Espresso machines?

[zeocen]

Hey all,

Has anyone here got experience with espresso machines? I've taken a belated liking to coffee and am looking at one for home. Not looking to spend much and not expecting the world from it but one requirement would be a good steam wand for nice steamed milk! (I also have a love for hot chocolate. Actual hot chocolate not any of this powder crap!) Has anyone got any suggestions? Up to and around. 300 to 400.

Thanks!

Alternatively just a dedicated milk steamer would be awesome but I don't think they exist :(

Thanks a lot!

[ducatilover]

I have found ariete machines to make amazing coffee :love:

[Urano]

listen... if you want a good coffee in the simplest way, i can tell you that "nespresso" machines make a good coffee even for italian standards.

you can choose one with steamer too: http://www.nespresso.com/uk/en/coffee-maker-list-Nesp

the down side is that you then need their capsules (which as i said are pretty good), and the chocolate is out of question.


if you'd prefer something more "traditional", Gaggia (http://www.gaggia.com/index.asp?) offers good machines at a good price.
obviously, if you get caught in the search for espresso excellence, you'll need too a grinder, cause, as you should know, the grinding has to be different with humidity and temperature condition day by day...
;)

[Mental Trousers]

We got a Nespresso (http://www.nespresso.com/#/nz/en/coffee_machines/selecteur_gamme) (gay flash website) as a wedding present.

Best
Wedding
present
ever

Just pop a capsule in, press a button and you have coffee!!! No fucking around grinding beans blah blah blah blah blah and then having to clean the damn thing. It's coffee for the normal (lazy) person.

[Berries]

Sounds easier than instant.

[zeocen]

Thanks for those links guys, I don't think that's really what I'm after though as they don't seem to have steam wands? Some of them froth milk but I'm looking for steamed milk rather than aerated.

[Urano]

look again: http://www.nespresso.com/uk/en/product/delonghi-lattissima-coffee-machine-en660


by the way, Giulia (still my wife...) has opened some time ago a facebook page "fan of aeroccino" :D

[george formby]

Breville (http://alatest.co.nz/p/breville-fresca-bes860/reviews/122820150/) do a reasonable one, then you have a Rocket (http://www.therocket.co.nz/features/) which is pretty good. They are steep in $$$ but you get what you pay for. Your paying for a good steam boiler, cheap machines will froth one cup (badly) then need a little rest before the next one.

Look on trade me & get a good quality second hand one. All the spares are readily available.

[zeocen]

look again: http://www.nespresso.com/uk/en/product/delonghi-lattissima-coffee-machine-en660


by the way, Giulia (still my wife...) has opened some time ago a facebook page "fan of aeroccino" :D

Thanks man but for a steamer I meant a steam wand directly into the milk, stretching it and changing its flavour by breaking down the sugar inside the milk. Frothers like that don't really stretch the milk, they just kinda heat it and froth it.

I know I'm being a bit pedantic on this side of the espresso (when most people would be more hard up about how good of a shot it produces) but stretched milk compliments true and Belgium dark chocolate the best. I'm a choco fag, I know :D

If it was just for single shot coffee, the Nespresso definitely looks like the ideal machine!

George: While I'm prepared to pay slightly more than I suggested, the Rocket is well over and above that!!

[george formby]

George: While I'm prepared to pay slightly more than I suggested, the Rocket is well over and above that!!


Have a look around... I own a 2 group La Marzocco commercial machine. It was half the price of a new Rocket.:shit:

Your spot on with the milk, that's what gives you the texture so you need enough grunt to get your milk swirling & rolling properly rather than just frothing angrily.

[Tony.OK]

The breville 800es from Briscoes is what I ended up getting. $399 on special.
I looked at all the reviews and that was the only cheapish one that didn't crap out after 6 mths, well less than others anyway.

Don't go too fine on the coffee or it'll struggle, Robert Harris pre ground works great if tamped firm.

Steams milk well (throw away the froth enhancer tube), just get a better jug. I find a smaller jug works really well as ya can get the milk spinning better and get nice micro foam with a little practice.

I got hooked at work when a mate bought his one in..............trouble is ya can't go back to horrible instant ever again haha.

[slofox]

I have a Breville "cafe roma". I've had it for a gazillion years. It must have made thousands of cups of coffee and has never once faltered. It was cheap and makes better coffee than some commercial swill I have had before today. Temperature is always bang on, simple manual operation (I like that). It steams milk up just fine as well.

Having said that, it is not a commercial machine so doesn't make "the best" coffee I have ever tasted. But it is sufficient for my own needs.

Quality of the coffee produced depends on using top quality beans. I use a variety of the "single origin" beans produced by the Rocket coffee company here in The Tron. I used their standard blend for a long while but was eventually seduced by the myriad of different flavours available in their single origin range.

EDIT: One thing I did do was lose the crappy plastic tamper and get a "proper" one. Was well worth $50.00.

[george formby]

I have a Breville "cafe roma". I've had it for a gazillion years. It must have made thousands of cups of coffee and has never once faltered. It was cheap and makes better coffee than some commercial swill I have had before today. Temperature is always bang on, simple manual operation (I like that). It steams milk up just fine as well.

Having said that, it is not a commercial machine so doesn't make "the best" coffee I have ever tasted. But it is sufficient for my own needs.

Quality of the coffee produced depends on using top quality beans. I use a variety of the "single origin" beans produced by the Rocket coffee company here in The Tron. I used their standard blend for a long while but was eventually seduced by the myriad of different flavours available in their single origin range.

EDIT: One thing I did do was lose the crappy plastic tamper and get a "proper" one. Was well worth $50.00.

A connoisseur sir. I roasted for a while & was, still am, fascinated by the subtleties of coffee. I'm eking out a bag of Jamaican Blue Mountain beans I was given recently. It is glorious in a traditional flavour way but well overpriced.

Oh, OP, get a proper milk jug for your frothing, the ones with the fat bottoms. They are designed to fold the milk in on it self to get the dense foam.

Jug (http://www.myespresso.co.nz/accessories/g-a-t-pratika-milk-jugs.html)

Coffee porn (http://www.espresso.co.nz/categories/Espresso-Machines/Home-Espresso-Machines/)

[slofox]

A connoisseur sir. I roasted for a while & was, still am, fascinated by the subtleties of coffee. I'm eking out a bag of Jamaican Blue Mountain beans I was given recently. It is glorious in a traditional flavour way but well overpriced.

Never had real Blue Mountain...read all about it though.

Once upon a time I loved the African coffees. I used to get a "Kilimanjaro" from some roaster in Cashel St Chch way back in the mid 60's. Loved that coffee.

Nowadays I prefer the Central American product, especially some of the "Cup of Excellence" award winners. They tend to be "brighter" in flavour - less earthy, less dense in the mouth. I had one called "La Illusion" some months ago. Best damn coffee I ever had. I'd grind some up and you could smell it throughout the entire house within seconds. Brilliant lively zingy tightly-focussed flavours. But then the crop sold out the the friggin' Japannies bought the entire next crop for themselves the greedy fuckers...

The latest one is an El Salvador product called "La Batalla". Will taste that tomorrow...

[ducatilover]

Wait.....you're all liars and fakes! You put MILK in coffee?

I hang my head in shame. :no:

[george formby]

If you like bright & zingy Slofox try some Kenyan Peaberry, allegedly an aphrodisiac. The flavour is often described as fruity & unusually it is a whole bean hence the name. I find it a bit too light so always blended it.

[slofox]

Wait.....you're all liars and fakes! You put MILK in coffee?

I hang my head in shame. :no:

Not me sonny. No goddam milk in MY coffee. I has shots - just plain short shots and lots of 'em.

But I have used the milk wand on my machine a couple of times when my daughter calls. SHE has milk in coffee...my own daughter...:no:. Must take after her friggin' mother's side...buncha wimps and pansies... :facepalm:

[george formby]

Wait.....you're all liars and fakes! You put MILK in coffee?

I hang my head in shame. :no:

Only before lunch, after that it's Macciato all the way.

[ducatilover]

Not me sonny. No goddam milk in MY coffee. I has shots - just plain short shots and lots of 'em.

But I have used the milk wand on my machine a couple of times when my daughter calls. SHE has milk in coffee...my own daughter...:no:. Must take after her friggin' mother's side...buncha wimps and pansies... :facepalm:
I only have shots too :Police: Only way to do it, no milk or sugar :wari:

Ordered a four shot espresso from a Z gas station on my way to The Tron on Friday, my mate kept rambling about their coffee. It was piss weak foul dishwater, beans tasted like they had been (Hah) frozen or something, frickin' terrible :violin:

Only before lunch, after that it's Macciato all the way.
I'll let you off then :drinknsin

[george formby]

I only have shots too :Police: Only way to do it, no milk or sugar :wari:

Ordered a four shot espresso from a Z gas station on my way to The Tron on Friday, my mate kept rambling about their coffee. It was piss weak foul dishwater, beans tasted like they had been (Hah) frozen or something, frickin' terrible :violin:

I'll let you off then :drinknsin

That reminds me, I have a Merkin for you, no, really I do. My GF has taken the camera overseas so I can't post a piccie at the mo.

[zeocen]

Heaps of good information here guys, thanks a lot!

I'm constantly prowling TradeMe for a second hand one but it seems to be a slew of Brevilles and a lot of the reviews I've read aren't favourable to them. It seems the most favourable is the Sunbeam 6910 but it's getting up there in price.

Say now, I think one of you guys deserves to go out for some retail therapy and buy yourself a new espresso machine. Then you can sell me your second hand one! :)

[ducatilover]

That reminds me, I have a Merkin for you, no, really I do. My GF has taken the camera overseas so I can't post a piccie at the mo.

Wow! Really? That's awesome. We do need pics though.

[LankyBastard]

Hey all,

Has anyone here got experience with espresso machines? I've taken a belated liking to coffee and am looking at one for home. Not looking to spend much and not expecting the world from it but one requirement would be a good steam wand for nice steamed milk! (I also have a love for hot chocolate. Actual hot chocolate not any of this powder crap!) Has anyone got any suggestions? Up to and around. 300 to 400.

Thanks!

Alternatively just a dedicated milk steamer would be awesome but I don't think they exist :(

Thanks a lot!

I have a sunbeam, best thing ever, just buy ground beans from the supermarket (bugger getting the grind right yourself) and I can make a coffee that is better than 90% of cafes out there, and I take my coffee seriously! Like seriously.... :yes:

[george formby]

I have a sunbeam, best thing ever, just buy ground beans from the supermarket (bugger getting the grind right yourself) and I can make a coffee that is better than 90% of cafes out there, and I take my coffee seriously! Like seriously.... :yes:

If you ground it fresh your coffee would be 110% betterer.

Sunbeam also make a really good burr grinder for a decent price, funnily enough.

[turtleman]

Heaps of good information here guys, thanks a lot!

I'm constantly prowling TradeMe for a second hand one but it seems to be a slew of Brevilles and a lot of the reviews I've read aren't favourable to them. It seems the most favourable is the Sunbeam 6910 but it's getting up there in price.

Say now, I think one of you guys deserves to go out for some retail therapy and buy yourself a new espresso machine. Then you can sell me your second hand one! :)

I have the Sunbeam 6910 and find it makes pretty good coffee. It's a bit up there price wise for a thermoblock, domestic machine, but if you want better you have to go semi-professional or full commercial. I used to have a Rancilio Silvia which is touted as the best domestic one (or was when I researched for it a few years back) and the Sunbeam pretty much matches it.
A lot of the success in the building of a good espresso is in the grind, though, and it's well worth getting a good burr grinder to compliment a decent machine.

[george formby]

I might buy this (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Food-beverage/Coffee/auction-399358238.htm)

Loads of stuff on trade me.. here (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Kitchen/Tea-coffee-making/Coffee-machines/auction-398336588.htm)

[zeocen]

Haha, you can see I already posted a question on that ad! :P

[The Singing Chef]

This should do the job, even has a dinky little cup holder :first::yes:

[far queue]

I have a Breville BCG450 conical burr grinder and a Breville BES820 Espresso machine with single wall filters that I bought for it. I get the beans from a local roaster - Vivace. After playing around with different grinds, tamp pressures, etc through the learning process, I'm now one of the few places that makes a decent coffee the way I like it. I have no idea about the steam wand though, milk gets nowhere near mine.

The grinder came from trademe and the machine came from a briscoes sale.

[cmoore]

I have the sunbeam cafe series and grinder....works really well

[Ratti]

I picked up a Krups for next to nothing at a second hand place. turned out a couple of parts needed replacing, fortunatly I have a son who fixes these things so it cost me just parts. Well worth it. Son says some brands are not worth getting as replacement bits are over priced. Among the ones he said to stay away from was deLonghi. Krups is a good make. the steamer on mine is great. Steam the milk first, then do the coffee part. Can't do both at the same time, but there is only me so I dont mind.

[Geeen]

Whats wrong with the traditional way?? No milk or sugar either :Punk:

[Urano]

Thanks man but for a steamer I meant a steam wand directly into the milk, stretching it and changing its flavour by breaking down the sugar inside the milk. Frothers like that don't really stretch the milk, they just kinda heat it and froth it.

sorry if i come again on the point, prolly my crappy english doesn't permit me to understand properly...
but...

this has a frother: http://www.nespresso.com/uk/en/product/citiz-coffee-machine-magimix-m190-milk-silver-chrome

which is called "aeroccino" (and to be true work pretty well...).

on the contrary the first one i've linked has a steam wand, which is what i understand you are lookin for.

if i'm wrong i sincerely apologize, and i'd remain on a little gaggia if you are looking for suggestions about something more "classical"...
this has an integrated grinder http://www.gaggia.com/macchine-da-caffe.asp?macchine-per-espresso-automatiche_132_Gaggia-Brera

[far queue]

Whats wrong with the traditional way?? No milk or sugar either :Punk:Yep, they work really well too, I take one to rallies with me.

[pete376403]

Bosch Benvenuto B20, using "La Bomb" beans from Coffee LaLa.
Guaranteed perfect expresso every time, has the steam wand for those who must have milk.
Have had this machine for about 5 years now, conservative estimate would be near 11000 cups of coffee so far (about 6 per day, every day)
Kilo of beans every three weeks - no wonder I have no money

[SPman]

has the steam wand for those who must have milkThat'd be for soft cocks like me, then.
Love a well frothed milk - got an old Saeco machine that stuffed up the grinder/brew mechanism, but had a near new boiler- does milk brilliantly!
Have to keep it in the barn, though - the Missus won't have it inside......

[Naki Rat]

Our Saeco Via Venezia Combi was purchased 6 years ago on TM secondhand for about $350 from memory. Does 4-6 mugs per day, never misses a beat and has a steam wand and inbuilt burr grinder. I think they sell for about $700 - $800 these days.

Makes great coffee :first:

Edit: This (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Kitchen/Tea-coffee-making/Coffee-machines/auction-398201462.htm) is the standard (no grinder) version.

[Drunken Monkey]

I spent some of my younger years working a few different commercial machines (back in the day when a flat white was a flat white, not this frothy shit you get served now). Unfortunately this has made me picky about my coffee and my coffee machines.
So now I use two machines, neither which does everything well.
My DeLonghi does the coffee just right (not too hot), but only the first one. After that it kinda gets its knickers in a twist. The steam jet on it is shit.
The Russell Hobbs has a much better steam jet, but it's group head irritates me.
The best bet is to get a refurbed, small scale commercial unit - probably from some poor shop owner who under estimated how much coffee they were going to sell and needed to upgrade. Otherwise some of the commercial machine service places may be willing to help you out.
The problem then is, the machines still aren't cheap. Not to buy, nor to run.

Nespressos are fine if:
a) you don't mind getting extorted by the supplier because your machine accepts OEM only coffee
b) you don't mind your servings to be poofy small european sized servings
c) you don't want to experiment with a large range of recipes
and
d) you don't want to try your hand at making silver fern or heart shaped figures in milk froth

You might get away with finding a good coffee maker; one that can handle multiple coffees without needing too much re-heat time OR tries to compensate by being too hot (which will tend to burn the bean on the first one) and a separate good quality milk frother.

As for any actual make/model recommendations - well, if you find something that matches those requirements, tell me!

TBH a good filter machine, good bean and the correct grind can make a pretty darn good coffee (filter coffee is fine when it's the fresh/first batch and made properly, it's only when you chuck the pot back in and try to brew more that you start getting evil muck). Then all you need is a good steam jet.

Me, I don't usually bother with milk any more. Good coffee is best black. I only get milk when I don't trust the place and think their coffee is going to be shit, milk helps hide the burnt taste or the bitter taste (either too hot or haven't cleaned the machine properly).

Urgh, hope that makes sense. Seemed more like a rant...

[Drunken Monkey]

Here, I reckon this is the one. It's only six grand...

http://www.cafeexpress.co.nz/product/05LCM21JDS1.htmx?openCategory=37

[george formby]

So now I use two machines, neither which does everything well.

[B]Nespressos are fine if:
a) you don't mind getting extorted by the supplier because your machine accepts OEM only coffee



Me, I don't usually bother with milk any more. Good coffee is best black. I only get milk when I don't trust the place and think their coffee is going to be shit, milk helps hide the burnt taste or the bitter taste (either too hot or haven't cleaned the machine properly).

Urgh, hope that makes sense. Seemed more like a rant...


All very pertinent.
My GF came home with a Phillips machine which uses those little coffee sachet things, ugh, muck ( & freakin expensive). It heats & froths milk but will not stretch it properly. It now lives in the back of the cupboard next to the waffle maker & magic bullet, all hiding from my scorn.

A good second hand machine will beat a cheap new one every time.

[bungbung]

Can you stretch it a bit?

This link below includes a grinder too:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Kitchen/Small-appliances/Other/auction-398583628.htm

I've the same set up at home, it's fantastic.
Drawbacks: drip tray doesn't hold enough. Like any single boiler machine you need to be patient between making coffee and steaming milk for the heating/cooling cycle.

For budget conscious coffee, at work I have an old krups like this:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Kitchen/Small-appliances/Kettles-jugs/auction-398786505.htm

The krups won't be any good for your milk frothing requirement though.

and a grinder like this:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Kitchen/Tea-coffee-making/Coffee-grinders/auction-399497425.htm

The De Longhi grinders need a tweak to make them grind fine enough, 5min with a screwdriver for that.

[slofox]

The De Longhi grinders need a tweak to make them grind fine enough, 5min with a screwdriver for that.

So what do you do with that screwdriver during those five minutes to make the difference?

The reason I ask is that I have a De Longhi grinder that doesn't grind quite as finely as I would like. (Not the model you have pictured though). Maybe I could "fix" it as well...:devil2:

[slofox]

Whats wrong with the traditional way?? No milk or sugar either :Punk:

I have one of the stove tops at work but it sure doesn't make coffee like the domestic espresso machine at home...

Coming back to machines, I'd never buy anything that was either a) automatic or b) had to use one brand of pod or whatever those sachet things are called. I like the manual machine and I like to vary the beans I use from week to week.

[Drunken Monkey]

... I'd never buy anything that was either a) automatic or b) had to use one brand of pod or whatever those sachet things are called. I like the manual machine and I like to vary the beans I use from week to week.

Ditto. Although automatics are getting better, the cheap ones leak steam which can ruin the circuit boards in only a few years (compared to a good manual machine which will last the rest of your life). The automatic one at work and I have a mutual distrust of each other, I usually just make tea instead. I can imagine people who haven't spent a lot of time with a manual machine or are really averse to cleaning up after themselves probably would do better with some sort of auto.

My mate got wind of my rant, now he's trying to flick off his Isomac Tea on to me. Must...resist...

[slofox]

now he's trying to flick off his Isomac Tea on to me. Must...resist...

From Espresso Road are they not? How much he want for it..? :devil2:

[bungbung]

http://www.kwilson.fsnet.co.uk/grinder_tweaks.htm

[george formby]

http://www.kwilson.fsnet.co.uk/grinder_tweaks.htm

How handy.
My Mazzer requires a Pit Bull like grip to adjust, fortunately the burrs last a long time. The biggest impact on the extraction once the grind has been set is humidity, it can change constantly through out the day so instead of tutuing incrementally with the grinder I adjust the volume of coffee in the porta filter & tamping pressure to keep consistency. Makes life a lot easier & the coffee does not suffer at all.

[Drunken Monkey]

From Espresso Road are they not? How much he want for it..? :devil2:

I think so, and I don't know I didn't ask. They're worth about three and a half grand new...

[Hopeful Bastard]

Obviously, The trick with the milk is to get it to "twirl" on itself. If i wasn't busy with work and other do dicky stuff when im not working... And also if i lived nearby, I would show you..

Its quite fun. Do it on my dads cheap $150 machine he picked up. Can never forget the skills i learned at college and chef school. :love:

[Pedrostt500]

I'm not up to play much about the machines, But I recon it comes down to the quality of the beans, alot of beans on the supermarket shelves have been roasted months in advance, in my opinion the fresher the roast of the beans the better the coffee, all beans are not equal, where the beans a growen around the world makes a big difference to flavour, ie climate and soil types.
A mate of mine served me a coffee with beans from Ethiopa, it had a real nice fresh kick to it, but the bugger won't tell me where he got it from.

[slofox]

I think so, and I don't know I didn't ask. They're worth about three and a half grand new...

$3195.00 from Espresso Road according to their website.

[vifferman]

I've got an Isomac Zaffiro from Espresso Road. It's a little cheaper'n the Tea, and supposedly the best single-boiler machine available. The learning curve is a little steeper'n the Sunbeam it replaces, and I've managed to burn myself on almost every part of it, but I loves it.:love:
Coffee beans are indeed the key to a good coffee (but a clean, well-maintained machine helps a lot too!). Even a stovetop machine will make a great coffee with good beans. The oils in the beans will begin to degenerate virtually as soon as they're roasted, and after a week or two are noticeably poorer in taste. For this reason, you should buy a coffee roaster's most popular blend - the turnover generally ensures they're fresher. However, I've given up buying them direct from the roasters, and have got some good beans from the supermarket. The trick is to look at the "Best Before" date - you can generally tell how old they with a bit of thought, even though they all seem to have different ideas of how long that is. For example, if they say "BB 10 AUG 2012", you can assume they were packed on 10/08/2011, and are still reasonably fresh.

At work we have a Swiss automatic coffee machine (Jura, IIRC), but I prefer to use it in manual mode so I can regulate how the coffee comes out. It's made over 50,000 cups of coffee so far, and has probably cost us twice the $6k (secondhand) purchase cost in servicing. Fresh beans are out of the question, as we go through nearly a kilo a day, so order about 12kg at a time.

[george formby]

Fresh is best & spotlessly clean is vital, screens, porta filters, baskets etc.
I do not get too hung up on getting absolutely still warm fresh roasted beans. They need 24 hours after roasting to release co2 or taste acidic. The oil which comes from the beans is the flavour but the type of bean & roast have a big part in how long it takes before they weep. A cinnamon roast will last a lot longer than a french roast (very dark) but the cinnamon will not develop a full flavour. The darker the bean the shorter the shelf life.
Once it is ground it will lose half it's flavour in 15 minutes, I kid yee not.

I spent a year roasting & pulling machines & grinders too bits, quite fascinating, and I realised their is a lot of bollocks talked about coffee. It is what it is so just stick to the golden rules, clean, fresh & not over extracted.

[Usarka]

Bring back percolated coffee.

[nosebleed]

... and I realised their is a lot of bollocks talked about coffee. It is what it is so just stick to the golden rules, clean, fresh & not over extracted.

It's the new "wine".

[Blackshear]

I hope he replies soon.

[zeocen]

Okay guys, say you were stuck with Breville and wanted to get a good (subjective) espresso machine. One that could pull a decent blend with the correct beans and good-enough burr grinder, but with a more-than-adequate steamer, out of all of these which would you go for?

Ignore the prices since they're from an Australian website:

http://www.breville.com.au/beverages/espresso/cafe-roma.html

http://www.breville.com.au/beverages/espresso/professional-800-collection-espresso-machine.html

http://www.breville.com.au/beverages/espresso/programmable-espresso-machine.html

http://www.breville.com.au/beverages/espresso/fresca-espresso-machine-752.html (this one has a built in grinder, it's not a superautomatic though)

I'm struggling to find any difference to the internals between the second and third one. It's gonna be used for a) steaming milk, b) single shot espressos for i) flat whites, ii) mochas.

The one with the built in grinder is obviously the most expensive, reviews seem to suggest that it doesn't get hot enough in there to hurt the beans when grinding, but a separate grinder would be better. However it's convenient to have it all in one package.

The Cafe Roma/Cafe Aroma is the cheapest, but I'm not sure if there's any super significant improvement to the 800 series ones other than being programmable (which I probably won't use anyway). So it comes down to whether the steamer is as powerful as the 800 series ones.

What do you guys think?

Also, I've befriended an owner of a little coffee shop on Albert St in the CBD. He's the one that actually got me into coffee in my ripe old age of 29! :) Their website is http://meritoespresso.co.nz/ and they have little training suggestions. Considering that I'm a complete greenhorn when it comes to brewing my own coffee, would one of these be beneficial to me? Would having some experience on a commercial machine translate well to a (budget) home machine?

[Blackshear]

Jesus. And here I was thinking that all the chirpy 'I can make a coffee' people were just talking shit about a mundane task people are too lazy to do.

I sure am glad I can't stand the smell of the stuff!

[slofox]

Okay guys, say you were stuck with Breville and wanted to get a good (subjective) espresso machine. One that could pull a decent blend with the correct beans and good-enough burr grinder, but with a more-than-adequate steamer, out of all of these which would you go for?

Ignore the prices since they're from an Australian website:

http://www.breville.com.au/beverages/espresso/cafe-roma.html

http://www.breville.com.au/beverages/espresso/professional-800-collection-espresso-machine.html

http://www.breville.com.au/beverages/espresso/programmable-espresso-machine.html

http://www.breville.com.au/beverages/espresso/fresca-espresso-machine-752.html (this one has a built in grinder, it's not a superautomatic though)

I'm struggling to find any difference to the internals between the second and third one. It's gonna be used for a) steaming milk, b) single shot espressos for i) flat whites, ii) mochas.

The one with the built in grinder is obviously the most expensive, reviews seem to suggest that it doesn't get hot enough in there to hurt the beans when grinding, but a separate grinder would be better. However it's convenient to have it all in one package.

The Cafe Roma/Cafe Aroma is the cheapest, but I'm not sure if there's any super significant improvement to the 800 series ones other than being programmable (which I probably won't use anyway). So it comes down to whether the steamer is as powerful as the 800 series ones.

What do you guys think?

Also, I've befriended an owner of a little coffee shop on Albert St in the CBD. He's the one that actually got me into coffee in my ripe old age of 29! :) Their website is http://meritoespresso.co.nz/ and they have little training suggestions. Considering that I'm a complete greenhorn when it comes to brewing my own coffee, would one of these be beneficial to me? Would having some experience on a commercial machine translate well to a (budget) home machine?

Consumer NZ has a list of espresso machines tested. Of the Breville ones, they rated as follows in their test:

2nd (in test) Fresca
5th Venezia
7th Bar Vista
10th 800ES
12th Modena
16th Roma


I've already said I have a Roma. But its an old model - I've had it about 10 years or so. At the time it was new, it came close to the top of the Consumer tests.

The newer Roma model does not seem to fare as well.

Just a word about Sunbeam. I've had quality issues with several Sunbeam appliances in recent years. Once upon a time I swore by their stuff. Now I have severe doubts about them as a company. Last time I had issues with one of their appliances they were totally obstructive, bloody minded and obtuse about the problem. There was NO help forthcoming at all. Bunch of bastards IMO. Fukkem, I won't buy their stuff again.

[slofox]

If you like bright & zingy Slofox try some Kenyan Peaberry, allegedly an aphrodisiac. The flavour is often described as fruity & unusually it is a whole bean hence the name. I find it a bit too light so always blended it.

Got me Kenya Peaberry today! Local boys had some in stock...

[riffer]

I have a Breville800 series at home and an E61 Rocket at work.

The only difference in the two I reckon is that the E61 is much much faster at frothing milk.

Other than that the quality of the coffee with the same beans and grind appropriate to each machine is near identical.

Be careful here though - one can go too far. I've now taken to ordering my coffee as 5kg sacks of green beans and roasting it myself.

[shrub]

Whats wrong with the traditional way?? No milk or sugar either :Punk:

Pretty hard to beat. I have a 15 year old stove top machine that has made about a million coffees just how I like them - black and as strong as fuck. I get V6 beans from C4 in Tuam St once a week and grind them with a Sunbeam burr grinder I got off Tardme for $100 from an old boy who preferred nespresso to coffee.

[pete376403]

Nice stuff http://www.coffeelala.com/coffee_blends.html plus they will tweak the mix to suit customer requirements.

I get "La Bomb" which I understand was originally mixed to meet one customers preferences

[george formby]

Got me Kenya Peaberry today! Local boys had some in stock...

I look forward to your opinion on flavour & performance..:laugh:

[slofox]

I look forward to your opinion on flavour & performance..:laugh:

Well - "interesting" I would have to say.

First off, the beans look pretty much like any other bean - I kinda expected them to look different. They are maybe a little rounder than normal

Secondly, they seem to grind more slowly through my grinder - I need to leave it running longer for the same amount of ground coffee.

Thirdly the flavour: Higher acidity is the most obvious difference - quite marked. Finer palate than a lot of African coffees. Similar to some of the American single origin beans but without the same level of brightness of my favourite, La Illusion, which I cannot get any more.

Overall? I like!

[george formby]

Well - "interesting" I would have to say.

First off, the beans look pretty much like any other bean - I kinda expected them to look different. They are maybe a little rounder than normal

Secondly, they seem to grind more slowly through my grinder - I need to leave it running longer for the same amount of ground coffee.

Thirdly the flavour: Higher acidity if the most obvious difference - quite marked. Finer palate than a lot of African coffees. Similar to some of the American single origin beans but without the same level of brightness of my favourite, La Illusion, that I cannot get any more.

Overall? I like!

Good, a win. 50/50 with East timorese (like hens teeth at the mo) is a very nice blend.