Coffee. Grinder and Cafetiere or Pods in a machine
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Recommendations for a fuss free decent coffee machine set up that's also good for lattes, cappuccino etc?
Been looking at the Latissima Nespresso kind of things, one press of a button makes a coffee. The ones with separate aerocinno seem to have good reviews but I'd like it as quick and easy as possible. The Latissima touch looks a bit bulky and not the most attractive of machines, but are they any good?
Been looking at the Latissima Nespresso kind of things, one press of a button makes a coffee. The ones with separate aerocinno seem to have good reviews but I'd like it as quick and easy as possible. The Latissima touch looks a bit bulky and not the most attractive of machines, but are they any good?
S6PNJ said:
Robbie, did you fit your PID (can't remember if you have a GC or not...). Is it the Mr Shades one? A re-badged XMT7100? If so, mid if I ask a couple of questions via PM?
I din't mate - I'm not handy enough to even open the thing, let alone attempt an install! I got a guy from eBay to do it.I believe Mr Shades is very responsive to questions though, so maybe drop him a note?
Clappedoutvolvo said:
Recommendations for a fuss free decent coffee machine set up that's also good for lattes, cappuccino etc?
Been looking at the Latissima Nespresso kind of things, one press of a button makes a coffee. The ones with separate aerocinno seem to have good reviews but I'd like it as quick and easy as possible. The Latissima touch looks a bit bulky and not the most attractive of machines, but are they any good?
I've got a Latissima touch. I use it in work every now and again.Been looking at the Latissima Nespresso kind of things, one press of a button makes a coffee. The ones with separate aerocinno seem to have good reviews but I'd like it as quick and easy as possible. The Latissima touch looks a bit bulky and not the most attractive of machines, but are they any good?
This thread has steered into a discussion about recreating exceptional coffee that is served up in the third wave coffee shops. Have a read through and see of that interests you.
If not, and you want a quick, convenient coffee that is better than instant, then a Nespresso or Bean to Cup will suit. Just be mindful you won't create anything near o what a good coffee shop will be serving up - but you'll get something nicer than Nescafe.
RobbieTheTruth said:
I din't mate - I'm not handy enough to even open the thing, let alone attempt an install! I got a guy from eBay to do it.
I believe Mr Shades is very responsive to questions though, so maybe drop him a note?
Thanks! I would drop Mr Shades a note but, it's not really the done thing in my mind - to ask the chap I'm trying to circumvent buying a kit from, how the device he uses actually implements a function. A bit like going into PC World to check out a device and asking the sales chap loads of questions, then buying it online to save money! I'm also considering using the pt1000 in place of the pt100 and can 'easily' adapt a brass M4 bolt to hold a 'naked' rtd.I believe Mr Shades is very responsive to questions though, so maybe drop him a note?
I'm an electrical / electronic engineer by training, so am more than handy enough to wire everything up - I've found various cct diagrams etc but I can't understand how the steam bit works and before I wire it up, I like to know what does what so I can trouble shoot it more easily.
Oh, I don't have any bits, let alone a GC yet!! I'm planning to order the bits, connect it all up to some heat source (say a soldering iron) to understand its operation (and to ensure I've connected it correctly), then fit to the GC yet to be bought!
edited to say - the XMT-7100 manual doesn't mention a pt1000 so maybe it can't be used....
Edited by S6PNJ on Sunday 21st February 17:34
S6PNJ said:
Thanks! I would drop Mr Shades a note but, it's not really the done thing in my mind - to ask the chap I'm trying to circumvent buying a kit from, how the device he uses actually implements a function. A bit like going into PC World to check out a device and asking the sales chap loads of questions, then buying it online to save money! I'm also considering using the pt1000 in place of the pt100 and can 'easily' adapt a brass M4 bolt to hold a 'naked' rtd.
I'm an electrical / electronic engineer by training, so am more than handy enough to wire everything up - I've found various cct diagrams etc but I can't understand how the steam bit works and before I wire it up, I like to know what does what so I can trouble shoot it more easily.
Oh, I don't have any bits, let alone a GC yet!! I'm planning to order the bits, connect it all up to some heat source (say a soldering iron) to understand its operation (and to ensure I've connected it correctly), then fit to the GC yet to be bought!
edited to say - the XMT-7100 manual doesn't mention a pt1000 so maybe it can't be used....
Ah right. Sorry, I've no clue about any of that.I'm an electrical / electronic engineer by training, so am more than handy enough to wire everything up - I've found various cct diagrams etc but I can't understand how the steam bit works and before I wire it up, I like to know what does what so I can trouble shoot it more easily.
Oh, I don't have any bits, let alone a GC yet!! I'm planning to order the bits, connect it all up to some heat source (say a soldering iron) to understand its operation (and to ensure I've connected it correctly), then fit to the GC yet to be bought!
edited to say - the XMT-7100 manual doesn't mention a pt1000 so maybe it can't be used....
Edited by S6PNJ on Sunday 21st February 17:34
I think Mr Shades is about £100, with full instructions and guarantee. How much do you think you can shave off that - is it worth the time and effort?
If successful, maybe you can add a new variant to the market.
The XMT-7100 is the same one Mr Shades uses from what I understand, but he's bought enough of them to have the Chinese seller rebrand them to 'MrShades'. Notwithstanding any delivery charges (I think all prices I've seen include delivery) or any UK VAT / import / Royal Mail charges, the bits (PID, 2 relays, PTC) can be bought for less than £30. There's then a suitable case and some wiring / crimps etc. Mr Shades also has a (comprehensive so I've heard) manual of around 67 pages!!! I don't fancy re-creating anything like that.
I've done some digging via CFUK and think I now udnerstand how the steam function is underaken via the alarm circuit, so maybe I'll order a 'double set' of bits, make one for me and sell the second one and see where I go from there.
I've done some digging via CFUK and think I now udnerstand how the steam function is underaken via the alarm circuit, so maybe I'll order a 'double set' of bits, make one for me and sell the second one and see where I go from there.
1 said:
New machine arrived.
I used a whole bag of beans to work out how to get something approaching 18g of ground coffee into 36g of liquid. And not in 2 seconds, or 2 minutes.
Last cup out of the bag of beans was just about right. At least in time / weight. Still tasted like battery acid drinking it neat. But after I cleaned the room up from when I exploded a jug of steamed milk all over the place, it made a very passable, small, not-quite flat white.
More tomorrow when I get some more beans delivered.
Still many variables to tweak - not least my own expectation of what good coffee should actually taste like. My evil mixture of the slops of the 2 second, 2 minute, and everything in between extractions was not too bad with some milk. Similar to Nespresso. So probably not worth stressing over this too much until / unless I can start to tell the difference.
36g of coffee is not a lot. Although quite concentrated (especially the 2 minute one), I think I may still need to make 2 or 3 of them in one go if I want a big mug. Or maybe I need to just have more smaller cups. I'll work that out over the next day or two.
How are you getting on with your new setup ?I used a whole bag of beans to work out how to get something approaching 18g of ground coffee into 36g of liquid. And not in 2 seconds, or 2 minutes.
Last cup out of the bag of beans was just about right. At least in time / weight. Still tasted like battery acid drinking it neat. But after I cleaned the room up from when I exploded a jug of steamed milk all over the place, it made a very passable, small, not-quite flat white.
More tomorrow when I get some more beans delivered.
Still many variables to tweak - not least my own expectation of what good coffee should actually taste like. My evil mixture of the slops of the 2 second, 2 minute, and everything in between extractions was not too bad with some milk. Similar to Nespresso. So probably not worth stressing over this too much until / unless I can start to tell the difference.
36g of coffee is not a lot. Although quite concentrated (especially the 2 minute one), I think I may still need to make 2 or 3 of them in one go if I want a big mug. Or maybe I need to just have more smaller cups. I'll work that out over the next day or two.
TX1 said:
How are you getting on with your new setup ?
It is excellent, thanks.
As mentioned above, it took me a few attempts to get the grinder settings just about right. But after a while, I got it making the 18g in / 36g out ratio in around the correct amount of time.
I have stopped bothering to use the scales most of the time now. I've set the grinder to about 20 seconds, and it fills the basket up to within a gramme or two of 18g. And I just run the coffee machine until it makes enough output.
I am slowly weaning myself off the large mugs - that I typically let go cold and had to reheat in the microwave many times anyway. Smaller drinks, more often. They taste a bit better than my old drinks. If I want a larger mug, I just make two 40g batches of espresso back to back, and a larger jug of milk. I am getting quite quick at making drinks from scratch.
The steam setting on the machine is easy enough to create a decent foamy milk quickly. Powerful steam ready instantly.
Easy enough to keep the coffee machine and stream wand superficially clean - quick wipe with a soft cloth. Not yet tackled cleaning it properly with the supplied detergent sachets.
I've just been using the machine factory defaults. It heats up fairly quickly from cold in the morning - about 5 mins. And about 2 mins from standby.
Negatives. The water container is not huge, and it is a minor hassle to have to pull the machine out to get access to top it up. I've had to move everything from my work room to the kitchen, as the whole coffee making process really needs access to a sink. That is no great hardship - just different.
I've got a few other types of beans to try next week.
1 said:
TX1 said:
How are you getting on with your new setup ?
It is excellent, thanks.
As mentioned above, it took me a few attempts to get the grinder settings just about right. But after a while, I got it making the 18g in / 36g out ratio in around the correct amount of time.
I have stopped bothering to use the scales most of the time now. I've set the grinder to about 20 seconds, and it fills the basket up to within a gramme or two of 18g. And I just run the coffee machine until it makes enough output.
I am slowly weaning myself off the large mugs - that I typically let go cold and had to reheat in the microwave many times anyway. Smaller drinks, more often. They taste a bit better than my old drinks. If I want a larger mug, I just make two 40g batches of espresso back to back, and a larger jug of milk. I am getting quite quick at making drinks from scratch.
The steam setting on the machine is easy enough to create a decent foamy milk quickly. Powerful steam ready instantly.
Easy enough to keep the coffee machine and stream wand superficially clean - quick wipe with a soft cloth. Not yet tackled cleaning it properly with the supplied detergent sachets.
I've just been using the machine factory defaults. It heats up fairly quickly from cold in the morning - about 5 mins. And about 2 mins from standby.
Negatives. The water container is not huge, and it is a minor hassle to have to pull the machine out to get access to top it up. I've had to move everything from my work room to the kitchen, as the whole coffee making process really needs access to a sink. That is no great hardship - just different.
I've got a few other types of beans to try next week.
Dave Corbey youtube videos show how you can setup the machine settings, just in case you have not seen them and want to change the settings at a later date.
The water container can be a pain as I have the same on my silvia, luckily for me there is nothing to obstruct the top and from what I have seen on the Elizabeth the tank seems a bit lower so when pouring you might end up pouring all over the place.
Seen someone attaching a flexible pipe to a small watering can which seems to help.
Raymond Reddington said:
You lot are going to cost me a fortune. Can anyone recommend a reputable seller of the Gaggia Classic anywhere? I don't mind used but I'd rather not take a risk with a random one from ebay and the new ones are a bit pricey as I also need a grinder.
Ideally, you'll want one with a PID, upgraded steam wand and pressure dropped to 9 bar.This seems to fit the bill perfectly.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gaggia-Classic-2013-Ser...
1sAAOSwRihgMPsWGood shout RTT, link updated to make it more PH friendly - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164714173804 - same machine that you've linked to.
RobbieTheTruth said:
How about the Eureka Mignon Specilaita?
I've had one of those for almost a year after upgrading from a Rancillio Rocky. It does change grind settings really quickly and doesn't seem to need much in the way of flushing. The espresso grind is certainly better than a Rocky and the timer is repeatable in terms of it's output. And it's a million times quieter than the Rocky!Only downside I've found is that the adjustment knob is quite small so making fine adjustments at the espresso end can be a bit of a fiddle.
currently i use a delonghi dedica and a krups burr grinder, and i realised i wouldn't be pee'd on if i was on fire due to this fact based on opinions of the coffee aficionados.
these were wedding gifts, and to be honest, my wife and i typically have a couple of americano's in the morning. grind the beans, two espresso's and top them off with boiling water.
i have always wanted to appreciate good espresso and due to humble means spending 1k+ on my set up isn't an option for us.
my question is: would a gaggia classic + OPV + PID mods and a decent grinder.... would this give an espresso that would be noticibly better to what i can produce at home at present?
thanks
these were wedding gifts, and to be honest, my wife and i typically have a couple of americano's in the morning. grind the beans, two espresso's and top them off with boiling water.
i have always wanted to appreciate good espresso and due to humble means spending 1k+ on my set up isn't an option for us.
my question is: would a gaggia classic + OPV + PID mods and a decent grinder.... would this give an espresso that would be noticibly better to what i can produce at home at present?
thanks
ayedubya said:
currently i use a delonghi dedica and a krups burr grinder, and i realised i wouldn't be pee'd on if i was on fire due to this fact based on opinions of the coffee aficionados.
these were wedding gifts, and to be honest, my wife and i typically have a couple of americano's in the morning. grind the beans, two espresso's and top them off with boiling water.
i have always wanted to appreciate good espresso and due to humble means spending 1k+ on my set up isn't an option for us.
my question is: would a gaggia classic + OPV + PID mods and a decent grinder.... would this give an espresso that would be noticibly better to what i can produce at home at present?
thanks
Yes, by an almost immeasurable amount. Budget around £300 for the machine and £400 for the grinder.these were wedding gifts, and to be honest, my wife and i typically have a couple of americano's in the morning. grind the beans, two espresso's and top them off with boiling water.
i have always wanted to appreciate good espresso and due to humble means spending 1k+ on my set up isn't an option for us.
my question is: would a gaggia classic + OPV + PID mods and a decent grinder.... would this give an espresso that would be noticibly better to what i can produce at home at present?
thanks
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