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Death to the Super Automatic Espresso Machine

Getting good at making espresso is like the game Stratego: a minute to learn, a lifetime to master. What Starbucks has done really well is introduce espresso to the masses. What it has also done really well is set an exceedingly low bar for what it should look and taste like. Cue the pandemic and enter the super automatic machines. A super automatic espresso machine is an incredibly expensive purchase that aims to cut out nearly all the effort, and with it the ritualistic joy and learning, that comes with pulling shots. There are myriad factors that affect an espresso's composition -- from the beans (roast, impact of humidity, age, blend/origin) to the grind, the water and how the portafilter is filled and packed. Shots sometimes have to be discarded when dialing in. The temptation is to have a one-touch system, a super automatic. Results vary, but you know who has super automatics: Starbucks. And no serious espresso drinker thinks Starbucks has good espresso. It's the equivale...