How to Make Espresso for One Person

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It’s a lonely life making espresso for one person – or is it?  I guess it all depends on one’s own perspective.

But if you find yourself wanting to make a single shot of espresso – for whatever reason – you are not alone.

And don’t try to make it using a coffee maker – it does not work!    You need an espresso maker and I’ll go over that below.

Espresso makers come in a variety of sizes and shapes.   But they can be broken down into two big categories.

1 – Espresso machines. These are the big things that sit on your kitchen counter.  They don’t fold up, disassemble or anything like that.

These babies are here to stick around and make their presence known.  But they can make a single shot of espresso – which is enough for 1 person.

Downside – these can cost a lot of money – which many consider a great investment.   However, some brands like DeLonghi have smaller machines which are reasonable in price.  So I wouldn’t rule these out.

Upside – the quality of the espresso is generally very good and rich.

2 – Stovetop espresso makers. These are very convenient as they can be neatly tucked away when not in use.   You use them right on the stovetop to make the espresso – which is really great when kitchen space is limited.

These too are offered in different sizes and price ranges from the cheap aluminum Bialetti Moka Express 1-Cup to the high end Alessi 9090 (my personal favorite – read my Alessi 9090 full review here).

These are offered in 1 cup sizes.   1 cup is usually 1.5 ounces.  You can buy espresso pots/makers which are either 1 cup, 2 cup – even up to 8 cup.

I would recommend 2 cup, that way you can easily go back for seconds.

Downside – not too many here.  But if you get the aluminum ones, you’ll be replacing them within a year or so – especially if you use any detergent when cleaning them.   Try to aim for stainless steel, as these can be put right into the dishwasher without any problems.

However, even with stainless steel – take my advice and don’t go with the cheapest.   You want a good quality grade espresso maker that you can trust and which will also last a long time.

Check out these here at Amazon and you can decide which one best fits your budget and purpose.

Best of luck!

Liz

Simple Italian Cooking

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