're going to be making coffees every day, do consider going for a model that will do your coffee obsession justice.