Coffee machine....works! Top tips needed!

Slick

Slick

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Location
North Lincs
Dear forum members
Now there are some people on here who love their coffee.
I'm one.
I haven't bought instant for years. I like one or maybe two cups a day.
I've got some of those pretty litlle stove top ones and the usual cafatiere. I've got a mega gravity filter type thing which us USA built.
Now I need advice.
I'm going to buy a pressure machine.
It's got use beans. No capsules.
It must do great crema on espresso.
It's not got to cost the earth!!
I've read so
Many reviews I've got lost in it all.
So give us your best 'shot'.
Ha!
A coffee joke.
What do you recommend.
Yrs
Timslick
 
RE: Coffee machine

Well, there's really only two machines that really fit the bill (as entry leval machines) - so that makes it easy :D Gaggia Classic and Rancilio Silva. I've got the last and love it (I've had it for two years now and is my fourth espresso machine). Problem no 2 is that you really need to put down almost as much money on the grinder as the machine it self - but usually you can buy packages deals though (like Rancilios Silva and their grinder Rocky). Then you'll need to learn how to work them and it's a completly different story than the usual domestic home espresso machine, belive me... But there's many nice forums around the subject :D
 
RE: Coffee machine

grandad has one of these, he is a very big coffee person

sadly it only accepts capsels but there not badly priced

and you can get caples of the internet that you fill with your own coffee cheap

41m4xeX7LRL._SL500_AA300_.jpg



Slick said:
Dear forum members
Now there are some people on here who love their coffee.
I'm one.
I haven't bought instant for years. I like one or maybe two cups a day.
I've got some of those pretty litlle stove top ones and the usual cafatiere. I've got a mega gravity filter type thing which us USA built.
Now I need advice.
I'm going to buy a pressure machine.
It's got use beans. No capsules.
It must do great crema on espresso.
It's not got to cost the earth!!
I've read so
Many reviews I've got lost in it all.
So give us your best 'shot'.
Ha!
A coffee joke.
What do you recommend.
Yrs
Timslick
Click to expand...

can you give price range, not cost the earth means different things to different people

for example my piccolo was quite cheap at £400 (yfl32) some places are selling them at £500 now
 
RE: Coffee machine

Mikael is spot on if your not going for capsules. Spend what you can on the machine, last time I looked a Gaggia Classic was around £250, buy a shit grinder but start saving for a better one. A Rancillo "kit" I think is around the £500 mark, don't be tempted to touch the fully automatics at that price either anything decent is well over £500 more like double.
 
RE: Coffee machine

gaggia classic is probably a good idea.. i was lucky enough to inherit an incredibly good machine. A Jura F90 beans to cup. It makes a superb espresso, but then its likely to cost about £1200 new. If it wasnt for that, i dunno what i'd go buy. Probably the classic and a nice grinder. Do it the hard way :)
 
RE: Coffee machine

Jura do make excellent machines. I bought a Solis semi industrial beans to cup from a lease hire company again it's Swiss and gets dogs abuse now I know what I can get away with. Nice learning to be a barista but boy it's even nicer just pressing a button first thing in the morning.
 
RE: Coffee machine

Would have to go with the Gaggia Classic.

My first Gaggia lasted 16 years ! I've had my current one for about 7 years.

Have a look-see on the Gaggia web site. They used to do good deals on ex-demo machines.

I use Lavazza, and have done so for many years.


Steve
 
RE: Coffee machine

Tried to find cheap grinder but have come to the conclusion I'm going to have to get something like a gaggia MDF.
I think I can source one for about 127 gbp.
So then I looked at e bay. And tuen thought I can see me getting it serviced!
Plus they are actually not that cheap.
The hunt continues.
Ta for input guys.
Tim
 
RE: Coffee machine

There's also an ebayer selling refurbished Gaggia Classics for £140, most of the time refurbs are just returns or have small cosmetic or packaging damage.
 
RE: Coffee machine

antdad said:
There's also an ebayer selling refurbished Gaggia Classics for £140, most of the time refurbs are just returns or have small cosmetic or packaging damage.
Click to expand...

Dear AD
Have found it at 130.
I have bought one.
Great advice.
Now if any of you guys have burr grinder to sell....
Ta
a lot!
Tim
 
RE: Coffee machine

Yes that's the fella.

For £70 or so you could get a Dualit burr grinder which is actually made by Solis. Every espresso nut usually complains grind isn't fine enough, it'll do for a sub £100 grinder and there you go that's your £200 budget sorted.

I didn't look that hard...you might find cheaper.
http://www.ogormans.ltd.uk/dualit-coffee-grinder-75002-1523-0.html

or the Cuisineart...comes with 5 year guarantee
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/cart/view-upsell.html?ie=UTF8&HUCT=1&newItems=UGXD2Y9CEPIWE%2C1%7CU3HVTECKXG2MGY%2C1%7CU11LSSZ4HY0DG0%2C1

or Gaggia
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gaggia-RI8121-Ceramic-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0000C72S0
 
RE: Coffee machine

I know my machine doesn't even brew a decent espresso with a knife(/burr?) grinder and it can't even make a half decent cup with pre grinded coffee - it's very different when you step up to an entry level machine, I think (I never tested a Gaggia Classic, but every semi pro machine I've heard about it's the same - What do you think of the average cup of espresso in London, Tony? I had a hard time finding a good one, really. This summer was easier though, than three uears ago).

I agree with Tony re pushing buttoms, but if you're anal, likel we are, Slicko, you don't mind making a "real" espresso once or twice _every_ day :D

Todays shot:
015800x635.jpg
 
RE: Coffee machine

I'm well outta touch with the London Espresso scene Mikael but there used to be a few qood outlets around Soho (Milk Club) plus there's always Bar Italia I suppose. Nowadays I'm already doused up before heading into town and I can't get my beauty sleep if I sup the black stuff after noon. You're right though on the whole it's not that good, trouble is we know what we like so I put it down to the coffee more than technique, seems every bar has a steam engine, grind & dosage preset and you'd think the staff are at least partially trained.

If you want good crema Slick you should spend as much on the grinder, if not and lattes are more your thing then the above grinders will proably do for now.

If you find that the grind isn't quite fine enough give the head a very small squirt of hot water to pre-wet the coffee, that'll help with better extraction.
 
RE: Coffee machine....works!! Now top tips Needed!

I am feeling the lurve.
Dualit/solis I think.
Can't find one cheaper than o gormans
I shall report back.
Again I'm not sure if it's worth buying second hand.
Cheers.
Love the pics mikael.
Timbo.
 
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