Admit it - you have a love-hate relationship with your espresso machine. Unless yours is one of those whizzbang models that does your bidding at the push of a button, you're likely to have days when your passion for a great brew goes unrequited. You might woo your machine with the best beans and milk, only to have it spit out a bitter or weak brew. It's enough to make you run into the arms of your local barista.

But the relationship can be saved, if you're willing to change your ways. It will take time, but, remember that the payoff - a perfect espresso - is why you bought the machine in the first place.

More than a million Australian households are estimated to have a home espresso machine. Per capita, this figure is second only to Italy. According to market leader De'Longhi, sales of coffee machines totalled over $87 million in 2007, a 14-per-cent increase from the previous year and a 74-per-cent increase from 2003.

Mastering your machine begins with understanding the essentials. John Russell Storey, marketing manager for Lavazza, who runs classes in Sydney for baristas and home consumers, offers this guide:

GROUND WORK

You can use ground coffee or whole beans. If you're using ground, make sure the coffee is fine enough for a home espresso machine. "Otherwise, during extraction, the water will go through it and the coffee will be weak," warns Storey. For whole beans, use a grinder with conical or flat blades. Upturned blades rip the beans up unevenly.

STORAGE TIPS

Place coffee, ground or whole, in an opaque airtight container, refrigerate and use within four days. If you have a large quantity of beans, store them in the freezer. "The cooler the temperature, the slower the rate at which the coffee oxidises," says Storey. "Fluctuations also affect the coffee."

TAMP IT DOWN

Every machine is different, so there isn't one correct level of firmness for tamping down grounds, says Storey. "It's a fine balance between the tamp and grind. The key is the way the coffee extracts. It should come out in an even stream."

Start by pressing down the grounds, using a tamper or the back of a flat-based spoon to create a level bed of coffee. "Then see how it extracts and adjust it next time if you need to," says Storey. Extract up to 25-30ml for best flavour. For an intense shot (a ristretto), extract 15-20ml.

GETTING STEAMY

Skim milk froths quicker than whole milk, so be careful not to overfroth it.

Pour cold milk into the steamer jug a third of the way up. Insert the steamer wand into the milk and turn it on. Pull the jug down and keep the steamer's tip just below the surface of the milk. As froth forms, lower the jug to keep the tip under the foam. Place your hand on the side of the jug, and when you feel the milk has heated up, count to two, then turn off the steamer. At the count of three, swirl the jug to prevent separation. "Don't move the jug up and down - baristas might do it, but it's just for drama," says Storey. "There's no need to bang it either."

HAVE IT YOUR WAY

When you master the technique that works for you, don't worry about all the conflicting advice you might hear. Simply enjoy.