Hi CS,
My name's Richard. I'm on a tight budget (student living out of home). I've been using a cheap pod machine to get by and was planning to buy a real machine later in the year. Long story short, the cheap machine has packed it in and I dont want to buy another cheapo item.
Ok so a bit about my needs. I drink espressos or long blacks, very rarely have milk, never entertain people, so the max I would ever make is 2 espressos per day. I am a complete newbie to the barista world but I am very eager to learn. I have a budget of about $700 (inc. grinder) give or take $100.
After initial searches I was set on a NEW Gaggia Classic and a Gaggia MDF. The more I read, the less confident I become. I see most people seem to out grow their Classic very quickly and I understand that a good grinder is essential. Now I think I should find a 2nd hand Classic and buy a new Rocky (or something as good or better) with the intension of upgrading in say a year or two. My only concern is that I'll end up with a machine that is riddled with problems and will be more heart ache than it's worth.
So my question is: considering my needs and budget. Is the 2nd hand Classic and quality grinder a good place to start or should I save a bit more and get say a new machine around the $700 range and a good grinder around the $400 mark. Or I'm open to any other suggestions for machine/grinder combos in my budget, there are so many brands and models to pick from!
Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can provide.
My name's Richard. I'm on a tight budget (student living out of home). I've been using a cheap pod machine to get by and was planning to buy a real machine later in the year. Long story short, the cheap machine has packed it in and I dont want to buy another cheapo item.
Ok so a bit about my needs. I drink espressos or long blacks, very rarely have milk, never entertain people, so the max I would ever make is 2 espressos per day. I am a complete newbie to the barista world but I am very eager to learn. I have a budget of about $700 (inc. grinder) give or take $100.
After initial searches I was set on a NEW Gaggia Classic and a Gaggia MDF. The more I read, the less confident I become. I see most people seem to out grow their Classic very quickly and I understand that a good grinder is essential. Now I think I should find a 2nd hand Classic and buy a new Rocky (or something as good or better) with the intension of upgrading in say a year or two. My only concern is that I'll end up with a machine that is riddled with problems and will be more heart ache than it's worth.
So my question is: considering my needs and budget. Is the 2nd hand Classic and quality grinder a good place to start or should I save a bit more and get say a new machine around the $700 range and a good grinder around the $400 mark. Or I'm open to any other suggestions for machine/grinder combos in my budget, there are so many brands and models to pick from!
Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can provide.

Comment