oh, of course - sorry, I don't mean to imply there is no such thing as bad espresso, or no such thing as good french press coffee, or that all bad espresso is better than all good french press, etc.

but I will say that each method has its particular benefits and downsides

no other method creates the crema and concentrated flavor espresso makes

but neither espresso nor french press are particularly stable, so if you want coffee that doesn't quickly become bitter (e.g. when you make coffee in an office and want to be able to drink a few cups over a few hours), making a pot of drip coffee makes more sense, because drip coffee is more stable and has fewer free-floating coffee grounds that continue to leach astringent chemicals.

So, you're right - it's entirely a matter of taste, purpose, and context - not everyone even enjoys good espresso.

But I personally still think it doesn't get better than the way espresso tastes so rich and creamy - it does feel like the highest / best form of coffee to me.

that's awesome! I didn't make espresso for the longest time because I didn't want a big, expensive machine that had too many bells and whistles.

What I ended up going with was a brand new Flair manual lever espresso maker, which incidentally also only costs $150, and I've made excellent espresso with it so far.

Do it, but save the cash (actual coins and notes) and after 3 months, look at what you saved and decided if it’s worth it for you. Great frugal work, whatever you decide.