Thread: Hi! Im new here. Go easy on me!

Package arrived this morning, many thanks for the fast delivery!

It seems this is the "first post" thread, so hello from Townsville to everyone.
I started my coffee making just over a year ago with an AeroPress and a Porlex hand grinder + a couple of not-so-great milk frothers (K Mart and Breville).
A few weeks ago I inherited my dad's Breville Smart Grinder and BES820 espresso machine, and started making espressos with much better milk. I fixed a leak on the BES820 and shortly afterwards, it went 'pop!'... As of yesterday, I now have the Sunbeam EM7000 - thanks partly to reading many pages of this site and reviews elsewhere as well.
So far so good, but plenty of practice and learning to go, I'm sure

Originally Posted by lindsayward

It seems this is the "first post" thread, so hello from Townsville to everyone.
I started my coffee making just over a year ago with an AeroPress and a Porlex hand grinder + a couple of not-so-great milk frothers (K Mart and Breville).
A few weeks ago I inherited my dad's Breville Smart Grinder and BES820 espresso machine, and started making espressos with much better milk. I fixed a leak on the BES820 and shortly afterwards, it went 'pop!'... As of yesterday, I now have the Sunbeam EM7000 - thanks partly to reading many pages of this site and reviews elsewhere as well.
So far so good, but plenty of practice and learning to go, I'm sure

Welcome lindsayward from another newbie.

Hi all,

Stumbled across this forum whilst researching for a budget home setup.

I am very new to the home barista experience, having a pod machine for the last 4 years. A friend runs a mobile coffee business and makes incredible espresso so it has been through many a tastings from his Silvia at home that my interest has peaked!

Ended up settling on a Gaggia Classic for my entry into this (seemingly more complex than I thought) world, would love a Rocky or M2M but can't get the coins together just yet so am tossing up on getting a BCG820 or just having my local roaster grind me some beans once a week until I can afford the better grinder.

Anyway, must say this forum is a wealth of knowledge and made selecting equipment fairly easy so - thank you to this excellent community!

Hey all, this is Michel from Malaysia. I'm new here. Great to see you all.

Originally Posted by solace

Hi all,

Stumbled across this forum whilst researching for a budget home setup.

I am very new to the home barista experience, having a pod machine for the last 4 years. A friend runs a mobile coffee business and makes incredible espresso so it has been through many a tastings from his Silvia at home that my interest has peaked!

Ended up settling on a Gaggia Classic for my entry into this (seemingly more complex than I thought) world, would love a Rocky or M2M but can't get the coins together just yet so am tossing up on getting a BCG820 or just having my local roaster grind me some beans once a week until I can afford the better grinder.

Anyway, must say this forum is a wealth of knowledge and made selecting equipment fairly easy so - thank you to this excellent community!

Welcome! The Breville is a much better choice than going for pre ground... The preground will be stale by the time you get it home... The Breville will go with your Gaggia classic nicely.

Welcome Michel...

Great to have you with us...
Don't be shy with posting, we all like to hear about everyone's coffee experiences...

Mal.

Hi from southern Illinois USA! I'm newly registered here though I've lurked off and on for years. I'm retired and golf and coffee are my main hobbies these days. For golf I play a version called 'slap a ball'! Other than being played on a golf course, the game doesn't look like anything you've seen on TV!

For coffee I've got all sorts of toys to play with. A few roasters with the Hottop B2k+ being the latest. Really like it as I learn a bit more about roasting. Previous models are a Gene Cafe, Behmor, and of course, my first one, the FreshRoast 8. While I do own a very nice HX in the Izzo Alex, she is about 10 years old and is down for a rebuild as some parts have decided they don't want to work anymore. I later added a Breville Infuser as a road trip machine and a 920XL. Both great machines in their own way.

But my go to espresso machine is my new Breville Oracle! Really like the simplicity, design and overall cleanliness of operation. The start with the Oracle didn't go so good though. First one wouldn't initialize, Breville said drain boilers, unplug for 60 minutes and all would be fine. Did that, but it wasn't fine! Still wouldn't initialize, so they replaced it. 2nd unit did the same thing and they were going to replace it too. But the next day after the 2nd trade was put in place, I remembered that I had to twiddle a bit with the 920XL too. Air lock in the boiler was the issue IMO. So I opened up the boiler drains on the Oracle, powered it up and waited for a little water to drain out. Once that started, I closed the drain cocks and things went smoothly. Now I'm one happy camper!

I've got a collection of grinders from over the years. Super Jolly, Ascaso i2, Baratza Vario and Breville Smart Grinder Pro. Since I've gotten the Oracle all of those are just sitting there.

I'm pleased to be here especially since you have a really good thread on the various Breville products!

Originally Posted by lparsons21

Hi from southern Illinois USA! I'm newly registered here though I've lurked off and on for years...............

Welcome lparsons from another newbie.

I see it's getting fairly cool/cold in southern Illinois now.

Originally Posted by LFM60

Welcome lparsons from another newbie.

I see it's getting fairly cool/cold in southern Illinois now.

Yes, it is cooling off a bit though not too bad. This morning it was about 28 but that's the first cold morning in a while. We've been hitting nearly 70 most afternoons up until now. The forecast is for lows in the 30s to highs in the 50s. All fahrenheit of course.

Hi guys,

Quick intro from me:
(After lurking for about 6+ years - Yes, you read that right!)

Hey guys!!!
So I've been in the coffee industry for more than 6 years now.
In a past life I owned a cafe which became a consecutive 'Cup Award' winner in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Café Guide; amongst many other achievements.

Afterwards, I became a mercenary offering my skills and years of experience to help fellow business owners achieve their goals.

Now I'm a full-time coffee geek specialising in prosumer and semi-commercial gear, and my passion is to help people become successful home baristas.

With plenty of time on my hands now - finally - I'm in a position to contribute to this community; to share knowledge and learn from a collective that's as passionate as I am

Cheers,

Hi Guys,

I've been lurking around since 2012 but finally decided to make my first post

In my younger days I worked in hospitality and since then I have had to inject daily doses of caffeine to continue with daily functions.
Nothing beats a good coffee to start the day! Maybe one more to cap it off at night?

My coffee journey was accompanied by:
- 800ES with a blade grinder (ew!), which broke and so I purchased a sunbeam EM0450
- Nespresso machine my sister purchased for a coffee on the go
- Breville dual boiler with smart grinder
- Expobar Minore III with Compak K3 Touch, recently ugpraded to a M4D from a fellow snob

Hoping to convince the boss (wife) to allocate funds towards a roaster so I can start experimenting at home (Christmas present for myself perhaps?).
Looking forward to speaking with you guys.

Kevin

Great to hear from you Kev'...

Let us know when you get your roaster and what type.
Plenty of us love helping out...

Mal.

hey guys. i've been doing the specialty coffee thing for a few months now. i mostly do pourover with a v60-01, or short blacks with an aeropress. i have two grinders - macap m2m for espresso grind, and lido 3 for anything coarser. this forum's been really helpful in making my decisions, so i thought i'd join up and contribute. cheers!

Hi folks, have just spotted this thread - new here, but have been helped already with new grinder advice and handling the new machine generally. Great forum!

Hoping to get trading access soon to sell the Little Guy with induction top - how do I get that? Need to see to justify the new machine I have!

Welcome gde...

Have a read through this mate... Site sales and posting policy (the rules)
Located right at the top of the 4-Sale section...

Mal.

Hi All,

Has been lurking around on the forum for a while.

Recently I got my hands on a second hand Isomac Millenium and an Anfirm KS grinder.

Very itchy hand but still haven't got a chance to start them yet although I have been (trying to) reading and watching about how to make an espresso shot

Never had really pull a shot myself so really looking forward to the experience and a steep learning curve.

Cheers
T

Hi All

Im Kris and im from adelaide SA. Long time lurker, first time poster. Be gentle

Ive only really ever drunk milk based espresso coffees from cafes and at work. At home i have a basic v60 kit i got for a present a few years ago and I have recently purchased a Lido ET that i'm experimenting with. i dont mind the v60's, they can be quite nice but not quite as much as i like a good espresso.

Now im looking into espresso machine for home. i dont have a lot of bench space so im thinking im going to go for a smaller lever machine like a la pavoni. It will be a bit of a steep learning curve but im a pretty technical person and enjoy a challenge.

Thanks fo reading

Kris.

Welcome Kris...

You're certainly in the right place for opinions on prospective equipment purchases and coffee to go with them.
One of the best things you can do though, if possible, is to strike up a relationship with one or more CS Site Sponsors and let them know you are a CoffeeSnob Member. Best way to get the best advice to suit your circumstances...

Mal.

Hi,
I'm new here but troll away (I can take the heat). My job here is to sell my current machine and get some advice from the brains trust about upgrading!
Ben

Originally Posted by K_Bean_Coffee

Welcome. I'm also a Tapatalk addict. It almost makes it too easy to post. I need to hold myself back

I can almost hear the collective cackling in the background!! I had a laugh!

Hi Coffeesnobs,

I have been stalking the forums for awhile now, so i thought i should finally make an account.
My coffee journey began when i started to take my cycling more seriously. I enjoyed a pre ride brew; however, there weren't any cafe's open at 5am in the morning. Hmm, this was a dilemma. Like many others, i started with an Aeropress and Porlex hand grinder. I decided to do a barista training course a month later to understand more about this liquid gold. The following week i ordered a Rocket Giotto V3 and a Mazzer Mini E, i was hooked. The Rocket and Mazzer have made it easier to get out of bed on those cold early mornings and give me something to look forward to on the way back home, a sound investment!

I look forward to learning more about coffee and contributing to the best coffee forum in Aus.

Hey hey coffeesnobs,

Same as the others, long time lurker first time poster. Thought I'd introduce myself and say thanks for all the awesome info, techniques and advice you all give on this site.. has helped a complete novice like myself turn from an instant coffee drinker to an obsessed coffee nut!!!

My current setup involves a Breville bep920 with a compak k3 advanced grinder, and am thinking of adding a lever machine (most likely a la Pavoni) to my setup soonish.

I've checked out some of the CS sponsors websites and I'll definitely be paying them a visit when the time is right!!

Thanks again!

Jack J.

Welcome guys...

Look forward to hearing more about your coffee journeys...

Mal.

Hey guys, love this spot and always loving the forums around the place.

Just upgraded to a HX ECM T IV Profi Rotary from a trusty Isomac SB thanks to all these forums and reviews. Was originally at a Rocket but thanks to some brilliant reviews I found that I could get just a little bit more for my buck and had a few features that were great for me.

Massive learning curve for me again and with a 14 month old baby who doesn't like sleep I struggle to find the time to nail the perfect Long Mac but I'm getting there and absolutely love the machine.

Shout out to the guys at Jetblack Espresso too for making the purchase easy.

Next up to sell the Isomac Zaffiro (if the forum gods unlock me ) and hopefully get a new grinder past the minister of finance.

Cheers

Dave

Originally Posted by Djmc

Next up to sell the Isomac Zaffiro (if the forum gods unlock me ) and hopefully get a new grinder past the minister of finance.

Cheers

Dave

Welcome, that explains your posting style over the last 24 hours.

On the grinder front. Choose one you like and print out a raffle ticket with it as a prize, use photoshop, paint, powerpoint, whatever you can use. MICE has just been so theres an opportunity there. Put ticket on fridge.

Wait a week then "win" it in the raffle.

Hello from another recent lurker. I thought I would come out and introduce myself.

I've been relying on a Moka Pot and Hario Skerton hand grinder for my morning coffee (which I take with milk) for a few years now and lately decided to get an espresso machine after being frustrated one too many times with the electric stovetop in the new apartment. Also my hand grinder did not come with a lid so it made a mess of the bench top every morning.

I must admit I did consider a Nespresso for the convenience factor but I couldn't go through with it in the end. Something to do with overpriced stale coffee and the amount of waste produced. So I turned to looking at small thermoblock machines like the Delonghi Dedica, got to reading reviews and was pretty satisfied with my choice. Now I like to think of myself as a thrifty sort of person so I went on Gumtree to have a look around for used machines and that's when I saw much more capable Brevilles and Sumbeams for about the same coin that I was ready to spend on the Dedica. So yeah, things escalated a bit and I ended up picking up a good condition Sunbeam EM7000, which was followed by a Breville Smart Grinder Pro shortly thereafter.

That was 2 weeks ago and I'm now at the point where I can make a morning cappuccino/latte/flat white (I'm not very consistent with the milk texturing) that I'm happy with for breakfast and an espresso that's in the ballpark but that I'm looking into fine-tuning going forward.

I'm now considering getting a naked PF to help with my technique. I've already learned a lot from browsing these forums and am hoping to keep that trend going!

Hi folks,

Another newbie from Perth here.
My coffee journey started hundreds of years ago, with "International Roast"...:s Thanks mum and dad. I still remember them buying a 'fancy' cappuccino machine and filling the portafilter with Moccona....
　
Proper coffee started with a blade(spice) grinder and a caffetiere. A huge improvement but I still had no idea what I was doing.. most of the time coffee was OK, but I'd get the occasional "ashtray filtered" coffee.
　
Google/youtube and coffeesnobs saved me from my own ignorance and showed me how to use the stovetop pot properly. Then I found myself with an EM0480 and an EM5900. What fun!! But it was too loud, too messy and too slow for anything more than 1-2 coffees.. with a newborn in the house who would wake at the sound of a mouse fart, that setup went to my BIL.. and it's still going strong!!
　
Since then I've been surviving on pods.. ok for a sugar-free hit of caffeine in the morning, but it's not coffee. So I've decided to reclaim some kitchen bench space and get a new setup. I was keen on a newish/used HX machine and used k3, but in a spousal compromise have agreed to a "shiny" new BES920/BGC820 setup. It should suit my espresso/long black needs and my wife's cappuccino/latte desires!

　
I've learned a lot from this forum already.. hopefully I can make some useful contributions too.

Originally Posted by Phase2

Hi folks,

Another newbie from Perth here.
My coffee journey started hundreds of years ago, with "International Roast"...:s Thanks mum and dad. I still remember them buying a 'fancy' cappuccino machine and filling the portafilter with Moccona....
　
Proper coffee started with a blade(spice) grinder and a caffetiere. A huge improvement but I still had no idea what I was doing.. most of the time coffee was OK, but I'd get the occasional "ashtray filtered" coffee.
　
Google/youtube and coffeesnobs saved me from my own ignorance and showed me how to use the stovetop pot properly. Then I found myself with an EM0480 and an EM5900. What fun!! But it was too loud, too messy and too slow for anything more than 1-2 coffees.. with a newborn in the house who would wake at the sound of a mouse fart, that setup went to my BIL.. and it's still going strong!!
　
Since then I've been surviving on pods.. ok for a sugar-free hit of caffeine in the morning, but it's not coffee. So I've decided to reclaim some kitchen bench space and get a new setup. I was keen on a newish/used HX machine and used k3, but in a spousal compromise have agreed to a "shiny" new BES920/BGC820 setup. It should suit my espresso/long black needs and my wife's cappuccino/latte desires!

　
I've learned a lot from this forum already.. hopefully I can make some useful contributions too.

Welcome aboard Phase2, may your new 'shiny' gear bring you much joy. Keep an eye out on the forum, Perth CS'ers have a get together to talk all things caffeinated and sample a few brews, show off new toys etc, a few times a year.
Enjoyyyyy
Trevor

Hello everyone,

Another Perth newbie..wow. Discovered this thread just now after receiving some helpful grinder advice from Magnafunk and Craigs60. This is my first foray into home coffee-making. I've a Breville Smart Grinder Pro (820SS) on order and looking to buy a machine to go with it. Keeping an eye on the Sale thread here. Looking forward to experimenting and sourcing good beans.

Was interested to hear that some of the WA members meet up occasionally, sounds fun.

Already very impressed with this forum and members.

See you around,

Elle

Welcome Elle...

Have fun and keep posting...

Mal.

Thanks Mal and Coffeenooby Just bought a 2nd hand Sunbeam EM6910 for $200. Once I've cleaned and de-scaled it, my 820SS grinder arrives and I get some beans I will be on my way. Can't wait. Keep staying up late reading through all these different threads. Soo much information on here..

To remove Graeme (Graham) or not..? These are the big questions keeping me awake

Welcome Elle! Great setup; I had an EM6910 for about eight years.

Definitely get rid of that crappy plastic insert - if it's had a bit of use there will be some nasty crud hiding under there so you'll need to give it a soak in some cafetto or similar.

Matt

Welcome aboard Elle, may your coffee journey be one of joy and discovery
cheers from a fellow Sandgroper
Trevor

Hi All,

My name is Nick from Victoria (Mornpen). I have been a long time lurker since 2014 and realized to my dismay that I am yet to crack out even one post, so here it goes.

I have been 'in detail' with everything Espresso since I purchased my first machine (Saeco) back in 2004'ish. Since then I have owned a Silvia/Rocky combo, then a Minore III and recently thanks very much to 'b' recently I upgraded to a beautiful ECM Synchronika v2 and matching Titan 64 grinder.

Prior to owning my first machine I was a 'boil the Kettle 20+ times a day' type of guy, who flip flopped between Gold blend and Moccona freeze dried coffee as the being the 'top shelf' of supermarket instants. As I discovered the art of Espresso, my kettle was banished to the cupboard and my intake of coffee reduced gradually over time from 20+ cups a day to half a dozen to where it currently sits at around 1-2 cups max per day. I guess this proves the old adage 'quality over quantity'.

Up until recently I was making pretty good coffee via 'muscle memory' off the Minore, not bothering to weigh or time or use a naked PF; just dosing by volume with pretty good results. Then the Minore had a pressurestat failure and had to go in for a service which lasted over three weeks mainly due to two recent long weekends back-to-back. This sent me into a spiral which I managed to pull out of but not without collateral damage it seems, I became inflicted with the 'upgrade bug' and thus my search was on for a new machine and grinder. And so, here I am back revisiting my technique and all things coffee science.

The new machine/grinder are things of beauty and produce a beautiful coffee experience. However, new toys bring new vigour in my hunt for perfect extractions and more importantly consistency in the cup. So 'howdy' all and I look forward to contributing soon.

Cheers,

Nick

Welcome, Nick! Nice kit 😎 👊

HI all,
New member but longtime coffee drinker. Just though I'd say HI
Few months ago got started with a simple pour over with "non supermarket" beans and yelled WTF have I been missing!!!
Result? looking for education, equipment and community.
Outcome? convincing myself to invest serious money into a machine and grinder to last me my life time.
Problem? Hell Yes, late nights studying, wallet starting to give me bad looks, anticipation is killing me.
Looking forward to talk to everyone here.

Welcome mate...

You've certainly come to the right place to help get you started with great advice.

Enjoy the journey...

Mal.

Thanks Guys
Appreciate the buyers guide also.
Generally when I purchase something I like to get a decent unit, never consider the esoteric top of the line stuff (due to diminishing returns)
You know how it goes. I'll get this, but I want this too, oh and that.. and this would be good too... and before you know it you looking at an item at the top of the pile.
So.... thinking about throwing money at the problem... and debating getting something along the line of Profitec Pro 700 & Profitec T64.
Now need to have the usual journey and debate from desire to decision and purchase I had a laugh, HAHHAHAAH

Welcome SmokeyCIGAR! Nice post, Don't convince just do...you will not regret as all here can attest.

Nick

I agree with you, when you look at a setup lasting you 10-20 years it doesn't average very much per year.
Also it's a hobby and education platform, which provides additional benefits on top of delicious coffee.
That being said, I do believe it's essential for you to do your homework, and analyze the correct equipment for the job.
It's always fun to go through the comparison and elimination process, culminating in the final choice.

I've long entertained the idea of doing my own coffees instead of always paying someone else to do it but, much like SmokeyCIGAR, had not justified it... yet. Well, my family have decided for me (looming birthday) so now I've been seriously researching to get something that'll work for me. So far, I've concluded that I'll be subsidising this gift a bit. I'm now leaning heavily toward the Profitec 500 and maybe the Quamar Q50. I guess I should try the quote tool but I've still got a couple of months to work on getting more confused... I mean educated.

Richard

Welcome Richard...

Where are you located mate?
You might be able to tee-up a short one-on-one session at one or more of our Site Sponsors. Good way to learn the basics and what it's all about.

Mal.

As above, go get some hands on action if you can, have a play and a chat. You are planning to start out with some nice gear, you will be making coffee that out trumps most cafes in no time!!

Cheers

Originally Posted by Dimal

Welcome Richard...

Where are you located mate?
You might be able to tee-up a short one-on-one session at one or more of our Site Sponsors. Good way to learn the basics and what it's all about.

Mal.

I'm in Brisbane and haven't had much success finding a sponsor up here. I have had a phone chat with Paul and with Charlie so far. In between enquiring about specific models I've watched YouTube videos and read heaps. Started out considering a SB Lelit then the Diana then the Mara and now the Pro500. From what I can see, I'll be getting my kit from interstate.

Hi again Richard....

There is at least one Site Sponsor probably not that far away from you plus a few highly reputable non-sponsors who used to be sponsors. The Site Sponsor is:

Di Bella Coffee - Brisbane* - Retail
82 Abbotsford Road
Bowen Hills Queensland 4006 Australia
Monday to Friday 7.30am to 5.00pm
Saturday: 8.00am to 3.00pm
Sunday: Closed
Email: enquiries@dibellacoffee.com.au

Mal.

Welcome Greenman, Elle and Nicksta, hope you guys have an awesome journey in these forums. There are a lot of helpful threads and most people are very constructive and friendly (Thanks Andy for setting up a fantastic culture in here!).

As one of the sponsors on here I can give you some great offers, just contact me and we can chat. The other sponsors on here are all great so feel free to browse our websites and you should find what you are after.

Here is my website

http://spicebean.com.au

Mike K

New to the forums and thought I'd say hi.

My coffee upgrade journey so far is: "Tim Hortons double-double" (google it) > Aeropress > Nespresso pod machine > Aeropress (didn't take long).

I've been looking around trying to decide on my next step. Living in Melbourne, I've become used to: "real" coffee, and small kitchens. Whatever I end up with will have to accommodate.

Hey Guys,

Awesome forum. Been a technician for over 8 years. Like to share technical knowledge
I am specialized in La Marzocco, Mazzer, Vittoria Arduino, ModBar

Ciao