What temperature should espresso be brewed at?

The SCA recommends 90–96°C (195–205°F) for espresso brewing. Lighter roasts benefit from higher temperatures (94–96°C) to extract more sweetness; darker roasts do well at lower temperatures (88–92°C) to avoid over-extraction of bitter compounds. Budget machines often have limited temperature control — a PID controller (built into many prosumer machines) maintains precise, consistent temperature and is worth the premium for shot-to-shot consistency.