Espresso machine envy

[tempestv8]

Being quite smug with my "high end" Sunbeam EM6910 (OK, ok, you can stifle your laughter now), I was visiting a new friend and he has a beautiful house.

Hes not much of a coffee enthusiast at all, as he only has a coffee every 2-3 days. Definitely not what youd call a coffee snob. However he has a beautiful designer home and everything is super expensive.

Anyway, we wander into the kitchen, and lo and behold, amongst the top shelf Miele dishwasher, rangehood and oven, a La Cimbali Junior is peeking out of the cupboard.

I nearly dropped my jaw in drool!

And this guy doesnt even know much about making coffees, except that his wife buys all the kit in the house and she just researches well and buys only the best, even if they dont use it.

Ah well, I had a small twinge of espresso machine envy then! ;D

Has anyone else had this sort of experience?

[marcstolk]

Re: Espresso machine envy

awesome :-)

[grendel]

Re: Espresso machine envy

Yeah - Ive had the same - I also think my Faema and I are at the point where it cant take me any further. Its a great machine and when I didnt know as much as I do it was more than I can handle. More recently however I am wondering if I am reaching its limits. . .

[Corretto]

Re: Espresso machine envy

Anyway, we wander into the kitchen, and lo and behold, amongst the top shelf Miele dishwasher, rangehood and oven, a La Cimbali Junior is peeking out of the cupboard.
I nearly dropped my jaw in drool!
And this guy doesnt even know much about making coffees, except that his wife buys all the kit in the house and she just researches well and buys only the best, even if they dont use it.

I never have suffered that envy.

Did you offer to show them how to use the machine and achieve its full potential with the best beans, etc?


Belinda

[LindaD]

Re: Espresso machine envy

I have had people come to my house and look at my machine and say, "Uhm....what is that?" and when I tell them they reply "You mean it makes real coffee?, like espresso?".  

Another thing that makes me laugh is when I tell them I roast my own beans they say "What?...Like, in the oven roast?" When I was using my Popper they would look at me like I had gone mad.   "You cant roast beans in one of them!!"

-Linda

[Lovey]

Re: Espresso machine envy

Being quite smug with my "high end" Sunbeam EM6910 (OK, ok, you can stifle your laughter now), I was visiting a new friend and he has a beautiful house.

Hes not much of a coffee enthusiast at all, as he only has a coffee every 2-3 days.  Definitely not what youd call a coffee snob.  However he has a beautiful designer home and everything is super expensive.

Anyway, we wander into the kitchen, and lo and behold, amongst the top shelf Miele dishwasher, rangehood and oven, a La Cimbali Junior is peeking out of the cupboard.

I nearly dropped my jaw in drool!    

And this guy doesnt even know much about making coffees, except that his wife buys all the kit in the house and she just researches well and buys only the best, even if they dont use it.

Ah well, I had a small twinge of espresso machine envy then!   ;D

Has anyone else had this sort of experience?

Its normally in reverse when people come and see my set up  

Did you offer to show them how to use the machine and achieve its full potential with the best beans, etc?  
Belinda

He should make him an offer for it, as he obviously doesnt know its true worth  

I have had people come to my house and look at my machine and say, "Uhm....what is that?" and when I tell them they reply "You mean it makes real coffee?, like espresso?".  

Another thing that makes me laugh is when I tell them I roast my own beans they say "What?...Like, in the oven roast?" When I was using my Popper they would look at me like I had gone mad.   "You cant roast beans in one of them!!"

-Linda

Ive had the strange looks as well when I mention home roasting. I recently showed a couple of work mates my stash and I couldnt work out if they were impressed, shocked or trying to remember the number for the men in white coats  ;D

[Dennis]

Re: Espresso machine envy

Envy? Why would I feel envy?

lol........

[Bill44A]

Re: Espresso machine envy

Dennis, I take it that you find life a "bit of a grind".

[Dennis]

Re: Espresso machine envy

Dennis, I take it that you find life a "bit of a grind".

Life is actually too fast and hectic - grinders slow things down a little for me!

[MattG]

Re: Espresso machine envy

The synesso at the maling room ... that would be nice.

[Matt_King]

Re: Espresso machine envy

My brothers girlfriend has an ECM Giotto. I asked what grinder and apparently she doesnt have one...

I pulled him an espresso from some day-old home roast (Ghimbi I think) on my old Sunbeam setup (EM5800 and EM0480) and he just stood there speechless. I think "Wow" was about all he could muster.

Its not all about the machine. Its about knowing what goes into it and how to use it.

[TC]

Re: Espresso machine envy

My brothers girlfriend has an ECM Giotto. I asked what grinder and apparently she doesnt have one...

I pulled him an espresso from some day-old home roast (Ghimbi I think) on my old Sunbeam setup (EM5800 and EM0480) and he just stood there speechless. I think "Wow" was about all he could muster.

Its not all about the machine. Its about knowing what goes into it and how to use it.

Like putting diesel into a Ferrari IMHO...I extremely reluctant to sell a machine to a buyer without a suitable grinder....waste of time and $$$ ....Much better to buy a good grinder first than get a suitable machine....

[luca]

Re: Espresso machine envy

Synesso at one workplace, LM FB-80 at another ... I dont know why I even bother at home ;P

If youre the envious type, whatever you do, dont go to www.keesvanderwesten.com and make sure that you dont look up the Mirage Idrocompresso, Speedster or Mistral. Good luck not clicking on that link >

Cheers,

Luca

[Flo]

Re: Espresso machine envy

Dennis, I take it that you find life a "bit of a grind".  

Life is actually too fast and hectic - grinders slow things down a little for me!  

Just dont grind to a halt!   ;D

[tempestv8]

Re: Espresso machine envy

I never have suffered that envy.

Did you offer to show them how to use the machine and achieve its full potential with the best beans, etc?  


Belinda

Hi Bel,

No, I think that Id probably embarass myself with an unfamiliar machine. Im a one-espresso-machine sort of guy. ;D

Im starting to pull really good pours from my Sunbeam, and the crowning moment of joy yesterday was when someone said to me that my coffee was just as good as what he buys at a cafe. Aaahh!! Very gratifying to receive my very first compliment on my coffee making skills. Thanks in no small part to all the input that Ive gleaned from this forum.