Breville's Barista Express makes premium espresso at home for a fraction of the price (pictures)

The Breville Barista Express is constructed from stainless steel for a sturdy and stylish look.

Thanks to a removable water tank with a firmly attached handle, it's a cinch to fill the Barista Express with H2O.

There's a bean hopper on top of the machine that feeds the built-in burr grinder.

There are dials and buttons to select the amount of coffee grounds the grinder will create.

Ground coffee beans drop right into the portafilter for easy espresso shot dosing.

Breville also includes a steel "razor" tool to trim excess grounds from the filter.

Equipped with a pressure gauge, the Breville Barista Express lets you see how successful your shot will be in real time.

If all goes well, you should have a delicious shot of espresso in about 30 seconds.

Not only were the shots I pulled very rich, they were topped with a crema that was nice and thick.

A knob on the right of the Barista Express activates its steam or hot water functions.

Unlike budget espresso machines, the Breville Barista Express had steam which didn't quit.

A steel pitcher plus lots of steam power made frothing milk simple and quick.

With just a little practice you have the tools to create cafe drinks at home.