You will be at the mercy of humidity, air pressure and the mood of your cat. All of these things will effect the espresso brewing process. Home espresso is a time-consuming, wasteful and messy process. You will tend to entertain more as your espresso brewing improves and your abilities to crank out Latte, Cappuccino, Mocha, Hot-Chocolate and Steamed Cider beverages increase. As a result you WILL save money.
Most espresso machines have a brewing cycle that uses too much water.
For best results, you should use about four ounces of water and four tablespoons of coffee for a two ounce demitasse. During the brew cycle, espresso will first dribble, then run easily from the spout. Keep this in mind when you are seconds into the extraction. When it begins to gush out with large, foamy bubbles, it's time to remove the carafe and let the rest go to waste. This is the bitter, over-extracted part.