Espresso at home recommendations

Twee.

I'm moving soon and will no longer have a Nespresso machine, which I do love, but thinking it might be a good chance now to change it up a little (also wanting to buy local coffee, less pod waste etc), and I don't have a fortune to spend.

I like espresso, macchiato, cortado type drinks, as well as the odd latte. I was thinking a moka or Aeropress, if anyone could offer guidance? I will pick up a frother so it's more the coffee side I need help with.

Cheers!

Hodors Appletart

you can't make (good) espresso at home with a (good) espresso machine

Brian?

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

you can't make (good) espresso at home with a (good) espresso machine

I make good espresso at home every day with a mid range espresso machine and really good beans. Why do you say that?

Brian?

Twee. wrote: »

I'm moving soon and will no longer have a Nespresso machine, which I do love, but thinking it might be a good chance now to change it up a little (also wanting to buy local coffee, less pod waste etc), and I don't have a fortune to spend.

I like espresso, macchiato, cortado type drinks, as well as the odd latte. I was thinking a moka or Aeropress, if anyone could offer guidance? I will pick up a frother so it's more the coffee side I need help with.

Cheers!

In my experience aeropress makes great coffee but not good espresso.

How much are you willing to spend?

AndyBoBandy

I've had a Gaggia Cubika for the last 8 years, and make myself and herself a Latte every morning, machine is brilliant.



Or you could go and get a fairly cheap espresso stove.... I picked one up last year for our boat, and it's brilliant.

parttime

I make good coffee with my Delonghi bean to cup. Better than some cafes that serve bewleys muck. Can't stand those stove top yokes though...tastes like burnt coffee

donalh087

I have a Gaggia Classic. It is simple, bullet proof, and makes the best espresso. About €400 but you will never regret it.

AndyBoBandy

Cant remember what I paid for the Gaggia Cubika Plus, but it would have been less than €200 at the time.... but since I've gotten it it's made around 6,000 espresso's/latte's, and still going strong.... (if that worked out at €3 per coffee, that's €18,000!!!)

morale of the story is invest what you can now in a quality machine, look after it and it will repay you ten fold.

Brian?

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Cant remember what I paid for the Gaggia Cubika Plus, but it would have been less than €200 at the time.... but since I've gotten it it's made around 6,000 espresso's/latte's, and still going strong.... (if that worked out at €3 per coffee, that's €18,000!!!)

morale of the story is invest what you can now in a quality machine, look after it and it will repay you ten fold.

How's the steam pressure on it? My machine makes excellent espresso but can't steam milk properly.

I've a De'Longhi Icona Vintage in my own humble abode and a Delonghi EC221R Pump Espresso in my Dad's ......... probably €200 ish each with a bit of discount ....... both are grand admittedly I'm no coffee expert, plenty creme anyway . Once the coffee you are using is to your pleasing then no need to spend megabucks IMO.

eldamo

It seems like you have to go very expensive to get much better than the moka pot or aeropress.
Grinders also start adding up too.

I went down a rabbit hole of James Hoffmann videos on youtube recently, initially for a laugh because he seemed like a parody of a coffee snob, but no, that's actually who he is. Ended up finding them very interesting.

But it led me to realise that to get much better than what I get out of my off brand moka pot and cheap conical burr hand grinder, I would probably not get much change out of 500 buckaroos.

I really notice a difference using fairly freshly roasted beans from local places though very nice.

I only have 1 cup most days, 2 if I am being wild, so nothing more expensive really would work for me.

My buddy Hoffmann ends up saying, that even if you buy a 500 euro machine, you are more setting yourself up as having a new hobby than anything else as there is a lot of work involved in getting the most out of it.

AndyBoBandy

Brian? wrote: »

How's the steam pressure on it? My machine makes excellent espresso but can't steam milk properly.

it's a bit meh in fairness, but what I've been doing for years is warming the milk in a stainless steel Ikea milk jug on the smallest ring gas hob until its warm to the touch, and then steam it....

however from time to time the steamer will make a weird tin like sound and the steam out of it will be crap!!! and the milk wont be so frothy, but it only happens every few weeks for some reason...

eldamo

eldamo wrote: »

It seems like you have to go very expensive to get much better than the moka pot or aeropress.
Grinders also start adding up too.

I went down a rabbit hole of James Hoffmann videos on youtube recently, initially for a laugh because he seemed like a parody of a coffee snob, but no, that's actually who he is. Ended up finding them very interesting.

But it led me to realise that to get much better than what I get out of my off brand moka pot and cheap conical burr hand grinder, I would probably not get much change out of 500 buckaroos.

I really notice a difference using fairly freshly roasted beans from local places though very nice.

I only have 1 cup most days, 2 if I am being wild, so nothing more expensive really would work for me.

My buddy Hoffmann ends up saying, that even if you buy a 500 euro machine, you are more setting yourself up as having a new hobby than anything else as there is a lot of work involved in getting the most out of it.

I have that wilfa grinder that he recommends, its good, makes a nice espresso like brew using a mokka pot following his guide

coffeedesk is where I bought it cheap

Twee.

Thanks for all the recommendations, I'll have a look through and come back!

Space is probably a consideration, I'm sharing with two others in an apartment so countertops are tight. I was hoping to get away with something I could keep in the press, hence the moka/Aeropress idea! Not really looking to get down a rabbit hole of spending 100s to have the best of everything and perfecting my 1-2 cups a day, but would spend say €250 if a machine really was the way to go. Not looking for a new hobby as eldamo says!

Brian?

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

it's a bit meh in fairness, but what I've been doing for years is warming the milk in a stainless steel Ikea milk jug on the smallest ring gas hob until its warm to the touch, and then steam it....

however from time to time the steamer will make a weird tin like sound and the steam out of it will be crap!!! and the milk wont be so frothy, but it only happens every few weeks for some reason...

Warming the milk first is a good tip!

Hodors Appletart

Twee. wrote: »

Thanks for all the recommendations, I'll have a look through and come back!

Space is probably a consideration, I'm sharing with two others in an apartment so countertops are tight. I was hoping to get away with something I could keep in the press, hence the moka/Aeropress idea! Not really looking to get down a rabbit hole of spending 100s to have the best of everything and perfecting my 1-2 cups a day, but would spend say €250 if a machine really was the way to go. Not looking for a new hobby as eldamo says!

you won't get a good enough espresso machine AND grinder good enough to grind to espresso fine grinds for 250, that's an unfortunate truth

You should absolutely go the Aeropress or Clever Dripper route, and get yourself a good burr grinder with your money.

AndyBoBandy

Brian? wrote: »

Warming the milk first is a good tip!

Yeah, if I don't do it, no matter how long I steam the milk for, the latte only ends up warm at best. I guess the steam tank isn't that big, so heating the milk to somewhere between warm and hot before hand means that whatever steam is in there does enough to froth the milk, and give it it's final heat boost...

I judge the steaming by the sound it makes, and know when its ready by the sound it makes...

eldamo

Deleted User wrote: »

I have that wilfa grinder that he recommends, its good, makes a nice espresso like brew using a mokka pot following his guide

coffeedesk is where I bought it cheap

yeah, the wilfa svart looks like a decent upgrade on what I use currently for 100 quid
https://pricespy.co.uk/home-garden/kitchen-household/coffee-machines/coffee-grinders/wilfa-cgws-130b--p3939026
have seen it on offer for less.
I currently use this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01J3TEBW6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
it's slow, but when it is just me working from home, I kinda like the routine of it.
That and the moka pot, but I only drink black coffee, so steaming wands etc are not my thing.
I got a 6 cup moka pot from aldi a few years back just on a whim, have never regretted it, great job.


If I have more people over I use a cheapo electric bladed grinder (also aldi or lidl) and a french press.

Hodors Appletart

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

you won't get a good enough espresso machine AND grinder good enough to grind to espresso fine grinds for 250, that's an unfortunate truth.....

100% true but ground coffee does most of us fine tbh.

Twee.

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

you won't get a good enough espresso machine AND grinder good enough to grind to espresso fine grinds for 250, that's an unfortunate truth

You should absolutely go the Aeropress or Clever Dripper route, and get yourself a good burr grinder with your money.

On the grinder, if I'm buying coffee direct, won't they grind it for me based on what I'm using it for? I've done this before I'm sure.

Hodors Appletart

Twee. wrote: »

On the grinder, if I'm buying coffee direct, won't they grind it for me based on what I'm using it for? I've done this before I'm sure.

They will of course, but ground coffee goes stale much more quickly than wholebean.

Hodors Appletart

also, with a decent grinder and wholebeans you can open up more options for yourself.

Aeropress and Clever are not "batch" brewers really (you might get 2 cups from a brew), but say you had people over, with wholebeans a good grinder and a large French Press you can brew for everyone at the same time.

that's just one example.

Brian?

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

also, with a decent grinder and wholebeans you can open up more options for yourself.

Aeropress and Clever are not "batch" brewers really (you might get 2 cups from a brew), but say you had people over, with wholebeans a good grinder and a large French Press you can brew for everyone at the same time.

that's just one example.

+1 to this.

I have an espresso machine, an aeropress, a french press and a V60. I grind the coffee differently for each.

Mostly I make espresso based coffee, but I like to switch around.

Hodors Appletart

Yeah, espresso machine, v60, Clever, Aero, moka and various size FPs

I usually CBA with espresso as the clever and aero are so handy, my wife has a single cup FP and we have a 1 litre and a 2 litre one for larger batches

Have an Encore grinder and it's great to be able to switch it up easily.

The OP might be best going with a good grinder and a mokka pot or else buy a gaggia or rancillo v6.

The mokka pots can be hit or miss and are hard to clean.

This bundle looks nice https://www.coffeeitalia.ie/rancilio-silvia-nemox-lux.html any body got something similar?

The filter machines are good like the mocca master for a standard coffee. If you pre heat the machine coffee is good.

adrian522

The best advice for setting up for espresso is from Scott Rao: "Buy the best grinder you can afford even if it means you have to buy a cheaper espresso machine"

You will get much better espresso from a good grinder and a cheap machine than the other way around.

When I started first in 2009 I bought a good grinder and stuck with Moka pot and French press for a long while, the coffee was great as I had a good grinder and 3 years later I bought an espresso machine to go with it.

By the way I still have the same grinder going strong 12 years later.

parttime

parttime wrote: »

I make good coffee with my Delonghi bean to cup. Better than some cafes that serve bewleys muck.

I had one also but the grinder is not good enough for wasting money on the best freshly roasted beans

it makes a reasonable cup of coffee but the limitations of the machine are there

parttime

Fair play. I find it good enough to taste differences between 3fe's weekly offerings.
Or maybe I just convince myself to justify 12 euro for 250g of coffee!!
Does a better quality grinder just make a finer grind, or is there something else happening?

parttime

parttime wrote: »

Fair play. I find it good enough to taste differences between 3fe's weekly offerings.
Or maybe I just convince myself to justify 12 euro for 250g of coffee!!
Does a better quality grinder just make a finer grind, or is there something else happening?

A burr grinder grinds coffee to a consistent size

adrian522

Yes, its mainly around the consistency, so all the coffee particles are roughly the same size and you don't get some larger and some smaller particles. You also are able to make very minor adjustments so that you can go a touch finer or a touch coarser if the espresso is drawing a little too quick or too slow.

Ideally I'm looking for an espresso shot in 25-30 seconds, any slower than that I need to make the grind coarser etc.

Soooooo when ye mention a good grinder... How much better than this would ye recommend?

https://www.did.ie/krups-expert-burr-coffee-grinder-black-gvx231-gvx231-prd