Coffee Machine

Surprised to find this beautiful Gaggia espresso maker with nothing more than some pre ground coffee to go with it. My wife booked it and I never looked through the photos. Now I'm wishing I did I could have brought beans and a hand grinder. No way in heck am I running God knows how old pre-ground through this with no scale. Maybe I should go to a local coffee shop and ask for some 18g dime bags of grounds ahaha

I was gifted these two thick boys today and am just kinda staring at them in disbelief. I chat with some casual friends about coffee often, they're busy folks who live espresso. I've been perfectly happy with my gaggia setup in the background. This friend had an issue with one and were offered a discount on a newer model. That one had an issue as well and they decided to leave the brand. No fault to them though since, as stated, mega busy folks. They were going to offer the machines to Breville for parts however they guessed I have the ability to fix them so the machines were offered to me instead. Crazy. The issues: small hotspot/smoke which is almost definitely a small short or wire near a heating element in one and a sheared off shower screen screw. Dope weekend project and an entry into the double boiler club Finally the bride

Started my real espresso journey at the time of covid. Purchased Rocket Appartamento and Faustino grinder. I was really happy with my setup and the journey that I took. Machine served me really well but eventually I got really tired doing the cleaning and maintenance. In my opinion E61 might be iconic, but it’s really wasteful and dated. Takes forever to heat up, you need to do cooling flushes and take the machine apart way too often in order to lubricate that damn cam leaver. So I decided upgrade to Gaggia Classic E24 and installed Gaggimate. Installation was a pain but really rewarding. Now I can finally do something other than flat 9 bars. It has opened a whole new world of flavors, could not be happier. I was little pit worried breaking warranty of my brand new Gaggia and if I’m able to do the installation by myself but in the end I was successful and did not break anything and now I really know how the machine works. So future maintenance should not be an issue. After playing two months with Gaggimate and different profiles I realized that my old grinder is holding me down. After some research I ordered Mazzer Philos with I200d burrs and wow! Now I can taste so much more! It took me two shots to dial in with Normcore Step-down 58mm to 49mm basket. Used Cremina leaver machine 9 bar declining profile with fresh malabar beans and the results were amazing. 18g beans and 45g out in 40 seconds. I could taste salted caramel and sweetness. I could not have this kind of flavor separation with my old setup. My advice is to invest a proper grinder and then a better machine with saturated group head. Also don’t upgrade if you are happy with your current setup. This was my journey and I hope your journey will bring as much joy as it has brought to me. Happy grinding to everyone and greetings from Finland.

Probably the most common beginner set up but I am loving it and the journey so far. I have only ran through probably 6 cycles but got it where I'm enjoying the taste right now. Will continue to make small adjustments and dial it in more. I went to a local coffee shop that roasts their own beans. The problem is they put them in the the big dispensers not individual bags. Reluctantly I got some of those before I found out that's a no no. Why would they do that (besides the obvious reasoning being the cost of labor to individually bag them). I haven't had any luck locally finding freshly roasted beans within a 30 day freshness period. However, I'll keep searching. * Espresso Machine - Breville Bambino Plus (Color: Black Truffle) * Grinder - DF54 * MHW-3Bomber Mini Scale * MHW-3Bomber WDT Tool * Normcore spring-loaded tamper * MHW-3Bomber 54mm puck screen .2mm * MHW-3Bomber 54mm dosing funnel * Dosing cup * RDT Sprayer * Knock box * Rubber mat

I bought this machine last September from Alibaba/Cina and it took about four weeks to get to me in Western Australia. All up it cost me US$1,155. It came well packed in a wooden crate, and weighed 45kg with packaging. This was a decent step up from my Breville Express Impress that I'd owned for a couple of years (now sold). It's a dual SS boiler with rotary pump and dual PID, and you can control the temperature via a small remote control (set and forget). It can be plumbed in to water and waste, and that's what I've done. It's on a smart plug that turns it on 30 minutes before I get up, and off at the end of my work day. So far so good, and I'd have to say I'm happy with it. Time will tell of course... And I don't really have a similar style machine to compare it with. I can't recommend it though as I don't have long term data. I'd hate for someone to buy based on reading this post and get problems. I'm the only one at home that drinks coffee and I make three to four flat whites a day, working from home. I added an inline temperature probe to the e61, which can be seen in the photo. With this installed, I found I need to run some water through the group head to get to my desired 92 degrees, before pouring a shot. The group head boiler is set to 98 on the PID, but the e61 group head tends to sit at around 89 degrees. I don't know if this is normal or not, due to ambient heat loss, I expect more advanced machines with a heated e61 would handle this better for low volume coffee making. If it was making coffee after coffee, I assume the temperature would remain high and be pretty stable. For the low price, I was happy to take the risk and we'll see how it goes long term. The machine brand is CafeSpresso. Happy to answer questions, if there's any.

I have a Breville Espresso Express and its my first espresso machine, so I'm still learning how to operate it.Anyway, after i run the machine, i removed the portafilter to discard the coffee grounds, only to see that it was empty. When i look underneath, i see that the puck has gotten adheared to the machine. I let it hang there until it fell off on its own, as i didnt want to mess with it and risk pushing the wet coffee grounds into the tiny holes where the water comes out from. Took about a minute before it fell off.This has happened twice now.What could be the issue here?Thanks

Good morning! So let me start off by asking you not to flame me haha. I’ve done a lot of research and decided we (my gf and I) should go for a breville. Good quality, not too expensive, beginner friendly. However, my girlfriend finds it to be hideous. We agreed that the “Café Leon Dore / La Marzocco Linea Micra” looks very nice but would be an absolutely idiotic thing to splurge on, especially as a first espresso machine and with student debt to pay off. Based on the pictures I provided, what could you recommend us? Are there any easy ways to have the breville look different and more in tune with our kitchen and living. Are there other similair machines with a different look. Or do you have suggestions or tips and tricks for me to take my Bialetti coffee to the next level? Thanks!!

I’ll try to keep this short lol Just wanted to share my experience with the Jura Z10 that I purchased from William and Sonoma. It’s kinda crazy how much these shops push for Jura. We went to 4 different places and everyone was pushing for Jura as the best super automatic espresso machine. I won’t lie when we tried it, it was pretty solid especially coming from an automatic. I’m used to good coffee, my previous machine was a semi-automatic profitec pro 500 and a eureka mignon oro. So I had good coffee. But right now I don’t have time for a manual set up anymore. Honestly haven’t had time for over a year lol So I sold it and bought a jura z10. Within the first week, the milk was sputtering. I scoured Reddit and found that this is a known issue. I tried to resolve it myself but couldn’t. So I called Jura, they sent me another frothing part. That didn’t work, so I was forced to ship the machine to Jura at no cost. Since we live in Chicago, I guess their repair shop is close by so we got the machine back within a week. They sent me a sheet of everything that was repaired, and guess what? The issue wasn’t resolved. That’s when I called William and Sonoma, expressed my frustration and they gave me another unit. I got the SAME issue with the new unit! Maybe William and Sonoma got a bad batch? Not sure. After talking to the Jura rep in my area and folks at William Sonoma they gave a full refund. The Jura rep even offered me 25% off another Z10 direct from their factory but I denied it. Issues happen in shipment, I get it. So maybe the units were damaged during shipment, who knows. But what bothered me is that I sent it to Jura and they didn’t fix it. That’s when I was skeptical about their repair service so I decided not to get another one. Then I found the KF8, sur la table a shop I have here in Chicago was able to demo the machine for me. And man I gotta hand it to KitchenAid, the espresso and lattes tasted way better Jura, and it’s wayyy cheaper. The build quality is better, it looks better in person, the milk frother is better, the touchscreen/interface is a night and day difference. I was solid immediately. My friend has a Gaggia accademia that I’ve tried, so I was about to pull the trigger on that. But the KF8 drinks tasted better than the Gaggia as well. Only reason I wanted the Gaggia was because of the steam wand, but after trying the KF8s espresso the quality was so much better. So for those on the same journey as me. I highly recommend the KF8! Ask me questions if you like!

Delonghi magnifica plus bought on sale and gives great espresso and easy cleaning. .. all depends on how much your budget is.

unfortunately, you kinda really do need a grinder. i tried doing preground early on and it’s just not the same at all. you can get it to be *fine* but it’ll be like getting an espresso from a mcdonalds. if you’re looking for a super cheap (relatively speaking) way to get into things i would go with with either a Turin SD40 or a hand grinder. Mix and match the stuff below and you should have a decent beginner setup for ~$500. Unless you get *really* into it, this could be all you ever need. Grinders: -Turin SD40 (electric) - i have this and it does a decent job for most roasts https://espressooutlet.com/collections/turin-grinders/products/turin-sd40s-single-dose-grinder -1Zpresso J-Ultra (manual) - a family member has this and it works quite well https://1zpresso.coffee/product/jultra/ -Turin H40 (manual) - haven’t used this but it looks decent and you won’t find one cheaper https://espressooutlet.com/collections/turin-grinders/products/turin%E2%84%A2-h40%E2%84%A2-v2-hand-coffee-grinder Machines: -Delonghi ECP3420 - I started with this one. It can be finicky but you can get great results out of it once you learn it. Get an unpressurized basket & portafilter and you’re golden. Cheapest semi automatic machine I would recommend. https://www.amazon.com/DeLonghi-ECP3420-Espresso-Cappuccino-Machine/dp/B00YCP71VK -Turin Legato - has way more functionality than just about anything else at this price point. Should be perfect for a beginner https://espressooutlet.com/collections/turin-grinders/products/turin%E2%84%A2-h40%E2%84%A2-v2-hand-coffee-grinder

This machine exceeds my expectations, coming from a Delonghi Dedica, I was never sure on what I was missing in the cup. Having the Mara X for a month now, I understand! What a joy to be able to have a super balanced cup of Light Roast Ethiopian coffee, whereas before with Dedica was limited to dark roast and even then the consistency was lacking. All in all, I'm in love! The only downside is feel like pulled the trigger too early, Lelit is holding an event mid October for it's 40 years and they probably will update the Mara X then. I will try my best not to have FOMO 😅 Next step for me will be to add flow control, anyone has experience with it on Mara X?

I’ve struggled away with a Nespresso machine and Moka pot for years and decided that this year I’d finally get a decent espresso set up. I’ve hovered in this group for months, learning about the best machines at various prices, how to dial in, upgrades, etc. I finally settled on a Bambino Plus and something like a Eureka Mignon, but decided I’d wait for Black Friday sales so it wasn’t quite as much of a shock to my wife when I told her what I’d spent. Well months I patiently waited for Black Friday to finally come around, absolutely convinced the Bambino would be in the Sage sales. IT WAS NOT. However, their Barista Touch had a really nice saving and I had a 15% code from Coffee Kev to go on top, so I went back on everything I’d previously decided and went for an all-in-one solution at £650 (reduced from £1100). I was a little worried about the grinder and the quality of shots I’d get vs a stand alone grinder (largely due to the general consensus in here), but I’d seen it had slightly better (Baratza) burrs on this machine so I took the risk. The machine arrived and the very first thing I did was take the plastic out of the portafilter and put a 20g IMS basket in it. I set the internal grind setting to 4 (it came on 6) then dialled in some shots as per the advice one here. ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! Lovely espresso and even auto-foam does a good job for latte art (which I’m starting to pick up). So happy that I ended up going this route as a neat all in one solution and just wanted to share. I’m not saying it wouldn’t be even better coffee with a better grinder, but I’m damn happy so thought I’d do a PSA that it’s not all doom and gloom with these machines. Cheers!

Hi all, first time poster to this sub, but I got my coffee station setup (with the help of my husband) and I’m really proud of it and wanted to share. I didn’t think a proper espresso setup was accessible for me because money isn’t super plentiful right now as I’m a SAHM and well life is expensive. But coffee is my little treat each day. Not in order but basically my setup consists of: 1. Delonghi Stilosa from marketplace ($60 it was used 5 times prior) 2. Manual grinder from Amazon ($50 - I can find the exact name if anyone is interested) 3. Scale from Amazon ($13 - wish I’d spent a little more here this one isn’t great but it’s thin enough for my machine) 4. Milk pitcher ($13 - also Amazon) 5. Tools set ($35 - Amazon, not necessary but helpful) (Not included in this breakdown but the gooseneck kettle is for pour over which I also love) All in Canadian $$ 🇨🇦 but basically my whole setup that is actually pulling really good shots is less than $200 including some really good local beans. When I’m back to work eventually I will upgrade my machine and such but being able to get a full setup that works well for under $200 feels amazing. I’m making coffee that tastes like my local coffee shops.

Hi Guys! I've finally upgraded my Coffee setup with a new espresso machine Delonghi EC-890 and trying to get the optimum setup for my espresso machine. I'm currently using default pressurised portafilter and planning to upgrade to bottomless. Previously I used to brew my Coffee in a Moka pot so I just got a basic manual grinder of Bison. Please suggest me a decent grinder, I've seen many suggestions for C3S but as per ChatGPT it's not great for bottomless portafilter is that true? I have heard lot about 1zpresso, kingrinder and timemore but unsure on the model and which one is best for my machine. My budget for the grinder is around 10,000. And I'm also looking for a bottomless portafilter which is not too expensive. Currently Amazon's options don't have much reviews so unsure on which one to pick. Any other trusted online sites also appreciated. Thanks.

Hi everyone, I recently bought this Philips coffee machine on Facebook marketplace but I can't find what model is it. It looks like the PSA32XX but it's not. The last owner doesn't have the manual or the receipt anymore and he just used it once. I can't find it in the Philips website, with ChatGPT or Google Lens. I have also this black piece that I don't know where it should go. The machine can make coffee but can't produce steam yet. On the little piece of rubber at the bottom left, it's written STEAM. I'm guessing that's the missing part. I sent an email to Philips but they didn't answer yet. If it could help, I bought it in Montréal, Canada. Edit: if it could help, it's written SAECO on the water tank. Edit : Thanks to u/runningmaan, the SAECO ESS5228 is the equivalent.

My sentiments exactly. Phillips/Saeco/Gaggia can be beautiful machines. Very easy to maintain. But if you care about the coffee quality, go with Delonghi or Jura. Especially at the price point of Delonghi, it's almost a no-brainer.

Biggest piece of advice: budget for the grinder first, machine second. That “avg coffee grinder” you have almost certainly won’t cut it for espresso — pour over and espresso grind requirements are worlds apart, and a mediocre grinder will bottleneck even an expensive machine. I’d split your budget roughly 50/50. A Eureka Mignon Notte ($300) or DF64 Gen 2 ($360) paired with a $700-900 machine will run circles around a $1,500 machine with an inadequate grinder. For the machine — at 4-6 shots a week you absolutely don’t need a dual boiler. That’s overkill for your use case. A single boiler with PID gives you temp stability without the cost. The Lelit Anna PID or Rancilio Silvia Pro would both give you a real espresso experience with room to grow, and since you like tinkering and dialing things in, you’ll appreciate the control they offer over the more “black box” Breville options. You already know what good espresso tastes like from that Rocket at work — what grinder are they pairing with it? That might help narrow things down for you.

Hey fellow coffee lover I think it’s time for us to make a good list for a cheap and affordable list of equipment which are not dropshipped crap( AGARO and team) and which is also gonna be useful for the rest of their coffee journey For me I think an affordable way to get into this world **Pourover** Hario v60 coffee drippers and filter papers are easy to maintain and very affordable (500-700) Get a gooseneck stovetop coffee(700) a thermometer (300-600) A good scale(900-100) for beginners And that would be a great start and will last till you get into advance stuff for sure **Problems** A grinders which is attainable, affordable and not crap(AGARO)would cost you around 6-10k for the handheld ones so it’s a significant investment here I wish there are more coffee snobs like me who know a work around I would love to have a good discussion about them and also would love to extent this list with more equipment’s in future :)

Get a pour over or two... the V60 by HARIO is perfection, under $20 even for a nice one.Pour Over Coffee Maker Set – V60 Drip Coffee Pot with Walnut Handle, Glass Coffee Dripper & 100 Filters, 20oz/600ml Capacity Invest in a gooseneck electric kettle. Get a simple scale, for example "BAGAIL BASICS Coffee Scale with Timer, 0.1g High Precision Kitchen Scale". Pick one, they are almost all the same. Start there. If you like "drip" coffee you will love pour over. Grinder? Do you have a grinder? Pour over is more fine than drip, less than espresso.

Another option to look at would be pour over. A hario V60 will last just as long as a French press. It will take more effort to brew a good cup, but I think it’s worth it.

*I use the hario switch (i don’t use the switch)* . I thought I was the only one!! Multiple pours gives me more joy than dumping the water and flipping the switch.

Hi, as the title suggest, I am looking for a SUPER automatic coffee machine. I mainly drink iced coffee but I do enjoy a cappuccino and latte every now and then, I also want to be able to make fancier milk coffees for guests. I currently just put ice in my glass and brew a shot over the ice, I know this is not ideal, but I can barely manage to push the "On" and "Brew" button in the morning. My current front runner is the De'Longhi Magnifca EVO, as it has the milk system, as well as the other coffee options I like. I was also considering the Phillips 3300, but I have heard to stay away from all Phillips models. I spoke to a friend who is much more into the coffee making process than me, and he said to skip the De'Longhi and get a Breville Express Impress, but the Breville seems to be a bit less automatic. It also doesn't look like it would fit my iced coffee glass under it. I'm really trying to keep it under $700. Any advice would be appreciated, I am starting to feel like I have over-researched and am facing decision paralysis. ETA: I am in the US! EDIT: thanks to this sub I was able to access the new KF4 within my budget! I’m thrilled!

Get a super automatic if you want espresso. That's what I did purchasing for an office. I think at the time I ordered a Saeco Xelsis about 6-7 years ago and it was easy enough for everyone to use BUT with anything you will need someone to clean the brew group properly weekly, take out pucks daily, ensure that frothing group is cleaned and put away when not in use. Run descaling every 3-6 months as needed, and if you can, running a line for the water (with a filter) is cool if you don't want to refill the tank all the time. Realistically no one used the auto milk frothing save a few since it was involved. Otherwise a simple percolator is best.

Take into consideration the fact that some beans play better with some superautos so it's difficult to fairly judge espresso quality. There's been some article recently where reviewers blind tasted their coffe from Jura, DeLonghi and Philips and scored Jura the worst of the three even though it is widely regarded as having the best brewing technique. That was most likely a result stemming from the fact that these specific beans didn't play nice with that machine. I have an Eletta Explore and I'm super happy with it, although I had to find the right beans. The first batch I tried was undrinkable.

Hi everyone, I need help with my **Saeco Xelsis Suprema (bought second-hand)**. I've tried everything and I'm losing my mind here. * **The Problem:** The grinder works, but no coffee comes out of the spouts. 100% of the water ends up in the drip tray. The puck in the brew group is just a wet, muddy paste. * **Key Detail:** If I select an **Americano**, the hot water flows perfectly through the water spout, but when it's time for the coffee cycle, nothing comes out. The pump seems to have pressure, but it fails during extraction. * **What I’ve already tried:** 1. Deep cleaned and disassembled the Brew Group (scrubbed the metal screen with soap). 2. Full descaling cycle. 3. Used the pre-ground bypass to rule out the grinder—same result. 4. Checked all alignments and cleaned the dispenser nozzles. Since it's a used machine, I don't know the full history. I'm about to replace the O-rings and use food-grade grease, but **does anyone know what else could be causing this? I'm going crazy!** Any advice or similar experiences would be amazing. Thanks!

The big negative with the smart plug method is you need to remember to turn OFF the routine that kicks it in or you get a coffee maker turning on with no coffee in it when you're on vacation (or for whatever reason you may not have set up coffee for the next morning). That's not an insignificant issue. It would be easy to forget to do that, and an empty coffee pot heating up is a hazard and can also ruin the carafe. A programmable one will only be set to turn on the next day once you click the schedule button after filling it with water, etc. I suppose you could keep it unplugged from the smart plug until you set it up with water/coffee every day--but that is a step you need to add to the process. Always remembering to unplug it when you're done with coffee. Not really a big deal but definitely something you might forget to do. Another issue is it's more steps to vary the schedule, having to get into your smart assistant app if you wanted it, say, 2 hours later than usual. Easy--if you're the one in the household who deals with that, not so much for those who don't. To avoid all that, you can just tell your smart assistant to "schedule tomorrow's coffee" after setting it up with water and coffee each day. Safer than a routine that blindly runs every day. But another step. And one that's easy to forget. And, with a smart plug you can't just glance at the coffee maker to ensure it's scheduled. I vastly prefer the programmable type (they are not complicated) and just leave unplugging/re-plugging/remembering-to-voice-schedule out of the equation. The BIG issue with a programmable one is onboard battery backup for the clock. Not many have that and most cities get an occasional power blip once in a while. Without backups, even a half-second power blip will turn off your scheduled coffee the next day. And you probably wouldn't notice until you walked into the kitchen to the horror of no coffee. Where I live we get a blip probably once every month or two. Not acceptable. So many reviews don't mention this essential feature--it's a showstopper for me if it's not there. The Zojirushi brands often have a battery backup and are pretty highly rated but not crazy expensive. Simple to program. That's what I've gone with and it's been rock solid on all fronts. I went with the one with the removeable water tank for easier filling (another big convenience) and it can lose power for at least 30 minutes before I lose my scheduling.

There are some that would work great! I don’t know everything that’s out there on the market, but ones that I’ve interacted with and enjoyed working with have been the Hipster by 3Temp, Aiden by Fellow and Tone Swiss. Personally, If you’re brewing 1L at a time, and storing for no more than 3 hours in a sealed urn (like Zojirushi) I would consider hand brewing and using a larger capacity dripper. The cost to make this switch would be minimal and you can achieve all of the benefits I mention by good technique and using a temp controlled kettle.

Zojirushi French Press. Holds about a liter and it’s insulated and stainless steel. It won’t break like the glass Bodum.

I think if I'm honest with myself, I can't find a huge difference between drip coffee makers. These forums are filled with people willing to spend way more than me, on coffee stuff. Yes pour over can be better if you do it right, just take lots of practice. Espresso is great if your willing to experiment a ton and if you are adding milk, then it doesn't matter how crappy the shot is. And I just want a cup of coffee. The Moccamaster is well liked but the shower head is just stupid, but still may be worth it to some. I currently have the Zojirushi Zutto, because at the time it was SCA certified, but I cracked the carafe, but luckily not leaking. They want over half the price of the coffee maker for a replacement carafe, so if it receives further damage it goes in the trash. I looked at all the current SCA certified coffee makers and most have Amazon ratings of 4.0 or less which means the coffee geeks love it, but the common people don't. When it's time for a replacement, I'll probably go back Cuisinart as I've had great luck with them and they are well love by everyone except coffee geeks. That is just my 2 cents.

I can't have those coffees in the bread box forever, but for now, since I'm breadless, it works 😅 Moka pot is my favorite, but espresso is a close second. Nespresso would be next, and then finally, the aeropress. And sometimes I make a microwave cup when I'm lazy. I got the moka pot for free, aeropress new for $35, espresso machine for $50 on fb marketplace (no drip tray), and the nespresso for $40 off fb marketplace. I'm happy with my little set up, and asked my husband for a kinggrinder k6 and dreo barista air for my birthday and Christmas ^_^ and then I think I'm done collecting. Or anything else you'd recommend?

I mean obviously making espresso at home is cheaper than buying every single one of those drinks in a cafe, that's not a fair comparison. No one is going to go to a cafe 3 times a day, every day of the year. The REAL surprise for me was to calculate how much it would cost to get a Nespresso machine and buy pods. Getting a proper machine and grinder and good beans is still cheaper than buying the Nespresso crap. Most people don't even realize how expensive it is, they think it's cheaper than buying real coffee, when it's actually more expensive. Hell, if you get supermarket beans and a mokka pot, it will be cheaper but not that much cheaper. You will maybe spend 30% less, but the coffee will be 300% worse.

Been drinking black coffee (no sugar, no milk) for about 3 years now. Started with Nescafé, moved to Nescafé Gold Blend, and for the past year I’ve mostly been drinking Davidoff Espresso 57, Rich Aroma, Fine Aroma, and Blue Tokai Easy Pours. My favorites so far are Davidoff Espresso 57 and Blue Tokai Artisan’s Estate Easy Pour. Now I’m looking to move beyond instant coffee and can’t decide between an AeroPress, Moka Pot, or French Press. I enjoy strong black coffee with good aroma and flavor, so which would be the best next step? Also, can I start with pre-ground coffee or do I need a grinder right away? If I do need one, what’s the minimum I should spend? Any budget-friendly setup recommendations? Not looking to spend a lot or go deep into the hobby yet, just want a noticeable upgrade from instant coffee. What would you recommend?

There absolutely is a pay back for high end espresso depending on usage. I worked my way up machines starting with a Nespresso and I now have a LMLM + Option-O P64 which is pretty much an end-game setup. Total cost for equipment was $8,800. * It costs me $1.05 to make a latte at home and I make 3 cups a day for 2 people (2,190 cups a year costs me $2,300). * A latte from a shop costs me $5.50 but I would likely only buy 2 per day if I was buying each one and not making it at home, so 1,460 cups would cost me $8,800 per year. * So making at home saves me $5,370 per year, which gives me a payback period on my equipment of about 18 months. Of course, using less expensive equipment is going to have a much better payback period.

Hello! Due to a genetic condition, my cousin is losing her sight and will be fully blind within 10 years. She has resigned herself to plastic K-cups for her morning coffee but I want to get her a better system because she deserves good coffee! Its one of her favorite parts of her day and she drinks like 4 cups a day. It needs to be tactile or with large display options, she likes "just a plain cup of good coffee" (i.e. is not looking for espresso machines) but I would like to get her a machine that grinds fresh coffee and get her a nice coffee subscription -- basically make everything as easy as possible. So I guess main things I am looking for are easy to use, tactile buttons/dials/etc., single cup and pot option, grinds the beans for max freshness, easy to clean/add water/take out used grinds. Budget is under $300 ideally. Any coffee connoisseurs have good suggestions? **Update**: Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions and kind words. For various home-life reasons and other mental health reasons, she is not yet at a place of acceptance of her condition and isn't ready to do any sort of intervening therapies, in fact she hasn't had the heart to even see her eye specialist in 2 years. I am working with her on this and hopefully together we can tackle this - but for now coffee! As a very busy business lady and lawyer in NY with a young kid, she prefers the simplest and least time-consuming options, and since the vision is degrading out-to-in, she will still be able to read things for a while. She does not want bells and whistles so I think either a French Press option or a Cuisinart pour-over might be a good next step (We just really want her to stop drinking out of hot plastic asap). Super thanks to u/Marconius, u/Ms_Neutrino for your insight and everyone else for your wisdom and kindness. I hope this thread can be of help to others too!

This is really thoughtful of you. Given what you described, keeping things simple and tactile makes the most sense. A French press paired with a basic burr grinder (physical button + dial) is probably the easiest, most accessible upgrade from K‑cups and still makes great coffee. If she prefers drip‑style, a simple Cuisinart drip or pour‑over machine with large buttons and minimal settings can also work well. Less automation, fewer steps = less stress.

Aww, that’s so sweet of you! Maybe check out some Grind & Brew models from brands like Cuisinart? Lots of them have simple, chunky buttons that might work great! 💖

**TL;DR:** DF54 v3 grinder sounds great until you own one. Mine clogs constantly even with the improved declumper. Daily teardown is basically mandatory. If you want a low-maintenance grinder, it ain’t the DF54 v3. So I got a DF54 v3 after my Smeg all-in-one died (terrible machine, 3/10). I only do light roasts. I’d seen the usual love/hate for the DF54 online. Did my research on Reddit, FB groups, deep dive, the whole thing. Apparently, the V3 fixed the clogging issues that plagued earlier versions. The declumper opening is bigger, so clumping shouldn’t happen, right? Bought from Grind Logic (top-tier Aussie retailer, highly recommend due to customer service with my unit). First 5 weeks were bliss. Weigh beans - RDT - feed - bellow till nothing comes out. Coffee was awesome. Then, one morning… little coffee came out… then nothing. Clogged. My routine for 1.5 weeks has been a daily tear apart to find the chute clogged again. I had prepped for this during the research phase, so I took it apart. Chute was completely blocked. The star plastic declumper piece had such a tiny hole I was like… how is this supposed to help? Found Teo’s Take on YouTube and apparently, this little star piece in v3 upgrades can cause clogs. Removed it after a week of cleaning after each use. Worked for… two days. Then clogged again. Same story, just less plastic in the way. This would mean the chute it self is causing the issues for me. Way too narrow. At two months old, I honestly don’t know what so many of you are glazing this thing. If you love taking your machine apart weekly (in my case daily), fine. If you expect to grind - walk away - repeat, maybe look at a different machine. \-Pictures show blockage build from the star declumper \-Last picture shows blockage starting without the star declumper. Retention seems to be the issue here

Hi all. I'm newer to espresso making. I recently switched from the 51mm pressurized basket which comes standard with the SMEG, to a basketless portafilter rated for 18g. I have wire brush, leveler, and tamper. I'm also using the Baratza Encore ESP grinder. It's the retro SMEG machine. Don't ask, my wife really liked the design and she was the chief coffee maker for the longest time. The machine is automatic for 1 or 2 shots. I've been dialing between 16-18g and the 10 setting on the Baratza grinder (middle of the espresso grind recommendation 1-20, so it can go finer). The SMEG is struggling to get a good extraction and often just gives up. I tamp fairly hard so it's pretty compact. I'm not sure if I should use less beans or more, and maybe ease up on tamping pressure. I can get a decent extraction if I really just keep pressing the double shot button when the machine quits and eyeballing the yield. The puck will usually have some water on it and be puffy instead of fully compact. When I dump it, it comes out as a puck, but not quite as compact as it could be. My main question if it anyone has experience with the SMEG or De'Longhi (same exact internal components from what I understand) and figured out the best approach for a smooth extraction.

Actually, this machine and corresponding Smeg machine and many other similarly designed machines are produced by Chinese Tumbow company. Coffee tastes good (compared to 5500) but they have reliability issues. Just keep in mind that they are all the same except their outermost shell.

I currently use a Smeg BCC02 machine and I'm wanting a new machine to get better tasting espresso. I've looked into the Bambino Plus but I'm unsure it's suitable as I need the machine to make quick milk drinks as I make the missus one before I go to work in the morning. Would a automatic or super automatic be better for me?

Hi all, I have a 2021 Philips 4300 LatteGo (3 years old). Recently took it to service where they: \- boiler valve \- Replaced ALL O-rings/seals \- Installed other brew group The drip leak got better (no more puddle under machine), but water STILL runs down \*\*behind\*\* the brew group next to drip tray (see photo - removed tray, you can see water beading down the back wall). This is the overpressure/flush water after brewing that should go to drip tray but bypasses internal channels and floods the bottom shell. Kitchen counter is constantly wet. \*\*Is this normal for a 3-year-old machine?\*\* Should my kitchen counter be a swimming pool after every coffee? Has anyone fixed this specific "behind brew group" leak? Is there a known cracked channel, misaligned part, or drain issue behind the brew unit on 4300 series? Service said new brew group fixed it but clearly not. Daily maintenance is perfect. Thanks! \[Attach your photo here\]

I'm looking for recommendations for a superautomatic espresso machine with automatic milk frothing for 2–4 lattes or cappucinos per day. Current machine is a Philips 3200 LatteGo. The coffee has been ok, but I've had recurring maintenance issues with O-rings and steam leaks making the frother non-functional. My general priorities are: 1. Reliability 2. Drink quality 2. Ease of use 3. Ease of cleaning Budget is under $1,000, in the US. I also have a Costco membership, so Costco models/deals are definitely an option, but it seems magnifica model they currently have has the steam wand, and I'm really looking for a fully auto system. For those who have owned these long-term, what would you buy today? Any models I should avoid? Edit: I was thinking through this a bit more and also was not happy with the consistency of shot quality and the tendency to get grinds in all the nooks and crannies of the Phillips.

Hey everyone, After 7 years with a Philips LatteGo, it finally gave up. I had it repaired, but decided it was time for an upgrade. I bought a **Sage Barista Express Impress** from Amazon DE for **589€**. Took me a bit to dial it in, but I was getting solid shots (1:2 in \~25 sec). Then, less than 3 weeks in, the *auto-dosing system failed* \- it kept showing severe overdose no matter the dose (under/exact/over). Since the machine was shipped to Bulgaria, Sage wouldn't support it. Thankfully, Amazon accepted a return. So now I'm looking for a replacement. Possibly going dual setup (separate espresso machine + grinder). **Budget: \~500-700€ total.** Has to be available on **Amazon DE** because local prices here are much higher. **Machine Requirements** * PID (optional, but preferred) * Unpressurized baskets included * Temperature control * Proper steam wand (wife loves cappuccinos) * Ideally something reliable that won't fail in months **Machines I considered**: * Bambino Plus - No temp control, no manual purge, and Sage doesn't support Bulgaria anyway * Barista Express (non-Impress) - Not sure if it's a good idea; currently 453 on Amazon DE **Recommended by chat bots:** * Lelit Anna PL41TEM - Seems like Lelit has support in Bulgaria; not much info out there though * Gaggia Classic Pro - Not available; the Evo seems to have the "boiler-gate" issue * Rancilio Silvia V6 - Couldn't find it on Amazon * Mille 0820 **Grinder Options** I think I've narrowed it down to: * Baratza Encore ESP * MiiCoffee DF54 I prefer single dosing, but I can 3D-print mods for the Encore ESP. We like low acidity, so I'm leaning conical, but I've also read that: DF56 can sometimes clog and damage the burr edges Encore ESP has great support, which matters to me Looking for your suggestions If you've been in a similar price range or have experience with these models (especially Lelit Anna or DF54), I'd love to hear what you'd choose. What's the most reliable machine/grinder combo you'd pick at 500-700, given the Amazon DE constraint? Thanks!

**Location**: EU, NL **Drink frequency**: 5-10/day, more if I have over **Space**: no limit **I think after all this time I'd rather go for a (semi) manual at this point**, after about 5\~ years and EXTREME usage the old Philips full-auto gave up. I'd like to replace it with **something trustworthy** and **robust** that I will not regret later on. **I would love to nerd-out more and have a (semi-) manual machine that I won't regret for the coming years if I go that route.** However if that's not within the budget (something truly good, great) then a auto still seems relevant. I am COMPLETELY lost and have spent countless of hours over the past weeks trying to find differences, what's best, comparisons and watching reviews... Hence I am now asking here to hopefully find TRULY good advice.. **Drink preferences: I love variation** but most often enjoy espresso, americano and cappuccino. Variety is greatly welcomed of course. **Been looking at:** De'Longhi, Jura, Sage, Ninja (altho build quality seems terrible), Philips, Gaggia, etc. **Max price**: around 1000 but could save up more if truly worth it, less is preferred as I've seen some good deals lately, these are some that stand out: <Some of these would be even cheaper thanks to Coupon deals I can get..> \[all expired unless mentioned <ACTIVE>, prices in EURO\]: Jura e6 ed \~ 700 / Jura E8 ED 920, De'Longhi PrimaDonna Elite 700, Sage Barista Pro 580, Sage Barista Touch 699 \[**SES880**\] <ACTIVE> (tempting..) (or go for COLD?) Sage Barista Express 469 <ACTIVE> DeLonghi PrimaDonna Class \[**ECAM550.65.SB**\] 615 (?!) <ACTIVE> DeLonghi Magnifica Plus \[**ECAM320.60.B\]** 600 <ACTIVE> (**ECAM320.70.TB** 535) DeLonghi La Specialista Opera \[**EC9555.M\]** 750 <ACTIVE> (tempting..) DeLonghi PrimaDonna Soul \[**ECAM612.55.SB**\] 1034 <ACTIVE> (is it SO much better than others ? ..) DeLonghi Eletta Explore \[**ECAM450.65.GEX:4**\] 810 <ACTIVE>(**ECAM 450.55.G** 770) (**ECAM450.69**.G EX:4 836) DeLonghi La Specialista Touch \[**EC9455.M EX:2**\] 765 <ACTIVE> **Open for any (semi) manual / auto recommendation...** Just really hope to not buy something that'll give-out in 2-3 years with proper maintenance. Or something that "is not quite it yet and could've made this better choice" (especially when going manual / semi manual and nerding out..) **Thank you in advance** 🙏

My son recently went to Japan, and brought back a couple bags of Starbucks Reserve: Tokyo Roastery Microblend and Brazil Fazenda Sāo Joāo. As far as I can tell the Tokyo one is a medium roast, but I'm not sure about the Brazil. I have a Bambino Plus. Would espresso be the best for these beans, or would pourover in a Hario Switch be better? I also have an Ikape Kapo K2 (the portable espresso machine) that I can change the water temp and flow rate if that would be better. Thank you!

i like a creamy espresso shot, want it to be 15-20 bar, i have explored options from delonghi, wonderchef and agaro but dont know which to choose. i want to get delonghi but there r no offline stores and doubtful about service too. i had purchased wonderchef regilia 5 bar espresso machine as a beginner three years ago but now the coffee is very watery and i want to upgrade to a nicer 15-20 bar creamy espresso shot machine i dont like watery coffee please helppp bery confused

I've recently joined the coffee world and am looking to upgrade my drip coffee machine. I'd ideally like something that gives me espresso and cappuccino. Since I'm new to this, I'm looking for an affordable option. I've seen the Wonderchef one. Any other reccos?

I too am looking for a new machine, been using one from wonderchef, it's 4 years old now. I'm trying to figure out ali express from sellers who r making machines for the cafes here in India. Will Def get back to you if I'm able to figure out

I'll be straight with you - grinding the night before is going to give you stale coffee no matter what grinder you use, so I'd really reconsider that plan. For your budget and moka pot use, the Timemore C2/C3 hand grinders (\~$50-70) will serve you way better than any electric in that price range, and they're quiet enough for morning use without waking anyone. Although it will give you a bit of workout (not too much but it will improve your handshake! lol) If you absolutely need electric, save up to $200-250 for a Baratza Encore ESP or 1Zpresso J-Max electric mod, because the cheap electrics (Krups, Mr Coffee, etc) won't get you anywhere near espresso capability later and will produce inconsistent grounds even for moka pot. The reality is there's no electric grinder under $150 that does both moka pot \*and\* future-proofs for espresso - you're looking at either hand grinding now or buying twice.

His espresso tastes pretty watered down to me and does not taste as good as the other cafes in town and I believe it’s because his machine uses pods and the other cafes use traditional espresso machines. His expensive pod machine tastes like Keurig coffee to me lol maybe it’s slightly better than a Nespresso… He says it using pods has nothing to do with it and his pod machine costs thousands of dollars and he pays $100 for a case of pods. He says it’s because the other cafes make 12oz drinks and he uses 16oz cups. I added another single pod of espresso into my 16oz cup of his and it still just did not taste as good. He has double shot pods and single shot pods. I am not being a jerk about it because it’s his cafe and I love the guy and always support him but I feel if I could help him improve his coffee that will help. I know there are definitely some experts on this board who can chime in on this. do you think it’s the pods or it’s something else?

I’m ashamed to admit I used to have Nespresso before that. Finally got to a point where I had time to get into some hobbies and coffee was the obvious first one. No regrets to go all in. Oh, and it’s gal not bro lol.

I’ve been a French Press user for almost six years. Like most people who fall into the manual brewing rabbit hole, I invested in decent equipment along the way — a Timemore C3S grinder, good beans, temperature control, the whole routine. I drink my coffee strictly black. No milk, no sugar, no flavouring — just the coffee. For a long time, I genuinely enjoyed the process. Grinding fresh beans, timing the bloom, dialing in variables — it all felt deliberate and satisfying. But over the last year or so, that 10–12 minute morning ritual slowly turned from something calming into something frustrating. The core problem was inconsistency. One morning the cup would be excellent; the next day, using the same beans, it would be off. And instead of enjoying the coffee, I’d spend the next half hour mentally debugging the process. Was the grind one click too coarse? Was the water a couple of degrees too hot? Did I over-agitate? Did I under-extract? My first thought in the morning was no longer *“Do I like this coffee?”* It had become *“What did I mess up today?”* That’s when I realised the ritual had started to work against me. The turning point came last December during a hotel stay. The room had a small pod machine. Out of curiosity — and honestly, a bit of laziness — I tried it. I wasn’t expecting much. What I got wasn’t a nuanced café-style cup, but it was a solid 7–8/10. And more importantly, it tasted exactly the same every single time. That consistency was eye-opening. Over several days, each cup delivered the same experience in under a minute. No variables. No second-guessing. No mental overhead. When I got back home, I bought a compact pod machine. After a couple of weeks of daily use, I realised I was enjoying my mornings again. The workflow is simple: pop in a pod, press a button, and within seconds I have a consistent espresso or lungo. Now, when I take that first sip, the only thing I’m evaluating is whether I like the flavour profile — not whether I executed the process correctly. With the French Press, mornings meant a 10–12 minute routine, a lot of variables, and a fair amount of mental load. With the pod machine, it’s seconds, identical results every time, and zero debugging. The focus shifts completely — from technique to flavour — and that shift has made all the difference. I’m no longer chasing the “perfect” cup. I’m chasing a reliable one. A cup that lets me focus on taste rather than process. I don’t see myself going back to manual brewing anytime soon. If I ever move beyond this setup, it will likely be to a fully automatic machine — but that’s a decision for much later. For now, I’m content with consistency, simplicity, and zero guesswork. I’d earlier shared a detailed breakdown of specific pods I’ve tried — which is here - [https://www.reddit.com/r/IndiaCoffee/comments/1qasu9v/nespresso\_essenza\_mini\_pod\_reviews\_what\_worked/](https://www.reddit.com/r/IndiaCoffee/comments/1qasu9v/nespresso_essenza_mini_pod_reviews_what_worked/) I will be trying a lot more pods and see how it goes, what works and what does not for me.

what a path upgraded from nespresso pod to gift 2nd hand Bambino plus and sunbeam em440 to Timemore 078s then Lelit Bianco v3

Apologies if I'm getting the terms wrong! Fairly new to all of this. Please answer my questions (listed at end). Thank you in advance. I love coffee, especially espresso - Dark roast (bitter note). To keep it on the affordable side, I purchase coffee from local Coffee day outlets (Pure coffee - PB Pure) and use it with Mokapot. (Can't afford espresso machines 🥲) Of course they are miles different, but it's the closest I could. The coffee powder is of good quality and I'm happy. However, checking all the posts here, made me curious. I want the process to be more hands-on, purchasing beans, grinding them, and use it with Mokapot. Can you help me guide: 1. Which beans should I buy and how to preserve them right, I drink daily though? What are the best brands? 2. The hand grinder, most suggested (Time more C3) but it is a bit expensive at least for learning. Can I use Agaro for a while and then upgrade or is it a wrong decision. 3. Am I going overboard and making a wrong decision with all these thoughts? Should I continue purchasing coffee powder and use it with Mokapot.

I want a good espresso machine within budget and u guys said agaro sucks so here im, flair Neo flex cost, 12.5 K and Picopresso 11.5k I don’t travel much, so I don’t care about that. I want something which is good quality and durable. And what are the type of material is used inside is a metal or plastic?

Hi, I am looking to gift a coffee machine to my bf for his bday. I am not really a coffee person, so I would appreciate any help/inputs. Based on my research so far, I am considering between the Hafele U- Kaffee Espresso Coffee Machine and AGARO Imperial Espresso Coffee. Any suggestions?

OP I also have this machine. You can start w it, and add mods on the way to improve the profile My Small Cofee Bar 🫶 My small coffee bar ! Equipments: Machine : [Agaro Imperial ](https://amzn.in/d/aA9Gd5q) Grinder : [HiBREW G5](https://fixcoffee.in/products/hibrew-g5-48mm-conical-burr-electric-coffee-grinder) Scale : [Hoffen Digital Kitchen/Coffee Weighing Scale](https://amzn.in/d/aArFmty) Tamping mat : [MTROYALDIA Coffee Tamper Tool](https://amzn.in/d/fHCQqGB) Coffee distributor/leveler : [Supvox® Espresso Coffee Distributor & Tamper](https://amzn.in/d/6o0pP8Q) Tamper : [THW® 51mm Stainless steel base Espresso coffee Tamper](https://amzn.in/d/91if0IZ) Portafilter : [Loom Tree® 51mm Naked Portafilter](https://amzn.in/d/94LU5Il) Portafilter Powder Ring : [Supvox® 51mm Portafilter Powder Ring](https://amzn.in/d/g8ailCs) WDT Tool : [Supvox® Espresso Coffee Stirrer Pin](https://amzn.in/d/bMoXijz)Puck screen : [Supvox® 51mm Reusable Puck Screen](https://amzn.in/d/icsMCC6) Milk pitcher : [Dynore Finished Stainless Steel Jug](https://amzn.in/d/9EdXrUP) PS: Kept the grinder on a cardboard box as its power cord is too short to reach the power outlet at the top.

This post is more me sharing my experience and a comment on the internet's influence on us. I have almost exclusively read stuff here and never written. My first time. But, this whole thing started because of this sub, so wanted to share that. Few days ago, saw a bunch of posts about the Agaro portable espresso maker. Thought it's a paid promotion. Then, read the comments. And they seemed genuine? &#x200B; I have forever wanted to get into the hobby but I don't have the budget or a kitchen (I live in a hostel) So, like a noob with no knowledge and research, I decided to buy it on a whim! The product seemed like a good fit for me and the hype led me to believe it was worth it and it would go out of stock soon. So I bought it. &#x200B; Then came the posts that berated agaro and everything it sells. I was so sure I made the wrong decision. A cardinal sin. No newbie should ever touch such a thing. It will make me hate coffee. I was almost convinced that coffee is not a hobby for me. It's too complicated and there's a lot of ways I can go wrong. I don't have a good grinder or the right beans or know what grind to use. In my head, the machine wasn't going to work at all. I went to cancel my order. Couldn't. It was already shipped. &#x200B; The next few days were spent in regret and convincing myself 'meh! Sometimes we buy the wrong things.' 'Its ok, return it once it comes.' &#x200B; But there were some people who made me believe that it won't hurt to try! All I would lose is some money, effort and time. But I'd learn a valuable lesson nonetheless. &#x200B; So I stuck with my decision. Got the machine today. Ordered the home espresso grind, vienna roast from blue tokai (had tried their easy pour in this roast and liked it a lot.) &#x200B; Returned to room. Got everything ready. Pulled my first shot. Waited for the disaster. &#x200B; And to my surprise, it was not? It looked decent. It smelled exactly like the easy pour. And I liked it. &#x200B; I added some hot milk with a tiny bit of sugar. And sat near a window to enjoy my first cup of coffee. &#x200B; And I realised, I ordered this for me. For the kind of coffee I like. As it turns out, milk based coffees are much more forgiving. &#x200B; Yes, the internet could tell me that the machine isn't that great. That the coffee would be bitter or sour or 10 shades of wrong. &#x200B; But, it would be best to try it for yourself and then decide. &#x200B; For those who are wondering, the first shot was a bit bitter, yes. The (faux) Crema was very less. The second shot was much better. I eyeballed everything. And I still enjoyed it! &#x200B; Thanks to those who kept telling us newbies to try and then decide. I am really thankful to those people because right now this is more than just a cup of coffee for me. &#x200B;

There a case of another Coffee maker replica, which was praised by this sub. The Kaldipress. Now I have not tried that one or even its original. But in the case of this Agaro, most people who are calling it shitty may not(or have not) even tried the original. I have been using the original Nanopresso since a year now, hell I even got it replaced under Warranty once and let me tell you, it makes a very good shot of Espresso once you have worked your way around it and got help with some additional tools. I ordered this Agaro replica and took a chance to see if it's any good, else I'll just use it's parts with the original. But to my surprise, it works quite decent. My opinion about it is that if it can get someone to try making a good cuppa at fraction of the price they would have otherwise paid, it's a great thing. I'll say, get those additional tools 3d Printed. Dosing funnel and Tamper 3d Printing STL files are available for free download. Get it printed from Zbotic or some other platform. Get that cheap WDT from Flipkart and you are set to experiment. Do watch a few videos(for Nanopresso) to learn how to use it exactly. Cheers☕🤘🏽

Buy a French press or an Agaro moka pot that's great for beginners. You can start with Hunkal ground coffee, which costs around ₹500 for 500 gms. Happy brewing!

As someone who is currently using 51mm (DeLonghi Specialista) and has a new machine being delivered tomorrow upgrading me to 58mm world - let me assure you that the larger format will almost certainly be better. The issue with the 51mm is that the same amount of coffee results in a deeper puck - which means water has to travel a longer distance through the coffee. You can visually see that the color of the grounds is darker on top and lighter as you go down. How does this affect quality - not all the coffee is being extracted at the same temperature. Part of the reason some has suggested coarser grinds for 51mm is help the water move through quicker hence reducing the temperature differential - the temperature difference will still be there. A downside of the coarser grind will be creama. If you are a milk drinks guy - its not as important a factor - but for espresso people like me - cream is the end-all. You have spent a lot on a quality workhorse grinder. Maybe in a couple of yours you can find a thrifted coffee machine with 58mm head. You will still beat "Big Coffee". Good luck.

Thanks, your experience really helps me now. I nearly fell into the convenience trap and were close to ordering a Jura. I think I will go for an assisted semi automatic like the DeLonghi La Specialista Touch which has the automatic grind&scaling / water amount and milk Frother. I think it will be a good compromise between superauto and semiauto.

I've got a De'Longhi La Specialista Arte. The machine has six grind settings. I would like to know if anyone has experience with this coffee bean and could help me find the perfect grind setting. Thanks!

I currently have a Delonghi La Specialista which has served me well for the last couple years, but I am thinking about taking my coffee to the next level. I am also being spammed by Meraki ads, which has me thinking about the next level. Meraki machine seems to have many good features on paper but it seems to have fairly mixed opinions on here, with a few having reliability issues. I would like a system that is still fairly simple to run, but also has the ability to tinker or fine tune if I want. Dual boiler would be great as I sometimes have to make 6 cups at once. I am currently redesigning the kitchen, so a plumbed option could be good. Budget would be something around AUD$4k all in, I am in Australia **Update:** Instead of jumping to the top dog setup(ECM + P80) I was dreaming about, I have gone to an intermediate step: Breville Dual Boiler + Baratza encore esp pro. This should give me all the options of the top dog setup, for much less of the budget, from here I can upgrade components if I feel the need, the P80 grinder is on the list, but figured I would wet my feet with a grinder 1/5 the cost first.

hi! i’m getting the mr. coffee 4-shot steam espresso machine for christmas. someone already bought it for me, and this will be my first espresso machine. i’m pretty new to making espresso and want to get the most out of it. i know i’ll need a tamper and a whisk for the grounds, but is there anything else i should buy to start out? any accessories or basics to recommend? also, if anyone here has used this machine before, i’d love to hear any tips, tricks, or things to know. thanks!

The brewer won't make up for poor grind size or poor bean quality, so as long as your input is good, anything from a Mr. Coffee 5-cup to an Aiden will work well. I know that isn't quite the answer you're looking for, but beans and grinder matter disproportionately more than the brewer. Yeah, some absolutely terrible brewers can waste good beans, but the wasted good beans will taste better than Folgers through that same machine at the end of the day. A better brewer won't make Folgers taste better, though. Maybe try to find a middle ground, a nice brewer that does drip and pods like the Ninja Dual-brew pro, then take some of the left over money (as opposed to the Fellow Aiden cost) and get a decent grinder. You still have the convenience of pods and you can also knuckle down when you want a whole pot of coffee. The main issue with this is that most combo machines use Nespresso og pods rather than Vertuo pods, BUT you can find some cool roasters making specialty og pods if you decide to branch out. It still means that you're left with a whole 'nother pod brewer and a separate pod stash, but I would personally pick og pods vs Vertuo. Another machine that's closer to the price point of the Aiden but is again a 2-in-1 machine and also has a nice shower screen for the drip brew is the Ninja 12-cup Barista System (trying to cut down on the name). Parents-in-law had one and I actually like using it quite a bit, you can use the settings to change the brew volume and make 8oz cups at a time as opposed to an entire cup. And regarding the milk, good beans won't have all their qualities completely covered up by milk. People use exquisite specialty beans in lattes all over the world, too. It really comes back down to putting something good into the system to get something good out of it. You can have a cheap daily driver and a nicer bag on the side, but really you'll just have to decide for yourself if having a machine is worth it. Maybe start off with something simple from a supermarket before spending $150-$400 on something you're unsure of.

I currently have a k mini (kcups), a Mr ice coffee maker (grounds) Not at home so not 100% sure but I do have a cheap espresso machine and I’m pretty sure that’s also Mr. Coffee brand. I’m not the biggest fan of it, it doesn’t get foamy like I see a lot of traditional espresso shots do. But that could also be the espresso im using? I just use the cafe bustelo ground espresso. I saw the ninja pods and grounds coffee maker with the built in frother at Sam’s yesterday and impulse bought it, thinking it could replace both of my machines. However got home and read some reviews and some reviews are a little iffy saying the water leaks out with the cups, and that after a while coffee grounds started seeping into their coffee. Anyone have experience with this machine? Thoughts an opinions about it? That being said I haven’t opened it so i wouldn’t be opposed to returning it and maybe getting a nicer machine if need be. Anyone have suggestions on a good coffee machine? I don’t need anything too crazy. I make my coffee and add ice, creamer, and sugar. I do love a good shaken espresso. Any machines that do cups, grounds, and espresso shots? Or would that automatically be a bad working machine if it did all 3?

If you have a kettle and grinder for French Press you could get something like a Nanopresso. If you’re buying pre ground coffee from the supermarket it has a pressurized basket to make an espresso like drink similar to what a moka pot will do. But it allows you to get a grinder later to make a (more) proper espresso. It’s not going to make the best espresso you’ve ever had, but I’ve been able to make decent milk drinks with mine. It’s certainly better than those Mr. Coffee “espresso” makers that are basically just coffee steamers.

Exactly. At that point eye balling the dosage is fine. And it's infinity better than a Keurig.

If you don't want to make it a hobby, there's a lot of other options. Literally anything is better than a Keurig. Just get a French press for 15 dollars and some decent ground beans and it's basically an entirely different experience than warm water through a plastic pod, and honestly not even that much less convenient imo. From there you can try getting a decent grinder and grind your own beans. From there you could maybe experiment with pour over. If you really want to do espresso without the hobby part look into super automatics. Breville is the most recommended entry brand for most people.

I have a breville barista pro and a keurig in my Airbnb. I include a QR code to a short tutorial, a bag of fresh beans from my favorite local roaster, and some Kirkland brand whole milk boxes (the juice box horizontally style ones) in the fridge. I get so many great reviews around the espresso machine