There are those among us who have an addiction. It’s an all-encompassing fever that holds us hostage until we answer its call. It’s coffee; and hot or cold, black or light, sweet or bitter, we love it all. But sometimes an ordinary coffee just won’t do. When espresso is your caffeine fix of choice, it can be inconvenient and pricey to visit to a specialty coffee store every time you need a fix. For these moments – and for those who want to enjoy espresso at any time – a home espresso machine is the answer.

There are several different definitions of a home espresso machine; they generally fit into three categories.

The manual home espresso machine requires full operator participation; the user adds water and coffee grinds and maintains control over the beverage until it is completely brewed.

The semi-automatic home espresso machine is a combination of user and machine. The user actually starts the machine, the machine takes over to brew the coffee, and the user turns the machine off.

The full automatic home espresso machine requires no operator participation. The machine goes through the entire brewing process from start to finish.

Finding the perfect home espresso machine for you is as easy as visiting your local home goods retailer. There, you will find a variety of machines that vary in components, color, and price. Online shopping can also be a great alternative for finding that home espresso machine that works best for your space restrictions and lifestyle. You can also find a variety of consumer reports that can alert you to those brands that have performed well in the marketplace.

A home espresso machine means a new world of coffee self-sufficiency where the lines at the local coffee house need no longer call your name. Now, the perfect brew can be yours at any time of day, right in the privacy and comfort of your own home.