New setup - advice wanted

[EclipseRedRing]

I have a little experience with using a French press and also a moka pot, but have just acquired a DeLonghi Dedica espresso maker and have started experimenting with it; so far the results are good. I use a small Krups grinder and Illy or Lavazza beans and expect to normally make an espresso and maybe add hot water for an Americano. Occasionally I will make a latte or cappuccino and so use the milk frother. I have experimented with a finer or coarser grind as best I can with this grinder, and also looked at the pressure applied when tamping and have obtained a decent crema. Do any other members use this machine and do you have any tips or advice? Thanks.

 

[StillShaving]

You have probably read this before, but that whirly blade grinder is not good for making espresso. IMO it is okay for pour-over or drip brewing, but not for espresso or French press brewing.

Besides learning more about the DeLonghi Dedica, I recommend that you obtain a burr grinder. A stepless grinder or one with many finely spaced steps.

Congratulations on the new DeLonghi.

 

[ajkel64]

Nice looking machine. I know nothing of it other than DeLonghi make great products.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

You have probably read this before, but that whirly blade grinder is not good for making espresso. IMO it is okay for pour-over or drip brewing, but not for espresso or French press brewing.

Besides learning more about the DeLonghi Dedica, I recommend that you obtain a burr grinder. A stepless grinder or one with many finely spaced steps.

Congratulations on the new DeLonghi.

I have taken your advice and obtained a Krups burr grinder on loan for one month. I I tend to use both grinders side by side and establish if I can taste any difference in the coffee and if I should invest in a burr grinder. I will report back with my findings. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I have had a few days experimenting with both grinders, my own which is a basic Krups blade grinder (about £20) shown below on the left, and also a Krups burr grinder (about £40), shown on the right, which I have on loan. I have tried the loan grinder with various grinds from fine to coarse and noted that with very fine grinds the coffee is very slow to dispense, has no crema at all, and has a strong, slightly bitter taste which is not to my liking. I found the coarsest grind produced a light taste with medium crema, and the medium ground produced the best flavour and most crema. A purely visual inspection of the ground coffee suggested that the medium grind was most like that produced by my own blade grinder and it is this medium grind with which I have persevered. I have made coffee using both grinders with all other aspects identical as close as I can make it, the beans used, the amount of coffee, and the pressure of tamping. I have found that the burr grinder coffee has slightly more crema than the blade grinder coffee but the flavour is the same, at least to my taste. It is perfectly possible that my palate is not refined enough to discern any differences that may exist but going by my initial experimentation I see little point in replacing my existing blade grinder with this model of burr grinder. The only advantage I see to the burr grinder is the bean hopper, the ability to grind coffee for a specific number of cups, and the fact it can be adjusted although in practice I suspect that like my Slim adjustable razor, I would find a setting I like and then never change it. An interesting experiment nonetheless.

 

[StillShaving]

Interesting test results. Perhaps the pressurized portafilter helping out. I could not imagine getting good results on my lever machine using my whirly grinder. But you have encouraged me to try it sometime. The whirling blade does grind fine enough that it might be possible to find some dosage that works.

 

[martym]

You have found what you like. It doesn’t get any better than that.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

You have found what you like. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Wise words, I wish finding my ideal shave setup had been so quick and easy! Actually, on second thoughts, I am enjoying the journey, the destination will come soon enough.

 

[tehnothing]

I have come full circle. I started with a Moca pot in the when I was living in Italy in 2001. Then in Germany I alternated with a French press until circa 2009 when I got my Delonghi. Not your model. It was a more introductory model, but, it took a while to heat up. When I left Germany in 2012 I couldn't bring the espresso machine with me back to the States, so I sold it and got a moka express to bring back with me, (I'd lived in Europe for fifteen years, I had no idea you could buy one at the super market here.) After five years of dealing with it, and my bad habit of leaving grounds in there, I replaced it with a no name French press that has served me well ever since. I still forget to dump the grounds, and, some mornings I drink tea, so yeah. I guess a machine wouldn't be so bad. At least I never forgot to empty the grounds in it.

TLDR

I might have to look into that machine. [emoji2]

Edit they have it in red. I see this in my kitchen next month.

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