Hi all, I always liked coffee but for the last year or so I've actually started looking into the brewing side of things. I've experimented with some good home brewers. My favorite so far is the Aeropress.
Anyway, I think I'm ready to get my first espresso machine. I'm a student, so kinda tight on budget. Around $500 is what I can spend on it right now. Can the more experienced people give me some suggestions? I'm happy to get a second hand machine if that's a reliable option.
Or should I just wait a few more months and save more money? Please let me know what you think. Thanks.
Does your existing grinder do espresso? if not you may need to also factor that in.
Another factor is whether you're okay with a manual machine that can't froth milk. (E.g., Flair, Uniterra Nomad, Wacaco Picopresso, Cafelat Robot). If you're just doing straight espresso or you don't mind picking up a separate milk frothing device like a nonfoamer, this can save you quite a bit over a machine with a boiler and pump. However, the workflow will probably be more fuss.
For a full machine sub $500 I think a lot of folks go for something like the Breville Bambino or the Gaggia Classic. Some modding may be required for best results on the Classic.
(My espresso setup is an 1zpresso J-Max and Uniterra Nomad)
I currently have a Timemore C3. It can do espresso, but I'll probably need to buy something else later.
I don't mind having a separate frother. Honestly, I'd prefer it, since it gives me more modularity and I can just upgrade one part later if I need to. But I don't really like the idea of a manual machine.
Breville machines, anywhere you would buy a home appliance, probably, they're a pretty ubiquitous kitchen machine brand. Something like a Gaggia Classic you'd probably be looking at a distributor that handles them; there are several, but I don't know if any are better than the others.
You can definitely also find such machines used, lots of entry level espresso machines are given as gifts to folks who later decide they don't really want to fuss around with them.
I'm interested to see others opinions on this, but from my own experience I'd recommend saving up just a little more to grab one of the Brevelle Baristas.
I absolutely love my Flair even more than a more expensive machines because you can totally geek out on different pressure profiles. But, I was describing it to a friend and he thought it was way more trouble than it’s worth. He wanted something more convenient.
I have the Breville Bambino as my first one. Got it late last year, and it's been great. I have to tamp the coffee myself, which I actually enjoy and I learned to steam milk properly with the wand.
It took some time to dial everything in properly, but I can make some excellent espresso with that I have.
Absolutely love my Flair too, but I agree, it's one of the least practical ways of making espresso. Dialed in, it's capable of producing incredible shots tho.
Totally. I’ve kind of gotten into a groove with it, but other people think I’m a little nuts. It’s fun and you can dial it in, but there’s a decent learning curve to get there. Most of my friends see it and are fascinated by it, and then are like, “nah, I would never do that.” 😂