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Coffee Guides

Updated October 17, 2026

Coffee Guides

Practical coffee guides for the problem in front of you: why a shot tastes sour or bitter, how to dial in your grinder, what separates a flat white from a cortado, and how to descale and look after your machine. Each guide gives you the fix or the answer first, then explains why it works, so you can make better coffee at home with the gear you already own.

  • 71 guides

Showing 71 of 71 guides

Fix a problem (9)

Sour, bitter or fast shots, channeling, wet pucks, weak steam and leaks, with causes in order of likelihood.

  • Bitter Espresso? 6 Fixes That Actually WorkFix a problem

    Espresso4 min read

    Bitter Espresso? 6 Fixes That Actually Work

    Learn how to fix bitter espresso fast: check grind, temperature, yield, channeling, dirty gear and stale beans, one change at a time.

  • Coffee Maker Leaking Water? Causes & Quick FixesFix a problem

    Maintenance4 min read

    Coffee Maker Leaking Water? Causes & Quick Fixes

    Coffee maker leaking water from the bottom, filter basket or carafe? Match the leak to its cause, fix it step by step, or know when to replace.

  • Steam Wand Not Frothing Milk? 5 Fixes to TryFix a problem

    Espresso5 min read

    Steam Wand Not Frothing Milk? 5 Fixes to Try

    Steam wand not frothing milk? Run the plain-water test, then fix clogs, technique, low heat, scale or worn seals in likelihood order.

  • Why Does Coffee Taste Bitter? 5 Easy FixesFix a problem

    Espresso5 min read

    Why Does Coffee Taste Bitter? 5 Easy Fixes

    Why does coffee taste bitter? Find your cause (grind, water temperature, stale beans, dirty gear) and fix bitter coffee one change at a time.

Espresso technique and dial-in (11)

How espresso works and how to pull a better shot: dialing in, tamping, puck prep, baskets and machine tweaks.

Grinders and grind settings (11)

Grind size, settings charts for specific grinders, and how to choose a grinder.

  • 1Zpresso K-Ultra Grind Settings ChartExplained

    Grinder6 min read

    1Zpresso K-Ultra Grind Settings Chart

    Starting K-Ultra settings for espresso, moka pot, AeroPress, pour-over and French press, how to read the numbered dial, and how to zero it.

  • Baratza Encore ESP Grind Settings ChartExplained

    Grinder6 min read

    Baratza Encore ESP Grind Settings Chart

    Starting settings on the Encore ESP for espresso by roast, moka pot, AeroPress, pour-over, Chemex, drip, French press and cold brew, plus how to dial in from there.

  • Baratza Virtuoso+ Grind Settings ChartExplained

    Grinder6 min read

    Baratza Virtuoso+ Grind Settings Chart

    Starting Virtuoso+ settings for pour-over, drip, AeroPress, French press, cold brew and pressurized espresso, plus how to use the timer and dial in.

  • Breville Barista Express Grind Settings GuideExplained

    Espresso7 min read

    Breville Barista Express Grind Settings Guide

    Barista Express grind settings by roast, how to read the pressure gauge to fix sour or bitter shots, and when moving the inner burr finer actually helps.

  • Burr vs Blade Grinder: Which Is Better?Compare

    Grinder7 min read

    Burr vs Blade Grinder: Which Is Better?

    Burr vs blade grinder: how grind consistency changes taste, who can keep a blade, and what a first burr grinder costs at each budget.

  • Comandante C40 Grind Settings ChartExplained

    Grinder6 min read

    Comandante C40 Grind Settings Chart

    Starting Comandante C40 click settings for espresso, moka pot, AeroPress, pour-over and French press, how to find zero, and what Red Clix changes.

  • How to Choose a Burr Grinder: What MattersCompare

    Grinder6 min read

    How to Choose a Burr Grinder: What Matters

    How to choose a burr grinder: conical vs flat burrs, features worth paying for, and the best grinder by brew method and budget.

  • KINGrinder K6 Grind Settings ChartExplained

    Grinder6 min read

    KINGrinder K6 Grind Settings Chart

    Starting KINGrinder K6 click settings for espresso, moka pot, AeroPress, pour-over and French press, plus how to zero the dial and adjust from there.

  • Manual vs Electric Coffee GrindersCompare

    Grinder6 min read

    Manual vs Electric Coffee Grinders

    Manual vs electric coffee grinder compared on speed, grind quality, noise and cost, with a pick for espresso, pour-over and travel.

  • Timemore Chestnut C3 Grind Settings ChartExplained

    Grinder6 min read

    Timemore Chestnut C3 Grind Settings Chart

    Starting Timemore Chestnut C3 click settings for moka pot, AeroPress, pour-over, French press and cold brew, how the C2 compares, and how to zero the grinder.

Choose a machine (6)

Machine types and head-to-head comparisons of espresso, capsule and stovetop brewers.

  • Bambino Plus vs Barista Express: Which to Buy?Compare

    Espresso8 min read

    Bambino Plus vs Barista Express: Which to Buy?

    Bambino Plus vs Barista Express: auto-milk and a tiny footprint, or a built-in grinder and pressure gauge? Real setup costs and who should buy each one.

  • Barista Express vs Pro vs Impress: Which One?Compare

    Espresso6 min read

    Barista Express vs Pro vs Impress: Which One?

    Barista Express vs Barista Pro vs Express Impress: what each upgrade buys (speed and a timer, or assisted tamping) and which one suits how you make coffee.

  • Gaggia Classic Pro vs Bambino Plus: Which Fits?Compare

    Espresso6 min read

    Gaggia Classic Pro vs Bambino Plus: Which Fits?

    Gaggia Classic Pro vs Breville Bambino Plus: hands-on 58mm control versus fast heat-up and automatic milk, and which one fits how you drink coffee.

  • Moka Pot vs Espresso MachineCompare

    Brewing6 min read

    Moka Pot vs Espresso Machine

    Moka pot vs espresso machine: compare pressure, taste, milk drinks and cost to choose the right brewer for black coffee or lattes.

Espresso drinks explained (14)

What each espresso drink is and how they differ in size, strength and milk.

  • 7 Latte Alternatives Worth Trying NextCompare

    Coffee Education6 min read

    7 Latte Alternatives Worth Trying Next

    Looking for a latte alternative? Compare 7 espresso drinks, from cortado to con panna, by milk, strength, sweetness and calories.

  • Americano vs Espresso: Which Is Stronger?Compare

    Coffee Education6 min read

    Americano vs Espresso: Which Is Stronger?

    Americano vs espresso: same caffeine per shot, very different strength and taste. See the differences and which to order.

  • Latte vs Cappuccino vs Mocha: Key DifferencesExplained

    Coffee Education6 min read

    Latte vs Cappuccino vs Mocha: Key Differences

    Coffee drinks explained: how lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites and cortados differ by milk, strength and caffeine, and how to order one.

  • Latte vs Cortado: Which Is Stronger?Compare

    Coffee Education6 min read

    Latte vs Cortado: Which Is Stronger?

    Latte vs cortado: same espresso, different strength. Compare milk ratio, size and flavor, then pick one to order or make.

  • What Is a Cappuccino? Ratio, Foam & TasteExplained

    Coffee Education6 min read

    What Is a Cappuccino? Ratio, Foam & Taste

    What is a cappuccino? The 1:1:1 ratio, dry vs wet styles, how it differs from a latte, and how to order or make a proper one.

  • What Is a Cortado? Ratio, Size & TasteExplained

    Coffee Education6 min read

    What Is a Cortado? Ratio, Size & Taste

    What is a cortado? A 1:1 mix of 2 oz espresso and 2 oz steamed milk. See its taste, how to make one and how it differs from a latte.

  • What Is a Doppio? Double Espresso ExplainedExplained

    Espresso6 min read

    What Is a Doppio? Double Espresso Explained

    What is a doppio? The standard double espresso: how it differs from a single shot, its caffeine, the drinks it makes and how to pull one.

  • What Is a Ristretto? Taste, Ratio & How-ToExplained

    Espresso7 min read

    What Is a Ristretto? Taste, Ratio & How-To

    What is a ristretto? A short 1:1 to 1:1.2 espresso that tastes sweeter. See how to pull one, the grind change, and caffeine.

Recipes and brew methods (11)

Step-by-step drinks, moka pot, pour-over, drip and cold brew.

Beans and roast (4)

Roast levels, specialty and single-origin coffee, and picking beans for espresso.

Clean and maintain (5)

Descaling, cleaning routines, maintenance schedules and warning lights.

  • Best Coffee Machine Cleaning Tablets 2026How to

    Maintenance6 min read

    Best Coffee Machine Cleaning Tablets 2026

    Best coffee machine cleaning tablets for espresso, bean-to-cup and drip machines: which to buy for yours and how to use them.

  • Espresso Machine Maintenance: Daily to YearlyHow to

    Maintenance6 min read

    Espresso Machine Maintenance: Daily to Yearly

    Espresso machine maintenance schedule: daily, weekly and monthly cleaning tasks, backflushing, gasket care and descaling by water hardness.

  • How to Descale a Breville Barista ExpressHow to

    Maintenance6 min read

    How to Descale a Breville Barista Express

    Descale a Breville Barista Express step by step: entering descale mode, running the group, steam and hot water, rinsing, and what the Clean/Descale light means.

Free coffee calculators (15)

Type in what you have and get the exact recipe back. Every calculator shows a worked example.

See all 15 calculators