The Translation: “Puck prep” is the entire routine you do before you push the brew button. It includes grinding, stirring, and squishing (tamping) the coffee grounds so they form a tight, flat “puck.”
Use It In a Sentence: “I thought my machine was broken, but it turns out my puck prep was just sloppy.”
Why You Care: Beginners often blame their expensive espresso machine when their coffee tastes bad, but the community will almost always tell them to fix their puck prep first. How you handle the grounds before brewing is 90% of the battle.
Hobby Lingo 