The first thing you want to do is turn your espresso machine on and let it heat up. This can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, it depends on what kind of a machine you have (refer to the machine's manual).
At this point, you want to grind your coffee beans. A conical burr grinder will provide you with the best results but any coffee or a spice grinder can come in handy.
Now, take the portafilter out from the machine, fill it up with 9 grams of coffee for a single espresso shot (18 for a double), and tamp it down using even pressure. Run some water through the brew group to ensure that you remove the leftover grounds from it from the previous brewing cycle. Place the portafilter back into its position and lock it in.
Start the brewing process. You will need only about 20 to 30 seconds to pull a perfect espresso shot with rich top crema.