How to pull a better shot at home

The single biggest lever on your shot isn't your machine — it's your grind. If your espresso tastes sharp and sour, you're pulling too fast; grind finer. If it's bitter and ashy, you've gone too far; back off a notch. Chase the shot that finishes sweet.

Second: weigh everything. A cheap kitchen scale turns guesswork into a recipe you can repeat. Start with an 18g dose pulling a 36g shot in about 28 seconds, then adjust one variable at a time.

Third: fresh beans, freshly ground. Coffee is at its best in the two to four weeks after roast, and it stales within minutes of grinding. Grind to order, always.

Fourth: distribute and tamp level — an even puck keeps water from channeling straight through. And fifth: clean your machine. Old coffee oils turn rancid and quietly wreck every shot. Do these five and you'll taste the difference tomorrow morning.