Turbo shots [0] have sort of changed the game here though. Even with the most expensive gear, espresso has typically been inconsistent because the conventional wisdom has been to grind extremely fine and pound high-pressure water over a longer period of time (~30 seconds typically). This often leads to water finding channels through the coffee puck and over/under extraction, except for the rare occasions with perfect prep that you get a perfect extraction, but it's basically unrepeatable.
The new wisdom is grinding coarser, using less coffee, and sending water through at a lower pressure. So instead of an 18g:36g shot dripping out variably in 30 seconds, the aim is something like 15:45g in less than 20 seconds.
The new wisdom is grinding coarser, using less coffee, and sending water through at a lower pressure. So instead of an 18g:36g shot dripping out variably in 30 seconds, the aim is something like 15:45g in less than 20 seconds.
[0]: https://strivefortone.com/2020/09/19/low-pressure-turbo-shot...