I Made My First-Ever Espresso With This Compact Machine, and It's on Sale for $130

I am fairly new to the world of espresso. New to making it, that is -- not to drinking it. When I began testing HiBrew's compact H10B espresso machine, I was excited to make espresso shots and lattes at home. I also thought that there might be a learning curve. Luckily, I was wrong.

The H10B -- currently on sale at Amazon for $140 (normally $250) during the Amazon Big Spring Sale -- has been a game-changer for me when I don't want to trek to my favorite Brooklyn coffee shop for a caffeine fix in the morning. If you're on the hunt for a more advanced or larger espresso machine, here are CNET's picks for the three best espresso machines. For me, though, the H10B checked every box.

The affordable and compact machine works well for anyone who wants to begin making espresso at home. The slim profile takes up less space on my already-small countertop than my regular coffee machine, and it takes mere minutes to make a single or double shot of espresso, steam my favorite milk and create a latte. 

HiBrew H10B

Buy at Amazon

Like

• Compact size
• Affordable
• Temperature control
• Easy to use

Don't like

• Suction feet make it awkward to move
• Steam wand causes the machine to overheat

While the sale price is tempting enough, you can get another 10% off Amazon's listing price for a limited time with CNET's exclusive code: 105LL7CG

The HiBrew H10B settings 

The stainless steel espresso machine touts a pump pressure up to 20Bar, but that was slightly confusing for me since most espresso experts agree that 9Bar is the ideal pressure for brewing espresso. I chalked this up to a marketing tactic, but I did pay attention to the pressure gauge located on the front of the machine and it stayed around 10Bar when brewing espresso shots, which is marked on the machine as "espresso range." 

For temperature readings, you can toggle between Fahrenheit and Celsius. There are only four buttons on the machine, plus the steam knob, so it was simple and quick for me to figure out the ins and outs.

The digital temperature readings on top were helpful. It allowed me to see that my shots were being brewed at the ideal temperature for espresso every time (198 F/92 C). 

The steam wand causes minor overheating issues

There was one notable downside to the H10B. While the built-in steam wand was great for lattes, I noticed that after using it for roughly one minute when frothing oat milk, it caused the machine to get very hot very quickly. While this isn't a problem if you're only making one espresso drink, it poses an problem when you want to whip up a few of lattes back to back. 

After using the steam wand, I tried to pull another espresso shot in order to use in a separate latte and the digital temperature screen read "hot," so I had to wait for the machine to cool down before using it again. 

Because of this, I recommend pulling the espresso shots all at the same time, then using the steam wand after all of your espresso shots are brewed to avoid this slight hiccup if you're planning to whip up delicious drinks for everyone in your household. 

The HiBrew H10B accessories 

The machine comes with a portafilter, a plastic scoop and tamper combo and three filters: double shot, double shot with a dual wall and singles shot with a dual wall. The tamper is not heavy like other higher-end options, but it gets the job done. The removable water tank on the back of the machine holds 1.3 liters, so it won't need to be refilled too often, and although the portafilter continues to drip a bit after it pulls a shot, the drip tray catches it and is removable when it needs to be cleaned. 

Because the H10B is a smaller machine, you'll need to choose a mug that fits under the portafilter but is wide enough to catch espresso coming out of both sides, ideally one that is not taller than 2.5 inches, but is 3 inches wide or wider. The machine also doesn't have a built-in grinder, so you'll either need to buy pre-ground beans or invest in a standalone grinder.

Final thoughts 

While a lot what makes a great shot of espresso comes down to personal preference, the H10B is a great machine to start with while experimenting with espresso. The compact size of the espresso machine is an added bonus for those with limited space. 

In addition to finding the right espresso machine, you'll also need to determine your ideal coffee beans, grind size, bitterness level and amount of grounds needed for each shot. This particular model doesn't grind and measure coffee for you so you'll be forced to learn the ratios and quantities yourself.  

If you care to get further into the technicalities of espresso, you can purchase a precise coffee grinder and kitchen scale for grind and dose accuracy (I used 8 grams of coffee grounds for one espresso shot and 17 grams for double espresso shots) and a high-end tamper. 

For me, having a machine that fits on my countertop, that's easy to use and creates a creamy shot that is not overly bitter is what mattered the most. Plus, I calculated that if you drink one espresso drink everyday, this affordable machine will pay for itself in about one month's time.