> A common complain lot at /r/espresso is that most of us are pulling better shots than at the local “third wave” cafes around us. I have mixed feelings about

> A common complain lot at /r/espresso is that most of us are pulling better shots than at the local “third wave” cafes around us. I have mixed feelings about this. Cafés are businesses. The average person on the street isn't going to pay the premium for a consistently great shot, and there simply aren't enough people who care to support more than a small handful of shops that won't compromise on quality. I know that I'm not pulling shots that are anywhere near as good as what a barista at one of the better cafés in my area can pull (and there are several who have placed highly in international competitions). However, I don't know if this translates over to what you get when you order something during the morning rush, and if the difference in quality in this situation is enough to justify the price. > Sure, it requires expensive home equipment AND shipping in fresh beans from all over the world… and time… and those things are the rub. $500 usd puts together a good setup if you stick with used equipment - espresso machine, grinder, and something like an old IMEX roaster. The beans in my experience are only slightly more expensive than what you can buy in a store, but the difference in quality is noticeable ($9 per kg vs ~$11-12 per kg).