Thread: Coffee Enthusiasts

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Our new all in one rig.
Attachment 298302

That’s one fancy rig. I tried to locate it on the SAECO site, but no luck.

Originally Posted by Badgister

Very nice! I had a Euopiccola but got rid of it because it was a too cumbersome. Great first shot but terrible if you have guests. Is the Elektra also a one shot wonder?

I am thinking of getting a new machine and forgetting about lever machines , maybe a Silvia.

I ran a Silvia / Rocky combo nearly 20 years ago, but I suspect today that there are plenty of capable machines in that price range that may do as well or better than the Silvia. Be sure to check out reviews over at CoffeeGeek.com or Home-Barista.com.

Geezer may have some suggestions as well since he's a lever-lover himself.

I guess it all depends on how much you're willing to spend and how much time you have to find the right deal. I upgraded to a rocket heat exchange machine. New they are 1500 and up. Mine came off craigslist with an 1100 grinder and a behemor roaster, all for 1200. I sold the roaster and am in the process of selling the grinder. All said and done, I got the machine for free or a 100 after factoring in the sale of the other 2 items. Good deals are out there.

My wife and I just got back from Italy and one of the best things was all of the little neighborhood coffee shops. I would stop in and get an espresso - quick and cheap. Seriously looking at an espresso machine now.

Originally Posted by Badgister

Very nice! I had a Euopiccola but got rid of it because it was a too cumbersome. Great first shot but terrible if you have guests. Is the Elektra also a one shot wonder?

I am thinking of getting a new machine and forgetting about lever machines , maybe a Silvia.

There is a solution to your problem. Unfortunately, it's in another price category - Londinium, Strega, Pompei, etc.
These are all one group (for home and small business use) commercial lever machines with big enough boiler, and high thermal stability group. You can pull many consistent consecutive shots on each one of them. The frothing on another level too. One (BIG) problem is the price...

Originally Posted by Cincinnatus

My wife and I just got back from Italy and one of the best things was all of the little neighborhood coffee shops. I would stop in and get an espresso - quick and cheap. Seriously looking at an espresso machine now.

Some very fine shots pulled in Italy fro what I've read and heard.
There is such a wide selection of Espresso machines and the price can really get painful. But if you want to get shots like you've had, you're going to have to be ready for that
Also, unless the machine you choose has a grinder, you're going to need to go to the higher end in that category as well.

We're here to help ya out my friend, just ask away!!

Here is a great forum to help you get lost
https://www.home-barista.com

There is a crap load of information there to get your head spinning and see the choices there are

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Our new all in one rig.
Attachment 298302

What is the model of the machine, if you don't mind?

Originally Posted by Badgister

Very nice! I had a Euopiccola but got rid of it because it was a too cumbersome. Great first shot but terrible if you have guests. Is the Elektra also a one shot wonder?

I am thinking of getting a new machine and forgetting about lever machines , maybe a Silvia.

La Pavoni also makes the Professional, which I own. It is a very capable machine and you can pull 4 or 5 excellent shots. I prefer a manual lever machine, just as I prefer to manually grind the beans and for that matter, roast beans.

Just as in the straight razor game, you can get all kinds of crazy. You just need to answer how much extra pleasure you'll get from the extra money you'll spend on professional equipment, which is where you're going if you go much beyond the Europiccola. Plumbed in, professional equipment may yield convenience, but you can pull shots the equal of any of them with a La Pavoni.

It's all about getting the properly roasted bean, with the correct grind, tamped well and extracted properly, with the correct temperature water.

I find the whole process to be fun and getting all the variables correct is a source of experimentation.

Originally Posted by Dieseld

Some very fine shots pulled in Italy fro what I've read and heard.
There is such a wide selection of Espresso machines and the price can really get painful. But if you want to get shots like you've had, you're going to have to be ready for that
Also, unless the machine you choose has a grinder, you're going to need to go to the higher end in that category as well.

We're here to help ya out my friend, just ask away!!

Here is a great forum to help you get lost
https://www.home-barista.com

There is a crap load of information there to get your head spinning and see the choices there are

Thanks - you are right - the selections can be daunting. Last year I did get a Breville grinder which has the ability to accept the filter baskets with the idea that I may get an espresso machine at some point. Thanks for the link - I will check them out.

On their home page, you should be able to find the reviews of the most popular/useful machines for consumer use as well.

I agree with Midway, La Pavoni makes a great machine from the reviews I've read and my perusing of coffee forums. I own a lever machine myself. An Elektra, it is great and makes some very fine shots once you get the details dialed in.

The Breville is a good grinder, so you're half way there. The only thing with espresso is you need to be able to grind fine enough for proper extraction. Make sure you follow the recommendations on adjusting your grinder to the more fine grinds. Some do things a bit differently. For an example, My Baratza Vario, I need to adjust my burrs running the grinder when going to a finer grind. I do this without beans going through it. But to open them up,I can just make my adjustment on the go.

Good luck and I'll help ya any way I can