10 Espresso Beginner Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Every beginner makes the same mistakes. After watching hundreds of people learn espresso, the pattern is clear. These problems account for most of the frustration in those first few weeks. Understanding them before you start saves you bags of wasted beans.

Grinding too coarse

If your shot runs in under 20 seconds, you're grinding too coarse. This is the most common beginner mistake because it feels counterintuitive. You'd think choking the machine would be the bigger risk, but espresso actually requires surprisingly fine grounds to create proper resistance.

The symptoms are obvious once you know what to look for. Thin, watery crema. Light-coloured espresso that tastes sour and acidic. A shot that gushes through faster than you expected. All of these point to the same problem.

The fix is straightforward. Grind finer, one step at a time, testing after each adjustment. Target 18g in, 36g out, in 25-30 seconds. If you hit 35+ seconds, you've gone too fine and should back off slightly. Start with a known recipe and adjust grind to hit the time, not the other way around.

Not using a scale

"A good amount" isn't a recipe. Weigh your dose at 18g for standard double shots and your output at 36g for a 1:2 ratio. Eyeballing doesn't work because a 1-2g difference in dose changes extraction significantly.

Baristas consistently find that with the same beans, same grind, and same technique, a 17g dose versus a 19g dose produces noticeably different shots. The 19g tends to be over-extracted and bitter. Without a scale, you're guessing at a critical variable.

A £15-20 scale with 0.1g precision solves this completely. Weighing takes 10 seconds and eliminates guesswork. Make it part of your routine and it becomes automatic after a week.

Using stale beans

Coffee older than 3-4 weeks won't extract properly. Supermarket coffee is almost always too old because it sits on shelves for months. Stale beans produce little crema, flat lifeless taste, and inconsistent extraction no matter how good your technique.

The solution is buying from roasters rather than supermarkets. Check the roast date and use beans within 3-4 weeks. Store them in an airtight container away from light and heat. Buying smaller bags more frequently helps since 250g bags used within 2 weeks are better than 1kg bags that go stale before you finish them.

Cold portafilter

A cold portafilter drops extraction temperature significantly. Espresso extraction happens at 90-96°C, and a room-temperature portafilter at around 20°C pulls heat from the water, causing under-extraction and sour shots.

The difference is measurable. Same beans, same grind, same dose. Cold portafilter produces sour shots. Warm portafilter produces balanced shots. The fix takes 10 seconds: pull a blank shot of water through the portafilter to warm it, or store the portafilter on the machine between uses.

Inconsistent tamping

Tamp level and firm at about 30lbs of pressure. But more importantly, tamp the same way every time. Inconsistent tamping creates uneven density in the coffee bed, leading to channeling where water finds easy paths through the puck.

The exact pressure matters less than consistency. 25lbs consistently is better than alternating between 20lbs and 40lbs. Signs of tamping problems include uneven extraction with spraying or spots, inconsistent shot times with the same grind setting, and visible channeling in the spent puck. Practice your technique until you can feel when you've hit the right pressure, and do it the same way every time.

Not waiting for temperature

Many machines need 15-20 minutes to stabilise temperature. That "ready" light lies because it only indicates boiler temperature, not group head temperature. The group head, portafilter, and other components need time to reach proper extraction temperature.

A machine turned on 5 minutes ago versus 20 minutes ago produces noticeably different shots with the same beans and technique. The insufficiently heated machine produces sour, under-extracted shots. Use a smart plug to turn the machine on automatically 20 minutes before you wake up, or turn it on first thing and prep everything else while it warms.

Ignoring channeling

Channeling happens when water finds easy paths through the coffee bed, over-extracting some areas while under-extracting others. The result is muddy, unbalanced shots that taste both bitter and sour simultaneously.

Signs include espresso that sprays or sputters during extraction, uneven flow favouring one side, visible holes in the puck after extraction, and that characteristic bitter-sour combination in the cup. The fix is improving distribution before tamping. Use a WDT tool to break up clumps, tap the portafilter to settle grounds, and ensure even coverage before you tamp. This takes 10 seconds and prevents most channeling issues.

Changing multiple variables at once

When your shot tastes sour, the instinct is to fix everything at once. You grind finer, increase the dose, and change the ratio. Now it's bitter, and you have no idea why. Three variables changed simultaneously makes diagnosis impossible.

Change one variable at a time. Sour shot? Grind finer while keeping dose and ratio the same. Still sour? Grind finer again. Now bitter? You've gone too fine, so back off one step. This systematic approach actually gets you to good espresso faster than random adjustments. Keeping a log of your dose, grind setting, output, time, and taste helps you track what works.

Cheap grinder, expensive machine

A common mistake is spending most of the budget on an impressive machine while pairing it with a budget grinder. The grinder is where the money matters most. Espresso extraction depends on consistent grind particle size, and cheap grinders produce inconsistent results that make dialling in impossible.

The evidence is clear: an expensive machine with a budget grinder loses to a mid-range machine with a quality grinder. Cheap grinders can't grind fine enough or adjust precisely enough. You'll hit a quality ceiling fast no matter how good your machine is.

Budget 40-50% of your total setup on the grinder. For a £400-500 total budget, that means around £300 on the machine and £150 on the grinder. For £600-700 total, around £400 on the machine and £200 on the grinder. A Baratza Encore ESP or a Timemore C3 ESP PRO are good starting points. *(Prices when reviewed: Encore ESP ~£150, Timemore ~£80 | Check Encore ESP | Check Timemore)*

Giving up too early

Your first 20-30 shots will be bad. That's normal. Espresso has a learning curve, and you're developing muscle memory for dosing, distribution, tamping, and timing. This can't be skipped.

Community experience consistently shows the average time to first "good" shot is 20-30 attempts, with consistent good shots taking 50-100 attempts. Everyone goes through this. The first 10 shots are mostly terrible while learning basics. Shots 11-20 are occasionally decent as understanding develops. The breakthrough moment usually happens around shots 21-30. After that, you're building consistency and refining technique.

Set realistic expectations. Your first shots will be bad. Focus on learning rather than perfection, use a consistent recipe, change one variable at a time, and keep a log. The breakthrough will come.

Common misconceptions worth addressing

More pressure doesn't mean better tamping. Once you've compressed the grounds fully, more pressure does nothing. Consistency matters more than force. Finer grind doesn't automatically mean better espresso either since going too fine causes over-extraction and bitterness. You want the right grind for your dose and ratio, not the finest possible.

The idea that expensive machines make better espresso is also misleading. A £300 machine paired with a £200 grinder beats a £600 machine paired with a £50 grinder. The grinder determines extraction quality more than any other factor.

Common questions about beginner espresso mistakes

How do I know if my grinder is good enough for espresso?

If your grinder was designed for filter coffee or cost under £50, it probably can't grind fine enough for espresso with non-pressurised baskets. Signs include shots that always run too fast no matter the setting, inability to make small grind adjustments, and inconsistent particle sizes visible in the grounds. The Timemore C3 ESP PRO is the minimum for serious espresso. *(Price when reviewed: ~£80 | Check price)*

Why do my shots taste both sour and bitter at the same time?

This usually indicates channeling, where water found easy paths through the coffee bed. Some areas over-extract producing bitterness while others under-extract producing sourness. The fix is better distribution before tamping. Use a WDT tool to break up clumps, ensure even coverage across the basket, and tamp level.

How long should I expect the learning curve to take?

Most people make their first genuinely good shot somewhere between attempt 20 and 30. Consistent good shots usually come after 50-100 attempts. This assumes you're using fresh beans, a capable grinder, and changing one variable at a time. Rushing the process by changing multiple variables at once actually slows learning down.

Should I buy a cheaper setup to learn on before upgrading?

It depends on the setup. A capable beginner setup like a Sage Bambino with a proper grinder will teach you everything you need to know. Starting with equipment that's too limited, like a blade grinder or pressurised-only machine, teaches bad habits rather than proper technique. Get equipment capable of making good espresso from the start.

Free tools to help you improve

Use our free tools to speed up your learning:

- **Dial-In Help** - Quick fixes when shots taste wrong - **Shot Log** - Track what works so you can repeat it

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