What’s the one thing most home baristas overlook that can make or break your espresso? One thing that saved my coffee years ago was learning how to test my water. I had spent months adjusting grind size, changing beans, even questioning my espresso machine. But nothing seemed to fix that dull, sometimes bitter shot. Well,…
Ever dialed in everything… and your espresso still tasted off? When I got my brand new Barista espresso machine, I was pumped. It looked gorgeous on my counter like a mini café setup just for me. But the taste? Total letdown. I mean, the beans were freshly roasted, my grinder was calibrated, the tamp was…
Ever tried tamping espresso with a shot glass or a jar lid? About a week ago, I was cleaning out my kitchen drawer and found the old “tamper” I made when I first got into home espresso. Just a stack of coins wrapped in a paper towel held together with a bottle cap. I actually…
Is your Nespresso machine sounding more like a blender than a coffee maker? I always say this on Coffee Voilà: I’m more of an espresso machine or pour-over kind of person. But let’s be real, sometimes during summer or on those lazy mornings, I’ll grab my Nespresso machine because it’s just so easy. However, one…
Ever wondered why your coffee sometimes tastes like brown water, even when you swear you did everything the same? Back in the old days before I even owned my Barista Express, my go-to was my old, beat-up Moka Pot. I loved that thing. But I started noticing something odd. Some mornings, the brew came out…
Tired of sipping a cup of Nespresso that tastes more like burnt toast than smooth espresso? Well, last summer I started using my Nespresso machine a lot more. Partly because I was too lazy to pull out my full espresso setup. At first, I loved how quick and mess-free it was. But after a couple…
Ever press the brew button and nothing happens? I gotta admit, I was never a big Nespresso person. I’ve always leaned more toward my Barista Express or a slow Hario V60 when I had the time. But last summer? Man, the heat had me feeling lazy and all I wanted was to press a button…
Feeling wired after your morning coffee, then totally drained by mid-afternoon? Yeah, I’ve been there. I’ve always loved coffee, maybe a little too much if we’re being honest. But something weird started happening: I’d feel alert for a while, then crash hard after lunch. Like that classic drowsy fog where you just want to lie…
Is servicing your espresso machine really just about calling in a tech? That’s what many folks think including me, at first. But after chatting with a few of my coffee shop owner friends, I realized there’s way more to it. They told me that most of the real “servicing” happens daily. For instance, simple tasks…
Ever feel overwhelmed trying to pick the right commercial espresso machine for your café? I’ve got two friends who own coffee shops. One runs a cozy, slower-paced spot with a loyal morning crowd, and the other? He’s pulling shots non-stop from open to close. We sat down over coffee (naturally), and they both shared what…