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Please help me get started - $500 budget

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  • #16
    Re: Please help me get started - $500 budget

    Originally posted by 262F2222372D2F3A4E0 link=1265861003/14#14 date=1269757382
    David and Matthew Gee are from Barista Basics Coffee Academy in Sydney and they rated the machines. I have no idea how well respected they are in the coffee community.
    not very well?

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    • #17
      Re: Please help me get started - $500 budget

      Originally posted by 6C6568687D676570040 link=1265861003/14#14 date=1269757382
      ....they rated the machines. I have no idea how well respected they are in the coffee community.
      .....and given that the if you buy the most poorly rated Choice machine, youre probably on the money..... :

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      • #18
        Re: Please help me get started - $500 budget

        Originally posted by 4E474A4A5F454752260 link=1265861003/14#14 date=1269757382
        It turned out the  Breville is OK, just a dirty shower head.
        Glad to hear it is ok.  If it was so dirty it stopped working you probably need to pay more attention to cleaning and maintenance on the machine.  Many of us here would spend more time cleaning our machines than we do using them.

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        • #19
          Re: Please help me get started - $500 budget

          Originally posted by 272E2323362C2E3B4F0 link=1265861003/14#14 date=1269757382
          David and Matthew Gee are from Barista Basics Coffee Academy in Sydney and they rated the machines. I have no idea how well respected they are in the coffee community.
          I cant give a definitive answer on that--but their video on the Choice site had me in stitches!

          Greg

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          • #20
            Re: Please help me get started - $500 budget

            Now I know I am no coffee snob and my knowledge pales into insignificance with a true coffee snob, but for the money I think the Sunbeam makes a decent coffee (much better than the Ikon) .

            By the way I take my coffee with milk, so that will colour the judgment too. True coffee connoisseurs prefer to compare shots for quality rather than a milky coffee.
            For the comment about not cleaning the machine properly, absolutely right. I should have done it regularly which I didnt do.

            Anyway, I was merely trying to offer an opinion on a relatively low cost machine when the budget doesnt stretch to more expensive espresso machines.

            The good news for me is that I finally managed to add some texture to the milk with the wand (something I have consistently failed to do, I just finish up with hot milk). Yay for that

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            • #21
              Re: Please help me get started - $500 budget

              Hi hallycat and welcome. Are you able to get a 30ml in 25 - 30 second extraction out of the breville and the sunbeam grinder?  If youre achieving that, and using beans roasted fresh in the last week from a local roaster (NOT supermarket stuff that is 3 months old or worse), and letting the machine heat up for at least 45 mins prior to extraction, then youre doing three things the right way. Good luck and happy easter

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              • #22
                Re: Please help me get started - $500 budget

                Well... "bean" happy with my Ikon/Rocky combo but I reckon its time to move to the next level.

                Put in an offer on the Diadema Unico Splendor in the hardware section - heres hoping... If it works out, the Ikon will go on the board.

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                • #23
                  Re: Please help me get started - $500 budget

                  I had 2 Cafe Latte EM 5600, machines, but the LCD display and computer chip failed on both of them.

                  They made good enough coffee for me/us.
                  I ended up with the Cafe Crema 4800C, and a Breville BCG 450/A.

                  They both seem to do a good enough (not perfect) job for me.

                  I think my issues are mostly "operator issues" which I will detail else where.

                  I also bought another cheaper grinder (flat blades-not good) and Breville (Bar vista-I think) expresso machine for my campervan. Maybe not such a good choice, but they still make good enough coffee.

                  We havent got to site snob status yet!! ;D

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