[ellipsis212]

Originally Posted by JayKay335i

DO NOT BUY A BREVILLE. Hell, dont buy anything you've ever heard of. $500 isn't very much to get into to the coffee game, as the machine is only as good as your grinder. Superautomatics are garbage.

i wont argue about this, but you can make a damn fine espresso with a $500 machine. more expensive machines can certainly be better but the point of diminishing returns is reached very quickly.

the bottom line is that technique cannot be purchased for a higher price. get to know what you're doing and then you can be the judge of your machine.

i put myself through school as a barista and i cared about doing quality work. i wouldn't recommend a Breville if i didn't believe it was a good tool.

[JayKay335i]

Originally Posted by ellipsis212

i wont argue about this, but you can make a damn fine espresso with a $500 machine. more expensive machines can certainly be better but the point of diminishing returns is reached very quickly.

the bottom line is that technique cannot be purchased for a higher price. get to know what you're doing and then you can be the judge of your machine.

i put myself through school as a barista and i cared about doing quality work. i wouldn't recommend a Breville if i didn't believe it was a good tool.

I dont suggest the breville because for one, it doesnt have a standard professional portafilter. Their higher end machines have built in grinders and built in tamps? WTF? The grinder will never be good enough to make consistent espresso. You can make great espresso with a $200 machine, but there are only a couple machines on the market that can do so. In the $500 range there are a bunch of machines. Its not that get get diminishing returns as the price increases. Once you reach double boiler machines you have more consistent temperatures. I dont think the wand is good enough or that the machine produces enough pressure to make decent foam, let alone actual microfoam.

I dont recommend a breville because I dont think they are good. Like I said, if you want to spend $500, you buy a Rancillio Silvia, as it is the gold standard at the price range. Not a breville.

[ellipsis212]

Originally Posted by Chewy734

As sort of an update...

We actually got this one:

Breville BES820XL


We found it on deep clearance at Williams-Sonoma and it has been working great since we got it. We tried the ground Caribou espresso and it was alright. Then we tried a local roaster called Lake Erie Island and its was much smoother, creamier, and better. I'm enjoying the milk frother too.

nice!

once you get the grind dialed in it'll make really consistent shots...no bitterness and distinctly layered.

i would recommend ditching any frothing "enhancer" or whatever they call it and just work on steaming milk with the naked steam wand.

use a trusted thermometer with your milk for the first 10,000 lattes. after that you can go on feel alone.

keep it clean as a new, and descale periodically.

[ellipsis212]

Originally Posted by JayKay335i

I dont recommend a breville because I dont think they are good. Like I said, if you want to spend $500, you buy a Rancillio Silvia, as it is the gold standard at the price range. Not a breville.

unless you've owned a Breville i don't think there's any point in knocking them. i've probably pulled 80k shots (before auto grinders were available) so i feel like i have a pretty good handle on what a quality product is like and the Breville is great bang for the buck.

microfoam is definitely possible if you steam more than 5oz of non-skim milk and your technique is good.

here's the other thing: OP got this machine on sale at W-S which is the same way i got mine. i think i spent $275 on it, not $500 so that definitely puts it in another price bracket.

[JayKay335i]

Ditch the frother attachment and ditch any sort of stuff in the portafilter. All that should be in there is a basket, no "crema device" or any sort of stuff like that. Google how to heat cycle and learn about the specific machine. I used to get some decent shots off a Saeco Aroma which was POS after I modded it but it still steamed like crap. Heat cycling was the most useful thing I learned.

[JayKay335i]

Originally Posted by ellipsis212

unless you've owned a Breville i don't think there's any point in knocking them. i've probably pulled 80k shots (before auto grinders were available) so i feel like i have a pretty good handle on what a quality product is like and the Breville is great bang for the buck.

microfoam is definitely possible if you steam more than 5oz of non-skim milk and your technique is good.

here's the other thing: OP got this machine on sale at W-S which is the same way i got mine. i think i spent $275 on it, not $500 so that definitely puts it in another price bracket.

Not knocking but he will probably get better results of he goes online and checks the forums and sees how others are using it to get the best results. Ditch any nannies. And his next upgrade should probably be a good grinder.

Originally Posted by Chewy734

I was wondering what machines you guys recommend for home use? I'm looking for an espresso machine, either super automatic for under $800 or manual for ~$500.

One that caught my eye was this one:
http://www.brevilleusa.com/the-barista-express.html

I think the product you have mentioned is actually good to have. Thanks for sharing such websites.

[Josh (PA)]

I have the Rancilio Miss Silvia and a Baratza Precsario grinder. Both work excellently, and have given me no issues with repeatability. I use them every morning to make two Cappuccinos. Highly recommend the setup. Also agree 100% stay away from the Breville stuff. I've had a couple of things from them that have broken after a year or so.



I get my coffee mostly from Counter Culture:
https://counterculturecoffee.com/


https://www.amazon.com/Rancilio-Espr...ilio+silvia+v4

https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Preci...coffee+grinder

[EALm4]

[ouchie]

Originally Posted by Tondtar

IDK ....Let me check with the Barrista at Peet's and get back to you.

Hmm... Peet's has been good this past 6 years

[F22_Raptor]

Good ol French press.

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by abisson

http://www.jura.com/

/thread.

Exactly... this is the top dog in this game...

mix it with some Illy or Lavazza and you are a king!

There are $6000 Jura machines for Home use... who is this fool saying that it is the worst advice ever? It is undoubtedly one of the best coffee machines in the world.

[e61it]

Espresso machines all need to be serviced from time to time (some more than others - just like our vehicles). Your nearness to a good repair shop should be a factor. Unless the company that sells you your machine will pay for 2 way shipping which is highly doubtful. A good machine weighs a bit so not an inexpensive piece of freight.

[chassis]

Cezve

[Llarry]

To avoid: (Relatively inexpensive) Espressione EM-1040 combo machine. Worked temperamentally for a year or so, then the espresso side quit. Now we have a giant coffeemaker taking up beaucoup counter space. Run away!

[br438]

Originally Posted by nerdogray

I tried to give a Moccamaster a shot but received a broken one. However, after feeling how incredibly cheap and low quality the entire unit, I was happy to send it back regardless. It may make fantastic coffee, but I'm not paying $350+ for thin, cheap plastic and metal.

1st off - holy threadlife, batman! haha... 11 years.

The Moccamaster does indeed make a great cup of coffee, but I could not get over how much plastic the hot water contacts during the process. I still do pour over - either Chemex or V60.

I keep my eye open for "pour-over" style coffee-makers, but even the Ottomatic and the Ratio 8 don't seem to be home runs.

this one has my attention... hahaha.. we'll see.

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/prod...&sbkey=default

[Matt@Evolve]

By no means a connoisseur but I've been fairly pleased with AeroPress for the price/size. Doesn't match a proper espresso machine of course, perhaps I'll go down the rabbit hole of that one day.

[bosstones]

I don't even drink coffee but wifey loves it so I've researched and bought a diverse arsenal of coffee makers. Across them all, it's a matter of dialing in what works for you (process et all).

Spot on about Moccamaster, though. So much flimsy plastic for the price point. I was surprised we kept it (not my decision) but it's still wifey's go-to for drip. Otherwise, espresso every morning. Same comment w/ her Breville, though... the plastic isn't as flimsy but I hate chromed plastics. It's peel eventually, if not get scratched & then peel and prefer to drop coin on something stainless steel (like the Rancillio burr grinder I got her... it's a beast). Maybe she'll go for a CF-looking, vinyl wrap when that happens. lol

[overcoil]

I am just not getting the impression the Moccamaster is cheap plastic.
Unless they totally reformulated the materials in the past six or seven years.

[br438]

Originally Posted by Caravaggio

I am just not getting the impression the Moccamaster is cheap plastic.
Unless they totally reformulated the materials in the past six or seven years.

To be sure, it makes a great cup. It has a lot of plastic and all plastic is cheap plastic. That's it. Hot water + plastics = chemical soup. There is no way around it.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by br438

To be sure, it makes a great cup. It has a lot of plastic and all plastic is cheap plastic. That's it. Hot water + plastics = chemical soup. There is no way around it.

you have no idea the joy you took from me

https://www.roastycoffee.com/bpa-free-coffee-maker/

[tranquility]

This is a complete subculture and the ppl who take the time is kinda like making art, but, still, I don't think the home machines are as good as the industrial ones in specialty coffee stores, so, going w that logic, I couldn't be bothered to do all that work (roasting/grinding/packing/etc...) for something that to me isn't better than what Nespresso offers. Just simple to pop in a capsule and be done w it.