How much to Spend what to Buy and in what order???

Equipment, technique, or just drinking the stuff

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Postby blackice » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:43 pm

If I started all over again I would buy a used lever espresso machine with good pressurestat and big boiler, and a used professional grinder.
That is the combo I use everyday at home.
Stay away from thermoblocks! Don't spend money on blade grinders LOL :-D
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Postby John14 » Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:01 pm

newbie here ? any advice on these bean to cup machines,really like the look of the delonghi but you don't want to make a fatal mistake and ruin the pleasure. entered a competition to win the £600 model but not holding my breath ( the only way I m likely to get one)
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Postby Gouezeri » Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:39 pm

Hi John,
Welcome to the forum. You might want to check out this recent thread on bean to cup machines and then do a search for anything more specific. In general, though, we don't tend to recommend them around here, tbh kinda like "ready meals" really, and expensive to boot.
D
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Postby CakeBoy » Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:48 pm

Welcome to TMC John :P
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Postby GeorgeW » Sun Feb 25, 2007 8:34 pm

Welcome to the forum john and forget the bean to cup machines as a favour to you.
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Postby bruceb » Sun Feb 25, 2007 8:45 pm

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John, perhaps you can tell us more about what you expect from a machine, whether you want to drink espresso or whether you prefer other drinks. There are probably a lot of better solutions to almost any problem than a home bean-to-cup machine. :D
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I decided I needed a bit of a change so I roasted some Monsooned Malabar. That was a change!
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Postby Gouezeri » Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:49 pm

bruceb wrote:John, perhaps you can tell us more about what you expect from a machine, whether you want to drink espresso or whether you prefer other drinks.

And perhaps you could do it in a separate thread :wink:
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Postby Richard » Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:51 pm

bruceb wrote:John, perhaps you can tell us more about what you expect from a machine,


Just read this thread with great interest and wondering how much coffee you guys make, I accept everything that's said regarding quality of machine-V-results. An 80 gram roast lasts me three/four days and I don't want to grind my beans until I brew so I'm only grinding 2/3 tablespoons of bean each time. Ok, I could risk grinding more, maybe the whole 80 grams but assuming money is no object is it feasible for such small quantities to have such a large machine ?

From store-bought coffee to where I am now with my Donald Duck popcorn roaster and spinning blade grinder is a huge-huge and fabulous improvement and given that I find the cupboard-space I may in time consider something more adventurous than the Duolit but in the mean-time the Duolit will be regarded as another boys unnecessary gadget. Hopefully a huge improvement on the soon to be relegated spinning blade machine.

I'm really excited that things have the potential for getting even better than they are now, in the mean-time, my kitchen extractor stinks of coffee roasting that apparently smells like tobacco and another problem to share with you guys.
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Postby johnny » Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:57 pm

80g = 4 days ???

Does the weight cahnge much from green to roasted .. ie does 80g green = 250 g roasted by any chance ?
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Postby Richard » Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:43 pm

johnny wrote:80g = 4 days ???

Does the weight cahnge much from green to roasted .. ie does 80g green = 250 g roasted by any chance ?


Fortunately I just weighed a finished roast and even though I only measured the green beans, for example, half a cup was 80 grams it suggests the roasted beans are lighter, I have 77 grams.

Next time I'll be more accurate though no doubt you will have done it yourself by then. (I only drink two cups, any more and I'm wired)
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1st 'real' machine - teaming up with a Mazzer mini E

Postby Gallois » Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:35 pm

I'm new and I'm moving towards getting a Rancilio Silvia (£295) with a Mazzer mini E type A (£495). I think I'm unique in that I've listened very carefully and bought the best grinder I can afford (even if it feels slightly wrong to spend this much money).

My question is, if I was to take a small step up from Silvia, what would that be and how much would it cost? If I was to speculate I'd want a PIDd machine and a HX or DB right? Remember I'm new so I might be talking rubbish.

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Postby Richard » Wed Jun 11, 2008 5:13 pm

Hi Stewart.

I just took a small step back from from all the excellent advise I've had on this forum, I made-up so much ground in such a short time it made me dizzy and confused so I thought its best I stick with what I've done so-far and play with it.

My grinder seemed such a huge move forward for me though in hindsight I accept it's an acceptable compromise, certainly since I've been silent I've learned that the grind is more important than the Silvia, in fact the grind is more important in the case of a press-pot than the press-pot or anything else.

The Silvia is my first machine and I'm not qualified to make comparative comments though my coffee ranges from sublime to throwing it into the sink just on the basis of the grind, the tamp and a bit of surfing.

I hasten to add that the roast in my case has settled to a situation where I can't blame the roast, how am I doing ? you with me ?

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Postby Gallois » Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:23 pm

Thanks, I think I understand. It's to do with my skill at adapating to the different bean/roast characteristics with my suggested setup.

I guess what I'm really after is that if I added say £150 to the budget, could I move up from Silvia to something else that I would enjoy and get more out of. The Mazzer is pretty much decided I think.
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Postby Lameen » Thu Jun 12, 2008 4:36 pm

Hi guys,

I've just joined Too Much Coffee and I live in Vienna.

I am in need of a new grinder as my current one, Isomac (won't recommended it to anyone, good grinding but too much plastic and easily breakable) is now a write-off. I am undecided between going all out and splashing on a Mazzer Mini Electronic (500 Euros), going the middle way (the new Compak K3-Touch for about 350 Euros) or at the "cheaper" end for an Iberital for 150 Euros. Grateful for advice especially for Vienna or for good shipment to Vienna.

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Postby syscrusher » Thu Jun 12, 2008 7:31 pm

Hi Lameen! The Mazzer is obviously built to last a long long time. Very consistent, very good grind. There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said about this grinder. Its more or less universally loved.

I'm not familiar with the Compak, but the Iberital MC2 is a great grinder for the price. Its cheaper than the Gaggia MDF and the Rancilio Rocky, and I would put it as their equals in terms of grind quality. An added advantage over those grinders is that it is stepless, so for espresso grinding at least it is really useful.

One you haven't mentioned, but I was really impressed with the quality of grind on is the Ascaso I-2 (not the mini). Like the MC2 it is an infinitely adjustable conical burr grinder (the mazzer, mdf, rocky have flat burrs), but it is more solidly built, and I think the quality of grind is superior.
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