Abstract: An espresso press for forcing hot water through coffee grounds into a container rests on a support surface, and is comprised of a base, a stand projecting upwardly from the support surface, an arbor assembly, a brewhead that includes a brewhead mount fixed with the stand, and an espresso chamber adapted to receive filter baskets of various sizes. The arbor assembly is comprised of an arbor mount, and an arbor that includes a movable shaft the arbor aperture and a plunger slidably fixed with the shaft. The arbor assembly further includes a rack-and-pinion arrangement that includes a rack gear fixed with the shaft of the arbor, and a pinion gear partially projecting into the arbor aperture and adapted to engage the rack gear of the arbor when the arbor is fixed within the arbor aperture. The pinion gear is rotatable with a manual lever.