hi, i am not a coffee drinker but would like to get my husband a fancy machine. How do they work - can you make a black coffee, or are they just for espresso, then you have to top up from a kettle
No need to spend a fortune - how about a classic Italian stove-top coffee maker? They make great coffee with no faffing about, and don't cost a fortune:
I'm no expert here but my understanding is that they basically allow a user to play at being a barista. i.e. they can make whatever quantity of coffee is required, at whatever strength is required, and then the incorporated steam wand can be used to, for example, froth up the milk for a cappuccino.