Teach me about espresso

[scottmandue]

I like my coffee the way I like my women... Asian and horny...

Oh wait... not a good analogy.

Let me start again, I make my own coffee, by some standards some people consider me a coffee snob (and a beer snob but that is another thread).

I buy fresh beans (Costa Rican, Honduran, Bolivian, Ethiopian are a few of my favorites) grind them myself, French press at home, drip at work, black... if I am in touch with my feminine side maybe a shot of whole milk in there... that is it.

Sometime when we are out after a good meal I will have one of those espresso drinks.

So I am board and surfing Amazon for espresso machines... everything from $50 to $5000.

So what is a good, reliable, not break the bank ($$$) espresso machine good for just a shot here and there on the weekends?

Ciao!

[RWebb]

none of the coffee shops here will recommend anything cheaper than about $200

is that in your monetary bandwidth?


also, are you roasting yourself? you said "fresh beans" - meaning freshly roasted, or green?

green beans keep a long time, but once roasted you need to use them very quickly

[6e0ff]

Espresso is a very deep rabbit hole you can go down, if you are so inclined. You want a pump driven machine to get a good pull. Thermoblock can be ok, but a proper boiler is better. As you get into more expensive machines, you get a second boiler or thermoblock, so you can pull espresso and steam milk at the same time. I'm personally not a huge fan of the super-automatic machines, since I like to control the steps in the process rather than let a machine do it all. If you don't have a burr grinder that can do a proper, consistent, espresso grind, budget some money for that too. If you can provide a price target, that will help narrow the field of options quite a bit.

[scottmandue]

Sorry, should have said whole beans...

Roasting you own beans... that is just crazy talk!

$200 is okay... but for something we would only do once or twice a month maybe the money would be better spent on good booze... did I just type that out loud?

[gtc]

I used to suggest the Rancilio Silvia, but it has gotten pricey in the last few years, so now I would suggest the Gaggia Classic.

coffeegeek.com is a good source for ratings and reviews.

Edit: if you want to keep it under $200, don't bother. Buy an aeropress or a hario dripper.

[madmmac]

Got one of these http://www.nespresso-us.com/item_detail.cfm?product_ID=3&id=item_ID and one of these http://www.nespresso-us.com/item_detail.cfm?product_ID=21&id=item_ID and never looked back.

Make sure to take the magnetized spring frother thing out when you are done.....don't leave it sitting in the frother.

I heard the patent is going to end soon on the capsules opening up to an even better market and hopefully reducing the price.

[6e0ff]

Something like this Gaggia will have proper components inside, but save some money with a plastic body and is currently on sale for $199.

http://www.wholelattelove.com/Gaggia/gaggia_evo_black.cfm

Having a machine at home, means that I drink a good bit more espresso than I did before. Once you get the hang of it, it is pretty easy and doesn't take a lot of time. What kind of grinder do you have right now?

[gtc]

Originally Posted by madmmac

Got one of these http://www.nespresso-us.com/item_detail.cfm?product_ID=3&id=item_ID and one of these http://www.nespresso-us.com/item_detail.cfm?product_ID=21&id=item_ID and never looked back.

Make sure to take the magnetized spring frother thing out when you are done.....don't leave it sitting in the frother.

I heard the patent is going to end soon on the capsules opening up to an even better market and hopefully reducing the price.

Keurig's capsule patent is already expired. They are pretty much hosed. I think starbucks' new capsule machine is going to destroy them.

[Aggie93]

Start with this, then decide if you want to spend 10x more.

AeroPress® | AEROBIE® High Performance Sport Toys

[greglepore]

Agree w the Gaggia classic recommendation, but the most important thing is the GRINDER. A Ranciillio Rocky is about the acceptable minimum.

If you have $1500 to spend, you can't go wrong with a Rocky and a Breville Dual Boiler. I've been playing with espresso for 10 yrs, and it is the best bang for buck machine I've ever seen..

I'm a geek that roasts, but that's just because I'm a cheap bastard.

[genrex]

Scott, one or two cups on weekends is not very much.

_

[scottmandue]

Just for giggles... how do the De'Longhi machines stack up against the Gaggia?

Honestly I will need to hit the lotto to support this habit!

[spuggy]

I've used a spice grinder and multiple cheap ($40-120) espresso machines. I smoke - and even I can tell the difference between pre-ground and fresh ground coffee...

Espresso tastes exactly the same out of any of them to me; only difference is the longevity of the units. But the current $40 Mr Coffee design has lasted the longest (4 years of daily use, no issues).

Perfectly happy with that. But then I only buy Peet's coffee - because using junk coffee has more far more effect on taste than the machine it's made in, I think.

Some folks insist you can only use a $2000 commercial espresso machine. I've worked multiple places that had one in the kitchen - and I really cant' tell any difference - much less $1960 worth of difference.

So I just feel sorry for those folks for the cruel trick life has played on them in much the same way as I felt sorry for an ex-workmate who felt compelled to spend $3500 on a turntable (didn't include base or cartridge) because he could hear the difference ...

[holtjv]

I would third the Gaggia brand. If you end up liking the sport, you'll want something
that's consistent and will last. Getting all the variables right to pull a good shot is
incredibly frustrating, so at a minimum you should get good equipment that will
pump at the same pressure and temperature.

I started with a Classic and Mazzer baby grinder - you'll read that the grinder is
nearly as important as the machine.

Then I moved upmarket significantly because it is a slippery slope - to the Expobar
dual boiler. Fantastic machine.

Everything bought from Whole Latte Love.

[RWebb]

Finding The Best Espresso Machine Under 200 Dollars - What To Look For

- providing this link does not reflect on any opinions of the linker; linkee(s) agree to hold harmless linker; no warranty express or implied; we have not formed a contract and I am not your attorney

[Joe Bob]

If my hair ain't wiggling it ain't good enuff....

[froggert]

Originally Posted by spuggy

I've used a spice grinder and multiple cheap ($40-120) espresso machines. I smoke - and even I can tell the difference between pre-ground and fresh ground coffee...

Espresso tastes exactly the same out of any of them to me; only difference is the longevity of the units. But the current $40 Mr Coffee design has lasted the longest (4 years of daily use, no issues).

using a spice grinder on the beans, i would expect any espresso machine ($40 or $2000) to product the same product.

for the OP, imo the keys to good espresso are a decent machine, a good grinder and fresh beans. if you're only going to have a shot or two every other weekend, try something like the nespresso machine. it won't produce shots nearly like what you can make with beans and a grinder, but you won't have to worry about having fresh beans on hand all the time.

i probably average a double or quad on the way in to work and one or two more doubles during the day. doesn't mean i know how to make great espresso, but i drink it in quantity.

[Bill Douglas]

I'm happy enough with this thing. And I'm REALLY fussy about my coffee. You want one with a big boiler and lots of watts. Vibiemme Domobar Super

[djmcmath]

Lot of good wisdom here. I started down this rabbit hole years ago with a $25 thermoblock machine. I upgraded to a $200 single boiler pump machine later and loved it, then built a dual-boiler PID-controlled monster. Then it was a big HX machine, and now I use an Alex Duetto.

Lessons learned:

- Don't skimp on the grinder. A good quality burr grinder will make consistent coffee, while a cheaper one will consistently make you unhappy. Getting the grind right really does matter.

- Roasting your own beans is neither challenging nor expensive, and it has a HUGE impact on the flavor of your coffee. Look up "dog bowl heat gun" coffee roasting; I use an old Kitchenaid mixer instead of a dog bowl, but it's the same thing.

- After you've got good beans and a consistent grind, temperature control is the next most important thing. But if you're not grinding well, or the beans aren't fresh (within about 7-10days of roast), you might not even notice.


So practical recommendations? The Aeropress may not be junk, but it's really hard to make good coffee with it. Budget, say, $150 for an introductory machine with a pump and a thermoblock or small boiler. If you're a Pelican (e.g. DIY-inclined), don't be afraid to install a PID controller; they're usually cheap and it's a great way to get better temperature control out of a cheap machine. Don't worry about the E-61 grouphead at this point, but try to get one that's the same size (avoid the little bitty cutesy ones).

Unless you decide to get serious, you may be ok getting pre-ground coffee at your local shop, as long as you get small doses (like a day or two's worth of coffee, not a month). Sooner rather than later, though, you should watch the auctions for used grinders (Mazzer Mini is your friend!). Budget about $200 for a grinder. Mine's lasted for, I don't know, 12 years now, I think, so it's really a long term investment.

Good luck.

Dan

[Chocaholic]

Guess I'm too lazy. We bought a Nespresso machine a few years ago. Uses those pre-made/measured canisters. Been great for us. Has a milk frother if you're so inclined too.