Machine under $500 - newbie

cheeky

Thanks everyone for your suggestions 😃 I am going to either get a VV with a grinder (still not sure to go Delonghi or Zassenhaus) or a Silvia (if I can pick one up on special) without a grinder.

FreshCoffee2

Cheeky, I dont think anyone has mentioned that if you buy a hand grinder (ANY hand grinder) instead of an electric grinder, there is the possibility you may not be satisfied....and still end up going to an electric which then blows your budget way out (buying 2 grinders instead of 1). When grinding coffee suitable for pump driven espresso machines (ie reasonably fine, not medium or coarse) they are very slow to draw the beans in, grind & deliver, and the handle is VERY hard to push around. The finer the grind, the harder (understatement) you have to work to push the handle around, the slower the delivery. You will get grey hair while grinding enough coffee for your cuppa, and your arms will get end up twice the size with the build up of muscle

cheeky

Thanks, FC, I hadn't considered the difficulty in using a manual grinder 🙂

One-a-day

Hi This sounds like it could be too good to be true ,I got sent a mail from a friend telling me to have a look at a "eurolab" machine with built in grinder at dealsdirect.com.au it claims the machine retails for $449 but they are selling them for $99 plus postage. there is not a great deal of info about the machine just a basic description . Any one know about eurolab? Ive never heard of them. I just got access to the choice review of machines and it gives some good comparison tests of machines and a bit of food for thought , here's the top 3 manual espresso machines KRUPS Nespresso 893 $400 SAECO Magic Espresso Silver $349 BREVILLE ESP8B $210 You often get what you pay for but its not always the case The DELONGHI EC410 did ok and at $249 sounds like good value to experiment with and will leave room for a grinder I think I will get a breville cafe roma stainless or a delonghi ec410 but ive got to wait until January so who knows what will happen then

franjae

Cheeky, David Jones has in their latest catalogue the Nemox Dell Opera with built in Nemox grinder for $699. OK, so it's got a built in grinder that some of us don't like. What about an Imat Mokita and a Lux grinder? DJ has the Lux for $250. You may just be able to buy both for $700. Mattyj, the Sunbeam grinder is advertised by DJ for $179.95! Looks good..... If that is as good as the Lux, Cheeky, you will be well under budget!!! Cheers franjae

admin

We do bi-annual domestic machine reviews in Crema (last one in our Winter 05 issue) and although sometimes time constraints mean we can't do them as 'in-depth' as i'd like, i'd still have to say i'm more confident of our results than those of Choice. The BREVILLE ESP8B came up in our '03 review as a competent machine for the price, but i wouldn't touch the Nespresso - firstly because it's made by Krups, and secondly because it uses pods - which by definition are not fresh coffee. We didn't specifically test the Saeco Magic 'Silver' but I also wouldn't touch the EC410. Personally, I think i'd stick with the Saeco VV and if necessary, go for the grinder on birthday. Admin.

One-a-day

I thought it was a bit strange that choice had a rating for taste . Taste being a very subjective and individual thing. And who did the testing/judging. Anything specifically wrong with the Delonghi? . I should probably stick with the breville.

cheeky

One-a-day, I read somewhere that the $99 machine makes worse coffee than instant. Another question, aside from the coffee machine and grinder, is there anything else I need to buy (other than the beans, of course!)? I recall seeing "baristas" putting a thermometer type thing in the jug when frothing to measure the temperature. Thanks.

Remus

a knock box can be handy, around the $40 mark. the thermometer "thing" is just that, a milk thermometer to make sure you don't burn the milk which is around $30. you also need something to tamp the coffee down with. depending on which machine you buy you may get a decent one in the box. the thermometer is a must imo. the knock box is optional.

mattyj

I've turned into a cup freak - always on the lookout for cool cups. Every cafe I go to, I pay attention to the cups - how thick, how heavy, what shape, what volume etc etc. If you check homeware stores, you'll get some decent maxwell williams cups, but if you want really nice cups, look for ACF cups, Nuova Point cups ... or if you're insane, check ebay for illy cups ... but be prepared to spend over $100 for one cup...Don't think I'll ever buy one (though I did recently read of a guy spending something like $6-700 on one gold-lined espresso cup!)

One-a-day

[quote]One-a-day, I read somewhere that the $99 machine makes worse coffee than instant. No wonder they are selling them at $99 rather then the suggested rrp of $449. But don't write off cheaper machines. I read on these forums that a sunbeam cafe ristretto did the job well for some one when they where travelling and it retails between $70 to $100 Big price tag doesn't always mean great quality. Things like knock boxes crack me up ,I can see there purpose and there's obviously a market for them but forking out the dollars on what is essentially a small plastic box made in china for 20c when you are then going to have to empty it again into another bin or your worm farm isn't that double handling and time wasteing . Thats just the common sense/tradesman part of me talking no offense.

Honest_Gaza

[quote author=One-a-day Things like knock boxes crack me up ,I can see there purpose and there's obviously a market for them but forking out the dollars on what is essentially a small plastic box made in china for 20c when you are then going to have to empty it again into another bin or your worm farm isn't that double handling and time wasteing . Thats just the common sense/tradesman part of me talking no offense.

mattyj

knock boxes make life easy. I had plans to make one, but it was just so much easier to walk across the road and buy one, even though it was more expensive.

Remus

[quote]One-a-day, I read somewhere that the $99 machine makes worse coffee than instant. No wonder they are selling them at $99 rather then the suggested rrp of $449.

cheeky

Thanks so much for all your invaluable advice 🙂 I bit the bullet and bought a Gaggia Classic and a Lux 😛 Needless to say, I completely blew my budget! I hope it was a good decision. I told my husband and he's happy with it. Now, I just have to learn how to make a good coffee. Too bad I don't drink it (due to its bitterness), I might have to learn to appreciate it... Maybe my husband and I should do a barista's course together.

nzroaster

Congrats on the purchase. I would highly advise a barista course as you may have read elsewhere on the forum that the barista is a vital step in the process. As for bitterness - use good beans and get great training and coffee will not be bitter.

One-a-day

Good one Gaza , no matter how things end up looking it's the satisfaction from creating it your self. If only I was still working at that workshop with the set of rolls, hydralic press, tig welders and any size/type of stainless steel you could imagine for a foreny. Only dealing with my plunger I don't have a lot of hassle with the grounds ,it's straight into my $2 fluoro yello mini bin with giant smiley face on the front with the rest of the organic waste then onto the worm farm. I guess I'll have to pimp it up after I get a machine.

Remus

[quote]Thanks so much for all your invaluable advice 🙂

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