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ESPRESSO MACHINES & TOOLS

An espresso machine is a temperature and pressure problem dressed in chrome. Once you understand the boiler, the grouphead, and the puck, the rest is recipe.

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Espresso

Anatomy of an espresso machine

Boiler · pump · grouphead · steam wand

Water from a tank or plumb-in is heated in a boiler, pushed by a pump to ~9 bar, and forced through a grouphead — a saturated brass block that keeps temperature steady. The portafilter locks into the grouphead, holding a basket of coffee. A separate (or shared) boiler makes steam for milk. PID controllers hold temperature within ±0.5°C — invisible from the outside, decisive in the cup.