2. Grinding the beans

If you are lucky enough to have an espresso machine at home, you will need to grind your beans very finely. They should be a little coarser for a stove-top pot, and quite coarse for a cafetière or drip filter. There are excellent hand grinders now available, or you can splash out on an electric grinder, but try to avoid using a spice grinder as they give very uneven results.