I get the sense [the Appartamento is] the Porsche of Coffee Makers. I admit, it makes my heart sing every morning when I get up.

—Tina Roth Eisenberg, Swissmiss

The Appartamento is a stylish manual espresso machine created by Milan-based company Rocket Espresso Milano, whose ethos insists on incredible craftsmanship by hand.

As its name implies — it literally translates to "apartment" or "flat" in English — they designed this particular model for smaller living spaces (where countertop real estate is at a premium) and to be accessible enough for beginners. It measures 274mm wide x 425mm deep x 360mm tall, or about 10.8" x 16.7" x 14.2".

Check out this guy's video of his home coffee bar setup, where the Appartamento is the star of the show:

(I'm totally jealous of his setup, and I gotta say, that cinematography is crisp ?)

Now, this is a heat-exchange type of espresso machine, which means that even though there's only one steam boiler inside — mind you, it's a robust one — rather than two independent boilers, you can still brew espresso and steam milk at the same time. Nifty, huh?

Looking for specs to nerd out over? I got you:

• Handcrafted 304 stainless steel housing
• Custom version of the classic E61 group head, incorporating a dual-infusion system
• 2.25-liter (~76 oz) removable water reservoir with low water sensor (plus auto-shutoff if reservoir is completely dry)
• 1.8-liter (~60 oz) copper heat-exchange boiler; consistently produces 200°F water
• 1200-watt heating element
• Passive-heated cup warmer on top
• Two holes on the steam wand tip
• Vibratory pump
• Includes commerical-grade 58mm portafilter (with single and double baskets)

One thing I love so much about the Appartamento is that those polka-dot panels on the side come in a whole range of colors, such as copper, white, red, and black, with prices varying from $1,650 to $2,150 USD based on your color choice. Other colors (as pictured above) can be found at other online retailers, but you'll have to do some digging around.