Coffee machines ?
Discussion
uncinqsix said:
Colonial said:
Only way to go - I only drink espresso so it makes the best ones around. Better than any machine available. Low temperature makes it even smoother (but takes longer)
It makes short, strong coffee, but it doesn't make espresso. (I wouldn't agree that it's better than any machine either, but that's down to personal taste - liking moka pot coffee better than espresso certainly would save you a lot of money on kit )
If you want to use language which is common to describe types of coffee then the phrase espresso, or short black as I would call them, gives a far better description of the type of coffee produced.
And no, it is probably not as good as a top of the range bit of equipment. But most home coffee machines are abysmal, burn the beans and tend to be bought by posers who simply want a coffee machine in their kitchen because isn't the smell of coffee just divine, darrrrrrrrrrrrling. Oh yes, this is a divine little smegma stainless steel 867 cup that is just amazing. Of course, it cost a lot and we don't use it, but as a status symbol it is just divine darrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrling.
And UK coffee is crap anyway. So instant would actually be better than most coffee I had, with the exception of Flat White in London.
Colonial said:
But most home coffee machines are abysmal, burn the beans
This seems to be true.Now the honeymoon is over i'm finding the gaggia classic to be very compromised and hit or miss.
Firstly i've learnt that the grinder is everything and you should put 70% of your budget here.
After that, really there is two low end machines, the Classic or the Rancillo silvia but both need nerdy mods, finicky temp surfing techniques etc.. to get half decent and consistent results. What you really need is a heat exchanger machine with PID or better still a dual boiler. Espresso machines in coffee shops are big and expensive for a reason and to be fair you can't just make a small budget one for home use and charge people 300 quid.
Edited by jackal on Saturday 2nd January 09:48
Colonial said:
uncinqsix said:
Colonial said:
Only way to go - I only drink espresso so it makes the best ones around. Better than any machine available. Low temperature makes it even smoother (but takes longer)
It makes short, strong coffee, but it doesn't make espresso. (I wouldn't agree that it's better than any machine either, but that's down to personal taste - liking moka pot coffee better than espresso certainly would save you a lot of money on kit )
If you want to use language which is common to describe types of coffee then the phrase espresso, or short black as I would call them, gives a far better description of the type of coffee produced.
And no, it is probably not as good as a top of the range bit of equipment. But most home coffee machines are abysmal, burn the beans and tend to be bought by posers who simply want a coffee machine in their kitchen because isn't the smell of coffee just divine, darrrrrrrrrrrrling. Oh yes, this is a divine little smegma stainless steel 867 cup that is just amazing. Of course, it cost a lot and we don't use it, but as a status symbol it is just divine darrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrling.
And UK coffee is crap anyway. So instant would actually be better than most coffee I had, with the exception of Flat White in London.
I agree that a lot of home espresso machines do as you say - burn the beans etc and generally make a drink inferior to a well made moka. However, there are some decent ones (not "top end") that aren't bought by posers and (in the right hands) make very good espresso.
Also agree on the UK coffee. But I live in Wellington, NZ where it's actually harder to find a bad coffee than a good one.
I had a Bialetti Moka Express for Christmas last year - used it for 3 weeks then it went in the cupboard.
This thread has brought it out of retirement.
I bought this coffee on offer when in Tesco just before Christmas this year, and I've got to say it makes a superb cup of coffee!
http://www.tesco.com/superstore/xpi/3/xpi64652403....
This thread has brought it out of retirement.
I bought this coffee on offer when in Tesco just before Christmas this year, and I've got to say it makes a superb cup of coffee!
http://www.tesco.com/superstore/xpi/3/xpi64652403....
uncinqsix said:
Colonial said:
uncinqsix said:
Colonial said:
Only way to go - I only drink espresso so it makes the best ones around. Better than any machine available. Low temperature makes it even smoother (but takes longer)
It makes short, strong coffee, but it doesn't make espresso. (I wouldn't agree that it's better than any machine either, but that's down to personal taste - liking moka pot coffee better than espresso certainly would save you a lot of money on kit )
If you want to use language which is common to describe types of coffee then the phrase espresso, or short black as I would call them, gives a far better description of the type of coffee produced.
And no, it is probably not as good as a top of the range bit of equipment. But most home coffee machines are abysmal, burn the beans and tend to be bought by posers who simply want a coffee machine in their kitchen because isn't the smell of coffee just divine, darrrrrrrrrrrrling. Oh yes, this is a divine little smegma stainless steel 867 cup that is just amazing. Of course, it cost a lot and we don't use it, but as a status symbol it is just divine darrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrling.
And UK coffee is crap anyway. So instant would actually be better than most coffee I had, with the exception of Flat White in London.
I agree that a lot of home espresso machines do as you say - burn the beans etc and generally make a drink inferior to a well made moka. However, there are some decent ones (not "top end") that aren't bought by posers and (in the right hands) make very good espresso.
Also agree on the UK coffee. But I live in Wellington, NZ where it's actually harder to find a bad coffee than a good one.
jackal said:
Colonial said:
But most home coffee machines are abysmal, burn the beans
This seems to be true.Now the honeymoon is over i'm finding the gaggia classic to be very compromised and hit or miss.
Firstly i've learnt that the grinder is everything and you should put 70% of your budget here.
After that, really there is two low end machines, the Classic or the Rancillo silvia but both need nerdy mods, finicky temp surfing techniques etc.. to get half decent and consistent results. What you really need is a heat exchanger machine with PID or better still a dual boiler. Espresso machines in coffee shops are big and expensive for a reason and to be fair you can't just make a small budget one for home use and charge people 300 quid.
Edited by jackal on Saturday 2nd January 09:48
sleep envy said:
coffee grinding is very much a black art
cough my mum has mastered the art of coffee grinding but that's after owning a snack bar for over 45 years - I'm still very much a novice and that's after working in there on and off for the best part of 10 years
water temp is key plus the group handle must be boiling hot, it helps to run water through the empty group and then putting the coffee it
sleep envy said:
jackal said:
Colonial said:
But most home coffee machines are abysmal, burn the beans
This seems to be true.Now the honeymoon is over i'm finding the gaggia classic to be very compromised and hit or miss.
Firstly i've learnt that the grinder is everything and you should put 70% of your budget here.
After that, really there is two low end machines, the Classic or the Rancillo silvia but both need nerdy mods, finicky temp surfing techniques etc.. to get half decent and consistent results. What you really need is a heat exchanger machine with PID or better still a dual boiler. Espresso machines in coffee shops are big and expensive for a reason and to be fair you can't just make a small budget one for home use and charge people 300 quid.
Edited by jackal on Saturday 2nd January 09:48
sleep envy said:
coffee grinding is very much a black art
cough my mum has mastered the art of coffee grinding but that's after owning a snack bar for over 45 years - I'm still very much a novice and that's after working in there on and off for the best part of 10 years
water temp is key plus the group handle must be boiling hot, it helps to run water through the empty group and then putting the coffee it
jackal said:
Colonial said:
But most home coffee machines are abysmal, burn the beans
This seems to be true.Now the honeymoon is over i'm finding the gaggia classic to be very compromised and hit or miss.
Firstly i've learnt that the grinder is everything and you should put 70% of your budget here.
After that, really there is two low end machines, the Classic or the Rancillo silvia but both need nerdy mods, finicky temp surfing techniques etc.. to get half decent and consistent results. What you really need is a heat exchanger machine with PID or better still a dual boiler. Espresso machines in coffee shops are big and expensive for a reason and to be fair you can't just make a small budget one for home use and charge people 300 quid.
Edited by jackal on Saturday 2nd January 09:48
with a bit of searching you should find them new fot around 800 quid and they are worth every penn - OK need maintenace but apart from that
i have my Butterfly for 5 years now and never looked back, in fact I stoopped pretty much drinking coffee when not at home or in Italy
Another good machine with HX is the Nouva Simonnely Oscar http://www.nuovasimonelli.co.uk/home.htm
which with a bit of luck you could get for around 600 pounds - slightly less attractive to look at but great quality...
Good Luck
For what it's worth, the Nespresso's have an offer whereby if you by one by the end of January you get £40 free coffee which you purchase through their coffee club. You have to send in a copy receipt and you order £40 worth in one order but it seems like a good deal, especially as at the minute John Lewis are doing a Siemens Nespresso for around £130.
cramorra said:
jackal said:
Colonial said:
But most home coffee machines are abysmal, burn the beans
This seems to be true.Now the honeymoon is over i'm finding the gaggia classic to be very compromised and hit or miss.
Firstly i've learnt that the grinder is everything and you should put 70% of your budget here.
After that, really there is two low end machines, the Classic or the Rancillo silvia but both need nerdy mods, finicky temp surfing techniques etc.. to get half decent and consistent results. What you really need is a heat exchanger machine with PID or better still a dual boiler. Espresso machines in coffee shops are big and expensive for a reason and to be fair you can't just make a small budget one for home use and charge people 300 quid.
Edited by jackal on Saturday 2nd January 09:48
with a bit of searching you should find them new fot around 800 quid and they are worth every penn - OK need maintenace but apart from that
i have my Butterfly for 5 years now and never looked back, in fact I stoopped pretty much drinking coffee when not at home or in Italy
Another good machine with HX is the Nouva Simonnely Oscar http://www.nuovasimonelli.co.uk/home.htm
which with a bit of luck you could get for around 600 pounds - slightly less attractive to look at but great quality...
Good Luck
If i upgrade then i will do it once and once only and just go straight to twin boiler and miss out HX altogether. Nothing wrong with HX of course but if budget is unconstrained then the twins make sense. The rotary pumps are worth having as is the extra steam power and the idiotproof ease of use (no need for cooling flushes).
Vivaldi Mini , Alex Duetto or an Expobar leva will be the front runners.
Wheelrepairit said:
Any of these machines do hot chocolate
Im allergic to coffee you see.
yep.. another reason i got oneIm allergic to coffee you see.
i have hot choc quite a bit and my daughter even more
you just froth up the milk and i add the chocolate powder into the jug so it dissolves real easy
the mouth feel of the stretched milk is fab and its a lot quicker and easier than 2 mins in the microwave
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