When it comes to espresso, there's a common belief: to get the best cup, you need the best (often most expensive) equipment. But is that really the case? We took a close look at IMUSA 4 Cup Espresso/Cappuccino Maker (Amazon Affiliate), priced under $40 to answer this pressing question.
This Machine is a budget-friendly espresso alternative to pricier options. It has a single boiler which provides both espresso and steam, a portafilter, and a glass carafe suitable for capturing brews. It's very lightweight and easy to use but it lacks a grounds tamper, an accessory that is normally included (tampers are used to distribute and compress the coffee bed to promote an even flow of water during extraction). For this test, we used a spare tamper from another machine to aid with the coffee bed preparation.
The Setup: Because this espresso machine relies on a single boiler for both coffee and steam, it uses a valve to switch between the two functions. We measured out 18 grams of coffee (the standard dose for espresso) and filled the reservoir with enough water to produce a 36-40 grams of espresso, plus a little extra for steaming milk. While there are markings on its carafe, using them as a guide for water dosing will produce something closer to brewed coffee rather than espresso (a double-shot of espresso is 40 grams or ~ 2oz - far less than the indicators on the carafe.
Brewing: As we began brewing, the machine produced a richly aromatic espresso with a pleasing color. Once we achieved a double shot, we switched the machine over to steaming mode to test that out too. The steam valve itself is nearly full-on/full-off, so we found that modulating the flow to be challenging. Nonetheless, it had plenty of steam power, enabling the creation of milk foam suitable for cappuccinos.
The Taste Test: While the espresso was somewhat lacking in crema, the aroma was enticing. We tasted no astringency with a balance of sweet and bitter flavors that we're familiar with in this coffee. We did note that drink temperature wasn't the hottest (pre-warming the portafilter and carafe with hot water prior to brewing would likely remedy this), but our verdict from our taste test was clear: pleasantly surprising and more than satisfactory for its price.
The Verdict: More expensive machines do indeed make the process more convenient and easier to produce consistently great drinks. But with fresh specialty coffee and a little practice, this sub-$40 espresso machine can produce a commendable cup of espresso. It might not be first choice for coffee extremists aiming for perfection, but for those looking to get started with espresso drinks without breaking the bank, this is a suitable option.
| Pros (+) | Cons (-) |
| Price | No Tamper |
| Warm-up Time | Just One Drink at a time |
| Ease of Use | Producing micro-foam for Latte-Art would be a challenge |
| Sufficient Steam for Cappuccinos |
Final Thoughts: In the world of coffee, where equipment can run up into the tens of thousands of dollars, it’s refreshing to know that you can pull decent espresso shots out of an inexpensive espresso machine.
Watch Steve try out the IMUSA Espresso Maker (Amazon Affiliate Link) here: