Furthur down the Rabbit hole, Searching for the right espresso machine?

[Constantine]

I tell you what, Since I picked up cigar smoking about 4 years ago I have become interested in things I never thought I would be. And my wants list is a hungry monster that my income is is struggling to feed! I have picked up cigars, pipe smoking, wet shaving and more that is on the list I keep somewhere. And now I have picked up an interest in coffee! I have always been a coffee drinker, I gave it a rest for a long time after getting burnt out on drinking folgers and other name brand coffees. And Now I am wanting to get more into espresso drinks. I wanted to check with the great BOTL's here first before I go on the endless search and make that uneducated purchase a noob would. What would be the best espresso machine to purchase? How does an espresso machine work and what is the best coffee to use in one of these machines?

 

[mdwest]

 

[njstone]

^ love that post, lol

I'll be watching this thread with interest. Once I move back home and get a job, I'd like to look into these.

 

[javajunkie]

espresso machines work through a process of forcing steam through finely ground coffees to basically flash-rip the essential oils out of the bean, producing a quick and concentrated cup. a good espresso is very had to beat, but IMO good home machines are NOT ceap, and cheap home machines are NOT good. but that is just me.

you can use any coffee bean at any roast in an espresso machine, if very finely ground. most espresso-use beans are roasted dark as a custom; darker roasts have less caffeine (burns off in the heat of roasting), and an all-light roast would be not only too acidic, but also a s#it-ton of caffeine. by my standards, even. o)

as an alternative, amazing cup quality can be had on the cheap from either an aeropress or a french press. lower entry cost, less space intensive (teeny house here, that stuff matters!), and amazing quality from either.

and, yes, anything i missed or got wrong, kevin should clear up shortly.

 

[thejavaman]

Haha. I'm working on it. Trying not to write a novel.

What Sean has said so far is spot on. Give me a little bit & I'll respond more in depth with some entry level machine & grinder recommendations.

 

[thejavaman]

Ahhhh, espresso. Nectar of the Gods. My drink of choice. Where to begin? First of all, espresso is made by forcing very hot water under high pressure (about 9 - 15 bars) through finely ground, compacted coffee. Tamping down the coffee promotes the water's even penetration of the grounds. This process produces a syrupy beverage by extracting both solid and dissolved components. It also produces the definitive crema (a thin layer of foam at the top of a cup of properly extracted espresso) by emulsifying the oils in the ground coffee, which does not occur in other brewing methods. It's syrupy, bittersweet and oh so damn good! :starrylov

The grinder is more important than the machine in making good espresso. It takes time, practice & technique to consistently pull cafe quality shots at home. But once you're "dialed in" (finding the perfect grind setting, tamping pressure and pull time on the machine), the reward is heavenly. Espresso (and espresso based drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, mochas and americanos) are all I drink at home. I like it so much, that it's a let down to drink "regular" brewed coffee at work now (mind you, I'm still using super fresh, home roasted coffee and the best equipment out there, but it just doesn't taste the same as true Italian espresso).

Espresso is both a coffee beverage and a brewing method. It is NOT a specific bean, bean blend, or roast level. Any bean or roasting level can be used to produce authentic espresso. For example, in southern Italy, a darker roast is generally preferred. Farther north, the trend moves toward slightly lighter roasts. I experiment with roast level and rest time on my home roasted beans to find the perfect roast for pulling espresso shots. A bean that is really good prepared as drip (or press or whatever), could be thin, underdeveloped and sour when pulled as an espresso shot - it just takes knowledge of the bean (and seedstock, but that's a whole other conversation) and just good old fashioned experimentation to find out what coffees are good for espresso usage and which ones aren't.

If you want to get into espresso, my advice would be to first & foremost, consistently buy (or roast your own) fresh, high quality coffee and then get an entry level Gaggia machine and pair it with an entry level, espresso-only dedicated grinder. Here are a few I'd recommend to start your search out with:

Machines:
http://www.wholelattelove.com/Gaggia/gaggia_evo_black.cfm
http://www.amazon.com/Gaggia-102532-Espresso-Pure-Semi-Automatic-Espresso/dp/B0015QX3BG

Grinders:
http://www.wholelattelove.com/Gaggia/mdf.cfm
http://www.zaccardis.com/nemox-lux-plus.html

I tried to summarize without getting too in depth, so I left many things out so I didn't write pages and pages. Hopefully this helps you out and don't hesitate to ask questions if you need to along the way. :waving:

 

[javajunkie]

yup! he's the DJ, i'm the rapper. o)

 

[mdwest]

I was tempted to say something along the lines of "this is a job for the wonder twins..."... and use an appropriate meme..

but was afraid it would end up coming out something like:

 

[thejavaman]

I was tempted to say something along the lines of "this is a job for the wonder twins..."... and use an appropriate meme..

but was afraid it would end up coming out something like:

Haha. At least I'm the dude in that pic!

 

[YodisMatt]

Hahaha nice ^!

When I was researching espresso machines to buy the wife I came across the same thing noted above, get a good grinder.

This is the unit I bought and so far I have liked it as had she (and she is the one that got me more into coffee).
Machiner

Here is the grinder which she loves.
Grinder

 

[mdwest]

Thats the same grinder Ive got Yodis.. I absolutely love it...

I dont make espresso.. so I have no idea how well it works for that..

but Ive never had a better cup of home brew than what Ive been able to get out of Kevs beans, ground in that same cuisinart, and then brewed in my french press (no name press I picked up at a coffee shop in Kenya)..

 

[thejavaman]

Hahaha nice ^!

When I was researching espresso machines to buy the wife I came across the same thing noted above, get a good grinder.

This is the unit I bought and so far I have liked it as had she (and she is the one that got me more into coffee).
Machiner

Here is the grinder which she loves.
Grinder

I've used that grinder & while I found it fine for drip/press, etc., I personally found that it wouldn't grind finely or consistently enough for espresso. It looks like the machine you're using has a pressurized portafilter too (which is normally used with "pods") which basically is designed to make it easier to brew espresso with "fake" crema for novice users. The drawback of these portafilters is that you do not have much control over the quality of the shot & the coffee oils aren't truly getting emulsified and thus it's not making true crema. Not saying its bad, just that it's not true Italian espresso.

 

[YodisMatt]

I just got schooled!

 

[thejavaman]

I just got schooled!

Haha. Like I said, I'm not saying your set-up is "bad" at all. I'd take a cup from that over regular drip coffee any day of the week! Also, all that matters is that YOU like the drinks it produces!.

 

[L8A]

Just my .02 but this is an inexpensive way to start and makes an amazing cup of coffee.

http://www.amazon.com/Bialetti-Express-6-Cup-Stovetop-Espresso/dp/B000CNY6UK/ref=pd_sbs_k_1

 

[thejavaman]

Just my .02 but this is an inexpensive way to start and makes an amazing cup of coffee.

http://www.amazon.com/Bialetti-Express-6-Cup-Stovetop-Espresso/dp/B000CNY6UK/ref=pd_sbs_k_1

Stovetop Moka Pots will make an excellent cup at a price that can't be beat as well. I lived off one of those in college.

 

[fabes]

Obviously start with great beans.

I'd recommend Baratza burr grinders. A burr grinder is a must for great coffee be it espresso or just brewed. Baratza has phenomenal customer service, and you can order replacement parts directly if needed.

Great information posted above. One thing I haven't seen posted yet is the Clever Coffee Dripper. For $15 it makes a darn good cup that just about anyone can use.

I know this is a lot of coffee rather than espresso talk, but the general consensus is that home espresso done right is $$$$ and takes much time to perfect and maintain. Then of course you will start chasing after the "god shot", which may or may not be more difficult than tracking down some Liga Privadas.

 

[Alwayslit]

great info, thanks

 

[Constantine]

WOW, great info from all of you! And you pretty much layed out the basics Javaman, thanks! There is more to making espresso then I could have imagined, and from what you have suggested JM I will have to save up for a little while. It seems to be an investment, rather then just buying something cheap. Great info!!

 

[TBomb]

WOW, great info from all of you! And you pretty much layed out the basics Javaman, thanks! There is more to making espresso then I could have imagined, and from what you have suggested JM I will have to save up for a little while. It seems to be an investment, rather then just buying something cheap. Great info!!

Without knowing what your budget is for sure, it would be hard to really recommend something for you but I would say expect to pay in the ballpark of $1000 for a decent home espresso machine and another $500 or so for a decent grinder. Off the top of my head, the Breville Dual Boiler machine is a great place to start. It has separate boilers for your brew water and steam, and both of them have PID controls (proportional/integral/derivative, a control loop that allows for precise temperature control). It's one of the best machines out there in the $1000 range. I'd also second the recommendation for Baratza grinders. If you're into espresso I'd only go as low as the Precisio as it has micro-adjustments for fine tuning your grind to get the proper extraction that espresso demands. If you can afford it, the Vario is fantastic and the new Forte looks amazing as well.

As someone who has been down that path and learned the hard way, buying an inexpensive home espresso machine will only cause you disappointment and grief. They are not designed to pull real shots as most of them use pressurized portafilter baskets, and none have the temperature stability or control required to make good espresso. You could get something like the Gaggia Classic for ~$400, and put a PID kit on it for another ~$200, but ultimately you'd be better served saving up another $400 and buying the Breville.