Stove top espresso maker

I prefer the taste of espresso, so instead of wasting money on a fancy machine, I purchased a basic Italian style stove top espresso maker.

It is basic engineering with 2 main parts. It creates the same quality espresso you would get from one of those big complicated machines, but at a fraction of the price. You can buy these for as cheap as $15 online, or at somewhere like Cost Plus World Market, which imports them at low prices also. The brand I have, called Biatelli, was purchased for slightly more, around $25, at a cafe.

Make sure to give it a good scrub, especially where the water is stored, in order to keep it well maintained and clean for next use. Also, keep the handle away from gas or element to prevent it from melting, I usually push the espresso maker towards one side of the element, with the handle hanging to the side of the element.

I have used this method of coffee making for 6 years and have no problem. The amount of cups it makes depends on the size of the maker you buy.

Sometimes, I also drink coffee that I make from my french press. The brand I have is called Bonjour. This can also be purchased online for cheap. I would not recommend drip coffee makers because they are harder to clean, they are more expensive and they take up more space.