It's just coffee.

Some Americans still have a hard time thinking of an espresso machine as something you have in your kitchen. Espresso’s only for snooty hipsters. Or it’s too hard to make. Or a machine would be too expensive. Or too bulky. Or - the most ridiculous - an espresso machine is a “unitasker”. Anyway, they only drink “regular coffee”.

Thing is, espresso is regular as coffee gets.

On rugged streets from Istanbul to Naples to Seattle, espresso is a workingman’s drink. It’s not something for philosophers to while away a lazy afternoon sipping - it’s a sharp, thick jolt of hot caffeine you down on your way to another double shift at your crappy job. It packs a punch. And dissing it as unmanly in those places might get you punched. Except in Seattle.

Espresso is the fundamental building block of all coffee. Cappuccinos. Lattes. And of course, Americanos: like “regular coffee”, but better. An espresso machine is a “unitasker” the way your faucet is a unitasker because it only dispenses water.

OK, what else? The low price and compact size of this Capresso 4-Cup Espresso & Cappuccino Machine effectively demolishes the “it’s too expensive” and “it’s too bulky” arguments. Is it too difficult to use? Come on. With the coffee-steam selector and swivel frother, you basically flip a couple of switches to make cappuccinos and lattes. A lot easier than going to a coffeeshop. Besides, being a wuss about putting a little effort into life isn’t, dare we say, very manly.

Espresso’s too good to leave to the Euro-poseur coffee snobs. Don’t be intimidated. It’s not their property. You can call it “expresso” if you want. Even better, just call it coffee.