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Do you need a grinder? Probably, yes
Updated
Three of our five picks have no grinder. They will make a drink from pre-ground coffee, but the results have a ceiling. Espresso needs a very fine, even grind that you can adjust in small steps, and ground coffee goes stale fast. Plan for a grinder from the start, either built in or separate.
Two kinds of basket
| Pressurized (dual wall) | Non-pressurized (single wall) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | The basket has one tiny exit hole that builds pressure for you | The coffee puck itself builds the pressure |
| Works with pre-ground coffee | Yes | Poorly. The shot runs fast and thin |
| Forgiving of mistakes | Yes | No. Grind and dose must be right |
| Best possible taste | Good, with foam that looks like crema | Better, with real body and sweetness |
The Breville Barista Express and Breville Bambino listings say both types come in the box. The CASABREWS CM5418 and De'Longhi Stilosa listings do not say which type they include. Both are listed for ground coffee, and budget machines sold for pre-ground coffee usually ship with pressurized baskets. Check the listing's question section or the manual if this matters to you.
Built-in grinder or separate?
- Built in saves space and money up front, and there is one less thing to choose. The Barista Express and the Ninja Luxe Cafe Premier both have conical burr grinders. The downside: if the grinder fails, the whole machine is out of action. Some Ninja owners report grinder trouble over time.
- Separate lets you upgrade one piece at a time, and a failure in one does not stop the other. It takes more counter space. Make sure any grinder you buy is sold for espresso. Many cheap grinders cannot grind fine enough or adjust in small enough steps. Blade grinders will not work. We list three that are sold for espresso in our espresso grinder picks.
If you stay with pre-ground coffee
- Use the pressurized basket.
- Buy coffee labeled as an espresso grind, in small bags, and close the bag tight.
- Expect a pleasant drink, especially with milk. Do not expect to fix a sour or bitter shot, because you cannot change the grind.
Basket size matters for upgrades
The two Breville picks use a 54mm portafilter. The CASABREWS uses 51mm. Tampers and baskets must match the size, and common sizes have more choices.
Descaling and cleaning
Minerals in water build up inside any espresso machine and slowly choke it. Several owner complaints about machines that "stopped working" across this category may trace back to scale, though we cannot know that for any one report. Use filtered water if your tap water is hard, and descale on the schedule in the manual, with the descaler the maker names. The Bambino and the Ninja listings include descaling powder in the box. The Barista Express includes a water filter, cleaning disc and tablets.