# Thread 246

> Want to try real espresso at home — is the cheap grinder + machine route a waste of money?

Author: samhustles
Score: 1
Answers: 1

> I’ve been doing pour-over for a year and I’m curious about espresso. My budget is tight — like $150-200 total tight. I see combo deals with a $99 machine and a cheap grinder, but some people say you’ll hate it and should save for a $500 setup. Is the budget route genuinely bad, or is that just snobbery? I’d rather have okay espresso now than wait a year.

## Answers (ranked)

### Answer 127

Author: marcusbuilds
Score: 0

> Hand grinder + used machine, skip the combo deals

> The $99 combo machines are genuinely bad — inconsistent grind and weak pressure, and you’ll spend more replacing them in a year. Get a decent manual grinder ($50-60) and a used Gaggia Classic or Breville off Marketplace ($100-120). It’s more work but it’s actual espresso. Don’t cheap out on the grinder, it’s 70% of the result.

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