Real talk: Espresso and Machines makes money when you click some of the links on this site and buy something. This page explains exactly how that works, what it doesn’t change about my reviews, and why I tell you about it before you read another word.
The short version
Espresso and Machines participates in affiliate advertising programs. This means that when you click certain links to retailers on this site and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. The price you pay is exactly the same whether you click an affiliate link or type the retailer’s URL directly.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What this means for our reviews
Here’s the part most disclosure pages skip: affiliate relationships do not influence which machines we recommend or how we review them. We’ve tested over 150 espresso machines since 2018, and the recommendations on this site come from sitting with each machine on my counter for at least 30 days, pulling shots across multiple bean origins, and comparing it head-to-head against machines in the same price tier.
Some of the machines I rate highest pay the lowest commissions. Some machines I won’t recommend at all are some of the most profitable to link to. I’d rather lose the commission than send someone home with a $1,500 paperweight.
Which programs we participate in
Espresso and Machines participates in several affiliate programs, which may include but are not limited to:
- Amazon Services LLC Associates Program — an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
- Direct partnerships with select coffee equipment retailers and manufacturers, where we may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through tracked links.
- Third-party affiliate networks that connect publishers with retailer programs we may use from time to time.
Affiliate links may appear in product reviews, comparison articles, buying guides, and within the body of educational content. We do not mark every individual link as an affiliate link, but the presence of this disclosure page covers any affiliate relationship across the site.
What we don’t do
To be clear about what affiliate participation does not mean here:
- We don’t accept payment for positive reviews. Manufacturers cannot buy a recommendation on this site, regardless of affiliate program participation.
- We don’t write from press releases. Every review is based on hands-on testing of the actual machine, not on manufacturer marketing copy.
- We don’t accept “review samples” without disclosure. On the rare occasion a manufacturer sends a machine for testing, the review explicitly states this. The relationship does not change the review’s findings.
- We don’t run sponsored content disguised as editorial. If a piece of content is sponsored or paid for by a third party, it will be clearly labeled as such — separately from this disclosure.
Why we earn commissions at all
Testing 150+ espresso machines costs real money. Beans, descalers, water filters, replacement parts, and the hundreds of hours that go into properly evaluating each machine across 30+ days of daily use — none of that is free. Affiliate commissions are how this site funds the testing program without selling editorial control or running intrusive ads.
If you’ve found our recommendations useful and want to support the testing program, clicking through one of our links before you buy is the simplest way to do it. It costs you nothing, and it keeps the next round of reviews honest, hands-on, and manufacturer-independent.
Questions or concerns
If you have questions about our affiliate relationships, want to flag a specific link, or have concerns about the integrity of a review, contact us through the contact page. We respond to every legitimate inquiry.
Last updated: May 2026