What Espresso Machine?

I have my seaco for 15 years now. Me and the wife at least a cup each a day. Do the math. Honestly get a proper machine. No plunger, no Moka pot. I ground some fresh coffee and put it in my plunger, moka pot and saeco to compare. the plunger was the worst. moka pot close second. the saecoi machine won by many miles. no substitute for proper water temp, pressure etc etc
 
Roxi_B4b3 said:
Can't ever go wrong with Delonghi! I have the Delonghi Ecam 23.450 and I'm super happy with it.

Check this out - it fits perfectly into your budget. You will pay roughly double that price for a super automatic bean to cup type machine

Edit: As Roelie stated above, I passed on my machine to him. Am I not just the perfect daughter :whistle:
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I have a similar machine - nice machines. I had a magnifica before that and when it started giving me the problems they gave me the option of having it repaired or getting a brand new machine for R1000. I took the new machine.
 
AvatarS said:
Why not buy a machine that does good espresso and with a decent steam wand, and also get a good coffee grinder and (if you want a separate one) a tamper?
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That's my second option. I haven't heard any really bad feedback on the Breville besides the steam wand being a little underpowered, but I do like the fact that it's all in one. I will definately investigate a single cup espresso machine and all the accessories and price them to compare.
 
Lets bump this for a good cause...

Our old DeLongi made it's last cup of coffee on Friday. :(

Time for a new coffee maker :D

It must be able to make normal coffee (percolator style) and espresso. Now I am not a connoisseur, but I would like to get something decent and have some flexibility. I like my coffee strong, but wifey not - she wants it juuuuuust right. It (the coffee machine) must take whole beans and grind to taste and we would like it to have a timer feature to start grinding and making coffee at a set time in the morning. I don't know much about these things - all I know Saeco is way out of my league ...

What can you recommend? My budget sits at R5k - R6k
 
So just a general question here folks? Do you guys enjoy coffee out of these machines over the instant stuff?

What about costs? On average, will instant coffee be cheaper?

Just wondering. :)
 
ph4t3 said:
So just a general question here folks? Do you guys enjoy coffee out of these machines over the instant stuff?

What about costs? On average, will instant coffee be cheaper?

Just wondering. :)
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Instant coffee?!?! heathen!
It all depends, if you are happy with a decent instant like douwe egberts etc then that is fine.
I love coffee so instant doesnt really do it for me. Mocha pot or my old saeco manual espresso machine are more up my alley.
 
I don't want to derail, but I have a quick question RE espresso coffee (I too am looking for a machine):

My budget doesn't allow for a 2k+ machine, and I'm a little over filter coffee, so I've been looking at a Moka Pot. I tried one out (but used decaf filter coffee :sick: ) and needless to say, the taste wasn't what I was looking for. If I used proper espresso coffee (or ground my beans), would I get a taste similar to that of cappuccino (assuming I was using the espresso to make cappuccino ;) )?
 
OGroteKoning said:
Lets bump this for a good cause...

Our old DeLongi made it's last cup of coffee on Friday. :(

Time for a new coffee maker :D

It must be able to make normal coffee (percolator style) and espresso. Now I am not a connoisseur, but I would like to get something decent and have some flexibility. I like my coffee strong, but wifey not - she wants it juuuuuust right. It (the coffee machine) must take whole beans and grind to taste and we would like it to have a timer feature to start grinding and making coffee at a set time in the morning. I don't know much about these things - all I know Saeco is way out of my league ...

What can you recommend? My budget sits at R5k - R6k
Click to expand...

the one I have ticks all the boxes - http://www.dionwired.co.za/applianc.../delonghi-fully-automatic-coffee-machine.html
 
luxe said:
Again, just to be clear - I WANT a manual machine. A super automatic is not what I am after. I WANT to control the tamper, grain crush, pressure and milk froth :)
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Kudos for choosing semi-auto. You'll have more fun, be cleaner and have better coffee than a full auto would have you.

The breville linked a page back has excellent reviews. I have a buddy who meausured it and came back with a solid 9 bar. That is far beyond expectations for a home espresso.

It is a single boiler so adjust your technique accordingly but overall it's definite bang for buck.

Personally I'd chuck that R5k in the bank and hold our for a proper machine but that's just me. I see these intermediary options as simply taking a chunk out of the 'big boy' option and choose to hold out rather than get instant gratification.

Breville is tops in your price range though.
 
OGroteKoning said:
Lets bump this for a good cause...

Our old DeLongi made it's last cup of coffee on Friday. :(

Time for a new coffee maker :D

It must be able to make normal coffee (percolator style) and espresso. Now I am not a connoisseur, but I would like to get something decent and have some flexibility. I like my coffee strong, but wifey not - she wants it juuuuuust right. It (the coffee machine) must take whole beans and grind to taste and we would like it to have a timer feature to start grinding and making coffee at a set time in the morning. I don't know much about these things - all I know Saeco is way out of my league ...

What can you recommend? My budget sits at R5k - R6k
Click to expand...

By percolator style do you mean you want to achieve this by making an expresso and then add more hot water to it? A la a Caffè Americano?
 
ph4t3 said:
So just a general question here folks? Do you guys enjoy coffee out of these machines over the instant stuff?

What about costs? On average, will instant coffee be cheaper?

Just wondering. :)
Click to expand...

No idea...I can't stomach instant coffee.
 
Sysem said:
I don't want to derail, but I have a quick question RE espresso coffee (I too am looking for a machine):

My budget doesn't allow for a 2k+ machine, and I'm a little over filter coffee, so I've been looking at a Moka Pot. I tried one out (but used decaf filter coffee :sick: ) and needless to say, the taste wasn't what I was looking for. If I used proper espresso coffee (or ground my beans), would I get a taste similar to that of cappuccino (assuming I was using the espresso to make cappuccino ;) )?
Click to expand...

Moka Pot makes delicious coffee if you grind your own beans.
We use it when we go "camping".
 
satanboy said:
Moka Pot makes delicious coffee if you grind your own beans.
We use it when we go "camping".
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An Aeropress also works extremely well. I'll be packing one next time we go camping. :)
 
OGroteKoning said:
I saw that from an earlier post of yours ... It looks/sounds great. Now to get wifey to give more money :whistle:
How long have you had yours? How often do you use it?
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I bought this machine about 18 months ago. Loved it to bits. It makes at least 2 cups of coffee a day, and still going strong. I had to move out of my parents house, and my dad couldn't live without the coffee machine. So I decided to donate that one to them, and now I have the one mentioned earlier. Only difference really is that the new one has the milk jug to make automatic cappuccino, where as the older one you have to froth your milk manually. I've had the new one about 6 months and use it everyday
 
Roxi_B4b3 said:
I bought this machine about 18 months ago. Loved it to bits. It makes at least 2 cups of coffee a day, and still going strong. I had to move out of my parents house, and my dad couldn't live without the coffee machine. So I decided to donate that one to them, and now I have the one mentioned earlier. Only difference really is that the new one has the milk jug to make automatic cappuccino, where as the older one you have to froth your milk manually. I've had the new one about 6 months and use it everyday
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Thanks ... I got one last Friday ... awesome!

Now to start a thread on coffee :D

EDIT: Coffee thread here
 
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