Espresso machines?

[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.

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.... Must take after her friggin' mother's side...buncha wimps and pansies...

[george formby]

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

I hang my head in shame.

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.... Must take after her friggin' mother's side...buncha wimps and pansies...

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

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

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

I'll let you off then

[george formby]

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

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

I'll let you off then

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....

[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....

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

Loads of stuff on trade me.. here

[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

[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