espresso making mags?

[jm2e]

to pile on frorider's request, cause - good question.
my lovely spouse was just asking when we are going to get a proper espresso setup. figure we have an anniversary coming up so that's as good a reason as any, right?
problem is, she is more a full auto type and i'm more of the geek out type who reverts to full auto when too busy, though i prefer to repair things myself.
any recommended units that are a happy middle ground between diy and full auto? 2 persons, limited steam.
for reference, i dig pulling shots with a la pavoni, but she would prefer to press a button like we did in japan last winter - also, she has no idea there are different grinders

Anniversary present? Get her what she wants and not what you want. I recently got a Delonghi Dinamica. It's what your wife wants. Push button, get espresso. Push this other button a few times first, get stronger espresso. Push this different button first, get double shot. PIck your beans. Go with grocery store garbage and blame it on the machine, or get coffee that's expensive for pleebs like me and cheap as fuck for guys in here. No pod waste, get bug free mold free compost instead. This is NOT for the connoisseur. This is for 1 step better than Nespresso.
When you're ready for your own hobby, shop for grinders. Then buy whatever espresso machine you can afford with what money is left over. Then upgrade machines when you appreciate what you're upgrading.

[PowderAlltheTime]

Here's a Etsy link for the WD spirographic tool (along with other types of WD tools). For those wanting beauty and function, look at Weber Tool's Moonraker, but beauty has a price.

Etsy
https://www.etsy.com/search?q=espres...ref=search_bar

Weber
https://weberworkshops.com/products/moonraker

Frorider, I have a Profetic 700. I bought for the exact reason you are looking at Profetic's--German built with Italian design equals less breakdown and no working on it. The 700 is going on 6-7 years without any problems. One thing to take into account is, I got an email from Clive Coffee saying Profetic is in the process of updating their machine lineup. Profetic just discontinued the 700 and replaced it with the Drive. I don't know when, or if, the 300 will get replaced.

The 4 other machines I had prior didn't have the same history. Lots o' solenoids replaced, bad pressure fittings, and other leaky things. After saying that, in the 20+ years I've doing home espresso, the quality of machines and equipment available has dramatically improved. There are many good ones to choose from.

[tgapp]

anyone want a flair?

i never use mine and would love to see it go to a home that would get good use out of it. it's capable of making absolutely world class espresso, the workflow is a little finicky but the quality of the coffee is as good as stuff from $5k machines

offer open to established mags only, especially ones that will actually use this

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[John_B]

Tgapp Id be game to give that thing a try and would pass it on to the collective if I find myself not using it. All I have for a grinder is a Baratza Encore but I'm assuming I can make a grind that is sufficient enough for the Flair?

[jackattack]

I’m not sure that the standard encore will go fine enough. You may be able to adjust the grind range but I didn’t ever try to do so when I tried a flair years ago.

[neufox47]

Tgapp Id be game to give that thing a try and would pass it on to the collective if I find myself not using it. All I have for a grinder is a Baratza Encore but I'm assuming I can make a grind that is sufficient enough for the Flair?

Probably not. But you can get a hand grinder pretty cheap that will grind as well as a $600-$1000 electric espresso grinder.

[rod9301]

Or possibly better because it will not heat the coffee as much

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[XXX-er]

when I need that coffee hit in the AM do I wana be pressing a button or cranking away on a hand grinder and multiply that time by in my case 18-20,000 ?

I've worn all the writing off my grinder but I still know where to turn the knob to

[carlh]

Looking at adding an espresso machine to my French press now that I’m going to be wfh again. I have an old baratza grinder that may or may not be up to the job. I want something the is going to last a long time with good internals, compact and easy to use. Would like to spend in the $500 range if possible, open to a used machine as well.
The gagglia has had boiler issues and I don’t really want an aluminum boiler if avoidable and it has poor temp control. There is an older one locally used for $200, might be worth testing out.
The breville bambino would probably make fine coffee but seems like it is disposable.
The miicoffee apex looks interesting but is pretty new.
A Silvia seems overpriced.
I also see some rockets on Craigslist but not sure that is a hole I want to get into.
Thoughts?

[Boissal]

Gift from my SIL, anyone tried it? Review seem great, could be a great camping option, or something I'll take to the office:

[tintin5]

Gift from my SIL, anyone tried it? Review seem great, could be a great camping option, or something I'll take to the office:

We bought one for my father in law. He likes it for situations exactly like you said: On the road/camping etc. I’ve used it 1-2 times, and it makes a tasty coffee.

[XXX-er]

Looking at adding an espresso machine to my French press now that I’m going to be wfh again. I have an old baratza grinder that may or may not be up to the job. I want something the is going to last a long time with good internals, compact and easy to use. Would like to spend in the $500 range if possible, open to a used machine as well.
The gagglia has had boiler issues and I don’t really want an aluminum boiler if avoidable and it has poor temp control. There is an older one locally used for $200, might be worth testing out.
The breville bambino would probably make fine coffee but seems like it is disposable.
The miicoffee apex looks interesting but is pretty new.
A Silvia seems overpriced.
I also see some rockets on Craigslist but not sure that is a hole I want to get into.
Thoughts?

If yer trying to not spend much $$$ I had a Breville Roma that made good espresso, you can probably find one cheap, I left mine at a GF's house

[neufox47]

Gift from my SIL, anyone tried it? Review seem great, could be a great camping option, or something I'll take to the office:

I used this a bunch on a backcountry trip. Works really well for what it is.

[lowsparkco]

The Gaggia Classic boiler issues are on recent models. I don't know a lot about it, but it sounds like they lined the boilers with some kind of teflon like product and it flakes causing a myriad of issues.

That being said, I think the older Gaggia Classics are a great value. I actually purchased one not that long ago for my mother. It was a couple hundred bucks locally for a 1996 model. It needed a new steam valve and I also wanted to update the wand with the Rancilio wand. Never added up exactly what I spent, but a few parts, a new bottomless portafilter, and a 20 gram VST basket I already had laying around and it's pulling drinkable shots.

I wouldn't overlook them, especially if you're handy. They're extremely easy to work on. If you can work on a bicycle you can upgrade a Gaggia Classic.

Sylvia being overpriced is a matter of opinion I guess. I bought the base model a few years ago and added a PID and love it. The price did go up several hundo a couple years back. They're tanks, so again if you can find a used one not a bad way to go.

I took my grinder to the guys house who sold me the Gaggia Classic and pulled a couple shots just to make sure it worked.

[rod9301]

If you get a good grinder, almost any espresso machine will make a great espresso. And for milk, microwave, then use a $12 thing with a little propeller to foam it.

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[XXX-er]

Sylvia being overpriced is a matter of opinion I guess. I bought the base model a few years ago and added a PID and love it. The price did go up several hundo a couple years back. They're tanks, so again if you can find a used one not a bad way to go..

yeah 20,000 shots ago I paid < 700 and at that price they thru in a couple sets of esresso cups but i think that price has now > doubled

lots of articals asking is the Sylvia worth the $$$$ ?

[Todd Zander]

Looking at adding an espresso machine to my French press now that I’m going to be wfh again. I have an old baratza grinder that may or may not be up to the job. I want something the is going to last a long time with good internals, compact and easy to use. Would like to spend in the $500 range if possible, open to a used machine as well.
The gagglia has had boiler issues and I don’t really want an aluminum boiler if avoidable and it has poor temp control. There is an older one locally used for $200, might be worth testing out.
The breville bambino would probably make fine coffee but seems like it is disposable.
The miicoffee apex looks interesting but is pretty new.
A Silvia seems overpriced.
I also see some rockets on Craigslist but not sure that is a hole I want to get into.
Thoughts?

I upgraded my classic purchased new about 10 years ago , PID controller was helpful. The best modification however was relocating the BPV off of the boiler and wrapping a 10ft section of 1/4” copper hardline around it as a “preheater” circuit so cold water was not being pumped into the boiler as the shot was being pulled.

It’s still a great machine that sadly doesn’t get used as Often as it should.

[carlh]

Decided I’m going the breville bambino route for fast heating and easy steaming for my wife. Not the ultimate machine for sure but should be a good test on how much we use it and what features.
Will likely do a grinder upgrade as well as the old Baratza maestro is unlikely to give good results. I want something that I can use for good shots and French press since I don’t have room for 2. Prefer dark roasts and body over light and fruity. Need to fire some more research but the Turin/mini coffee seem like the right approach and price.

[AmmergauerTele]

Got the Sylvia about four years ago. Four years in and about 4,500 shots later, no mods, no repairs, still working well. Quite happy with it.

Plus if I have to fix something....lots of vids and parts out there to help this amateur.

[neufox47]

Anyone have experience with a La Povoni lever machine?


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[Darren Jakal]

Anyone have experience with a La Povoni lever machine?


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I’ve used one every day I’m home for about 20 years. Found it abandoned in a back alley and spent about a $150.00 cdn (2002 dollars) fixing it. I have to replace various seals and gaskets every few years, but it makes some of the best espresso I’ve had.

[californiagrown]

Will likely do a grinder upgrade as well as the old Baratza maestro is unlikely to give good results. I want something that I can use for good shots and French press since I don’t have room for 2. Prefer dark roasts and body over light and fruity. Need to fire some more research but the Turin/mini coffee seem like the right approach and price.

this is where i am having trouble. I will be buying a bambino in the next few months too, but i pretty much only make pourover currently (V60 and chemex). Trying to find a grinder that will work well for both espresso and pourover, that is electric, and is somewhat affordable (less than $250) is a real pain. French press to espresso is about as wide of a range as you can get for a grinder, so id assume if you are confident the Turin would work well for both, it would work well for pourover-espresso.

what other grinders were you considering?

[XXX-er]

https://www.chefsupplies.ca/products...072500b6149a5f

for the cheaper burr grinder that actualy works this Capresso Infinity ^^ has ground every shot i put thru the Sylvia for > 15 yrs,

I run it at 14 of 16 in the extra fine zone so it goes more than fine enough for my mostly espresso which is I believe the usual problem with cheap grinders

I dont brew anything else but with the 16 settings but it should grind anything you want

all the white paint markings have worn off but it still runs like new and after 15 yrs I don't need the markings

[californiagrown]

https://www.chefsupplies.ca/products...072500b6149a5f

for the cheaper burr grinder that actualy works this Capresso Infinity ^^ has ground every shot i put thru the Sylvia for > 15 yrs,

I run it at 14 of 16 in the extra fine zone so it goes more than fine enough for my mostly espresso which is I believe the usual problem with cheap grinders

I dont brew anything else but with the 16 settings but it should grind anything you want

all the white paint markings have worn off but it still runs like new and after 15 yrs I don't need the markings

Thats the one i have now, and im fairly happy with it for pourover, but im running it like 3 clicks from the finest for my lightroast pourovers (to get proper brew times and flavors), so maybe i just need to fiddlefuck around a little bit to see if i can tighten up the burrs to make the grindscale finer? I got it because it was supposed to be a cheaper versions of the Baratza Encore that does pourover grinds well and everything else pretty meh.

[XXX-er]

Thats the one i have now, and im fairly happy with it for pourover, but im running it like 3 clicks from the finest for my lightroast pourovers (to get proper brew times and flavors), so maybe i just need to fiddlefuck around a little bit to see if i can tighten up the burrs to make the grindscale finer? I got it because it was supposed to be a cheaper versions of the Baratza Encore that does pourover grinds well and everything else pretty meh.

yup 2 clicks from the finest to get the right brew time for the same brand of kicking horse dark roast espresso I always buy and if I go any finer the port-a-filter plugs up and I'm poking the holes with the little Rancillio poker tool

its been entirely trouble free IME, playing with it won't cost you anything

I got the capresso based on rec's from some PHD types at the research center one of them had already done the research even created a data base to compare all the grinders and came up with the capresso infinity, it was cheap, I'm lazy so why try to re-invent the wheel ?