This is a simple place to begin, not a rule you need to follow perfectly. The aim is to make one repeatable espresso, taste it, and change only one thing at a time.

What you need

A small digital scale is the most useful tool. It lets you weigh the dry coffee going into the machine and the espresso coming into the cup. You do not need an expensive specialist scale to get started.

Choose the amount of coffee

Start with 18 g of ground coffee if your filter basket is designed for roughly that amount. The basket is the small metal cup that sits inside the portafilter. If your machine manual recommends a different amount, use that instead.

Aim for about twice as much espresso

For 18 g of dry coffee, stop the shot when the scale shows about 36 g in the cup. This is called a 1:2 ratio: one part dry coffee to two parts espresso. If you start with 16 g, aim for about 32 g. The exact number is only a starting point.

Do not worry if you cannot set the temperature

If your machine lets you choose the brew temperature, around 93 °C is a reasonable starting point. Many single-boiler and basic machines do not offer this control. That is completely fine: let the machine warm up properly and follow its normal brewing routine. Do not enter a made-up temperature in your tracker; leave it blank and CoffeeNerd will record it as not controllable.

Prepare the coffee evenly

After grinding, spread the coffee so it sits reasonably level in the basket. Press it down with the tamper while keeping the tamper flat. Consistency matters more than using a particular amount of force.

Watch the time, but taste first

A shot that produces the target weight in roughly 25 to 30 seconds is a useful first attempt. Count from when you start the pump. Time is a clue, not a score: the taste tells you what to change.

If it runs too fast

If you reach the target weight much too quickly and the espresso tastes thin or sharply sour, make the grinder slightly finer. Keep the coffee dose and target weight the same, then try again.

If it runs too slowly

If only a small amount comes through, or the espresso tastes dry, harsh, or strongly bitter, make the grinder slightly coarser. Again, change only the grinder setting first.

Save the attempt

Record the bean, grinder setting, coffee weight, espresso weight, and time in the private Brew Tracker. Add the temperature only if your machine actually gives you control over it. Use Next brew for the following attempt so you can compare what changed.