Buying guides
Origin, preparation and honest buying advice, written by the people who roast, test and advise at Naturbohne.
Portafilter espresso machines from 3,000 to 7.500 €: for specialty tinkerers and lovers of craftsmanship and design
Starting at 3.000 €, control, warm-up time, feel and value retention matter. We rank 8 machines for specialty tinkerers and lovers of craftsmanship and design, comparing La Marzocco and Decent.
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Portafilter espresso machines from 1,500 to 3.000 €: the step up to a machine that will last for years
Heat-exchanger or dual-boiler, rotary or vibration pump, E61 or heated grouphead: 14 espresso machines between 1,500 and 3.000 € sorted by drinking habits, including a comparison of ECM, Profitec and La Marzocco.
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Espresso grinders from 500 to 2.000 €: the right grinder for hobby baristas and small cafés
Which espresso grinder between 500 and 2.000 € suits you? We classify 18 grinders by use, from home barista to small café, and compare with La Marzocco and ECM.
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Sync and IoT in coffee technology: What connected grinders and machines really bring to the hospitality operation
Mahlkönig Sync, Fiorenzato ADAPT, Dalla Corte GCS and IoT platforms compared. How they work, limitations and a profitability calculation for an annual consumption of three tonnes.
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Organic Espresso Beans: Do They Really Taste Worse? What the Test Reveals—and What It Didn't Examine
A consumer test ranked organic espresso first, but it only examined industrial products. Here you'll learn why roasting and origin have more influence on the cup than the certification alone.
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Mahlkönig Coffee Grinders: Which grinder is right for your café, roastery, or setup?
Why the grinder determines extraction, how Grind-by-Weight differs from Grind-by-Sync, and which Mahlkönig model suits which volume, from the home setup to the roastery.
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Which Bezzera is right for you? Buying guide 2026 with all models
The buying guide classifies Nini, Luce, Aria, Sole and Matrix by design, PID and Fast Heat and shows you which model is suited to straight espresso or milk drinks.
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When is it really worth buying (or upgrading) a coffee grinder?
Five signs that you need your first grinder, five signs that you should upgrade and the typical mistakes. Plus recommendations based on use and budget for your setup.
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Starter equipment for your first portafilter machine - what you really need (and what you don't)
Which equipment you really need for your first portafilter espresso machine: why the grinder comes first, what a tamper, WDT and a scale are for and which maintenance protects the machine and flavour.
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The best gifts for lovers of portafilter espresso machines
Gift ideas for people with a portafilter espresso machine, sorted by budget: from the barista towel through the WDT tool and tamper to the automatic tamper, each briefly explained.
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Coffee grinders up to €500 - the best grinders for espresso (with bonus tip over €500)
What matters in hopper grinders for espresso: burr size, flat or conical, timer or scale. Plus a comparison of models up to €500 and a tip if you have a bit more to spend.
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The best portafilter espresso machines 2026 under 1.500 €, value for money vs. quality
Three ways to a portafilter espresso machine under 1.500 €: lots of features for your money, uncompromising build quality or a classic barista feel. With a comparison table and a recommendation for each priority.
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New at Natur Bohne: Organic coffee specialties for conscious enjoyment
Four new organic varieties in profile: Hochland Sonne from Colombia, Bergkraft for automatic machines, Hausblend N° 1 and Nachtgold Decaf, each with flavor notes, origin and special characteristics.
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