AI-generated portrait of Mara Ellis, a fictional editorial persona

Mara Ellis

Clear choices for your counter, and one small thing to try on your next shot.

Mara is a fictional editorial persona, and her portrait is AI-generated. A good home espresso routine should fit your morning. Mara’s brief is to help you choose the equipment you need, understand what the numbers mean, and change one thing at a time.

Explore 65 guides

Guides by Mara Ellis

65 guides
Coffee grinders and brewing equipment on a café counter

Breville Smart Grinder Pro vs Baratza Encore ESP

Comparison

Compare the BCG820 timer with the Encore ESP cup routine. Check dose weight, exact basket fit and the cost of the items you still need.

A coffee cup and a glass of water on a café table

Americano recipe: measure espresso and hot water

Drink recipe

Make an Americano with two measured shots and hot water. Use a two-cup recipe card to adjust dilution while keeping the espresso yield fixed.

A white cup of coffee in front of a stainless steel espresso machine and grinder

Cappuccino recipe: set espresso, milk, and foam

Drink recipe

Make a repeatable small cappuccino with one espresso shot, 2 ounces of cold milk, and a clear foam layer. Compare texture on the next cup.

Coffee grinders on a café counter

DF54 vs DF64 II: Which Grinder Fits Your Routine?

Comparison

Compare the DF54 and DF64 II by exact revision, purchase cost, and burr needs. Calculate the $170 difference without assuming a taste winner.

A portafilter resting on an espresso machine drip tray

Espresso Puck Screens: Fit, Space, and Cleaning

Equipment

Check puck-screen diameter, thickness, and space above the coffee. Compare two named screens and plan safe handling and cleaning when you shop.

A barista steaming milk beside an espresso machine

How to clean a steam wand safely

Care and cleaning

Follow a model-specific wipe and purge routine. Know when to cool the wand, check a blocked tip, and contact the manufacturer.

Three milk coffees with latte art in white cups

Latte recipe: set espresso, milk, and cup size

Drink recipe

Make a measured home latte with a double espresso, 1/2 cup of cold milk, and an 8-ounce cup. Adjust one milk amount on the next drink.

Espresso pouring into a white cup

Red Eye Coffee: What It Is and How to Order It

Drink recipe

Understand red eye coffee, black eye, and Americano. Check the base, cup size, and added espresso without assuming one caffeine total.

Loose coffee grounds in a portafilter basket beside roasted beans

WDT Tools: What They Do and How to Try One

Equipment

Learn what a WDT tool does before tamping. Use a safe starting sequence and a blank comparison sheet without assuming a universal needle size.

Fingers pressing a wooden-handled tamper down into a steel portafilter basket that rests on the edge of a black tamping mat

Espresso tamper: which size and type to buy

Equipment

Match your tamper to your basket, then decide if a spring-loaded or self-leveling tamper is worth it. See checked prices, Breville force specs, and the math.

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