La Pavoni created the first espresso machine for home use, and their expertise remains unparalleled. The Expo 2015 builds on their iconic modern design, and the inner mechanisms have remained virtually unchanged for decades – because it simply works so well, pulling divine shots of espresso every time. The word ‘pull’ is literal here: The lever mechanism provides the pressure needed to extract coffee, and how you pull – as well as the size, dose and freshness of the coffee grounds – are variables you can calibrate to make espresso to your taste. The process is simple: Turn the machine on, prepare coffee in the portafilter, attach, lift, and pull down. But it takes some practice to get right, which is why we put together this comprehensive guide. It’s 100% worth the effort, because this machine lasts forever.

If you're serious about coffee, especially espresso, a top-quality coffee grinder like the La Pavoni Cilindro Prosumer is key. It features a hopper on the top that holds up to 600g of coffee beans and an anti-slip base, but its crowning feature is the flat hardened steel burrs. This results in a very uniform grind that is crucial for good espresso. With a powerful 50mm burr diameter and a speed of about 1.4 grams a second, it is an efficient machine.