Fellow · Coffee & Espresso
Ode Gen 2 Flat Burr Grinder
Upgrade the grinder before the machine. Everyone learns this backwards.
$250–$500
Shop Now →The Boyfriend Coffee Obsession · /home-espresso-setup/
The Boyfriend Coffee Obsession: a home espresso setup that ends the rabbit hole
Every man who gets into espresso buys three machines. The first is too cheap, the second is a compromise, and the third is the one he should have bought. This page skips to the third.
The other thing everyone learns backwards: the grinder matters more than the brewer. A thousand-dollar machine fed by a blade grinder makes worse coffee than a modest machine fed by good burrs. If you can only buy one, buy the grinder.
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Buy the grinder first
Sixty-four millimetre flat burrs, single dose, quiet enough to run before anyone else is awake.
Then the machine
Dual boilers so he can pull and steam at once. PID so the temperature is actually the temperature. Italian-built, rebuildable, and the last one he buys.
Rocket Espresso · Coffee & Espresso
R58 Cinquantotto Espresso Machine
Dual boiler, PID, Italian-built. The end of the espresso rabbit hole.
$1,000+
Shop the Look →
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Espresso Setup FAQ
What is the best home espresso machine?
For someone who is serious and buying once, a dual boiler with PID temperature control like the Rocket R58 Cinquantotto. Dual boilers let him pull a shot and steam milk simultaneously, which is the difference between making one flat white and making four.
Should I buy the machine or the grinder first?
The grinder. Grind consistency has more effect on the cup than any other variable, and a good grinder improves every brewing method he owns, not just espresso.
What is single dosing?
Weighing out beans per shot instead of keeping a full hopper. It means fresher coffee, no stale retention, and the ability to switch beans without wasting any. The Fellow Ode Gen 2 is built around it.