Advice on which bean to cup machine
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:05 pm
Hello
I'm after some advice. I want to get a bean to cup machine (I think - I'm after something as easy as possible) and I want to spend as little as possible. I also fancy a milk frothing attachment.
The machines I've been thinking of are:
Gaggia Trevi Exclusive (recon from Gaggia - £300)
Gaggia Syncrony Logic (again recon - £250)
Saeco Vienna Deluxe (same as the Trevi exclusive???)
Or possibly something a bit more expensive like a Titanium or Syncrony Digital - but this would mean waiting longer and I need some decent coffee soon!
Any contributions are welcome, but I'd at least like some views on the following questions, if possible:
1. I've seen some evidence of a "cappuccinatore" attachment which froths the milk automatically. I've emailed Gaggia twice to ask them about it but they haven't replied. So, are they any good, where can you get them and which machines do they fit?
2. Are the machines I'm thinking of okay? I think the Syncrony Logic only has one boiler, but is this of much significance?
3. My water is pretty hard - is hard water better or worse for the taste of the coffee, or doesn't it matter? Should I soften the water or just descale the machine periodically - do the machines do this automatically?
4. I've read some things in the forum about aluminium boilers and think I'd rather avoid them if possible, but which of these machines has one and which doesn't, or are they all aluminium?
Any advice appreciated, even if it's "you don't want to get a bean to cup because..."
Thanks
Steve
PS
For the record, I've currently got a Braun Espresso Cappuccino Pro E650 3063 – a strange machine – have a look here if you want a laugh: http://63.230.9.155/braun/Srv_Man/HOUSE/3063.pdf
I'm after some advice. I want to get a bean to cup machine (I think - I'm after something as easy as possible) and I want to spend as little as possible. I also fancy a milk frothing attachment.
The machines I've been thinking of are:
Gaggia Trevi Exclusive (recon from Gaggia - £300)
Gaggia Syncrony Logic (again recon - £250)
Saeco Vienna Deluxe (same as the Trevi exclusive???)
Or possibly something a bit more expensive like a Titanium or Syncrony Digital - but this would mean waiting longer and I need some decent coffee soon!
Any contributions are welcome, but I'd at least like some views on the following questions, if possible:
1. I've seen some evidence of a "cappuccinatore" attachment which froths the milk automatically. I've emailed Gaggia twice to ask them about it but they haven't replied. So, are they any good, where can you get them and which machines do they fit?
2. Are the machines I'm thinking of okay? I think the Syncrony Logic only has one boiler, but is this of much significance?
3. My water is pretty hard - is hard water better or worse for the taste of the coffee, or doesn't it matter? Should I soften the water or just descale the machine periodically - do the machines do this automatically?
4. I've read some things in the forum about aluminium boilers and think I'd rather avoid them if possible, but which of these machines has one and which doesn't, or are they all aluminium?
Any advice appreciated, even if it's "you don't want to get a bean to cup because..."
Thanks
Steve
PS
For the record, I've currently got a Braun Espresso Cappuccino Pro E650 3063 – a strange machine – have a look here if you want a laugh: http://63.230.9.155/braun/Srv_Man/HOUSE/3063.pdf