But, if you take out pad and pen and do math, you will quickly decide that a home machine - a good home machine - will pay for itself rather quickly.

Let's assume that you buy just one espresso drink per day at modest cost of $3.50 (I know most drinks run higher and many of us cannot get by on just one per day!) That adds up to over $1277 per year! If you have friends, roommates, family (my wife, oh my wife!), then you can easily see cost-effectiveness of an commercial grade home models.

Plus, when you get good at making drinks (and that's a lot of fun), you can wow friends and family. It beats a card trick most everytime.

A Word of Caution when Buying an Espresso Machine

If you're budget minded, like I am, you might be tempted to snap up a $60 expresso machine at Target. Hey, I love Target too. But you will likely be disappointed by performance of machine. Frankly, I think a good barista can make a decent drink on any machine - but you'll likely wish you saved up a bit over time and purchased a higher quality pump-driven model.

It's true that pump-driven espresso makers are bigger, heavier, and more difficult to use (until you learn to use it). But they'll produce a better cup of coffee. And you will be happier in long-run as a result.

Overall Value:

Value is really a comparison of above features, weighted against price of machine. Are you willing to pay twice as much for a machine that looks stunning, but is functionally similar to another? That's your call!

Whatever you do, remember that espresso is one of life's finer pleasures. This probably isn't most practical investment you'll ever make, but it will bring years of enjoyment and happiness. As is case with most things, you will get what you pay for - I recommend you buy best machine you can afford whether this machine be for home, office or business use. As soon as you start enjoying your own handcrafted lattes and mochas, your investment will feel well worth it!