This week we discuss the Rocket Espresso machines, the new PID and the good amount of features you get for your price.
Watch on the Bean Talk YouTube Channel
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMR9qBJgCo8[/embedyt]Subscribe to this weekly podcast and listen on your favourite player. Search the iTunes, Spotify and Android stores for ‘Bartalks’
Hi Nick,
I have a question about upgrading from a Gaggia Classic Pro {GCP} ???
GCP has 9 bar spring – IMS nanotech screen – VST 18g basket.
I have had the Gaggia for 4 months and now i can pull repeatable shots and silky like paint milk, but
i have the “upgrade bug” to an E61 machine.
Should i wait and increase my knowledge of paint like milk with espresso or upgrade??
Thinking of Profitec 500 – ECM Mechanika VI Slim – Vibiemme Domobar Junior HX Digital.
Max price is around £1800ish, so what would you honestly recommend?
Please be brutally honest as i don’t mind criticism, i just want grat coffee.
Many thanks
Tony
Hi Tony, aaahhhh an opportunity to be ‘brutally honest’ I can’t resist it 🙂
Well the truth is, you’re an addict. Welcome to the club. You’ll keep spending money, until your wife threatens to divorce you, and even then…
If you want to be honest with yourself, ask ‘is it really better coffee that I want, or a new machine to tinker with?’ There’s no shame in feeling that way. What you don’t want to do is spend all that money and have buyers remorse.
The best way I’ve found to avoid buyers remorse is to have fewer, but nicer, things.
You don’t mention the grinder you use, and that along with the coffee and the water you use, will be the first things I’d look at. Then I’d upgrade the machine. Water is the easiest – I’m guessing you’re using some solution like third wave?
Don’t skimp on the grinder – save up and get something you’re really happy with. I’m delighted with the lagom P64, but maybe something like the Eureka Mignon Oro and equivelant are good choices. maybe you have a great grinder already?
I like the ECM, they’re built really well. I almost got to do a tour of their factory when I was on a coffee training course in Mannheim, Germany. Alas the schedule didn’t work out. But I did get to interact with a few of their machines and they were a joy to feel and look at.
Here’s another crazy option for you to consider – buy a second hand Sage/breville dual boiler. You can pick them up for under £1k, maybe $1k used but in excellent condition. There’s usually plenty to choose from. Consider you’ll probably sell it a year down the road to upgrade to something else, but you may only lose $250 if you keep it in good condition, and during that time you’ll learn a lot more about making good coffee. Use the money you save on upgrading the grinder – as per above.
I think whatever you upgrade to, it’s unlikely going to be your last upgrade, so if you think about it in that way, you can take a decision where maybe the grinder lasts you longer, you get good use out of a new machine with a DB and it buys you another year to do research on what you really want.
BUT, if you’re set on an E61 style machine, then the Mechanika VI slim is nice and so is the Puristika – this would be my choice. https://www.ecm.de/en/products/details/product/Product/Details/puristika-cream.html
Good luck and welcome to the asylum.
Hi Nick,
Wife can go before coffee!!!
Eureka mignon silenzio is first choice grinder that i have and yes i would like the Niche but
Mignon does the job and i am happy with it.
1zpresso JX is my other grinder.
Coffee is from Amazon, which probably is making you spit.
Redber coffee is another roaster that i am using now, red honey Peru blah blah blah. Too many words
but funky fresh coffee.
Being brutally honest i have the perfect face for radio!!!!
Something new to tinker with, not the new boyfriend, could be the bug.
I feel like i am cheating myself with coffee. Before the GCP i had a Delonghi EC685 from Ar Gos {like in the
advert he was Lithanian} which i was happy with for 2 years.
I am at the point where an E61 lever machine is the next option, OR Ransilly oh pro X.
All the drinks i make are milk based as thats how i roll.
I do enjoy the coffee experience with Gagg but i don’t want a laz mini or a Slayer.
Would be happy with the next upgrade, after watching your Lelit B vid i would consider that one as well.
Profitec 500 with flow control would keep me occupied with making coffee all day and night
as no 2 shots would be the same.
I think as you say it’s the bug……….. I wouldn’t regret buying a machine i just want to get a goodie and not always be
looking at the next one with speech control valve turns fron USS Enterprise!!!!!!!!!!!
It took me 3 months to upgrade to Gagg from Delong but i am happy with the learning curve it created.
My brother can verify some of the skunk meercat urine that i first tried to make with GCP.
It was awful!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did i want my money back???? Hell yes and i stopped watching the South African guy talk about
using the GCP. Went back to the basics as i tried running before i could crawl.
Got my puck prep together scales, timer and shot glass. 2 weeks and less meercat scent and i’m go to espresso!!
So ramble over wife gone boyfriend moved in the out do i upgrade?
VBM seem like a good choice but!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no long term reviews.
Canadian Kyle, The Real Sprometheus and your good self have good reviews on ECM, Lelit and Profitec.
I think that’s it for now.
Many thanks
Tony