Water

Your coffee can only be as good as your water. I used to run 100% distilled until a couple of people suggested cutting it with a bit of bottled mineral water. I tried it, and — you know what — the espresso didn’t taste as “flat.” The shots come out a bit sweeter, too. Here’s what I do now, before every session:

1. Mix the water. In a plastic water container, combine 80% distilled water with 20% Vittel.
2. Aerate it. Close the lid and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds before pouring it into the Pavoni.
3. Taste-test if you’re not sure the setup is clean. Sometimes I’ll put the filter in and pull a shot without any coffee, just to taste the water on its own. If the water tastes off, or the equipment isn’t clean enough, this is how you’ll know before you ruin a real shot.

This may sound a bit fanatical, but it works for me.