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Hi,
After throwing away the pile of junk that was my kenwood espresso machine I am now in the market so here are the criteria. below £300, capable of taking ground coffee, must be good. I have been looking at the Gaggia Baby Dose or the Baby Class D
Ta
Gaggia Baby Twin here. Cracking machine and makes brilliant espresso even in my inexpreirnced hands.
http://www.coffeeitalia.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=ffffff-gaggia
a classic from here [url= http://www.homewares.co.uk/gaggiaspecialists/10080.html ]gaggia uk[/url]
I am very happy with my Gaggia Classic even though I just had to have it serviced (after about 7000 cups) by Gaggia Service UK. They do reconditioned ones which may be worth a look. I would consider any Gaggia though.
For years I denied I needed a grinder, thinking that pre-ground Lavazza was fine. Having just bought an Iberital grinder from Happy Donkey, I admit I was wrong and grinding your own is the only way to go - and the Iberital MC2 Auto is less fuss than a tin.
As an aside - where do you all buy your beans from?
Peteimpreza.. did you buy yours from coffeeitalia?
This thread/theme is more Groundhog Day than the Groundhog Day thread that has been popping up all week.
Not heard fantastic things about Gaggia's but I got a nice discount on one of these baby's and it's been ace so far, cheap from amazon too at £147, and looks nice to boot.
The missus can knock out a brilliant Latte on it any road!
[url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001GQ3E82/ref=asc_df_B001GQ3E821972787?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B001GQ3E82 ]Linky[/url]
Nevegal Kenda's/Blue Groove.... or errm oo oo, Marks & Spencer. Sorry, what was the question?? 🙂
Aaah, wrong stock answers... espresso machines is it?
Rancilio Sylvia, the Rolls Royce of soho espresso machines. Gaggia's are for novices/lifestyle wannabees... steps back to a safe distance....
A bit above the budget, but thanks
Quite a bit of choice at this price. Try & avoid anything with a "Thermoblock" It's a cheap solution to producing hot water & steam used in low end espresso machines. They work, but not as well as a boiler & the steam's not that great for frothing milk. Gaggia would be hard to beat at 300 quid. If you can stretch to £400 you'd be into Rancilio Silvia territory. Fred Dibnah would have been proud to own one of these 8) Built out of Brass, stainless steel, nuts & bolts etc.
Espresso to die for & endless dry steam for frothing milk. You know it makes sense 😀
Yum..
Gaggia Classic here.
You can pick up a second hand one for less than £150, they're dead simple to fix if they go wrong, and you'll have enough left over for a good grinder (far more important than the machine in all honesty)
As an aside - where do you all buy your beans from?
Just started getting them mail order from Deep Mills in Suffolk. So far, pretty damn good.
Just got s Dualit Esspresivo, seems to make coffee quite well and not too expensive.
Thinking about getting a grinder now.
this is a great bit of kit, [url= http://www.lecafeshop.co.uk/coffee-makers/products/the-presso/ ]Le Presso[/url]. i love mine 🙂
FRANCIS FRANCIS X1 for £320
http://www.laskys.com/kitchen_and_home/small_appliances/coffee_makers/francis_francis_x1_almond.html?cm_mmc=Froogle-_-Feed-_-Coffee_Makers-_-299944&_%24ja=tsid:5824%7Ccc:%7Cprd:299944%7Ccat:Kitchen+And+Home+%2F+Small+Appliances+%2F+Coffee+Makers+%2F+
BUGATTI DIVA for £420
http://www.yourhomegarden.co.uk/details.php?q=B002BA51D8
personally i own a DUALIT ESPRESSIVO 😉
Yes I got mine from Coffee Italia. Excellent servie. Sent by UPS and I was able to track it all the way.
Machine came with 4 cups and saucers, 6 packs of Segafredo(sp) coffee and some descaler.
[url= http://www.coffeeitalia.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=H-P ]La Pavoni Professional[/url]
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My stepdad has one of these, and there is a similar model available for less than £300. The coffee it made was by some margin the finest I've ever had, though I didn't have the chance to bring any beans back with me to use on my Gaggia Classic. He is mates with a coffee importer, though I reckon the beans I get are also pretty good.
I'll take a look at Deep Mills. I live a mile away from HasBean, but they don't sell from the door.
So how come my Gaggia classi. Is borked?? Will do froth but not the coffee. Been to the menders (not Gaggia)twice each time ok for two cups then nothing coming through again. Any ideas?
I live a mile away from HasBean, but they don't sell from the door.
It's worth placing an order. Excellent very fresh coffee.
I assume you've emailed them to ask if you can pick up?
rhys, we used to get that when the wife left the spent coffee in the holder. Do you remove the coffee grinds once you have made a coffee. The little hole blocks!
Thanks, no water comes through even without the coffee holder being in place
Yes Rhys. unscrew the shower screen, 2 allen bolts then remove the circular block and youll find tha cavity is full of solid coffeee grounds. scrape it all off the block, use a cocktail stick to unblock the hole in the boiler feed and youre back in business.
apologies fr spelling but just bac from pub
'The one I own ' answer in stw shocker
Rancilio Sylvia (new model) is very nice but I already got a Gaggia Classic. These two are very good but if you got the cash why not try Rancilio Sylvia (new model). My Gaggia Classic has a Rancilio Sylvia steam wand by the way ... a mod. 😳
NZCol - MemberIve got a Rocket Espresso machine
It's awesome.
That's nice but far more expensive.
Good point, well made. Can't scrimp on decent coffee though.
@NZ... That's another single boiler machine int it Col? Nice machine 🙂
When my Sylvia gives up the ghost, I'll be after a dual boiler machine. It's a PIA waiting for steam to froth milk after extracting the espresso... More of a bigger deal if making a 'round' for nasty visitors...
More of a bigger deal if making a 'round' for nasty visitors...
Agreed - I don't find it a problem for a single cup (make the espresso, switch to milk frothing setting, pour milk into jug and various fettling, unit up to heat). Can *just about* get away with making two cups this way but I normally find the extra coffee in the hopper means it extracts too slowly and screws up my routine.
Get a proper coffee maker and not one of these poncey Sunday Times coffee makers. Try making your espresso on the trail with one of those, suckers. 😉
With the money you save, you'll be able to buy decent coffee too.
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He he, are all coffee fans a bit anal?
With the Sylvia, I switch the steam heat on before loading the portafilter. As I finish extraction, the boiler is almost at steam heat but not enough to 'blow' the espresso everywhere... It's all in the timing and a real PIA if you have half a dozen lates/cappas to do. My visitors only get instant 🙂 (not really).
I've got one of those mocha pots and the output is as near to real espresso as Nescafe.... (IMO of course). BTW, Sylvias are for 'real' coffee fans, you'll not see them in the back of the Sunday supplements...