Need Espresso Maker Advice

[barelfly]

This thread has stirred up MEMS… After reading through this a few more times, I’ve started reading elsewhere about some of the equipment I’m using. I realized I have a pressurized basket, so that will be replaced by Sunday. Also, looking at the portafilter and wondering if a bottomless is just for a bit of show compared to a double spout type portafilter. Regardless, I’ve spent some time looking at all these fancy machines on some of the sites that were mentioned earlier (Seattle, Whole Latte, etc.)

and, tomorrow I’ll be weighing my espresso pulls to see how I’m doing with my grind and tamp ……

last question - anyone do a mail order service for beans they can recommend? For years, I’ve gone to Cost Plus World Market and purchased a variety of their whole beans. I ran out yesterday and went there to restock and like many things these days, supply chain issues. So, tried a few other varieties as well as a new brand - Dallmayr Espresso de Oro. See how these taste.

[Old Glory]

(4) George Howell is in Boston and when I worked in Town I would grab a bag every so often. Amazing stuff! Though again I am looking for a consistent blend that I can dial in and be my everyday cup. Their coffee is all about small farms and different regions changing constantly. Sometimes outstanding sometimes not for me. I prefer med-dark not full dark roasts.

[ssennott]

You might try Atomic coffee out of Salem Ma you will the coffee the day after its roasted so you will always have it fresh. George Howell Alchemy is pretty consistent if you use it fresh once you dial it in you should be good.

[WayneT]

What Old Glory said re WholeLatteLove. I ordered from them for years before they discontinued the blend I was buying. I’m a huge fan of Lavazza.

[rickgregory]

last question - anyone do a mail order service for beans they can recommend? For years, I’ve gone to Cost Plus World Market and purchased a variety of their whole beans. I ran out yesterday and went there to restock and like many things these days, supply chain issues. So, tried a few other varieties as well as a new brand - Dallmayr Espresso de Oro. See how these taste.

Two thoughts: First, there's a lot of good info in https://reddit/r/coffee, esp their weekly 'what are you brewing' threads. Second, SCG sells a variety of coffees https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/coffee.

[barelfly]

Thank you! I was on Seattle Coffee a bit yesterday and enjoyed their site. I’ve even watched a few of their videos they have produced for the Bambino Plus machine I Have. THanks for the links!

[rickgregory]

barelfly You're welcome. If there's something they advertise as not available online and you really want it, lemme know. I live a few miles from one of their retail outlets.

[MrSkimo]

If you are in Seattle, they have a selection and will pull a shot to let you try some of them

[Dr. Pepper]

barelfly This guy is pretty slow to listen to, but this is how you adjust the dose on the Breville Oracle.

It took me about 7 discarded cups, but I now (with the Starbucks Espresso Roast beans we are using; if we change beans I would have to recheck, and likely recalibrate) have an 18 gm dose of grinds in the portafilter, and with a 25 sec run, draw 40 cc (gms) of extraction.

Fun for those of us with a healthy (?) dose of OCD!

Daniel

[barelfly]

YES! If anyone would understand the OCD, this group would! So, this morning’s pull turned out great when timing and weighing the extraction. 25 seconds on the run time did put out 40g of liquid. Gave about a 2:1 ratio with the 18g dose. I did adjust one click on my grinder this morning, seemed to be a bit more golden color in the crema. A great pull! Then I jacked up the milk trying to be fancy and froth on my own rather than letting the machine do the work. but thank you for the video

[barelfly]

Pt 2 - will give it a watch. It’s all I can do for a bit until the temps get over 30* so I can go ride

- edit - now that I think about this, my machine is set from factory for these times, so, that’s the repeatable part of this. I just have to ensure the grind and my tamp are consistent.

Thanks Daniel!

[Draznnl]

I pulled the trigger and bought an inexpensive DeLonghi that was on sale at Costco.

[smokin fool]

Our daughters boy friend has a Delonghi.
What model I do not know, I have no idea about these machines.
He drinks 3-4 espresso's a day.
I'd be up for 37 days if I drank one coffee.

[barelfly]

Excellent! And how is the espresso? Looks like it can do great stuff for you!

[Draznnl]

Dunno yet. It arrived last night, six days early, and my neighborhood, non-Starbucks coffee roaster is closed on Sundays. I wait...

[barelfly]

Revisiting this - Klatch espresso beans are incoming. Going to try a few types but then start going to some of the local shops here in town. Also a few roasters and see what I can find. Finally picked up a new grinder that is working well and gives me a better grind I believe.

[Old Glory]

Let me know how you like Klatch. They are my go to for Espresso.

[Argoboy]

We bought a DeLonghi Dedica EC685 a couple of months ago and we like it. It also has good reviews on line from Tom’s coffee corner. Someone said that you need a good burr grinder as well and I agree. This machine was on sale for C$200 which was 1/2 off when I bought it. I did buy a better tamper and a porta filter. It makes a good cup of expresso or cappuccino but there is a learning curve.

[Argoboy]

I had two pictures selected to upload with this post but I did not select the second picture but it showed up, not sure why?

[jfmorris]

It is showing because you attached it, but did not insert it inline in the text - note how the second picture is showing inside a box labeled "attached files".

[CHNeal]

My favorite Expresso Maker is named Dallia. She is I am guessing mid-late 20s ,dark hair, green eyes, a smile that could melt a glacier and sweeter then Alabama tea.


Sorry I just couldn’t help myself….Ill leave now.

[Old Glory]

lol

[SmokeyGator]

Don't believe the espresso hype. Just about every home in Miami has one of these things. It is called a "moka pot" but google will also find it as "Cuban coffee maker". Cheap ones are less than $10 from Target or Walmart, but you can get all fancy and spend $100 or more on a stainless steel version that makes larger amounts. The cheaper ones are aluminum and typically make 1 cup or less at a time. But 1 cup is at least 2 cafe con leches, or 4 or 5 shots of colada, so they are more common.

The trick is to fill the funnel up and then TAMP IT DOWN with a spoon. You want to pack the espresso grinds in there.

It is not exactly like the stuff that is extruded from the fancy pants very high pressure machines, but then again they are $10. The fancy machines have A LOT more zeros in the price and are reserved for the Cuban cafeterias that serve gallons of the stuff per day. Gallons is not an exaggeration either. Bougie people also buy super expensive machines, but honestly if you are gonna dump the stuff into BBQ sauce anyway does it really matter?

[barelfly]

I have one of these, like it but I get a residue, almost a thick residue that settles on the bottom of the cup after pour. I don’t use often, it’s my espresso maker at the lake house. You have any tips on what I’m doing incorrectly? Is my grind too big? Do you use paper filters to separate the coffee and then the gasket/filter?

[Old Glory]

Mt Dad loved his Moka Pot. It is actually and Italian Invention. He spent time in Miami and was a huge Cuban Coffee fan. Too sludgy for me but people love them.

https://www.seriouseats.com/moka-pot-history-coffee-maker-italian-caffetiera