These coffee makers blend taste, efficiency

Unless you're willing to part with big money for a high-powered machine and grinder, not to mention lots of time figuring out how to make all sorts of adjustments, espresso is a process best left to a barista. The Italians know this, which is why most of them at home use stovetop makers that produce moka-style coffee, something close to espresso but not quite the same.

Espresso isn't the only way to taste coffee's riches, though, and many aficionados swear by relatively low-tech methods that steep grinds directly in hot water. French presses do this, but they leave a sediment that some find off-putting. We tried four makers: one stovetop moka pot and three others that employ twists on the simplicity of the French press.

For stovetop-espresso fans, Italian-made Bialetti is the standard, and the company's new Mukka Express takes the process one step further by simultaneously frothing milk to approximate cappuccino. The resulting flavor was a bit harsh, but for anyone who likes to combine coffee with hot milk, the ease was hard to beat.

On the somewhat higher-tech end of the spectrum, Bodum's Santos pot is akin to an electric French press, using a vaccuum system to percolate water, steep the coffee in it, then suck the liquid back through a filter. The result was a rich brew, but as the coffee sat on the burner, it turned sharp.

Much simpler, a little hand device called the AeroPress acts like a cross between an espresso maker and a French press, but with tighter filtration. You combine ground coffee and hot water, stir for a few seconds, then press it through a little paper disk right into a cup. The result is as concentrated as espresso, and pretty smooth, but without the head of ''crema." Add hot water, and you've got what the Italians call cafe Americano.

Perhaps the best brew of the bunch came out of the lowest-tech gadget, the CafeSolo, which combines hot water and grounds in a stylish, insulated carafe. (As with the AeroPress, you have to heat the water yourself in a separate kettle.) Stir, attach a filtration spout, let steep for a few minutes, and pour. The filter doesn't catch every last bit of sediment, but the result is cleaner than most French presses, with a similarly vivid but easy-to-drink flavor. -- JOE YONAN

CafeSolo
$80; 866-444-5282
www.terroircoffee.com
Pros: Beautiful design; makes bold but smooth coffee; keeps it hot.
Cons: Doesn't filter out all sediment; requires water to be heated in a separate kettle or pot.

Aerobie AeroPress
$30; 650-493-3050
www.aerobie.com
Pros: Inexpensive, easy to use, and produces very smooth coffee.
Cons: Requires special filters, although a year's worth are included, and requires separate heating of water.

Bialetti Mukka Express
$90; 704-545-2287
www.bialettishop.com
Pros: Very easily combines moka-style coffee with very hot, frothy milk.
Cons: Taste is on the harsh side, drink was super-hot, and cow motif is cheesy (although it's also available in plain).

Bodum Santos
$100; 800-232-6386
www.bodumusa.com
Pros: Easy to use, and makes good, strong, sediment-free coffee.
Cons: Bulbous design may not suit everyone's taste; overheats coffee as it sits on burner; awkward to clean.