For many, espresso is a small daily ritual — a moment where aroma, flavor, and intensity meet perfectly in a cup. But can you recreate the perfect espresso at home, just like at the café?

The answer is yes: all it takes is a bit of technique, the right equipment, and above all, attention to detail.
Before explaining the essential rules for preparing a flawless espresso at home, let’s first look at how to recognize a perfect espresso at the café.

How to Recognize a Good Espresso at the Café

When tasting espresso at a café, there are specific signs to help you judge its quality.
A good espresso stands out for its balance: it should not taste too acidic or too bitter, but display a pleasant harmony of sweetness, body, and aromatic intensity.
Each cup may have its nuances, but there should be no strong imbalances.

One of the most iconic elements of Italian espresso is the crema: a dense, uniform layer that covers the surface of the drink.
It’s a natural emulsion produced during extraction, more pronounced in coffees with a higher Robusta content.
The ideal crema is about 2–4 mm thick, dense and persistent (lasting at least 1–2 minutes), with a hazelnut color and darker streaks — a good indicator of correct extraction.

Completing the experience are a strong aroma with roasted notes, a creamy mouthfeel, a serving temperature between 60° and 70°C (140°–158°F), and a quantity between 20 and 30 ml per cup.
Recognizing a well-crafted espresso, even when you’re not at home, is the first step to becoming a true coffee connoisseur.

Now, let’s move on to how to make it properly at home!

Choosing the Right Coffee Blend

Good Extraction Starts with Good Beans

Everything begins with quality coffee. To achieve excellent results, it’s essential to start with a well-balanced blend specifically designed for espresso extraction.

For example, Oro Caffè blends are selected to offer the perfect balance between body, sweetness, and lasting aroma.
Arabica and Robusta beans can be combined to create intense, creamy espressos or elegant, aromatic ones.
A great choice is opting for a single-origin coffee, ideal for a more refined and precise preparation.

Tip: Always prefer whole beans, freshly ground, to maintain the full range of aromas.

Using a Quality Home Espresso Machine

The right espresso machine makes all the difference.
Today, excellent options for home use exist — even with professional portafilters, 9-bar pressure, and precise temperature control.
What matters most is thermal stability and uniform extraction.

Note: A good machine must be maintained regularly — cleaning filters and descaling periodically.

How to Make Perfect Coffee with a Moka Pot

The moka pot is a symbol of Italian tradition and remains one of the most loved methods for making coffee at home.

Making a good coffee with a moka pot requires care, technique, and respect for the process. Here’s how to do it right:

The Right Water, Up to the Valve

Fill the boiler with water up to the valve level, not above it.
The ideal water is light and low in limescale to avoid unpleasant tastes and build-up.
Filtered or bottled water is better than tap water.

Don’t Press the Coffee in the Filter

The ideal dose is 15g of coffee for 3 cups.
Fill the filter to the brim without pressing the grounds. Simply level them gently with the back of a spoon.
Overpressing can block the water flow and burn the coffee.

Medium Heat, Constant Attention

Place the moka pot on a medium flame for slow, controlled extraction.
This phase starts at 70°C (158°F).
It’s crucial to avoid the “volcanic” phase, recognizable by the bubbling sounds at the end.
Final trick: Stir the coffee before serving to harmonize flavors and temperature.

The Right Grind for Espresso

Fine, Uniform Grind

Espresso coffee must be freshly ground with the right consistency.
Too fine, and the result will be bitter and over-extracted; too coarse, and you’ll get a weak, under-extracted espresso.

Golden rule: The ideal extraction time is between 25 and 30 seconds for 25 ml of coffee.
If extraction times vary, adjust the grind accordingly.

How Much Coffee Do You Need for the Perfect Espresso?

The Right Dose: 7–9 Grams

The ideal amount for a single espresso is 7–9 grams of coffee, evenly compressed in the filter.

Tamping (compressing the coffee in the portafilter) should be firm but not excessive.
Proper leveling ensures uniform water flow, resulting in a good crema and balanced extraction.

Tip: Use a scale for precision. Even small variations in dosage can significantly impact the result.

Pay Attention to the Water

Often underestimated, water is crucial for making perfect espresso at home.
The ideal is light mineral or filtered water, with a fixed residue between 75 and 250 mg/l.

Water that’s too hard can alter the taste and damage the machine over time. Water that’s too soft can under-extract the coffee.

The Crema: The Mark of a Well-Made Espresso

You can recognize a good espresso immediately by its crema: it should be compact, hazelnut-colored, and persistent for at least a couple of minutes.
If it’s too light and quickly dissolves, the extraction was likely too fast.
If it’s too dark and bitter, the grind was probably too fine.

The Cup Matters Too

A thick, preheated porcelain cup helps maintain temperature and enhances the espresso’s body.
A cold cup can make the coffee lose intensity, and even the perfect crema can be ruined by contact with cold ceramic.

Experiment to Find Your Perfect Flavor

Every machine is different, and every blend reacts differently.
The only way to find your perfect homemade espresso is to experiment: try different doses, slightly vary the grind, and observe how the cup changes.

Over time, you’ll refine your technique and get closer to that perfect “café-style” espresso.

Making a perfect espresso at home is possible.
With the right tools, a good blend, and a little practice, you can enjoy a coffee-shop-worthy cup every day.

Choose your coffee beans on our shop → shoporocaffe.com
And start making espresso… your little daily masterpiece.