My first espresso....

OK, so I've finally given in and bought an espresso machine. Years of plunging that French press and using that stovetop clearly haven't satisfied the irrepressible allure of the home-made espresso.

I got a Francis! Francis! Trio X3 machine, which is a less boisterous version of its X1 cousin. It lacks all the retro dials and all, but for those of us with spatially-challenged kitchens it's a great compromise, combining sleek looks with slim practicality. I was also much swayed by CoffeeGeek, who gave it an extensive test and a good write-up.

The thing looks like something out of the Titanic and, once out of the box, it's a breeze to set up. Sadly, it doesn't come with a holder for ground coffee (at least mine didn't), so if you want to use your own grounds, you'll have to get it separately. The pod grouphead is pretty easy to use, though, and it comes with 18 servings of Illy pods so you can at least get your fix while you get that other grouphead.

I wasn't brave enough to try the milk frother yet, being a novice barista, but here's my first espresso, which even on a new machine, was reasonably OK. No doubt they'll get better as the thing wears in. I'll let you know when I manage my first cappuccino......