Does the cost of espresso equipment correlate with brewing experience?

Question

I am thinking of acquiring more high end espresso machines. Does the barista’s ability to brew vary with the price of the equipment?

Answer 1

Provided survey data indicates a relationship between the price of espresso equipment and the experience of a practicing barista. In most cases, equipment is least expensive at the commencement of someone's coffee journey, followed for the next five years by a steep rise in the level of expenditure, followed thereafter by a gradual flattening of the curve.

Comments

My dad has made espresso for 10 years, he has a really great setup with a mazzer grinder and a rocket giotto evoluzione r. I have just gotten into espresso in the last year. He made fun of me when i used a scale to measure coffee input/output, and said he had never used that. When i got home to my dad and used his machine his grinder timer was set for 13 grams in his 18 gram basket, he ground to coarse and the ratio was of course way off. He had also never backflushed his machine because he thought the basket coudn't come off... I have now dailed in his grinder, cleaned his machine, and have used the last few presents over the year to get him to  make better espresso. He has returned the favour and gotten me a Rocket Fausto Chrome for my 23 birthday, so im very happy:))

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At my age, 57, my kids are grown and i can now use my disposable income on better equipment.
ALSO. My generation was raised on diner coffee.

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Next time you should put in an option to talk about if the equipment is second hand. I have a gaggia classic and a mazzer super jolly and I've paid less than £300 for the whole set-up. If I were to put the retail value into your survey that would be over a grand! I've not personally spent that much but it's not as helpful if you're trying to deduce the kind of machine I'm using from that question.

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I have multiple espresso machines and got a respect from James . I actually found it hard to answer the dose, beverage weight and time. For me, I change so often depending on the coffee, roast level and if using milk or not.

Thanks for the insights!!

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I bought my first espresso set up when I was 23. A simple little heat-pressure based device and a blade grinder. I would shake the grinder and run a dose (to where the metal bowl met the plastic) for a minute. Then brew until the discharge changed from dark to light. Used that set up for about 10 years. I have a friend who still uses his OG Silvia he got in '97 and it blew me away. Post married with children I "upgraded" to a dual setup espresso\drip machine. A few years later a Cuisinart pump machine and a Cuisinart flat burr grinder . Method changed to fill the basket and smash the puck. in 2019 I got a Calphalon TempIQ, so fancy but ultimately a POS. Somewhere in there I discovered the coffee messiah and bought a scale accurate to 1/100g and  KitchenAid conical burr. This is when I started weighing beans and espresso. A couple of years ago I finally got a lovingly used Silvia v3 and Rocky, which I converted to single dose. Now in my 34th year of making espresso I do 18\36 in 25-30 and know the only reasons I put up with crap espresso for so long were growing up in a house with Mr. Coffee & "French Market", plus... American. I still buy 2 kilo\pound bags because $$$. Many thanks to Mr. Hoffman for showing me the light.

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Only 16% under $200 on a grinder? I can guarantee this survey is comprised of the most enthusiasts

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I’d love to see content that dives into a 'Guide to Coffee,' specifically covering different budget levels for building a complete coffee setup. For example, breaking it down into entry-level, mid-range, high-end, and premium setups—starting with the essentials like an espresso machine, grinder, and scales. It would be awesome if you could explain what to expect at each level and which upgrades make the most difference as you move up. It would be good to talk about what equipment you might see in the US vs the UK for the budgets.

For the entry-level setup, you could talk about what’s achievable with a basic machine and grinder, and if someone’s looking to push their budget a bit, what’s the first piece of equipment they should upgrade (like maybe a better grinder or machine with PID control) and why it matters. Then, repeat this for mid-range and high-end setups, highlighting what you may expect to achieve as you move up in budget.

It would also be cool to hear how different beans and roast levels pair with the equipment as you go up in budget if such an item exists. For instance, how entry-level machines might be better suited to medium-dark roasts and how higher-end setups can handle more complex or light roasts. Additionally, you've done a Tom Scott content of how to find a coffee that works for him, it would be great to incorporate that, or even split that out and how we can maximise our taste profile and thus enjoyment for coffee.