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Recomend me a Espresso maker
tech_hunter
MoreSeattleRegistered User regular
MoreSeattleRegistered User regular
I would like to get my girlfriend a nice espresso maker for christmas.
I have found a few online but I am a little hesitant on relying on customer reviews for some of these.
I am looking for a machine comparable to this Gaggia 102534 Espresso-Color Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine, Red I don't want a machine that uses those proprietary pod things and if anyone know anything about this particular machine or knows of one better let me know. I am wanting to stay in the $250 to $300 range
I have found a few online but I am a little hesitant on relying on customer reviews for some of these.
I am looking for a machine comparable to this Gaggia 102534 Espresso-Color Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine, Red I don't want a machine that uses those proprietary pod things and if anyone know anything about this particular machine or knows of one better let me know. I am wanting to stay in the $250 to $300 range
Sig to mucho Grande!
tech_hunter on
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I wouldn't rely on customer reviews at all, honestly - there are a number of coffee or espresso-centric forums that have in-depth reviews which would be far more reliable. My first advice would be to find a decent and appropriate burr grinder (Baratza Vario is one of the more popular low-end models at the moment, though the Virtuoso Preciso was recently announced, and might turn out to be a viable option at a lower price point) - plenty of people end up starting off with a decent hand-grinder as well though, which is certainly far cheaper. Really, in my experience, the grinder makes all the difference, and there's no point in sinking hundreds (or thousands) of dollars into a machine if you don't have an adequate grinder.
Machine-wise, I don't really know much about the Gaggia Espresso. The Gaggia Classic is fairly popular as an entry-level machine, comparable to the ever-popular Rancilio Silvia, etc. but it runs at $399 currently.
Anyway, what does she like to drink? Are you going to be drinking straight shots, or mostly milk drinks? Serving more than 1 or 2 at a time? What is your grinder situation anyway? In the end, considering your budget you may want to look at used/refurbished machines, as you can (generally speaking) get more for your buck. Also, there are a variety of other necessaries that you should probably keep in mind. Some may come with the machine (tamper, portafilter, etc.), but you're virtually guaranteed to end up spending more than you planned.
Always enjoyed these, coffee is very drinkable. I like the automatic ones, self grinding etc.
That's about all I can say, considering the espresso machine I purchased for my girlfriend last year is one of the exact models he says to avoid... so...
learn from my mistakes?
PS: I suggest watching the whole episode (as well as the general "Coffee" episode of the show), but the machine relevant part is 5:45 and on