espresso making mags?

[snowranger]

Gaggia Espresso bought for $99 back in 1997. Have made at least 5,000 shots since then. I have replaced the gasket and one thermal fuse in that time. Machine cost per cup < 3 cents.

[bio-smear]

La Pavoni Europpicola customized by my employer as a gift for 15 years of employment. This thing is fun, but a challenge to get a shot with good crema and body. It's an art that takes practice.

That's what I want! It's like pumping the handle of the wellspring of coffee goodness.

[nhtele]

I have a Nespresso machine that I was given - do you get them in the US?

I've got the Cube one and I love it - especially since one of its primary purposes is 3am ski touring mornings. No fucking way am I gonna be grinding, pulling, etc. when I'm all bleary-eyed and trying to get out the door.

[CANADASTEEP]

Espresso? Wow, I could go on & on. I have the Silvia/Rocky combo, and wish I had gone for a Mazzer grinder.
But then, it's been in the house nearly ten years? maybe seven...However, it is very good for home use.

Stove Top is technically "moka" and is not actually espresso (because of the pressure, volume, etc. etc.).

A decent grinder will make a good difference (burrs!) when using a low-cost set up like stove top, french press or pour-over cone.
BTW, pour over cone is WAY underrated and a MUST when travelling.
However, Bodum happens to make a great stainless steel french press which might be my new travel companion - Can't break it!

What makes all the difference is fresh roasted beans. I made a pour-over cone coffee with stuff that was roasted 2-3 days before and it was ridiculous. A month and a half later I put the same beans through a clover at a local shop and it was WAYYYY better than anything they were selling. Really. But that's another story. >>Gorilla Coffee in Brooklyn. $11/LB. STRONG Coffee.

For a big ticket espresso rig, the only way to go is the DUAL boiler Izzo Duetto.
http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/...sso/izzoduetto
^^I'll bet the competition will start to offer dual boiler prosumer machines soon.

[CountryFunk]

A cherished member of the Funk family. It's probably payed for itself 3 times over by now, both in coffee $'s and leave hours - It took 3 shots to get me in to work this morning.

[CANADASTEEP]

Currently Silvia/Rocky combo. Though I know a little about coffee, I have to say
that I don't mind pour-over filtered coffee at all.
Freshly ground fresh beans = great results.
^^Lightest/cleanest option for travel/camping. Also, Bodum makes a stainless steel french press.

Note: Gorilla coffee has an amazing t-shirt, check it on someone here: http://www.synesso.com/about.shtml ($20!).

For a "prosumer" home machine, Expobar finally has a dual boiler brewtus, with Rotary pump, and there is the Duetto by Izzo.

This might do the trick for an easy-to-dial-in grinder: http://coffeegeek.com/opinions/showr...5-05-2008/9:45
Other than that, a really nifty "regular" drip coffee machine by Technivorm: http://www.wholelattelove.com/Techni...orm_thermo.cfm

[2-czech]

wow, so many coffee geek mags around wish our roaster was based in NA so we could give a maggot discount or something ...

i have at work all the show, from 4 group Dalla Corte machines, to Bodum french presses ... but what I really dig lately is the Hario Beam Heater with Vac pot from Japan: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3046/...e13884.jpg?v=0 or a shitty pic on my blog: http://blog.labohemecafe.cz/wp-conte...s/dsc_0382.jpg

[CANADASTEEP]

^^If in MTL - Cafe Myriade is a great place to go - they have vac pots too (I believe).

This looks very nice - Ar Deco? - stove top, but how well does it work?
http://www.notcot.com/archives/2008/...espresso_m.php
http://www.ottoespresso.com/

[berko]

Isomac Rituale and mazzer mini grinder here. From turning on the grinder, it takes less than two minutes to have a consistently very good shot.

The only problem with this set-up is that espresso shots elsewhere can often be very disappointing.

I totally agree that roasting your own beans takes it to a higher level, but I am just a little too lazy for that.

[BigDaddy]

I've been hooked on stovetop expresso since living in Italy in 1989. It's fast, easy and uses less coffee than filtered methods.

Here's an interesting site with stovetop expresso explained: http://www.fantes.com/espresso-stovetop.html

Here's one of the common types, but I prefer the stainless steel versions. The handles on the Moki always break and you don't want that happening while pouring molten java...

[road trip]

Bialetti!

My wife just returned from italy with a new all stainless steel version of the stove top standby. We must be 6 years strong with this method.

Anybody else get some weird funk in the bottom of their's? How do you stop it???

[StormDay]

as a newbie to this home espresso thing.... what beans are folks digging for their machines?

http://ritual.myshopify.com/products...saver-espresso

or

http://www.wholelattelove.com/Lavazza/lava_grand.cfm

[Lev]

Just wanted to comment real quickly and say that I love this thread.

I got hooked up with a Rocky/Silvia combo for Xmas and I'm loving it.

Already churning out some pretty solid drinks for a newbie, and I'm confident they will improve as my barista skills do.

My one complaint about my new setup is that Rancilio includes a dinky plastic tamper that doesn't even properly fit the portafilter. I'm not sure what the idea there is, but I've already ordered a solid wood and steel tamper and should be receiving it soon. Looking forward to it...

[BestofShow]

Anyone try brewing shots with a DeLonghi? I just got one for xmas, and plan to give it a shot this week. I never liked the taste of coffee, but espresso or americano straight up has always been just what the dr. ordered.

Trials and results to come.

[carvedog]

Anybody else get some weird funk in the bottom of their's? How do you stop it???

Revel in the funk.

Same as a cast iron skillet - never wash, no soap.

[road trip]

Revel in the funk.

Same as a cast iron skillet - never wash, no soap.

And if one happened to have already washed with soap? Is it as good as dead and need be replaced??

[bean]

And if one happened to have already washed with soap? Is it as good as dead and need be replaced??

It's fine, just don't do it anymore. Let the oils and "funk" build up, just rinse with water in the future.

[snoboy]

Revel in the funk.

Same as a cast iron skillet - never wash, no soap.

BS.

Get some coffee machine cleaner, search Joe Glo or Cafiza. Dirty coffee machines make dirty coffee.

[carvedog]

BS.

Get some coffee machine cleaner, search Joe Glo or Cafiza. Dirty coffee machines make dirty coffee.

I was half joking, but I do never, ever clean mine except by rinsing with hot water.

Is it a machine? And gets used every day. So if it is just hot water, and some blowback coffee residue that gets in the bottom what's the problem.

All those I serve from my little pot, claim it is some of the best coffee they have ever had. Now someone tells me I should be cleaning it. And others agree with my method for the last 10 years. Damn.

What's the real deal here? I know what BS guy thinks. Others?

[BigDaddy]

And if one happened to have already washed with soap? Is it as good as dead and need be replaced??

Soak in vinegar... then rinse... well.

From this site: http://www.fantes.com/espresso-stovetop.html

To maintain the macchinetta in good condition, wash all the parts with hot sudsy water, and rinse thoroughly. Before first use, and regularly (though not necessarily every time), also remove and wash the rubber gasket and round flat filter plate. Use a dull knife point, or small screwdriver, to remove the gasket, and to get to the filter plate. When the gasket dries or cracks, replace it. A telltale sign of a needed replacement gasket will be that some steam will begin to escape from the screw threads between the top and bottom pieces of your macchinetta.

Occasionally scour the inside of the macchinetta to remove mineral deposits. Or soak with a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water, then rinse thoroughly.

[CANADASTEEP]

I like Cafiza. Rinsing with water is totally fine, so long as you do it right after. And use hot water.

Note:
Cafiza also cleans bone china and silver! Seriously. I don't know how much silver is lost, but it does get rid of the black stuff very, very well. It also cleans off white sneakers (something I thought of when bored at work one day).

Today I got myself a Bodum "Columbia" french press that I've bookmarked for some time. It's good for travel since it's all steel and can't break: http://www.greenbeanery.ca/bean/cata...lumbia1312.jpg

A cool stove top by WMF in 4 and 6 cups (eventually) http://www.wmf-usa.com/article_image...0631006030.jpg

[Lev]

Here ya go espresso lovers:

[gbarnum]

^^^^^ Holy shit - espresso porn! I can smell it from here....

[lurk]

I've been running a Vibiemme (similar to E61Rocket) with a Mazzer grinder for approx seven years.
More importantly I started roasting my own beans around four years ago, in a $25 pop corn popper.
It's looking a little sad now but still gets the job done.
I usually buy around six to eight kgs of green beans (from different growing areas) , then roast what I need every four to five days.
I buy my beans off a local importer at approx 1/4 cost of roasted cafe supplies.
Fresh is always best!

[BigDaddy]

That is hard core, but sounds interesting Lurk! 1/4 the cost? Gotta look into this.