Kat's Kitchen

Espresso, the rich and intense coffee that fuels many of our mornings, doesn’t always have to be bought from a café. If you’re wondering how to make this delightful brew in the comfort of your home, here are five tried-and-true methods (plus one bonus method) that’ll have you sipping on homemade espresso drinks in no time.

1. Instant Espresso

AKA the quickest route to espresso at home!

All you need is: instant espresso powder + warm water.

My recommended ratios are as follows:

• Single shot: 1/4 tablespoon instant espresso + 1.25 ounces warm water
• Double shot: 1/2 tablespoon instant espresso + 2.5 ounces warm water
• Triple shot: 3/4 tablespoon instant espresso + 3.75 ounces warm water
• Quad shot: 1 tablespoon instant espresso + 5 ounces warm water

Mix the instant espresso powder with hot water until fully dissolved. This easy and affordable method is perfect for making various espresso-based drinks like lattes, macchiatos, and more.

My favorite instant espresso options:

• Cafe Bustelo Instant Espresso (dark roast)
• Nescafe Gold Instant Espresso (this one is a light/blonde roast so it has a more mild, less bold flavor)

2. Nespresso Machine + Espresso Pods

Got a Nespresso machine at home? Make sure you’re using espresso pods, not the regular coffee pods, for a bolder espresso taste.

Simply place the espresso pod inside the machine, and begin brewing. For a single shot of espresso, use a single shot pod. For a double shot of espresso, use two single shot espresso pods, or use one double shot espresso pod.

Personally, I love my Nespresso VertuoPlus Machine and these are my favorite espresso pods:

• Orafio (single shot pods)
• Double Espresso Dolce (double shot espresso pods)
• Bianco Doppio (double shot espresso pods)
• Double Espresso Chairo (double shot espresso pods)
• Starbucks Blonde Espresso Roast Nespresso Pods (single shot espresso pods)

3. Moka Pot

A Moka Pot is a classic stovetop device that brews espresso effortlessly. For this method, you will need:

• Whole coffee beans and a grinder or ground coffee (See my favorite espresso/ground coffee options here)
• Moka pot
• Water
• Burner/stove

How to make espresso using a Moka Pot:

1. Fill the Moka pot base with water until just below the safety valve.
2. Add 16-18 grams of coffee grounds to the filter funnel.
3. Tighten the top back onto the base, and place the entire Moka pot onto the stove/burner over medium heat. The espresso will start brewing upwards and falling into the inside chamber. Once it starts bubbling, remove from heat and pour into a cup.

This affordable method is perfect for espresso enthusiasts looking for a traditional brew.

My favorite coffees to use for a moka pot include:

4. Aeropress

Think of an Aeropress as a manual espresso maker. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Whole coffee beans and a grinder or ground coffee (See my favorite espresso/ground coffee options here)
• Coffee/food scale
• Hot water (I like to use a kettle)
• Aeropress ($30-40 on Amazon)
• Cup/mug

How to make espresso:

1. Weigh out 18-19 grams of beans and grind to a fine powder.
2. Flip the aeropress upside down – place the plunger piece down and press the chamber piece down about halfway.
3. Add coffee grounds and 90 grams of hot water to the Aeropress. Give the grounds a stir, then screw on the filter, add a cup/mug to the top and gently flip the entire aeropress over.
4. Give the entire Aeropress and mug a swirl, then let it brew for 60-90 seconds.
5. Plunge slowly until you hear a hissing sound, and voila! Espresso ready to use in your favorite drinks.

My favorite coffees to use for an aeropress include:

5. Espresso Machine

For those looking to invest and get the most authentic espresso experience, this method will give you amazing, coffee shop level espresso at home. See my list of espresso machine recommendations HERE.

How to make espresso:

1. Add water to water reservoir and turn on the machine.
2. Weigh out 18 grams of beans on your coffee scale then add the beans to the hopper.
3. Double check you’re using the correct basket inside your portafilter – since I’m grinding beans fresh, I need to use the single wall double shot basket.
4. Screw dosing funnel onto portafilter and grind the beans until you hear the screeching sound (indicating there’s no beans left in the hopper). You could also program your machine to give you a set amount of grounds each time. See my video HERE on how to program your machine to do this.
5. Set portafilter down flat on the counter, and use an espresso stirrer to stir the grounds. Make sure you get the edges and bottom of the portafilter, and break up any clumps/air pockets in the grounds.
6. Give the portafilter a lil love tap, and remove the dosing funnel.
7. Use a distributor tool to distribute the grounds evenly, then flip the tool over to tamp the grounds. The grounds should be compact enough for water to flow through, too tight and you’ll build up too much pressure.
8. Once evenly tamped, lock portafilter into the machine, and press the DOUBLE shot button.

Things to watch for:

• Espresso comes out both spouts at the same time (if not, you most likely have air pockets/uneven distribution and you need to distribute/stir/tamp better). If you’re using a bottomless portafilter with no spouts, check that the espresso is coming out in a single stream. You shouldn’t have two streams or any dripping from other areas.
• Pressure gauge should be within espresso range (if not, adjust grind size or amount of beans). If pressure is below espresso range, grind finer. If pressure is above espresso range, grind coarser.
• Extraction time should be 20-30 seconds (if not, adjust grind size), use a coffee scale with a timer. If extraction time is below 20 seconds, grind finer. If extraction time is longer than 30 seconds, grind coarser.

For a single shot, the process is the exact same, BUT you need to use the single wall SINGLE SHOT basket, and use 9 grams instead of 18, then make sure you press the SINGLE SHOT button, not the double shot button.

My favorite coffees to use for an espresso machine include:

BONUS: KEURIG ESPRESSO OPTION

I know many of the newer Keurig machines have a SHOT option now to make espresso based beverages. While the coffee that comes out of this function looks and tastes quite different from actual, true espresso, I think it’s worth mentioning as a fairly decent option for espresso at home. I do think you need MUCH LESS milk if you’re using the espresso shot function, but it definitely could be a great option for making espresso based drinks at home.

What you’ll need:

• Keurig with a SHOT option
• Kpods (ideally a medium or dark roast)

How to make espresso using a Keurig:

Add a kpod to your Keurig machine and select the SHOT option. You’ll get about 4 ounces of liquid. I recommend doing a 1:1 ratio of espresso to milk for your lattes. For a larger latte, brew another kpod using the SHOT option and then add another 4 ounces of milk until you reach your desired size latte.

Conclusion:

With these five methods (plus one bonus method) at your disposal, you can make all of your favorite coffee shop espresso based drinks! Whether you prefer the convenience of instant or the authenticity of a machine, there’s a method here for every coffee lover. Happy brewing!