For the last 6 or 7 years I have been using a stove top espresso unit with freshly ground beans.
I have played with a few different techniques and what works for me is cold water, med ground beans, start on max heat, once the coffee is flowing, reduce the heat to medium, once half full reduce heat to low.
I like a flat white, so I hear milk in the microwave, froth the hot milk, then add coffee.
For a long black I add coffee to hot water at a 3:1 ratio (3 parts water).
I am probably biased but this produces a lovely espresso coffee, as good as almost any caffe I have been in.
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