Questions and Answers About Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines

The short answers

What is a semi-automatic espresso machine?

A semi-automatic espresso machine is a pump-driven espresso machine in which you grind, dose and tamp the coffee yourself and start and stop the shot, while the machine supplies the water pressure and temperature. Models with programmed shot buttons are still sold as semi-automatic. The full picture is in our comparison of semi-automatic and super-automatic machines.

Is 20 bar better than 15 bar?

No. The 15 or 20 bar on the box is what the pump can reach. Espresso is brewed at about 9 bar. Read 15 bar vs 20 bar for what the standard and the makers say.

Is a machine with a built-in grinder cheaper?

Not automatically. At full price the separate pair is cheaper; on sale they cost the same. Check both on the day. Built-in or separate covers the upgrade question as well.

Do I need a dual boiler?

Only if you make several milk drinks in a row and the wait bothers you. A single boiler takes turns between brewing and steaming, and a dual boiler does both at once. The dual boiler guide also explains why some budget titles deserve a second look.

What is a good first espresso recipe?

Breville's guide starts from 18 to 22 g of coffee at a 1:2 ratio in 25 to 30 seconds, and says 20 to 40 seconds can taste good. A good first recipe, not a standard. Italy's certified espresso is 7 g to 25 ml. Start with the dial-in guide.

My shot is sour. Should I grind finer?

First step, yes. If you are already very fine and it stays sour, go coarser. Change one thing at a time, and write down what you changed.

How hard should I tamp?

Press until the coffee stops compressing, and keep it level. Force above that adds nothing measurable in the one test we found. We found no standards document behind the popular pound figures.

What is a flat white?

Less milk than a latte and a thin layer of microfoam. Shot type and size differ by café, and we found no standards body that defines it. Flat white vs latte has the details.

Does more crema mean better espresso?

No. Crema shows CO2, so freshness and roast. It says little about flavor.

Which machine should a beginner buy?

For one box, the Barista Express. To choose your grinder yourself, the Bambino. The beginner guide goes through what to buy first and in which order, and the full comparison puts every pick side by side.

Short answers first. The sources are on the linked pages.

All guides that answer a question

Is your question missing?

We add to this overview regularly, and new guides appear in the list above as soon as they are published. How our answers come about and which sources we use is explained under how we compare. Terms you do not know are explained in the glossary.