Like most nerds and tech junkies, I'm totally addicted to coffee. Without my morning cuppa, I tend to wander around like a drooling zombie, but instead of fresh brains I'm craving bitter brown liquid; the elixir of life, the nectar of my sustenance.

I've typically stayed true to the "traditional" coffee intake of the drip brewpot, usually filled with Eight O'Clock. When out and about, I do occasionally fancy a hit of espresso or a latte, but tend to venture away from the exotic, sugar filled concoctions that masquerade as coffee.

So, maybe it's the cold weather, or my urge for a new toy, but I got the insatiable urge to up the addition quotient just a bit and give home brewing espresso a try. The problem, though, at least for me, is that most "good" espresso machines cost a damn fortune. True, they're badass, but they vary in cost anywhere from $75 to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. I wanted something more economical, and this led me to the Bialetti Moka Express.

Had for a mere 20 clams, this little baby is my favorite new gadget. No buttons, no batteries, no LCD display, just an old school caffeine delivery system that exudes some Euro charm. It's elegant in its simplicity, and only has three parts.

First, you take the bottom part and fill it with water. I got the "one shot" version but they're available in tons of different sizes. Then, you stick the filter in the top and fill it with espresso.

Then, you take the top part and screw it into the bottom part. Shown above is the rubber seal and secondary metal filter in the top piece.

Finally, put it on your stovetop and kick on the low heat. In a few minutes, you'll see the delicious treat bubbling up through the spout, and in about six minutes, your espresso should be finished. The spent grounds form a nice "puck" that's easy to discard when you're done.

The finished product, by my measure, was delicious - rich, only slightly bitter; it tasted like the goodness of a whole pot of coffee crammed into one tiny shot. I'm not sure how the taste compares to the super expensive home machines, but this is far more than good enough for me. (You won't hear me using terms like "mouthfeel" and "intense, nutty essence" and garbage like that. It's coffee, and it's good, and it tastes like coffee.) And for twenty bucks? You can't go wrong. While the device has its drawbacks (it will wear out over time), it's not often these days that you find a product as well made as this one, virtually all metal to boot, that's so useful. It's easy to clean, too.