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Making your first espresso machine purchase can be a daunting task. A simple internet search for information regarding these machines yields an overwhelming amount of information. This article strives to condense this information into a more organized and manageable guide to machine purchasing. Being able to prioritize the factors that are important to you and understanding why they are important will help in choosing a machine that makes you happy and meets your needs.

=Factors For Selection=

As a starting point it is a good idea to establish why you are purchasing an espresso machine. Establishing expectations and understanding your needs before you make a purchase will ensure that you are getting a machine that can live up to those expectations. If you are new to the espresso home brewing experience then it can be hard to know what to expect. In this section we will explore the most common factors that go into the purchase of an espresso machine and why they are important.

==User Experience==

We've chosen to list this as the first factor because of its importance. If you have never used an espresso machine before then going straight for a manually operated or prosumer style machine may result in a very unsatisfactory experience. The amount of control these machines offer, and their heavy reliance on the user's technique and ability can make them frustrating to use and make learning espresso extraction harder than it needs to be. Alternatively if you've 

==Convenience vs. Shot Quality==
==Frequency of Use==
==Maintenance Needs==
==Materials==
==Operating Space==
==Plumbing==
==Programmability==
==Sound Level==
==Power Considerations==


=Machine Features=
==Brew Features==
===Pump Type===
===Pressure Control===
===Brewing Style===
===Temperature Control===
===Boiler Style===
==Steam Features==
===Wand Style===
===Pressure/Temp Control===
===Boiler Style===
===Steam Tips===
===Automatic Frothing===

=Types of Machines=
==Manual==
==Semi-Automatic==
==Super-Automatic==
==Prosumer==