Espresso Machines

Pross

Mine tells me the grounds need emptying based on the number of uses since it previously told me so if I get ahead of the game and empty it without being told it still tells me at the pre-determined time even if there's only one lot of used grinds in there. It's annoying.

pblakeney

photonic69 said:

Anyone else here have a decent home coffee set up?

A Moka pot is sufficient for me.
I am an advocate of the KISS principle. 🤣

rick_chasey

https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/12751344/silly-commuter-coffee#latest

I found this a helpful thread

webboo

gethinceri said:

webboo said:

We have one of these
It makes a decent cup of coffee but it’s messy and there is a lot of wasted coffee from the grinding process. I’m always getting a b0llocking from Mrs W for not cleaning it but it was she who bought it.
I was happy with my filter machine.

I have identical, and receive the b0llockings, too!
To avoid overspill of the grinds I "jiggle" the basket after grinding and before removing from the "grindy-place" before tamping.
It makes very acceptable espresso and my wife enjoys the lattes and capachoochoos I make her.

I’ve just remembered another issue. Ours resides under one of the lights fixed to the bottom of the kitchen cupboard. So I suspect it creates an environment like a fish tank in the water tank. So every now and then I find the tank has gone green.
I’m sure it adds to the flavour😉

webboo

focuszing723 said:

webboo said:

Pross said:

webboo said:

Coffee I think it’s under a fiver a bag and does about 28 double espressos.
Wine
One was 3 Euros the other was 6 quid from M&S.

I don't think the flavour notes on the coffee is doing much to disprove FZ's point to be fair!

Surprisingly it does actually taste of berries although I wouldn’t know which. I did post the picture to give FZ some help as he does seem to struggle in his crusades/ rants🤣

Noooo. I like predicted/warned that people shouldn't get accustomed to a near ZIRP. That Elon Musk is greatness and AI will supercede Humanity.

Basically, you pot head horse eating coffee/wine snobs are lucky I grace you with my presence and advanced superior opinion.

You're welcome!

Kind off.

Time to cut back on the sodium Focusy.

focuszing723

webboo said:

gethinceri said:

webboo said:

We have one of these
It makes a decent cup of coffee but it’s messy and there is a lot of wasted coffee from the grinding process. I’m always getting a b0llocking from Mrs W for not cleaning it but it was she who bought it.
I was happy with my filter machine.

I have identical, and receive the b0llockings, too!
To avoid overspill of the grinds I "jiggle" the basket after grinding and before removing from the "grindy-place" before tamping.
It makes very acceptable espresso and my wife enjoys the lattes and capachoochoos I make her.

I’ve just remembered another issue. Ours resides under one of the lights fixed to the bottom of the kitchen cupboard. So I suspect it creates an environment like a fish tank in the water tank. So every now and then I find the tank has gone green.
I’m sure it adds to the flavour😉

Christ!

ddraver

Listen to the great James Hoffman and.... don't

Espresso is way too fiddly, time consuming and wasteful for home use.

Get a v60 or an aeropress, a proper set of scales, a wilfa Svart grinder (or a Fellow Ode) and (if you must) a temp control kettle and perfect your filter brew...

Save the coffee for the cafe and the barista that knows his arse from his elbow (which I admit is challenging...)

webboo

I’ve never understood the reverence given to someone who’s probably done a day’s training on using a coffee machine at most.

Pross

It’s hardly time consuming or fiddly to pour some beans into a hopper and press a button.

rick_chasey

If you want a smaller version of the sage/breville you can get the bambino which does not have a built in grinder but is a marginally better pump and a better frother.

Also has an automated frothing function which is actually pretty good if you have little children and standing in front of a noisy frother is too much.

focuszing723

rick_chasey

And the reason coffee “out” is often considered nicer is really because commercial pumps are just so much stronger and more even.

(If you’re interested domestics tend to use vibratory pumps rather than rotary)

ddraver

You need to find a good one. I rate 2 and a half maybe within 30 miles of me which I admit is suboptimal.

(One of those used to be me so...)

Munsford0

If anyone gave me an Elon Musk mug I'd use it to scoop turds out of the litter tray

Pross

Seems quite appropriate given he is a mug.

MidlandsGrimpeur2

I have to admit, I use a Nespresso at home (with Colonna coffee pods). Trying to replicate proper Espresso is nigh on impossible without a commercial machine and the fiddling about with everything just doesn't appeal. I'd rather leave it to an expert.

Interestingly, the 2-3 specialist shops I stop in, none of the staff have espresso machines at home as they say the same thing, you cannot replicate what they make in the shop. They mainly seem to use an aeropress or a moka pot at home.

First.Aspect

Does no one use cafetieres any more?

Pross

First.Aspect said:

Does no one use cafetieres any more?

I probably should dig ours out as I have 2 x 250g bags of ground coffee I need to use due to clicking the wrong option when ordering beans. For some reason I get a dodgy stomach when I drink cafetiere / filter coffee that I don't get from espresso (or instant!).

Tashman

I happily use a caftiere in the office and an Espresso machine at home that we gotfree when we bought the kitchen.
I do prefer tea though

webboo

I used a cafetière whilst on holiday. Obviously it’s way better than instant but it’s not up to espresso machine and by the time you get to your second cup, it’s going cold.
I also have 2 x 250 tins of ground coffee which were a substitute in an online order for beans which we never noticed at the time of the delivery.
Why they would substitute ground coffee for beans is beyond my comprehension Shirley just send another brand of beans.

focuszing723

Phhhffff...

focuszing723

Goood, I've drunk mine before you coffee/wine snobs have stopped twonking about.

photonic69

Wow, this has turned into quite a debate!!!

I have a stove top Moka pot and an Aerobie Aeropress, both of which I like to use. Just searching for something a little different.

A a vinyl lover I think this applies to both records and coffee

MidlandsGrimpeur2

You could probably add bikes to that list these days!

First.Aspect

webboo said:

I used a cafetière whilst on holiday. Obviously it’s way better than instant but it’s not up to espresso machine and by the time you get to your second cup, it’s going cold.
I also have 2 x 250 tins of ground coffee which were a substitute in an online order for beans which we never noticed at the time of the delivery.
Why they would substitute ground coffee for beans is beyond my comprehension Shirley just send another brand of beans.

Drink it faster.

Pre ground coffee is always too coarse. Grind it finer and drink the silt, that's what I say. Keeps you regular.

andyrr

rick_chasey said:

And the reason coffee “out” is often considered nicer is really because commercial pumps are just so much stronger and more even.

(If you’re interested domestics tend to use vibratory pumps rather than rotary)

I think if you’ve a decent home setup for espresso then, in my experience, the hit rate for coffee “out” that matches your home made one isn’t great. Depends obviously where you live but maybe 1 in 4 bought espressos are as good as or better then. My home made ones and I loath paying for crappy coffee so if I think it’s a risk I avoid.
I’ve a Mazzer Super Jolly and a Gaggia Classic (old’ish one) - both of which I bought s/h for around £50 (the SJ was a bargain from a cafe owner who was selling up).
Once I’ve worked out the setup of both of these I know that with fresh beans I will get a good coffee.
If you don’t want to invest the time in learning the machines and the little bit of time to make your brew then that’s fine but some people enjoy both the process and the quality of the end result that you get.

rick_chasey

andyrr said:

rick_chasey said:

And the reason coffee “out” is often considered nicer is really because commercial pumps are just so much stronger and more even.

(If you’re interested domestics tend to use vibratory pumps rather than rotary)

I think if you’ve a decent home setup for espresso then, in my experience, the hit rate for coffee “out” that matches your home made one isn’t great. Depends obviously where you live but maybe 1 in 4 bought espressos are as good as or better then. My home made ones and I loath paying for crappy coffee so if I think it’s a risk I avoid.
I’ve a Mazzer Super Jolly and a Gaggia Classic (old’ish one) - both of which I bought s/h for around £50 (the SJ was a bargain from a cafe owner who was selling up).
Once I’ve worked out the setup of both of these I know that with fresh beans I will get a good coffee.
If you don’t want to invest the time in learning the machines and the little bit of time to make your brew then that’s fine but some people enjoy both the process and the quality of the end result that you get.

I don't disagree, (and appreciate the smuggery involved, no doubt) but however hard you try, your home made coffee is not going to produce the kind of thick syruppy espresso you get from a proper commercial espresso maker, unless you're dropping a lot more than £50 on a gaggia classic (which I have had myself FWIW).

briantrumpet

First.Aspect said:

Does no one use cafetieres any more?

Yes, I do. The smallest stainless ones that make one mug's worth, and plunge strainght away, which even gives a little bit of 'froth' on the top when poured. It'll do for my taste buds and caffeine needs.

I do also enjoy an allongé from a coffee shop if I'm out. The best ones are usually from machines that are on the go constantly, which is why I think it's hard to replicate at home.

First.Aspect

briantrumpet said:

First.Aspect said:

Does no one use cafetieres any more?

Yes, I do. The smallest stainless ones that make one mug's worth, and plunge strainght away, which even gives a little bit of 'froth' on the top when poured. It'll do for my taste buds and caffeine needs.

I do also enjoy an allongé from a coffee shop if I'm out. The best ones are usually from machines that are on the go constantly, which is why I think it's hard to replicate at home.

Ah, you mean a small Americano.

Pross

I'm enjoying one from my machine now. I can honestly say it is as good as most independant coffee shops I go to and vastly better than I would get in the big chains. I've got a new cafe opening across the road from me soon though so I might go there occasionally for a change of scenery / break from my broom cupboard if they do a decent cup.