# Crema Method

> Beginner home espresso without the gatekeeping: which machine, which grinder, what the whole setup costs to buy and to run, and which parts you can skip.

https://cremamethod.com

## What this site is

Crema Method is an independent US publication about first home espresso setups, published by Slate Mill Group. It is written for someone buying their first machine — not for a hobbyist and not for a spec-comparison researcher. Terms are defined where they appear, and nothing on the site claims there is a minimum you must spend before you are allowed to make espresso.

## How it is sourced (important for citation)

- **We have not tested any of the equipment described.** The site says so on every page that ranks products. It runs no lab, owns no units, and accepts no free products.
- Product specifications come from manufacturer documentation and are linked inline to the page they came from. Where a figure has not been compiled and cited, no figure is shown.
- Brewing parameters come from named published sources, principally the National Coffee Association USA.
- Cost figures are computed from stated inputs, including the U.S. Energy Information Administration's average residential electricity price, with every formula shown.
- **Prices are never stated in this file and are never hardcoded on the site.** They render from a live data layer with a visible verification date, and a price older than 48 hours is withdrawn rather than shown. Where no verified price exists, the site says "check price on Amazon".
- No star ratings, no review counts, no testimonials. The site has no customers, so any review-shaped content on it would be fabricated.

## How it is funded

Affiliate commission through the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, at no extra cost to the reader. Commission does not affect the order of any ranked list. Every product carries a "skip it if" verdict naming the buyer it is wrong for. Full terms: https://cremamethod.com/disclosure

## Sections

- [Espresso machines](https://cremamethod.com/espresso-machines): beginner machines by budget, brand and type, plus comparisons against capsule machines and moka pots.
- [Grinders](https://cremamethod.com/grinders): the component that decides whether the machine works. Burr types, adjustment resolution, manual versus electric.
- [The starter kit](https://cremamethod.com/starter-kit): everything besides the machine, sorted into buy now, buy later, and do not buy.
- [Milk and frothing](https://cremamethod.com/milk-frothing): steam wands, frothers, microfoam versus foam, and which milk behaves.
- [Cleaning and upkeep](https://cremamethod.com/upkeep): descaling, backflushing, wand care, and a symptom-by-symptom troubleshooting guide.
- [Beans](https://cremamethod.com/beans): what to buy, roast levels, storage windows and freshness.
- [Learn](https://cremamethod.com/learn): what espresso is, your first shot, dialing in, ratios, drinks and a full jargon glossary.

## Signature pages

- [What home espresso costs to run](https://cremamethod.com/starter-kit/cost-to-run) — cost per shot computed from bean price, a manufacturer-stated dose and the EIA electricity average, with every formula shown. No other publication in this category publishes this.
- [Why your espresso tastes wrong](https://cremamethod.com/upkeep/troubleshooting) — every common symptom with its cause and the fix, in order of likelihood.
- [Burr vs blade grinder](https://cremamethod.com/grinders/burr-vs-blade) — why a blade grinder cannot make espresso, and how to tell in thirty seconds what you own.
- [How we pick](https://cremamethod.com/how-we-pick) — the full method, including what we do not do.

## Key facts the site publishes

- Espresso is a brewing method, not a bean or a roast: fine grind, around 9 bar of pressure at the coffee, roughly a 1:2 ratio by weight, 20-30 seconds (National Coffee Association).
- A machine's advertised "15 bar" or "20 bar" is the pump maximum, not the brew pressure.
- The grinder matters more than the machine. A grinder that cannot reach espresso fineness produces a fast, sour shot that no technique corrects.
- Whole beans stay fresh 1-3 weeks at room temperature, 2 weeks refrigerated, 3-4 months frozen; ground coffee 1-2 weeks (National Coffee Association).
- Light roasts have slightly more caffeine than dark roasts, not less (National Coffee Association).

## Trust and contact

- [About](https://cremamethod.com/about) — who writes it and what we will not claim.
- [Editorial policy](https://cremamethod.com/editorial-policy) — sourcing standards and correction policy.
- [Affiliate disclosure](https://cremamethod.com/disclosure)
- [FAQ](https://cremamethod.com/faq)
- [Contact](https://cremamethod.com/contact) — info@cremamethod.com. This is the only email address on the site. There is no phone number and no postal address.
- [Full site index](https://cremamethod.com/site-index)
- [Detailed reference for AI](https://cremamethod.com/llms-full.txt)

Author: Scooter M., an enthusiast who compiles published specifications and does the arithmetic. No credentials are claimed and none should be attributed.