In coffee shops around the world, the latte and the flat white are two of the most popular drinks for customers to order. Each has a place on every specialty coffee shop menu — and yet, they are very similar drinks. In fact, in many cafes, it’s not easy to tell which is which!

Choosing the ‘best’ home espresso machine is a virtually impossible task, since every home is different, and everyone’s needs are different. The best machine for you is quite simply the one that fits your particular needs. However, for dedicated home baristas, there are a few espresso machines that stand head and shoulders above the rest. This list of machines, then, represents the very best that home espresso has to offer: the top ten home espresso machines that we would choose for...

‘Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.’ Wise words indeed, and for plenty of coffee lovers, the idea of leaving the office behind and starting a new career in coffee is an ever-present temptation. Working as a barista is a lot of fun. It’s creative and fast-paced, and you are in constant contact with a lot of inspiring people — on both sides of the bar. At the same time it is very hard work, sometimes dirty, often poorly paid, and the opportunities to...

Home espresso machines are often divided into ‘domestic’ and ‘prosumer’ grade machines. The La Marzocco Linea Mini is one of the very few machines that is a step above these categories: a true commercial-grade espresso machine, but compact enough to fit into a home kitchen. La Marzocco are undoubtedly leaders in this segment of the market — in fact, they virtually invented the category when they released the GS3 in 2008. The GS3 took the cutting-edge technology of La Marzocco’s commercial...

If you go into your local coffee shop and ask for a black coffee, the drink you get depends on where in the world you are. Maybe it even depends which coffee shop you walked into. In fact, if you ask for a black coffee, there’s a good chance that the barista will hand you an Americano. But for coffee purists, an Americano is not necessarily the same thing as a black coffee.

The flat white is perhaps the most potent symbol of coffee’s “third wave” — the trend of specialty coffee that emerged over the last two decades. With their beautiful, shiny latte art, presented in brightly-coloured ceramic cups, flat whites are highly photogenic — perfect for the Instagram generation.

Over the last few years, cold brew coffee has transitioned from being a niche drink for in-the-know coffee drinkers, to being an essential part of every specialty coffee shop. Cold brew is well and truly established in the mainstream, but it is still growing fast — in fact, the cold brew coffee business is growing by more than 25% every year.¹

For many coffee drinkers, Italy is the true home of coffee. But nowadays it is American coffee that has taken over the world. Whether it’s the Starbucks shops popping up in every city, or the sweet, and blended iced coffees made in every flavor and color under the sun, American coffee culture is everywhere.

Coffee is the most widely drunk beverage — apart from water — all over the world. Considering that coffee grows in the Americas, Africa, and Asia, and is drunk nearly everywhere, it might surprise you to learn that most of the coffee we drink can be traced back to a single plant.

Coffee is delicious — and addictive. For those reasons alone, you would surely expect coffee to be bad for you. Something that we crave and enjoy so much every day can’t possibly be healthy, right?

The French press is an elegant and classic brew method, popular all over the world. It is a stylish and timeless brewing device, but also one of the easiest ways to make coffee at home. The French press is also known as the Cafetière, Plunger, or Press Pot.

Delonghi’s Dedica line first appeared on the market with the Dedica EC680 in 2013, and was quickly hailed as one of the best home espresso machines in its class. Since then, this classic home coffee machine has been through several upgrades — and several competitors and imitators have appeared on the market, too!

The quality of the bean is the most important aspect of your morning cup of Joe. The higher the quality, the better the taste and overall perception, and vice versa. Since fresh coffee is not easy to maintain, knowing the shelf life of your beans and storing them properly can save you both money and time.

If you use a Nespresso machine to make your coffee at home — or you’re thinking about buying one — then you already know why these machines are so popular. They’re so convenient and easy to use — and much cheaper than going to a cafe every day to get your espresso fix.

The Rocket Appartamento espresso machine made a big splash when it was first released. The Rocket Espresso brand is well known for combining elegant style, professional-grade features, and rock-solid build quality — and the Appartamento is no exception. Its compact size, iconic design, and full-fat features are a compelling combination, and it’s not surprising that the Appartamento espresso machine was an immediate winner.

In spite of its Ethiopian origin, Arabic Coffee has transcended geographical boundaries and succeeded in sitting on the throne of hospitality in many parts of the Arabian Peninsula. With its golden yellow color, bitter taste, and pungent spices.  There is hardly any gathering without a pot of Arabic coffee and cups, whether you are in the Gulf States or in the brotherly State of Yemen. Every region has its own special blend to brew Arabic Coffee and its distinct customs of serving it. 

Coffee is an everyday passion for us. We spend a lot of time talking about coffee, brewing coffee, and drinking coffee, whether we’re at home or in the office. Given how much we love coffee, it’s only right to create a special space in our homes for it. A space that showcases the things we’re most proud of, and creates a talking point for our guests (even if we try not to always talk about coffee). The coffee corner is our little haven — a dedicated space to express and explore our passion...

If you’re looking for a prosumer-level home espresso machine, then the Oscar machines from Nuova Simonelli should definitely be on your shortlist, as some of the best home espresso machines on the market right now.

If you’re reading this, then it’s pretty certain that you, just like 80% of the entire world’s population, drink some form of caffeine every day. Caffeine helps billions of people wake up every morning, or get through a tiring day. It helps athletes perform their best, and it boosts learning for students. It also just makes us feel good, and the ritual of sharing a cup of tea or coffee brings people together, all over the world.

The V60 and the Chemex are probably the two most popular pour-over brewing methods worldwide. Almost every cafe that offers hand-brewed filter coffee will have one — or both — of these iconic coffee brewers on their shelves. And every coffee geek will surely have one of these classic brewing methods in their cupboard for making coffee at home.

A Spanish Latte is one of the most popular specialty coffee drinks in the Gulf Region. If you visit a trendy coffee shop in any of the Gulf countries, you will see a barista making one. As you watch, the barista will pour careful layers of espresso and condensed milk into a glass to make a beautifully rich, creamy drink, with dark coffee swirling through it.

Have you ever tried your hardest to make the perfect cup of coffee and then failed? You have the required equipment, beans, and skills, but for some reason, the result is inconsistent. Don't worry; the solutions are very simple.

Did you prepare your cup of coffee in the usual way only to be shocked by the bad and unbalanced taste? If so, then you can blame channeling in the coffee puck; it's the first cause in such cases.

V60 Coffee is considered one of the best-selling items in specialty cafes, it is a way for the barista to show off his or her high skill in extracting all the notes and aroma of the coffee without leaving a bitter or burnt taste, but don’t let these skills prevent you from enjoying the experience of preparing it at home.