I remember reading here on this thread about a year ago about the viet coffee maker from Tap Phong for $5. and today I made good on that suggestion and picked it up. Thanks.
I also ended up going to SASMART at the north side of the park in kensington market to get the classic italian stovetop Bialetti coffee maker. They had a china made cheaper version as well.

one question for the coffee-philes. Just wondering why the term espresso is sometimes used to describe what I know as coffee. Like the coffee maker I bought today is called an espresso maker.
Whats the difference between espresso and coffee anyhow? is it that espresso is boiled down and more concentrated than a regular cup of coffee?
**nvm. I just spent some time on wikipedia.**