What Do You Need for an Espresso Machine? The Essentials

A new espresso machine comes with enough to make a shot, and not much more. A few additional items are genuinely necessary, some make life easier, and a long list of gadgets can wait or be ignored.

Essential

Item	Why	Approximate cost
Burr grinder	Espresso needs a fine, even, adjustable grind	$100 to $350 and up
Scale, 0.1 g, with timer	Repeatable dose and yield	$15 to $60
Tamper that fits	Even, level compression	$20 to $50
Fresh whole beans	Flavor and crema depend on freshness	Ongoing
Cleaning brush and blind basket	Daily and weekly cleaning	$10 to $20
Espresso detergent and descaler	Removing coffee oils and scale	$20 to $30 a year

The grinder is the most important purchase after the machine. See the best budget espresso grinders. If your machine has one built in, you can skip it.

The scale should fit on the drip tray under your cup. A built-in timer is convenient.

The tamper should match your basket closely. Check your size: commonly 58mm, 53mm for Breville’s 54mm baskets, or 51mm. See how to tamp espresso.

For milk drinks

Item	Notes	Approximate cost
Stainless milk pitcher	12 oz for one drink, 20 oz for two	$15 to $30
Cloths for the steam wand	Keep one damp, used only for this	A few dollars
Thermometer	Optional; helpful while learning	$10 to $15

See how to steam milk with an espresso machine.

Very useful

Item	What it does	Approximate cost
Knock box	A bin with a bar for knocking out used pucks	$20 to $40
Tamping mat	Protects the counter and steadies the portafilter	$10 to $20
Dosing funnel	Stops grounds spilling when you grind and stir	$10 to $25
Needle distribution (WDT) tool	Breaks up clumps to prevent channeling	$10 to $30
Water filter or softening pouch	Protects the machine from scale	$15 to $30 a year

The distribution tool is the cheapest way to improve shot consistency. See espresso channeling causes and fixes.

Worth considering later

• Bottomless portafilter. Shows the underside of the basket so you can see how evenly the shot extracts.
• Precision basket. A refinement once your grinder and technique are settled. See espresso filter baskets explained.
• Puck screen. A thin mesh disc placed on the coffee to spread water evenly and keep the shower screen clean.
• Self-leveling or calibrated tamper. Removes variation in tamping.
• Airtight bean storage.

You can skip

• Leveling distributor tools that spin on top of the coffee. They smooth the surface but do not fix clumps beneath it. A needle tool does more.
• Cup warmers and specialized racks.
• Expensive branded cloths.
• Thermometers, once you can judge temperature by hand.

A sensible starter kit

If you are buying everything at once:

1. Grinder
2. Scale
3. Tamper
4. Milk pitcher, if needed
5. Knock box
6. Detergent, descaler and a brush

That covers everything required to make and maintain good espresso. Expect to spend roughly $80 to $150 on accessories, plus the grinder.

Where the money is best spent

In order of effect on the cup:

1. Grinder
2. Fresh beans. See what coffee to use for espresso.
3. Scale
4. Distribution tool and fitting tamper
5. Everything else

For a full picture of costs, see how much does an espresso machine cost.

A knock box is optional but handy; we compare three in best espresso knock boxes.

When you are ready to choose, see our picks for milk frothing pitchers and espresso cups.