Contents
  1. For espresso
  2. For filter coffee
  3. Buying an all-in-one?

If you are upgrading from pre-ground coffee or a pod machine, the order you buy in matters as much as what you buy. For most setups, the grinder comes first.

For espresso

  1. Grinder. Non-pressurized baskets depend on a grinder with fine, small steps. Without one, a machine's single-wall baskets are hard to use, and pressurized baskets hide the difference. See grinders.
  2. Machine. Choose by portafilter format (54 or 58 mm), milk needs, and space. See espresso machines.
  3. Scale. 0.1 g, small enough for the drip tray; see scale fit.
  4. Tamper, funnel and WDT tool. Match the tamper and funnel to your basket size; see compatibility.

The exception: if you'll only use pressurized baskets or pre-ground coffee, a grinder matters less. Machines like the Stilosa and Dedica Arte are built around that.

For filter coffee

  1. Grinder with a filter range; a hand grinder is the budget route.
  2. Scale with a timer.
  3. Brewer. Most drippers are inexpensive; see manual brewing.
  4. Kettle. A gooseneck matters most for pour-over; immersion brewers work with any kettle.

Buying an all-in-one?

The Barista Express and its siblings include the grinder, which settles the order for you, but you can't upgrade one part later. A compact machine plus a separate grinder takes about the same width; see compact espresso setups.