Actual cost of coffee machine and accessories

brokenarms

I want to upgrade.

For 3 years now I use my Tassimo twice daily. It makes a handy drinkable cup. I think it is a great bit kit and is a real work horse.

But I want better now and can taste the difference of a good cup and a drinkable cup. It took me awhile to develop this taste and i am still not great at identifying the finer points of the taste. I would think very expensive coffee beans would be wasted on me. Coke/Pepsi.

I do find the coffee from the tassimo discs inconsistent .

I was looking at the Gaggia Baby or evolution. Im seeing plenty second hand machines on flee bay for 50 -70 euro

My first question is.

1. What is like to live with. Is it handy to use for a quick cuppa . I have seen it on youtube, but is it a pain to to go through the motions daily?

2. Im not in the position to buy a good grinder at te moment . It seems to much money to start with.

How is the "of the shelf" pre ground Espresso coffee from the supermarket .
Like this for example.


Lastly is cleaning. Are they hard to maintain. Like the the little dish you put the coffee in. Would a quick rinse under the tap leave it ready for the next cup? Or cleaning the nozzle of the steamer?
I am prepared to do all this but maybe should keep my fully automatic machine for a quick dash out the door in the morning

Thanks for looking

Mr Magnolia

I'd advise you buy a grinder now and perhaps an aeropress or moka pot and run with that if you prefer espresso type drinks, purchase the espresso machine later. Preground coffee such as that well, it's trying to make a silk purse from a sow's ear.

brokenarms

What about a manual grinder. Are they better value?
Or a nightmare .

Mr Magnolia

They're better value of course, they're cheap as chips but manually grinding fine enough for espresso is probably not possible and you'd want arms like Popeye if it was. A good quality burr grinder is the way to go.

Goody2Shoes77

brokenarms wrote: »

I want to upgrade.

For 3 years now I use my Tassimo twice daily. It makes a handy drinkable cup. I think it is a great bit kit and is a real work horse.

But I want better now and can taste the difference of a good cup and a drinkable cup. It took me awhile to develop this taste and i am still not great at identifying the finer points of the taste. I would think very expensive coffee beans would be wasted on me. Coke/Pepsi.

I do find the coffee from the tassimo discs inconsistent .

I was looking at the Gaggia Baby or evolution. Im seeing plenty second hand machines on flee bay for 50 -70 euro

My first question is.

1. What is like to live with. Is it handy to use for a quick cuppa . I have seen it on youtube, but is it a pain to to go through the motions daily?

2. Im not in the position to buy a good grinder at te moment . It seems to much money to start with.

How is the "of the shelf" pre ground Espresso coffee from the supermarket .
Like this for example.


Lastly is cleaning. Are they hard to maintain. Like the the little dish you put the coffee in. Would a quick rinse under the tap leave it ready for the next cup? Or cleaning the nozzle of the steamer?
I am prepared to do all this but maybe should keep my fully automatic machine for a quick dash out the door in the morning

Thanks for looking

I can't comment on the models you mentioned but my coffee machine is a pretty run-of-the-mill machine that makes regular coffee, espresso's and cappuccino's. It's a DeLonghi Caffe Treviso. It's easy to clean alright especially if I'm not using the steamer (have to be careful with the nozzle because of bacteria from milk). On the subject of the Lavazza espresso coffee, it's my favourite and I am very particular about taste.

brokenarms

Goody2Shoes77 wrote: »

I can't comment on the models you mentioned but my coffee machine is a pretty run-of-the-mill machine that makes regular coffee, espresso's and cappuccino's. It's a DeLonghi Caffe Treviso. It's easy to clean alright especially if I'm not using the steamer (have to be careful with the nozzle because of bacteria from milk). On the subject of the Lavazza espresso coffee, it's my favourite and I am very particular about taste.

Thanks for the responses so far. Im by no means a connoisseur so at the moment I think a grinder that costs so much may be wasted money. (on me)


I had the the pot type moka type for a while but its a real pain in the arse to use daily.

I was looking at the machines you have but I know what ever I buy I will use daily and worry about the lower brandings. Everyone online seems to swear by gaggia for some reason.

Mr Magnolia

In your OP you stated you could attest to the difference between a 'good cup and a drinkable cup'. If you're happy to go down the pre-ground route then you're sorted but this wouldn't fit into my model on either of the above options. A grinder is the most fundamentalist of purchases in solid home brewing.

brokenarms

Ohh sorry. it just seems like so much for a grinder .. Its just grinds little beans. Why the big money?? I know it makes a big difference to the taste. But why the cost for such a simple thing. They cost more than the machine...!!!

I wish I had a fortune to spend.

adrian522

Personally I think you will get much better coffee from a good grinder and an average machine than the other way around.

When I started off I bought the Vario which was expensive and meant I had to wait a year or so to buy an espresso machine but I still got great coffee from the Vario when used with a french press or moka pot and when I got an espresso machine I had the perfect setup.

If you insist on getting the espresso machine first at least buy a hand grinder and grind the beans with that. No real point in putting pre ground through the espresso machine, you'll always get disappointing results that way.

Feel free to throw me a pm if you have any questions...

PPC

brokenarms wrote: »

Ohh sorry. it just seems like so much for a grinder .. Its just grinds little beans. Why the big money?? I know it makes a big difference to the taste. But why the cost for such a simple thing. They cost more than the machine...!!!

I wish I had a fortune to spend.

The more you get, the more consistent grind size you get.
Cheaper grinders will be inconsistent, you'll get small and large particles, so your coffee will be over and under extracted.
With a consistent grind size you'll have an even extraction.

Have a read of http://coffeegeek.com/guides/howtobuyanespressomachine/getagrinder

donnacha

Goody2Shoes77 wrote: »

I am very particular about taste.

:rolleyes:

Gran Hermano

Seemingly ignorance is bliss.

brokenarms

I just won an auction for a used Gaggia Cubika . Steal at 25 pound plus 15 postage.

Next week a grinder after a bit of playing around with of the shelf stuff.

I really like the stuff Costa make at their cafe. Both Latte and espressos .

What sort of beans should I get that has a similar taste.

Mr Magnolia

Any old burnt type would be comparable.


Try coffeeangel.com's fórsa gála or have a look at coffeemojo or hasbean for good espresso bean offerings.

Goody2Shoes77

donnacha wrote: »

:rolleyes:

:P

PhilMcGee

My coffee addiction is getting too expensive.
I have so much equipment i dont use too.
I know I have to, but how can I give it up.

brokenarms

Thanks for all your advise.

Im sure you will be hearing from me again on how to use the thing.

Mr Magnolia

brokenarms wrote: »

Thanks for all your advise.

Im sure you will be hearing from me again on how to use the thing.

Make sure you give us a shout.

brokenarms

I finding it hard to get it right.

The espresso is fine. 25 seconds and a nice cream on top. I got coffee angel to grind the beans for me till my own grinder arrives. On the sour side of . Im maybe putting to much coffee in the PF.

I like milk in my coffee . Getting the foam right is hard. And my drink is so hot it burns the mouth. I guess its down to practice.
when it does cool . The taste is sooo much better than the Tassimo. I really thought that machine was the great.

I cant practice anymore tonight as my head is spinning with caffine LOL