My Coffee Journey

I grew up not really liking or drinking coffee. I only started drinking coffee at DePauw University, where there were plenty of Green Mountain Coffee machines across campus. At the time, coffee was just fuel—something I used to cram last-minute for projects and exams. I don’t really know why I started drinking it—I never liked soda, and sparkling water wasn’t a thing. (Side note: I have a future post planned on how I automated sparkling water and my history with it.)

I never truly appreciated coffee until I went to South Africa in 2012 for a semester abroad, where I interned at Big Sky Productions. Those four months were pivotal—not just for my coffee journey, but for my entire life.

From a coffee perspective, coffee practically originated in Africa, and when you pair that with the unmatched hospitality of South Africans, you get a damn good cup of coffee! I started to realize that espresso drinks had rich, complex flavors—full of life and inspiration. Compare that to Starbucks, where most drinks seem like milk with a hint of coffee flavor.

And let’s talk about flavors. I love flavors. I love coffee. But I want my coffee to taste like coffee—is that too much to ask? I don’t want it to taste like milk. I don’t want it to taste like sugarplum fairies. I just want coffee.

After graduating from DePauw, I was secretly planning to open a pizza brewery (story for another post), but I eventually walked away from it. Instead, I hopped right back on a plane to Africa. There, you could get a beautiful cup of coffee for just $2, so there was never really a need to indulge at home.

I had a Bialetti and an AeroPress, and that worked well. My good friend Youseff had a Breville Barista Express, and I remember being in awe of such a machine. I told myself that one day, I'd own that Barista Express, and that would be the day I had "made it." Turns out, I was both right and wrong.

When my wife and I moved back to the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic, after spending eight years in Africa and the Middle East, I was shocked by how insanely expensive and underwhelming American coffee had become. One day, I told Cassidy, "We can do better." After one last $12 café run in San Diego, she said, "If you can make coffee taste as good as this at home, and we can save money doing it, I'm in." And just like that, the can of worms was opened.

I was intrigued by the Nespresso Vertuo with its barcode scanning and centrifuge technology. It seemed promising, so we tried it for a few months—but I was relieved to sell that piece of junk. Do yourself a favor—skip capsule machines. So much of coffee’s flavor comes from the grind and roast, and with capsules, you have no idea how fresh the coffee is. Plus, the waste is ridiculous.

After researching, I knew I had to dive into the Barista Express world. I found an open-box deal on Amazon (we always try to buy second-hand or discounted items—it feels better and removes emotional attachment). A few days later, it arrived, and I got to work. I devoured videos from Lance Hendrick and James Hoffmann, refining my technique. Espresso at home is a process—you'll go through half a bag of beans just dialing it in.

While the Breville Barista Express is an amazing beginner’s machine, it takes skill. You can easily burn your shot, damage the machine, or get overwhelmed. And that’s the double-edged sword—I was the only one comfortable making coffee. As much as I love hosting, it became exhausting when guests expected me to pull perfect shots all night.

After six months and hundreds of dollars in accessories, we threw in the towel and opted for a super-automatic espresso machine. The ability to press a button and get quality coffee was unbeatable. Ironically, less control made me happier—no endless tweaking, just great coffee.

After more research, we landed on the Philips LatteGo 2200—great value, easy to clean, and solid milk frothing. If budget weren’t a concern, we’d have chosen a Jura, Miele, or the new KitchenAid KF8. If I ever open a café (partners welcome!), I’d explore Eversys machines for consistency and Lelit, La Marzocca, or Gaggia for fun.

I also love cold coffee, and companies like Cumulus and Spinn are making at-home cold brews easier. Right now, in addition to the Philips, I use a simple cold brewer with freshly roasted beans from DrinkTrade—because great coffee starts with great beans.

At the end of the day, automation isn’t just about convenience—it’s about freeing up my mind to be creative and focus on delivering my best work. ☕