Hi, all!

I basically only drink Americanos when I am out. I quite enjoy
Starbucks's Americano, and I've also had them at many local joints and
have been doubly pleased with the taste of the result.

However, as most of you probably already have, I've begun to add up the
Starbucks and coffee-house bills with shock. I think I want to try to
reproduce (well, as closely as possible) a coffee house Americano at
home.

I don't necessarily need the very best in terms of milk frothers, etc.
I really just want a machine capable of producing good espresso for use
in an Americano.
I would probably use it daily, so quality is probably pretty important.
However, price is also a great obstacle!

Is there any coffee maker (they tend to be a bit cheaper than espresso
machines and the like) that is capable of making good espresso? Or
perhaps a french press?

I am open to any and all suggestions.

Also: what brand of espresso makes the best? Illy? LaVazza?
I just ordered some espresso from Intelligentsia Coffee here in
Chicago, which is reputed to have the very best coffee anywhere.
Perhaps that shall be the answer to my question.

Thanks so much!

"Hannah" > wrote in message

> I really just want a machine capable of producing good >espresso for use
> in an Americano.

For Americanos you will need an Espresso pump machine.
Good quality and value for money, I would suggest Gaggia. You haven't
mentioned budget but at $300 the Gaggia Coffee will do the job.
Here's a revue :
http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/co...coffee/aprince
The bright shiney version (the DeLuxe) costs +$50.

> Is there any coffee maker (they tend to be a bit cheaper than >espresso
> machines and the like) that is capable of making good >espresso? Or
> perhaps a french press?
>
French press is a heck of a lot cheaper, but you won't get espresso,
americanos, latte, cappas etc, out of one, see :-
http://home.howstuffworks.com/espresso.htm -wizz thru to page 6 or 7 for
definitions.

> I am open to any and all suggestions.
>
> Also: what brand of espresso makes the best? Illy? LaVazza?
> I just ordered some espresso from Intelligentsia Coffee here in
> Chicago, which is reputed to have the very best coffee anywhere.

Stick with Intelligentsia, it's good and fresh and they use it at CoffeeGeek
to benchtest the various machines.
BTW you may need to feeback on your max budget, this would help.

Pete