Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

[daoskillz]

Also i love a coffee with excellent crema and not a strong taste. I have noticed in manual coffee machine you have to fill the filter basket to the top for optium crema.
THanks

[TC]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

Site sponsor 9Bar Espresso Services has been appointed a Jura dealer and Craig is actually setting up machines to deliver at their optimum- rather than selling boxes Hardly Normal style...

Worth a call if it has to be a superauto

2mcm

[WSullivan]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

Site sponsor Go Barista also sells jura, not sure of your location, he is located in Ashmore on the Gold Coast.



Edit; Just checked your last 5 posts, seems your in sydney?

[daoskillz]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

Wow thanks guys but you havent really answered my question. Are automatic coffee machines better than manual for beginneers in producing the best shots

[WSullivan]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

No

[haiironezumi]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

Wow thanks guys but you havent really answered my question. Are automatic coffee machines better than manual for beginneers in producing the best shots

At the *very* beginning, maybe. Beyond that, even a small amount of effort on the part of the user will yield a great result, while an automatic machine will never change.

The coffee will be "consistent" in that it will produce a decent coffee with little to no effort, but never a great coffee. You also face much larger service and repair costs since everything is internal.

The other problem caused by autos is that the beans are unavoidably warmed by the machine internals. This change in temperature results in the oils in the beans seeping out, causing the coffee to come out tasting flat.

[Yelta]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

Wow thanks guys but you havent really answered my question. Are automatic coffee machines better than manual for beginneers in producing the best shots

I think it depends on just how serious you are about good coffee, if your prepared to learn and improve then buy a manual/semi auto, if you simply want a reasonable cup of coffee without much fuss then perhaps an auto is the answer, I have heard others comment that maintenance on autos is pretty high, guess its the old story, bit of a balancing act.
In my opinion your best course of action would be to visit a sponsor and discuss your personal requirements.

[Thundergod]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

Wow thanks guys but you havent really answered my question. Are automatic coffee machines better than manual for beginneers in producing the best shots

It depends on what you mean by "better".
But if you want to produce the "best shots" then the answer is "No".

Dont sell yourself short as a "beginner".
We all started somewhere.
Its not that hard!

[doug81]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

watch some naked portafilter extractions on youtube. if you get excited by it, auto machines are not for you...

the reason auto machines are sometimes considered better is people who couldnt be bothered making a coffee but want one at home. they are consistenly sub par, but they are generally consistent so your tastebuds can adapt. It beats instant and pre-ground stale coffee, but they are bottom of the rung with respect to freshly made coffee. Oh, and these are generalisations. Im sure you can modify an auto to be pretty damn good. But if you are modifying it then you might as well make the coffee yourself.

[jkarlis]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

I have noticed in manual coffee machine you have to fill the filter basket to the top for optium crema.

Yes thats correct and you should always fill the basket completely. If you want a weaker coffee do not partially fill the basket, its not how it works.

To make a weaker coffee your options are:

1. Stop the pour earlier so this is less coffee in the cup
2. Find a lighter style roasted bean that suits your taste
3. Dilute further with milk/hot water

As to the original question, as TG mentioned, its really not that hard to use a manual machine. It certainly does take a bit more effort that simply pushing a button, but most of us on this site feel its worth putting in a little extra effort for a better result.

It really depends on just how much you love coffee and if youre the type of person who tends to get a little obsessed, as most of us here do.

[Cooper69S]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

To make a weaker coffee your options are:

3. Dilute further with milk/hot water

thats the option Id recommend - easy - just use bigger cups.  I have a few different sizes that I use depending on the preferences of my guests... 90ml (piccolo), 200ml, 250ml, 300ml 400ml (yes apparently some people enjoy a single shot cappa/flat white in a 400ml jug)

as to the original question I agree with the responses above...
super-automatic - easy ok coffee, potentially high maintenance costs
manual/semi-auto - potentially excellent coffee with a little bit more effort

[GregWormald]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

if youre the type of person who tends to get a little obsessed, as most of us here do.

HEY! I resemble that remark! ;D

Greg

[Yelta]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

if youre the type of person who tends to get a little obsessed, as most of us here do.

HEY! I resemble that remark! ;D

Greg

Obsession is a state of mind are you on leave Greg?

[GregWormald]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

are you on leave Greg?

Yup--no work until Monday.

Greg

[Yelta]

Re: Automatic vs Manual Coffee Machine for Beginners

are you on leave Greg?  

Yup--no work until Monday.

Greg

Enjoying yer break?

Jon.