MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Never drink anything other than black, so no fancy milk frothing needed.
Ian
There's a lot of variables here. Do you have/want a grinder? Do you want a bean to cup? Do you want a pod thingy?
Knowing 40% of sod all about coffee....which machine makes the closest coffee to a starbucks caramel cappucino?
Stove top for 15-25 clams and I'll take 270 in consultancy fees, thanks.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/DeLonghi-Magnifica-ESAM4200-Espresso-Cappuccino/dp/B001EOMZ5E
Although this has been as low as £229 back in December. Currently cheapest on Amazon.de @ £260
Sorry, should have mentioned tha I have nice grinder already. So I just need a coffee machine of some sort. Currently just using French press.
Why change? for what your needs are you seem to have all bases covered. Spend the £300 on something else...
[img] http://johnlewis.scene7.com/is/image/JohnLewis/231159253?$prod_grid3$ [/img]
..... and spend the remaining £299 on something useful?
aeropress for £25 and spend the change on something else? Big improvement over French press coffee imo.
If you're absolutely sure you'll only ever have black then aeropress is as good as anything . But if you're determined to have an electric machine around that figure then Gaggia Classic ....just don't use the milk steamer !
Sorry, should have mentioned tha I have nice grinder already. So I just need a coffee machine of some sort. Currently just using French press.
Thought with £300 budget though may as well sell the grinder and have morning black gold hit from the press of one button 😀
aeropress for £25 and spend the change on something else? Big improvement over French press coffee imo.
This.
I got a DeLonghi Treviso for £40 6 years ago. At some point during that period it decided not to reach full pressure any more, I think, but the coffee's still fine; just comes out slower.
£300 gets you 7 of those 🙂
i got the delonghi esam 4200 a few yrs ago. wife and I have 2 great coffees every morning. 1 button - great coffee, easy to clean, minimum fuss. highly recommend it.
Why the obsession with saving money? How about you get a waitrose card and go and queue for a free coffee instore?
Or how about spending the money and enjoying good coffee at home? Which if you want an espresso then neither a stovetop or aeropress will make one.
A gaggia classic is the stock answer because they are very good for the money with proven internals and a commercial grade chromed brass group head and portafilter. Spares and mods are freely available as they have been popular for a very long time and a proven design.
You say you have a grinder but if it's a blade grinder not a burr grinder it will be useless for espresso so you may have to rethink that.
Go and find another £60 and buy a Rancilio Silvia...
You say "black coffee" but don't say whether you want espresso or espresso based drinks. Personally I only drink black coffee but rarely have espresso - I mostly use a Haria Clever Dripper, an Aeropress or a V60 depending. If you do want an espresso machine then MrSmith has given you the answer.
If you're not sure, it'd be worth trying an aeropress or cone dripper as they're handy for camping as well.
A colleague recently bought a Gaggia Classic that had been refurbished by a Gaggia service engineer - had the pressure regulator modified. Think he found out about it through a British coffee forum - perhaps simply called 'coffeeforum' dot com or dot co dot uk..?
He takes his coffee making [i]very [/i]seriously now and has perfected the 'crema' I think it is called!
So it looks like the 2015 gaggia Classic has had a makeover and has plastic spouts on the portafilter and no over pressure valve/3 way solenoid. If you buy one don't get the new model.
Gaggia Classic or Rancilio Silvia Espresso machines.
I've bought modded 2nd hand GClassic with Auber PID kit mod and bottomless portafilers etc for £250, and man ... I have discovered new world of flavours . Coffee never been this good.
Obviously you need to have a good grinder for such a fine coffee. Grinders do make a difference into fine tuning your shots.
Mate bought one of these when his GARCIA died
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Presso-ROK-Espresso-Coffee-Maker/dp/B0012IQ92C
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He is very foody and recons its the best coffe maker he has encountered