I own one of these mini Bialetti Espresso Makers myself, and also bought my dad one for his birthday last year, as he loves Espresso and really enjoyed using mine every time he came round. First things first, this is not a hi-tech contraption; this is a traditional way to make espresso at home using simple methods.

How it works...

The unit consists of a main water reservoir at the bottom, including a small perforated tray. This attaches to the top 'pouring' unit via a screw fitting. You simply fill the reservoir with water, pour your ground coffee into the tray, screw on the top of the unit, and place the espresso maker onto the hob. As the water boils, it evaporates, passes through the perforated tray and through the coffee, rises up the central tube and condenses in the top pot as delicious, strong espresso. I recommend starting on a high heat for a minute or two to get the water boiling, and then turn it down low and leave it for a few minutes. The simple and traditional method is quite a satisfying departure from over-elaborate modern machines, and is actually fun to see in action. Be careful though, because if you filled the reservoir up, the pot at the top will be almost brimming with scalding coffee!!!

Quality of Coffee...

This is a great way of making coffee, and the gentle steaming of the ground coffee releases a lovely flavour. Crucially, your coffee wont be floating with bits, as the water has evaporated and passed through the grounds, before condensing at the top and leaving the grounds in the tray. The most important thing to remember is that whilst this is a great method, the actual taste depends almost entirely on the coffee that you choose, which is a matter of personal choice.

Serving...

As I mentioned before, my dad is a great fan of espresso, and will have his plain. In one brewing you will typically have enough for 2 regular servings of espresso. Personally though, espresso is a little too bitter and intense for me, so I prefer to add the final mixture to hot milk, and have a latte, or even to let it cool, and have it with milk, ice and a little ice cream - a delicious iced coffee! Either way, you should have enough for 2 nice strength lattes, or if you like it a little tamer, you could manage 3 servings.

Cost...

This is one of the smaller Bialetti units, and is available for around £15-£25. I purchased both of mine in 'Fenwick', a department store in Newcastle, for just under £20.