Coffee: we drink it or we get angry.

I do it really strong in that case and finer grind. Cups are espresso sized

Less annoying than pulling an espresso for 10 people

 

I just looked at your location and saw that you are French. I get the espresso for 10 in view of that, here in the states we would make a pot of coffee
I've been to France for work, I like their tradition of ending lunch with an espresso shot.

About how much coffee do you use to make Espro espresso?

Randy

 

I use the upper limit of the recommendation for a full pot, which is about 75 grams. I've also been letting it brew a bit longer for a total of 9-12 minutes, stirring after 4 min. Grind is a little finer than what I would typically use for a Bodum.

 

Hey fellow coffee snobs.

I have a friend who wants to buy his wife an espresso machine for her birthday, which is something I have very little experience with.

He's looking in the $2-300 range, but will stretch up to $500 if there's something he just can't pass up.

What direction should I point him in?

Thanks!

 

It's definitely on the upper end of the budget, but the Breville Bambino (https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes500.html) is really hard to beat if you want to consistently pull good shots and easily froth milk without having to tweak or go off the deep end of coffee gear.

Since it's got a pressurized portafilter, they can use off the shelf ground coffee and won't need to buy an espresso grinder. If they decide to go off the deep end down the line, they sell nonpressurized or even naked portafilters with all the usual tamp accessories available in its size.

 

Rancilio Silvia used would probably be a good way to go. I think I paid somewhere about 400 or so but had to clean mine up a bit, then if you put a PED in it like the mecoffee circuit board it's a really great machine for low volume shots etc. Closer to the $500 budget but there wouldn't be need to upgrade for quite a while.

 

As it's a gift, I think he will definitely want to stick to new machines. Thanks!

Any good budget/value options?

 

I saw a youtube video using this Flair espresso press

https://www.flairespresso.com/

It looks like an aeropress with all metal parts. Researching espresso machines it seems like you are better off sticking to pour-over or a press pot until you get to the $500 level. However this press looks like it has a lot of potential with a ton of tweaking.

I should probably start with an aeropress first

 

Been meaning to reply for a while now.
My exact espro is no longer made, but its the same size as the travel version. So smallest one they make. Makes just enough for one person.

I tried using more coffee, the max recommended for my small guy, but not as long. Came out good, but I was too wired after drinking it. And to me, made a cup similar to the aeropress, at least that's what I thought at the time.

My latest experiments have been with cold brew. Bought a Primula Burke and made one pot so far.
I see the appeal. Easier on the stomach, but gives you the caffeine fix lol. And a smooth cup.

 

i should probably mention that I drink with a lot of cream so I prefer very strong coffee to not dilute it too much

 

I used to use milk, been drinking more black coffee lately.

@Skyline
So this maybe sexist, but wondering if gift for wife needs to be easy to use. Making a good cup of espresso can take some work with a manual machine.
I honestly didn't look very long, but this guy might work well
https://www.amazon.com/Breville-BES870XL-Barista-Express-Espresso/dp/B00CH9QWOU

Little over top budget, but the selling point is a built in grinder, so should be really easy to use.
And if you use good, fresh beans, it should make a decent shot.

 

Is Breville generally decent quality? Something like this may be more up his alley in terms of price. Available for $370 on Amazon.

He's already got a nice grinder so no need for a built-in unit.

https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes810.html

 

Breville is great quality. For most people I like to recommend the Bambino because it has a superb auto-froth function which uses a temp probe in the drip tray that works exceptionally consistently and reliably. The model I linked seems to be an updated model so there may be a few new units of the previous model available if you look.

Otherwise you really can't go wrong with Breville for the average coffee drinker. The Silvia is a good machine, but I would never buy one as a gift unless you know the person is a tweaker.

 

You may want to check the Gaggia Classic pro. It is 450$.

 

Posting what I just made my status here because it'll be useful information to others: I'm looking to buy a good electric coffee grinder, under the $150 mark. Grind consistency is what matters most to me. Any recommendations?

Additional information: I usually brew using a chemex, so medium-coarse grind is where I sit at.

I've heard good things about this one, but more input and experience is always welcome.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B07CSKGLMM/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_2?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1#

 

At that price, the Baratza Encore is going to be the near unanimous recommendation I think. Slightly over your budget, maybe, but their site sells refurbs all the time.

 

Also agree with Baratza rec. I have a Vario and a Virtuoso. Both have been great and the customer service is good. Currently see an Encore refurb available for 99.

 

I have a Baratza Vario too, its served me well for many years now.

On a slightly related subject, just bought a manual grinder, Kinu Phoenix.
Using for espresso. Just pulled a few shots so far, but its really nice. Takes about 30 secs to grind 16gr for a double.

So Vario is used for drip and cold brew and Kinu for espresso.