Breville USA

This is the tamper I am talking about. It makes the stock tamper that comes with the Breville seem like a kids toy, it is robust and very nice to use

https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/espro-calibrated-tamper?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgMD-rpKC3wIVjlqGCh0khwauEAAYAiAAEgIoB_D_BwE

Clipdat wrote: »

I freaking love espresso! I've had some shots made by expert baristas at local cafes, and it's been an incredible experience.

Sometimes I have to immediately get back in line and have them make me another, they're that good.

Espresso as is, without milk or sugar, is coffee in it's purest form in my opinion.

For me, an espresso with a twist of lemon is the best. Nothing better after a great meal.

joecoulson wrote: »

Clipdat wrote: »

I freaking love espresso! I've had some shots made by expert baristas at local cafes, and it's been an incredible experience.

Sometimes I have to immediately get back in line and have them make me another, they're that good.

Espresso as is, without milk or sugar, is coffee in it's purest form in my opinion.

For me, an espresso with a twist of lemon is the best. Nothing better after a great meal.

That's how my wife drinks it, with a twist of lemon.

Here's the jist as I see it anyway. A manual machine will probably give you the best quality shot, period. However, to extract that from a manual machine takes some skill as there is many variables that go into making a quality shot. There is a learning curve, and not everyone is up to it.

If your the only espresso drinker in the house, that might work for you. If you have more, and guests who also enjoy it, your strapped to the machine making everyone coffee, and then the refills when they want more because your the only one skilled enough to make it.

If you have multiple drinkers, and entertain often, a fully automatic one touch machine is probably more up your alley. That way anyone can just press a button and get espresso, or other milk foamed drinks whenever they want without you having to look over their shoulder or do it yourself.

Pick your poison to accommodate your lifestyle. Each has it's pro's and cons.

Thanks, Tony. That’s good advice. I’m leaning to the semiautomatic machines because we don’t entertain often and there are few coffee drinkers. I’m retired and have time to climb the learning curve. I still check out Jura machines on CL, though.

In doing research, I’ve concluded that my grinder, a Bararza Virtuoso, is probably marginal for espresso because the adjustments are too coarse to dial in the grind. I followed up on an ad for a Baratza Vario, almost new and with both steel and ceramic burrs. It sounds like I lost the sale, but the seller works at Clive Coffee, a local seller of espresso machines and grinders. His advice was that I might be better off to not consider the heat exchanger machines and look at a small double boiler, the Profitec Pro 300. Not in the budget! However, I found a used Expobar Brewtus II on CL not too far from me for $800. It could be around 12 years old, but looks to be well taken care of. Anyone aware of problems with this machine?

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Not sure I would get my money's worth out of this...

https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/wine-products/bwd600.html

Yes the most decanting mine usually gets is while it’s going glug glug glug into the glass...

maxward wrote: »

...I found a used Expobar Brewtus II on CL not too far from me for $800. It could be around 12 years old, but looks to be well taken care of. Anyone aware of problems with this machine?

To your question...I don't know about that specific model but I'd be cautious of a 12 year old machine. Boiler and internal parts are key. Calcification would be my concern. I always use filtered water in my machines. Have repaired many over the years and prior to filtering/regular de calcifying could see what calcium/minerals do to the internals. Parts are usually expensive on these machines.

I started my "better" coffee journey w/a Jura F7, loved it, and started roasting my own beans because I couldn't find a good fresh source when I lived in northern TX. I dabbled in home brewing years before and found roasting is MUCH easier but gives the same satisfaction trying different origin beans and roast profiles. There is a learning curve!

My roaster: Gene Cafe https://genecafeusa.com/
Purchase Beans from: https://www.sweetmarias.com/ (SM)

1 lb of beans from SM's averages $6-7. On par, and often cheaper, than many commercial roasts. I roast 1/2 lb approx every 5-7 days and it takes 15 minutes. Minimum 24 hrs of rest and it's goodness.

Outgrew my Jura and was on a quest for better (sound like this audio rabbit hole we're posting on?). Like w/Polk Audio, I look for $$$ vs. value and products that are priced below a higher performance level. Upped my game by roasting so decided it was worth the move to a full on espresso machine.

After much research I kept coming back to the La Speziale Vivaldi II:
https://www.chriscoffee.com/S1-Vivaldi-II-p/vivaldi-ii.htm

Purchased from Chris's coffee, the US importer, but also looked at Clive's. Paired it with a Fiorenzato F4E Nano grinder (Version 1):
https://www.chriscoffee.com/fiorenzato-f4e-nano-p/f4ev2.htm

Both, the Vivaldi and Nano, IMO...and many other folks, compete w/the bigger known (ie...more expensive) names.

Read a lot on pulling a perfect shot and you'll find the experts say it starts w/the grind. Spend the $$$ on a very good grinder and then follow w/a good machine. Pulling a shot is tough....but only takes practice.

My daily habit: 15 gram dose in a triple bottomless portafilter, 2 oz shot timed to 25-30 seconds (28 is the goal), added to 2 oz's of water for a very stiff Americano. Twice each morning. Took my wife a bit to get the hang of it and she drinks a 2 oz shot added to 6 oz's of H20. I don't do milk in my coffee but she does. I can't froth to save my life but she can nail a good cappuccino.

@tonyb is spot on w/his recommendation on superautomatic vs pulling shots and having guests. Also, lots of good advice above from the guys that do as I do.

Good beans (roast) + good grind + good machine + good skills = PERFECTION



p.s. My dad has a superautomatic and I got him into roasting with this Xmas present several years ago:
https://www.sweetmarias.com/fresh-roast-sr500.html

Great entry level roaster and will up anyone's coffee game even they you don't go big on a machine. Psst, don't tell my son....getting him the Fresh Roast for Xmas. Gifted him the Jura F5 as a hand me down 2 years ago. Roasting has been fun sharing with my dad and now my son.

LOL, Drew

Jay, looks like you are much more experienced at the whole thing than me, but I can agree 100% with what I do understand.

No to derail so much further, but back to Breville - their machines are very forgiving. For anyone getting into the next steps of coffee and find that brewing is missing something, they are a great gateway machine. I take Illy preground and can get almost 3/4" of crema or I use the grinder on Illy beans and get 1" both taste amazing

steaming and frothing milk took training from someone when I worked at a restaurant earlier in my life, people try and fail at that without a few tribal secrets. Again, the Breville I have makes great consistent steam to froth even 1 % milk

Never thought about roasting, but I think I have enough hobbies

I was very close to buying whichever Breville machine was available 2 or 3 years ago (can't remember model). I liked the tamping feature and was really concerned my wife wouldn't want 100% manual process. There were some reviews that questioned reliability. My former job was as an aircraft maintenance analyst and I did studies on parts/reliability, so I'm anal(ytical) when it comes to my own money. Discussed it with my wife and we both didn't mind the learning curve and becoming home schooled baristas. The rest is history. My original Jura was good...but the superautomatics don't compete in the same space as a dedicated machine. However, I believe the Breville's a good step in the right direction and most people would be happy with it.

Back to derailing...apologies to the OP. @maxward I almost purchased my La Spatziele from Clive. Ended up w/Chris's because they were East Coast and shipping was closer to Germany via USPS. I'm now in the Northwest and plan to stop by Clive's the next time in the Portland area. The Behmor was on my short list when I was roaster shopping. Seems to have a nice following. Co-owner of an 8 lb roaster?...wow!!! I have to admit...my roasts are never as consistent as I'd like...much to learn. Sweet Maria's has a new(er) website and I like the way they profile their beans. Example:



I enjoy beans that have body and berry/fruit/chocolate profiles. Was in San Antonio and a local roaster blew my mind w/my first Ethiopian Haraar. Had no idea coffee could have berry/fruit notes. Great guy that spent an afternoon w/me.

...end derail.

@Viking64 made you look, again, "TLDR" last year! LOL

wrong thread

I don’t have the brewer like that, but the espresso feeds fine into mine
Only when I used oily beans did it have issues. But oily beans usually suck

stangman67 wrote: »

My integrated espresso grinder has never had an issue. Here’s some government shutdown Wednesday espresso/latte action shots. Some straight espresso and a quick latte for the gf. My art skills are still improving obviously lol. The coffee is blue bottle Hayes Valley espresso fresh roasted yesterday! All done with the Breville BES870XL Barista Express

I'm on my way over!! that looks too good

CL has a listing for a Breville BES840XL, The Infuser, unused (a gift to someone who only drinks coffee). Can I assume that it should perform the same as the one with built-in grinder, the ...870...?