Does Starbucks use special type coffee/espresso makers?!
Answers: how are they different than good brand coffee makers from Williams and Sonoma for example?
There is nothing particularly special about the type or brand of espresso machines that Starbucks uses. I'm not certain of the brand that they use, but what I do know is that they use a commercial grade fully automatic machine.
A fully automatic machine takes care of grinding, dosing the proper amount of ground coffee beans into the portafilter, and pulling the shot until the proper amount of espresso is extracted.
There are advantages and disadvantages to the automatic machines. One is that it enables pretty much anybody, with little training, to make a decent espresso. A disadvantage with this type of machine is that on different days, a properly calibrated machine may not make the optimal espresso because of changes in humidity. An experienced barista will notice that shots are pulling differently because of humidity and can make fine adjustments. However, I'll take an espresso shot from a properly calibrated automatic machine made by an inexperienced barista any day over a shot from a manual machine by an inexperienced barista.
You can make an excellent espresso from a home machine. The biggest criteria for espresso machine is that it produces the proper amount of pressure. 9 bars of pressure is what you need for espresso. Most true espresso machines will do 12 bars.
You can't get the proper amount of pressure from a machine that doesn't use a pump. These steam powered machines are the types you'll see at Target and they usually cost less than $50. They're easy to identify because you have to pour water into the machine every time, then it heats up and builds pressure enough to make something resembling espresso, but really, its just strong coffee, sort of.
It's essential that you buy a pump driven machine. Williams Sonoma has this type of machine. They even sell fully automatic ones. Their prices aren't the best, but if money isn't a big issue, you can be just fine getting one of those. Coffeegeek.com is a good place to go to check out reviews of certain machines.
If you're looking for a good home machine, a good brand to go with is one by Gaggia, in my opinion. The Gaggia Baby is an excellent machine, and can be purchased for around $350. If you're looking for a fully automatic machine, the price will be a little bit higher, however if making good espresso is something that you're interested in, I highly recommend going with something similar to the Gaggia Baby. It will take a little bit of trial and error in learning how to make a decent shot, but its a skill that's well worth it.
One important thing that people often overlook when delving into home espresso, or good coffee in general is a grinder. I'm not talking about the blade grinders that you can get for $10 either. That just won't work. Blade grinders won't make the consistency required for espresso.
A burr grinder is what is needed. They can be purchased for around $100 or so. I won't go into detail about how they work, but I will provide a link. Starbucks has a reasonably priced good grinder, called a the Barista and it goes for about $120.
Long story short, yes you can make espresso at home that is every bit as good as Starbucks, and in the long run, you can save lots of money doing it yourself at home!