Starter Kit: What Does a Home Barista Need?
As a home barista, you probably don't work in a café or restaurant, but at home in your free time, you're passionate about the art of making coffee.
Home baristas are secret perfectionists who aren’t satisfied with a fully automatic machine. They need control and a challenge—exactly what you get when you perfectly adjust the water pressure, brewing temperature, extraction time, and grind size to suit the specific beans you’re using.
Every home barista is motivated by a well-balanced flavor—not too bitter, not too acidic—and the aesthetic appeal of the crema and milk foam, so that simply looking at the barista’s masterpiece is a pleasure in itself.
To make sure all home baristas are fully equipped, Espresso Perfetto has put together two kits for you.
Kit No. 1: Starter Kit for Beginner Home Baristas
Kit No. 2: Kit for Expert Home Baristas
Starter Kit for Beginner Baristas
This kit is designed to let you make espresso and other coffee drinks in just a few simple steps, while enjoying true barista-quality coffee just like at a café. It’s not about a lot of bells and whistles—practicality and ease of use are the top priorities.
Equipment: Portafilter machine, coffee grinder, tamper station, and more for beginner baristas
At the beginning, it’s all about experimenting and ease of use. Since you don’t yet know where your hobby will take you, it’s usually important that the price range isn’t too high. And who hasn’t been there? Every beginning is hard—you make mistakes. That’s why the recommended devices should, of course, be forgiving of mistakes.
Beginner-Friendly Portafilter Machines
When it comes to portafilter machines —and yes, we’re starting out in this business with a portafilter machine rather than a fully automatic machine, because you want to call yourself a barista—we especially recommend these three models for beginners:
| Profitec | Izzo "Espresso Perfetto" Leo | ECM Classika II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advantages | Very short heat-up time & adjustable brewing pressure | Sturdy and durable | Stable temperature control & uniform extraction |
| PID Control | Yes | No | Yes |
| Features | Single-circuit machine with ring-shaped brewing unit, ECO mode, cleaning reminder | Insulated Stainless Steel Boiler, No-Burn Steam & Hot Water Lances | Single-circuit machine with E61 brew group, stainless steel boiler, and vibration pump |
| Design | Compact & Modern | Classic Design | Classic Design |
| Water Tank Capacity | 2,8 l | 2,5 l | 2,8 l |
* Savings compared to the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP).
Coffee Grinders – The Best Choice for Beginners
The coffee grinders that Espresso Perfetto recommends for aspiring baristas stand out for their high grind quality, ease of use, and consistent grind results. Based on these features, we’ve compiled a table of our top picks for beginners:
| Eureka Mignon Specialita | Macap Leo 55 Manuals | Rancilio STYLES | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advantages | Very easy to use, quiet, compact, two dosage settings, touchscreen display, timer function | High precision, durable, compact | Compact, two dosage options, programmable, “hands-free” fork |
| Grinding discs | Disc grinder with stepless adjustment | Hardened steel disc grinder | Hardened steel disc grinder |
| Bean container | 300 g | 250 g | 300 g |
* Savings compared to the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) or, in the case of "Instead of" prices, compared to our previous price.
Kit for Home Barista Experts
This kit for home barista experts is perfect for true espresso enthusiasts who don't want to leave anything to chance. It offers plenty of opportunities to experiment, though these require in-depth professional knowledge.
Portafilter Machines for Expert Baristas
Portafilter machines for advanced hobby baristas no longer help prevent mistakes; instead, they provide additional control.
Experienced home baristas want to adjust their settings specifically for different roasts while achieving maximum consistency.
That is why the ECM Synchronika II, the Profitec Pro 700 Drive, and the Rocket Giotto R are often considered machines that people no longer buy “to learn,” but rather “to perfect their skills.”
Here are our top three portafilter machines for true barista experts:
| ECM Synchronica II | Profitec Pro700 Drive | Rocket Giotto R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advantages | High temperature stability, cleaning reminder | Programmable Pre-infusion, Fast Heat-up, Flow Control | Extremely quiet, constant pressure |
| PID Control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Features | Dual boiler, rotary pump, OLED display, fresh water tank, tilt valve technology, " ECM" brew group, cup warmer | Dual boiler, rotary pump, OLED display, standby mode, lever control, removable water tank | Rotary pump, optional fixed water connection, FAST brewing unit, standby mode, dual-circuit system |
| Design | Classic | Modern | Distinctive |
| Water Tank Capacity | 2,8 l | 2,8 l | 2,5 l |
* Savings compared to our previous price.
Coffee Grinders for Experienced Home Baristas
Precision, consistency, and control are the three magic words for an experienced home barista. The difference between entry-level grinders and grinders for advanced users is that the focus is no longer on ease of use, but rather on optimizing those final percentage points in flavor and workflow.
The following three mills meet these criteria exactly:
| Mahlkönig E80W GbS | Eureka Atom Casa | Ceado E37S | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advantages | Cloud connectivity, electronic adjustment of the grinding disc gap using a smart algorithm | Quiet, touchscreen display, built-in weighing system, stepless adjustment | "Steady-Lock" system, touchscreen display, "Quick Set Gear," quiet, programmable |
| Grinding disc | 80-mm disc grinder | 65-mm disc grinder | 83-mm disc grinder |
| Bean container | 1700 g | 300 g | 600 g |
* Savings compared to the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) or, in the case of "Instead of" prices, compared to our previous price.
Additional Accessories for Home Baristas
We can't stop at portafilter machines and coffee grinders. Otherwise, you'd be missing the necessary cleaning equipment, the right tools for latte art, and the precision accessories that truly round out this hobby.
To wrap things up, we've put together a short shopping list for you to help complete your entire barista setup:
Essential Accessories for Home Baristas
Optional accessories for experienced baristas
For expert opinion, contact Espresso Perfetto
These comparisons will help you find the right product for your needs and successfully pursue your new or long-standing hobby at home with Espresso Perfetto ’s home barista equipment. For further advice and personalized product recommendations, the team at Espresso Perfetto is available by phone, email, or in person at one of our showrooms—we look forward to advising you in person!