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Espresso Machine

incorporating Recipes and Cooking
UncleEbenezer
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Espresso Machine

#501121

Postby UncleEbenezer » May 18th, 2022, 12:21 am

At age twentysomething, my espresso machine is persistently malfunctioning. Time for a new one.

Which raises the question, do I go for something similar - a basic machine that makes a nice high-pressure espresso and also froths milk - or do I go for something that also grinds the beans? I'm ruling out other options like anything based on pods, or going right back to basics with something that roasts the beans before grinding them.

Any views on bean-fed espresso machines? Any recommendations in today's market, either basic machines or those with grinders?

wanderer
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501126

Postby wanderer » May 18th, 2022, 12:57 am

It's the first bean to cup machine I've ever had but I recently bought a De'Longhi Bean To Cup Coffee Machine ECAM23.420.SW from the DeLonghi ebay store. "Refurbished" machine - looked completely brand new to me, just not in the original box - and a touch over GBP200 with one of those 15% off codes that come up for ebay from time to time.

The family love it. I didn't know if it would be a nespresso style white elephant, but so far it's getting a lot of use, makes great tasting coffee and smells wonderful!!

servodude
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501127

Postby servodude » May 18th, 2022, 1:01 am

UncleEbenezer wrote:Any views on bean-fed espresso machines? Any recommendations in today's market, either basic machines or those with grinders?


When they become as cheap and disposable as all-in-one printers then I'd consider a grinder part of a coffee machine

Get a good burr grinder and use it for all your coffee making: even French press has its place (lets the guests know it's time to go ;) ), and you might one day fancy doing a cild brew (even from an aeropress)

If you've got a gas stove you can possibly live with a stove top while you save up for something with an E61 group (which I was doing until I became the only coffee drinker in the house :( .... no don't worry it just started to disagree with her stomach )
- otherwise I've had decent coffee from a silver Breville thing recently (which kind of looks the part - but the portafilter feels a bit light weight)

- sd

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Re: Espresso Machine

#501177

Postby mutantpoodle » May 18th, 2022, 9:34 am

I have had 2 Delonghi machines and one 'other' (sorry forgotten make)
all made quite nice espreso
but NONE managed to produce espresso with the crema

and imo (and for me thats what counts) the crema is a vital part of an espresso experience

pods are quite costly...though as ever ALDI and LIDL do make some that are compatible...check with machine first

GrahamPlatt
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501178

Postby GrahamPlatt » May 18th, 2022, 9:43 am

I’ve a Krups bean to cup machine. Great coffee from it. Just two issues 1 it’s noisy. 2 once you’ve filled the bean reservoir, you’re stuck with that flavour for a week or so.

UncleEbenezer
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501248

Postby UncleEbenezer » May 18th, 2022, 12:18 pm

GrahamPlatt wrote:I’ve a Krups bean to cup machine. Great coffee from it. Just two issues 1 it’s noisy. 2 once you’ve filled the bean reservoir, you’re stuck with that flavour for a week or so.

My old one is a Krups. For what it's worth: I don't have experience with other domestic machines for a comparison. It's always made a nice espresso but is less good at frothing milk.

I can live with those issues, unless the noise is far worse than I'm imagining. My old one is bloomin' noisy too!

mutantpoodle wrote:all made quite nice espreso
but NONE managed to produce espresso with the crema

and imo (and for me thats what counts) the crema is a vital part of an espresso experience

Getting crema from my old one was always dependent on what coffee I used. I'm not getting it at all now that it's malfunctioning - the pressure seal is failing to hold as the water goes through, so it comes out more than halfway from espresso to a wannabe Turkish coffee!

Maybe I'll spend some time this evening immersed in online information and reviews.

Hypster
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501391

Postby Hypster » May 18th, 2022, 7:48 pm

When you replace it, please come back and let us know how you get on.

UncleEbenezer
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501416

Postby UncleEbenezer » May 18th, 2022, 10:19 pm

Hypster wrote:When you replace it, please come back and let us know how you get on.

Heh. Bit premature for that. Bug me again in a few months if I forget to follow up!

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Re: Espresso Machine

#501418

Postby Lootman » May 18th, 2022, 10:22 pm

mutantpoodle wrote:pods are quite costly...though as ever ALDI and LIDL do make some that are compatible

Not costly if you put a value on your time.

UncleEbenezer
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501427

Postby UncleEbenezer » May 18th, 2022, 11:49 pm

I think it must read this forum. I have my after-dinner espresso in front of me now (along with the first strawberries of the year for dessert) and it didn't malfunction - the seal held!

JuanDB
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501428

Postby JuanDB » May 19th, 2022, 12:18 am

I don’t think you can beat a Gaggia classic for price vs performance. Excellent espresso and will last for decades if regularly cleaned and scaled. Bean to cup just has too much to go wrong for me.

I’ll slip in an ad for my local coffee roaster https://peaberrycoffee.co.uk/. Run by Gerald and Vicky. A passionate and ethical small business who import directly and pay well above market rates to small growers around the world. The coffee is the best I’ve had and incredibly diverse. A world away from the burnt offerings sold elsewhere.

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Re: Espresso Machine

#501473

Postby redsturgeon » May 19th, 2022, 9:14 am

I had a Delonghi bean to cup machine a few years ago and it was OK but could not match a decent espresso from a coffee shop, not enough user adjustability.

I changed it for a Sage, they do a bean to cup but I decide to buy separates since then if I just wanted to upgrade grinder or coffee maker I could. The Sage was an excellent machine and closer to the coffee shop experience.

My current machine is a Lelit MaraV which uses an E61 head and has a heat exchanger so you can froth milk at the same time as pouring a shot. I used this with the Sage grinder from my previous set up until I read that the coffee grinder is a least as important as the coffee machine in producing a good cup.

I bought a new grinder and since then my wife is always disappointed when she has a coffee at a coffee shop, she prefers the coffee we make at home so at two cups a day we have saved the cost of the machine in less then two years (we have had it that long now).

Regarding crema, I agree that it is integral to a good espresso but the real purists say you should stir it in before you drink it since it will be more bitter than the rest of the cup. The way to get good crema is to use fresh beans, we buy locally roasted beans that we use within a month of them being roasted and the crema within the first week of purchase is sometime excessive...too much of a good thing.

So in summary, I'd recommend the Sage if you want an integral grinder but I'd recommend separates, which is fine if you have the space. You are looking at about £500 for that set up. If you can spend more then I would recommend the Lelit MaraX but the machine is £1000 and a decent grinder starts at about £300.

And as a PS I'd agree that the Gaggia Classico that I used to have is also an excellent machine for the price.

John

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Re: Espresso Machine

#501476

Postby GrahamPlatt » May 19th, 2022, 9:23 am

JuanDB wrote:I don’t think you can beat a Gaggia classic for price vs performance. Excellent espresso and will last for decades if regularly cleaned and scaled. Bean to cup just has too much to go wrong for me.

I’ll slip in an ad for my local coffee roaster https://peaberrycoffee.co.uk/. Run by Gerald and Vicky. A passionate and ethical small business who import directly and pay well above market rates to small growers around the world. The coffee is the best I’ve had and incredibly diverse. A world away from the burnt offerings sold elsewhere.


You have reminded me of an episode of The Food Programme: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0014p3g

Rasomosa, Liberica & Stenophylla…

redsturgeon
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501486

Postby redsturgeon » May 19th, 2022, 10:12 am

I'd love to get into the world of single origin coffee but it is just too complex for me. We buy a blend from our local roasters that we enjoy. Occasionally
I will try a single estate bean but it is such a faff that I usually regret it.

First issue is the grind. I have my grinder set up so that the grind is fine enough for a 2:1 ratio of espresso to be brewed in 30 seconds withn my normal beabs, shorter than this it can taste a little sour and longer it can get bitter. (under and over extraction) Each roast is unique in how fine it needs to be ground to produce good results and it can take four or five tries to get a decent tasting brew from scratch with a new bean. Single estates can be great if you get everything right, but it is not easy.

John

redsturgeon
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501540

Postby redsturgeon » May 19th, 2022, 1:25 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZEM1cC86t8&t=69s

Comparison of bean to cup machines

John

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Re: Espresso Machine

#501549

Postby Hallucigenia » May 19th, 2022, 2:12 pm

redsturgeon wrote:I bought a new grinder and since then my wife is always disappointed when she has a coffee at a coffee shop, she prefers the coffee we make at home so at two cups a day we have saved the cost of the machine in less then two years (we have had it that long now).


On a point of order, she wouldn't have been buying coffee in coffee shops for a good part of the last 2 years...

redsturgeon
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501557

Postby redsturgeon » May 19th, 2022, 2:56 pm

Hallucigenia wrote:
redsturgeon wrote:I bought a new grinder and since then my wife is always disappointed when she has a coffee at a coffee shop, she prefers the coffee we make at home so at two cups a day we have saved the cost of the machine in less then two years (we have had it that long now).


On a point of order, she wouldn't have been buying coffee in coffee shops for a good part of the last 2 years...


Damn you're right I'll have to have a word with Mrs RS. :D

John

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Re: Espresso Machine

#501682

Postby ayishaseo » May 20th, 2022, 10:33 am

hi,
iam new to this forum

Moderator Message:
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Re: Espresso Machine

#501882

Postby Fluke » May 21st, 2022, 10:07 am

Another vote for Sage (aka Breville). I recently bought the Bambino, the smaller version of the all singing all dancing bean-grinding one which is MUCH more expensive and takes up a lot more room on the counter top, something I don't have too much of. I use a separate Krups coffee mill, 20 quid from Amazon, which again is small and does the job very well. I bought the machine from Pact for £400 but it came with £40 worth of credit for coffee beans which I get from them anyway.

https://www.pactcoffee.com/coffee-machi ... ine-silver

The machine has just prompted me to put it through its first cleaning cycle which was all very straightforward and efficient. So far very happy and the crema is perfect.

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Re: Espresso Machine

#501893

Postby Howard » May 21st, 2022, 10:39 am

We like cappuccinos so I admit we are not really coffee purists. I use a DeLonghi basic espresso machine with a milk frother. Having practiced making coffee the way we like over many years it produces very good results comparable with the quality offered by a typical coffee bar in Italy. Much better than most UK restaurants. The creaminess of the milk is quite important to get the taste we like.

However we live in a hard water area and after a few years, despite regular de-scaling, the frother valve starts to allow drips to form during the coffee making process.

A replacement may be needed soon, I guess the DL machines last about six or seven years. Do more expensive models cope well with hard water?

regards

Howard


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