Espresso Machine (s)

[deruitem]

I am looking for a good way to get espresso at home.

I was thinking about getting a nespresso machine. I tried the espresso in the store and it was awsome. I would say it is the best I have ever had and better than a coffee house.

Now the machine is about $350 and uses capsules.

I have a friend who loves his areopress and those are about $30.

How do you make espresso at home without dropping $1200 on a high end machine

 

[devorenm]

I have a nespresso - the D290 Model to be precise. For the money it's a good way of making espresso at home. Note that the capsules are expensive compared to bulk coffee so if you, like I do, use it maybe once a day it ends up being a good value. If you are pulling six or eight shots a day it starts to be less so.

The quality of the coffee and the resulting espresso is good. It's not great, it's not surprising, it's not knock your socks off amazing but it's good. However, short of buying a good machine (600+) and a grinder (300+) I think it's the best deal out there for casual espresso at home.

Oh, and it's so damn convenient.

 

[deruitem]

What do you pay for the capsules with shipping and do you get the from Nespresso.com?

 

[devorenm]

They end up being 55 cents per capsule (slightly more for featured coffees) - I will say kudos to nespresso for not raising prices significantly in the last couple of years since coffee has skyrocketed - they are taking a hit in margin on the capsules no doubt. They are only available from nespresso.com and shipping is usually about seven bucks regardless of quantity.

 

[Jasonian]

I am looking for a good way to get espresso at home.

How do you make espresso at home without dropping $1200 on a high end machine

Good question. You buy a Mazzer Super Jolly on ebay for about $400, and spend about $300 on a Gaggia home machine.

The potential is far and away better than pre-ground pre-packaged mediocre coffee. (i.e. - nespresso capsules) There is a learning curve to be accounted for, but there's a learning curve in wet shaving too, and that hasn't seemed to stop anyone here from it.

 

[smalltank]

I also have a Nespresso machine from 2009..great stuff!...kinda annoyed that Nespresso hardly has any seasonal capsules anymore..

 

[deruitem]

Good question. You buy a Mazzer Super Jolly on ebay for about $400, and spend about $300 on a Gaggia home machine.

The potential is far and away better than pre-ground pre-packaged mediocre coffee. (i.e. - nespresso capsules) There is a learning curve to be accounted for, but there's a learning curve in wet shaving too, and that hasn't seemed to stop anyone here from it.

So thats a grinder and a machine combined $700. I was thinking something closer to the cost of the nespresso as my max.

 

[devorenm]

I think that is the crux of it - I have no doubt that the above set up will make a better espresso. I just can't justify the cost. I live in a city, am hardly every home, and have a buddy that works at a proper coffeehouse so I drink most of my coffee out and when I want he'll pull a proper espresso for me and i'll pony up a couple bucks for it. I just don't drink enough coffee at home to make it worth it. At work I have a kettle and a french press for coffee coffee.

 

[Jasonian]

If decent espresso is so easily acquired, then why bother with settling for sub-par espresso at home? Why not just stick with the french press, and blow your money on an aeropress, siphon, or some other less expensive brew method?

 

[John F]

You might be able to get a decent grinder for a bit less than $400 but not a ton less. And $ 300 for a machine is also pretty close to a min..

If you shop like crazy you might come in for $500 but realize it's bare bones base level equipment at this point and you will have to learn to dance with it.

Hey, it's espresso.. And none of this mentions the first year or two to figure out what end is up.

Sorry about the harsh reality.

 

[5 over]

You had better be careful or you'll contract EMAGAD - espresso machine and grinder acquisition disorder. Hey, a new acronym for the wiki! Seriously, though, Jasonian etal are correct. $700-$1,000 is about the range for an entry level home setup including machine, grinder, and all the little nick-nacks. That's the downside. The upside is that the espresso is worlds better than pre-packaged (Nespresso) simply because it's FRESH. As your technique improves you'll be amazed at what a fabulous shot is at your disposal.

I speak from experience about the dangers of this new AD. I'm on my second setup, a LaSpaziale Mini Vivaldi and a Cimbali Max Hybrid grinder. Wonderful results, but a lot of shaving ADs aren't gonna get fed. Go to chriscoffee.com and check out the available goodies. The Vario grinder and a simple Quick Mill machine would make a great lower end setup.

Ford

 

[GuitarGuy]

I spent a lot of money on a big Capresso machine - took it back a day later. Why??? I stopped in a Williams Sonoma and got talked into trying the Nespresso machine. I was stunned. It actually produces decent espresso - with NO FUSS!! Now I can have a shot whenever I want one. I have one at the office and one at home. I even bought my parents one for when I visit them...

$350??? You can get an Essenza for under $200 on Amazon. They work the same way. If you are patient you can get the Essenza with the Aerocino for about $240.

 

[John F]

Not everybody had the same idea of what good espresso is.

 

[deruitem]

I was looking at the nespresso citiz with the Aerocino for 350. Maybe I will look into the Essenza. I would love to get a higher end machine but I would like something I can press a button on and get something good. Sounds like I have 2 options. This would be the cheaper way to go, might not be as good but still better than stopping at a coffee shop everyday

 

[Erik]

Threads like this make me realize how little I know about coffee and espresso. However, I do know that the stuff I make in this is rather nasty.

 

[MickRussell]

I use a mid range Breville machine (THIS one) and a separate burr grinder (not exactly THIS one but close). I find that although it takes a little to get the best of the less fancy gear, once you do learn it you can do anything with it.

 

[winston61]

check out the Rancilio Silvia. If I had it do over again I'd go with Silvia instead of La Pavoni.

and count on shelling a lot of cash for a grinder.

 

[MickRussell]

You don't need a super expensive grinder, most burr grinders (don't go TOO cheap of course) will work just fine especially when you're starting out, but whatever you do don't use a blade type bean chopper.

 

[StillShaving]

Has anyone ever tried one of these Presso coffee makers? Not sure how it stacks up against the real thing, but it looks like a close facsimile, and would be a lot quicker and simpler to operate.

 

[MickRussell]

That doesn't stack up against the real thing, that IS the real thing. That is like the straight razor of espresso making. The marketing hype about it being an "innovation" is just that. This thing is "old skool", and I mean that in a good way.