Reply With QuoteMany thanks for the advice. I’m happy with a single boiler and everything I’ve read about plastic tamps matches your advice.Originally Posted by acowan84
I had a gaggia classic and it was great to get me started. Bought a kitchen aid grinder as it’s burr and easy to strip for cleaning and adjust/ fine tune the grind. Worth noting that the gaggia will sell well on the second hand market when you upgrade. I went for Alex duetto which is quality but expensive. Wouldn’t get bogged down on the single boiler vs double unless you plan on making lots of coffee in one go. I could easy make two black coffees and 2 lattes with the gaggia classic in one go. Good luck in finding your machine! Oh go for a good tamp too, the plastic one you get with machine is crap!
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Many thanks for the advice. I’m happy with a single boiler and everything I’ve read about plastic tamps matches your advice.
I got mine from here.. they have new ones at discount and refurbished models too.
https://www.mrbean2cup.co.uk/new-gag...presso-machine
I agree. If you get a decent machine (I have a Rocket Cellini) a single boiler won't be any issue whatsoever for normal domestic use.
I have ordered a Gaggia Classic. I nearly went with a Lelit Anna with PID and I suspect it is a technically better espresso maker. However, there is more support for the Gaggia and I think it will do everything I need for a few years. To keep this in perspective, I make about 10 lattes per week and my Aeropress has been pretty good for over two years.
Thanks to all who replied.
I very nearly bought a Delonghi bean to cup in sale a couple of years back but other stuff took priority sadly.
So back to basics for work where I refuse instant coffees and after several glass cafetieres which if you take to work can get broken easily in a bag or go brittle eventually I have had a couple of these stainless steel ones from Andrew James which while much more durable also keep coffee hot for a while and so infuse well.
Andrew James Cafetiere Small French Coffee Press in Stainless Steel 350ml 3 Cup | Double Walled Insulation | Includes Measuring Spoon and Bag Sealing Clip https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EF664..._38MSCb3EV5EC2
And this week after trying a girl I sit next to at work’s one I got this back to absolute basics bare bones coffee filter.
If you’re in a rush but still won’t do instant this e prance honeycomb filter for £13 is a complete bargain....
E-PRANCE Pour Over Coffee Filter, Honeycomb Design Stainless Steel Cone Coffee Dripper, Paperless & Reusable, Permanent Pour Over Coffee Maker with Separate Stand for 1-4 Cups (Style 2) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0756WSV..._5eNSCbT6X3QGS
My delonghi/gaggia etc will come later.... a relative has just got a safilo for £1000 in his florists/plants/gift shop and set up a little take away coffee counter in there so will be taste testing....
Day to day I use a lot Lidl’s French blend or Italian, £1.60 or so, I love Lavazza Nero but amount get through Lidl’s is great but in the shop they’ve started to use Smallbatch from Brighton coffee.
as I did out quite a bit of the store for them and painted shop front etc. & now a director of it, free coffees on the way I think....
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Last edited by lordloz; 14th April 2019 at 00:36.
That’s what I like about my Sage Creatista plus.
I don’t think I’m clever enough, or that much of a coffee aficionado to even attempt all that’s involved with grinding my own beans so it’s just a quick Nespresso pod for me!
Some interesting thoughts, and I'm always looking for alternatives, is there a reason you don't use an Aeropress at work?
not especially really as such
just never got round to getting one as used cafetiere and happy with it,
also as previous work had fixed short breaks at set times & was going to different locations so stainless cafetiere I found sturdy to transport with coffee put in there in morning then pour & go at location but few other people at new workplace use Aeros.
I'm also in and out a lot of the base with this work but in a different way with no fixed room or desk but going to try the e prance next week.
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OP. I hope you don’t mind the thread hijack. I’m a massive coffee yet and totally inexperienced at making good coffee at home. I have the following equipment
-bialetti moka express. Used sparingly for 2/3 years
- gaggia electronic grinder bought off hear.
Yet I always get tons of pre ground coffee off the wife and as gifts.
My question is about grinding. And coffee how long to beans last if not ground? and how best to store ground coffee?
Reading this thread I’m thinking of replacing the grinder with
https://coffeehit.co.uk/products/lid...xoCemIQAvD_BwE
Also how often does the stove pot need the rubber seals changing?
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Good man using Rave. They are brilliant.
I would definitely recommend the Gaggia classic (especially one that may be 5 years old, well cared for and with the OPV modification.
The biggest difference though would be to invest in a decent grinder. I would budget around £230 and for think you wouldn’t go far wrong with a Eueka mignon.
Check out the forum Coffeeforums.co.uk. This is the only way you will get a decent creama. The gaggia will have a good enough steam wand for a couple of lattes at a time. There is a cheap upgrade to the wand Rancilio Silvia which is worth adding.
OK, here goes (other opinions are available).
Coffee beans will last for months, if not years, if kept sealed and away from light and damp. Some people like to freeze them but it doesn't really make much difference...link. If you do put your coffee in the freezer or the fridge then ensure that it's up to room temperature before you open it, otherwise expect some condensation to dampen your coffee...not good.
The best advice is to buy enough fresh roasted beans for two weeks at a time. After two weeks they begin to loose some their best characteristics.
Moka pot seals seem to need changing every two years or so. I think that it is really a matter of personal choice unless the seal begins to fail, eg on a very well used pot.
The Lido is a good choice, IMO. I've very pleased with my Lido 3 but I'm grinding for my moka pot rather than an espresso maker and so don't need the fine adjustment.
I tend to use ground coffee with a V60 cone filter (so that I can easily dispose of the wet grounds without clogging up the sink), especially when travelling.
Quick update.
Gaggia Classic arrived earlier this week with Gaggia MDF grinder. I got a 58mm convex tamper and frothing jug from Happy Donkey.
Followed the manual and the setup post on Coffee Forums UK. First couple of espressos weren’t that good. However, now getting good crema after I got the grind right and the brew time sorted. Going to move onto a shot bottomless filter over the weekend.
My milk frothing technique needs a bit more practice but happy with the latte I made this morning. Liking it all so far.
I have the mdf and classic at work so LOTS of experience!
Set the grind to setting four. Add the beans a dose at a time to the grinder and grind till it's done the dose. Then add to the portafilter. Don't tip all the beans in one go into the grinder - makes it harder to judge the amount you need in the filter. I've experimented so two of the scoops of beans is one dose of around 16-18 grams ground... some people prefer a couple more grams. This is for a double espresso (2 fluid ounces). Weigh the raw beans so you get an idea of the correct amount to put in for a shot. A guy in the office weighs every dose but that's being a bit anal! Tamp with about 10 pounds force - experiment on some scales so you get a feel for how much pressure to use.
You need to be getting the amount of beans/grind/tamp correct so you end with a 20 second shot (2 fluid ounces). It takes a bit of experimentation to get it right but after that it becomes second nature. I admit the mdf is a little crude on it's grind settings so it can be difficult to get a 100% reproducible result. I have a super expensive grinder at home so I can get bang on 20 seconds each time with a stonking crema :-)
Isn't the point of having all the functionally of the easily adjustable grinder and half decent machine to let you tailor the coffee to your tastes?
Yes... just the settings I use.
So once established, never played with again?
It's what I fear I'll do if I go down the non-pourover route! Buy the gear, get it to where I like it, and then never use all those variable features again.
I suppose you do when you get different beans etc?
with the mdf the grind settings are quite crude so I find setting 4 and two full scoops of beans is suitable even when changing different beans/batches. If you go to a proper bean supplier using single source beans then you have to keep on changing stock as that supply is used up, but with the mdf grinder I tend to find it doesn't ever need changing. At home I have a sexier grinder which has micro adjustment so I'm better able to 'tune' for each batch of coffee and I check each shot and constantly tweak the grind settings to get it 100% right - a bit anal I know. :-) With the mdf at work I experimented on the settings about a decade ago and never changed it :-) That mdf must have done over 10 thousand double espressos by now.
Listed on Hot UK Deals, John Lewis has Sage Barista Touch for £449 after cashback.
La Pavoni plus a Mazzer super jolly and a good bean. Not too difficult to master and makes an epic coffee .
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