Q: I have a little Krups Espresso Bravo and I just cant seem to make a good cup of espresso! It always turns out too bitter. I bought some starbucks espresso roast and im trying to make an americano similar to the smoothness as they make at the cafe. A: Here's how to make decent espressed coffee from a decent pressure maker (and the Espresso Bravo qualifies): I) Start with fresh roasted, fresh ground (not pulverized) coffee beans II)Fill the water tank to just overflowing with excellent water (some like filtered, but avoid your tap water) Catch the overflow with a cup, no big deal. III)Fill the basket with the grounds and tamp HARD - leave approx. 3/16 of an inch IV) Remove the coffee recepticle immediately after the top is covered with the first thin layer of crema. Everything that comes out after that is overextraction and bitter and will ruin the rest. I keep another cup around to avoid a mess - work fast, because it doesn't take much to ruin the whole cup! A good pump machine may be superior choice, the water is not as hot and will not scorch the coffee, but the method above provides me with an excellent cup almost every morning, and better results CONSISTENTLY than the $400 pump machine I used to use. ElectroBest.com is an independent Krups dealer. All product images are copyrighted works of Krups, used by ElectroBest.com with permission from Krups. May not be copied or used without permission of Krups.  ElectroBest.com FAX Order Line 801-730-3937 (Orders Only)