How to work an espresso machine, step by step

What the machine does

An espresso machine works by "forcing heated, pressurized water through a small, compressed cake" of ground coffee. ³

The coffee sits in a metal handle called the portafilter. It locks into the group head, which Wikipedia calls "the receiver for the removable portafilter." ³

The steps below are for a semi-automatic machine, where you grind, dose and tamp yourself. They follow Gaggia's and Breville's own pages. We haven't used these machines, and buttons and lights differ by model, so your manual comes first. No machine at all? Making espresso without a machine covers manual options. Not sure which type you own? Our guide to the types of home espresso machine explains the differences.

Step 1: Warm the machine up

Switch on and wait. Gaggia's page for the Classic E24 says "Turn on the machine a few minutes before using it, so it can heat properly and get ready to use." ¹

On the Classic E24, "The temperature light is steady: the machine is ready to use." ¹ Check what your own lights mean.

Step 2: Dose and tamp

Dosing means putting ground coffee in the basket. Tamping means pressing it flat with a tamper.

Gaggia's steps say to "Dispense a bit of water, remove the filter-holder and fill it with ground coffee using the doser." ¹ Then comes the press. "Tamp for a few seconds by applying a constant and even pressure." ¹

Breville's blog adds two tips. Tamp the espresso "straight down (without any tilting)." And "Don't tap it after tamping." ²

The coffee matters here too. Our guide to espresso beans and what the label means covers the beans. What makes a grinder for espresso different covers the grind.

Step 3: Lock in and brew

Gaggia's steps are short. "Lock the filter-holder in the group and press the coffee button to start the brewing process." ¹ To finish, "When you get the desidered in-cup quantity, press the coffee button once again to stop the brewing process." ¹

Buttons and stopping differ by machine, so follow your own manual for this step.

If the shot comes out too fast or too slow

Breville's blog says "Espresso shots flowing too fast or too slow out of the portafilter is likely due to the wrong espresso grind size." ²

Its advice: "If they're coming out too fast, try using a finer grind setting." ² For slow shots, "it may be that the grind is too fine or that the dose is too high." ²

Change one thing at a time. That way you know which change helped.

If your machine is a super-automatic

A super-automatic works differently from the machines above. Wikipedia says "a shot of espresso may be produced by a single touch from the user." ³

If you own one, follow your manual instead of the steps above. Our explainer on super-automatic machines covers how they differ.

Milk is the next skill. Our beginner's guide to latte art covers what comes after the shot. For a Breville, see our Breville descaling walkthrough to keep it running.