For lovers of coffee who have years of experience under them and expect the perfect cup, there have been some small things one should remember to get that perfection in the morning.
This article is for users of manual machines, and not those with semi or fully automatic espresso machines.
There are numerous articles online which will take you through all the details of what grind setting to use on which coffee grinder, how much coffee to use in the portafilter, all the way to what pressure to put on your hand when tamping, and even until the temperature that one should keep as to not burn the milk.
However, here are some further tips that have been learned from just having a chat to the local espresso coffee man in the morning and also from trying many ideas at home with the espresso machine.
First and most important tip when making the coffee, is to make sure you remember the grind setting for that particular type of bean.
There is nothing worse than trying to extract the magic 25 secs for a sweeter than usual coffee and not getting the grind setting correct.
This is very easy to get wrong, since there are many factors which can contribute to whether you go with a finer setting or coarser setting.
Humidity in the air can play a big part.
If you are in a tropical region, then this may not be an issue, since it will always stay the same.
However, in a seasonal place, you need to keep this in mind.
If it is humid, then the coffee will tend to absorb more water before it is tamped and extracted.
This denser coffee will cause resistance to the water as it is forced through the coffee.
So to compensate, check that you grind it more coarsely.
One of the things baristas tend to do is not use a thermometer.
There is a mentality that these devices are for newcomers.
However, there is nothing worse than getting my coffee in the morning and it is simply not hot enough.
On numerous occasions I have wanted to return and tell them to get it right, and use a thermometer.
So at home, do not be afraid to use it, and not rely so much on your palm or tips of your fingers.
Remember it is what is in the cup that counts.
Never forget to clean not just the obvious pieces of crockery like the milk jug, espresso machine itself and the portafilters.
People usually blame the coffee bean itself, but on many occasions it should be the grinder that takes the blame.
Be thorough with your cleaning, and not just blow some air through it.
Actually spending the time to take apart your grinder and giving it a good brush can do wonders to the taste of your coffee.
The grinds will be more consistent, and the coffee will not have a harsh after taste due to the leftover coffee from the week before.
This is particularly important for home users, who do not have fresh grinds going through their machine every day.