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 equivalent of gas station coffee -- caffeinated, yes. Good? No. And, most of the time the sad crema-less concoction is buried under 12 teaspoons of sugar and two cups of steamed milk.

Home coffee and espresso brewing is up. Sales of home coffeemakers in November were reported to have been up 28% since the start of the pandemic. No doubt more folks are pressing the buttons on their automated espresso machines, believing they can replicate not just Starbucks, but Blue Bottle Coffee at home. Maybe the former, certainly not the latter. Do high-end shops like Blue Bottle use super automatic espresso machines? That's a hard no. Do they sell them? Another hard no. Starbucks used to pull shots but switched starting in 2008. Then CEO Howard Shultz spun the move, “It’s an unbelievable tool that will provide us with the highest-quality, consistent shot of espresso that will be second to none.” Looks like that hasn't worked out.

Using quick-fix tools to achieve "good" coffee is a multi-pronged problem. The K Cup and Flavia packets at work and home have convinced legions that speed and quality can easily be achieved. Their incremental improvement over a year-old can of Folgers has been enough for many to buy in to largely closed "razor-and-blade" systems and seek no further enlightenment. Similarly, Nespresso espresso pod lovers are just drinking high-end K Cups. Sorry, but you're not "coffee aficionados," as many have told me. We need a national buy-back program for these overhyped junk machines.

Please, for the sake of your tastebuds, resist the urge to go super automatic, K Cup or pod! There are decent, if not spectacular coffeemakers and modest pump espresso machines that can greatly enrich your coffee and espresso experience. We're all stuck at home right? Now's the time to strive for quality. And, if you don't think espresso mastery is an art and skill worth pursuing, check out this story.

Bottom line: Your fancy super automatic only tells me one thing: you paid too much.