# Needing advice / recommendations on an espresso machine.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-advice-recommendations-on-an-espresso-machine/745784>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 11, 2016, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-advice-recommendations-on-an-espresso-machine/745784 "2016-02-11T01:15:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needing-advice-recommendations-on-an-espresso-machine/745784/1 "2016-02-11T01:15:42Z")

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I’m in the market for an espresso machine. I know there some espresso snobs here on the boards (looking at you, **QtM** ), so I’m hoping I can get some advice.

The first one I’m looking at is [this thing](https://www.wholelattelove.com/products/rok-espresso-maker-90c0135d-87a0-4388-b4a3-915ca447c615), a Rok manual espresso maker. The basic temperature and pressure variables are human-controlled (unlike, say a steam-powered electric machine), so it seems like a reasonable alternative to the sub-$300 electric machines. America’s Test Kitchen liked it, so there’s something at least.

The other options are something like [this](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004NTBLR0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=594HXCYC4CCI&coliid=IRNV2KEQSORBZ) or [this](http://www.amazon.com/DeLonghi-EC680-Dedica-Espresso-Machine/dp/B00KA8YC6A/ref=sr_1_8?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1455153239&sr=1-8&keywords=delonghi). I like the look of the DeLonghi but it’s the most expensive of the bunch. I’m not sure if there is a functional difference between the two electric models.

So what does the dope recommend? What else do I need to be aware of, watch out for, or make sure is incorporated into the machine?