Originally posted by MochaSam
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Around 500$ budget cant decide on machine, first time home brewer, please advise ?
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If you haven't bought anything yet I noticed the PU6910 bundle is available on eBay for about $500-550 from a couple of different vendors. Also a 2nd hand EM6910 has just popped up on the CS sales page in Whittlesea. Buying off a forum member may give you the chance to try before you buy and you might get some tips on operation while you're there.
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Gotta be happy with that too, $500 for a almost new 900 is pretty sweetOriginally posted by Libertyrx1 View Postthats an absolute steal. I bought my 900 for just over $500 with 3 month warranty and looked almost next to brand new
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thats an absolute steal. I bought my 900 for just over $500 with 3 month warranty and looked almost next to brand newOriginally posted by MrFreddofrog View PostI bought my brand new in box BES920 for $600. Unwanted wedding present. But great deals don't come often and you have to bargain hard.
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I bought my brand new in box BES920 for $600. Unwanted wedding present. But great deals don't come often and you have to bargain hard.Originally posted by LeroyC View PostOh and by the way my current HX machine still only cost me $440. So there's great machines out there for decent prices, you just had to be patient and wait for them to come along.
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Oh and by the way my current HX machine still only cost me $440. So there's great machines out there for decent prices, you just had to be patient and wait for them to come along.
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I love how all these people just write off $500 as being 'not enough'. Oh how quickly we forget. Yep, absolutely, if you could I'd suggest spending more too. That's not much help if you don't have any more than $500. If you want to start your journey now then there's absolutely no reason you can't. As someone who has always been on a tight budget I'd say $500 is plenty to get you started.
When I bought my first home espresso machine my budget was about $200 including grinder. I bought a Gaggia Classic for $150, and had to spend $80 on it straight away for a professional descale. A few months later I upgraded the steam wand. Then I got over 4 years of daily service from it before it died. I ended up reconditioning and selling it earlier this year for good money.
I've now got a small heat exchanger machine at home which is just awesome, but I've also got a Sunbeam EM4820 at work with a Sunbeam EM0440 grinder. For what it is the Sunbeam is fantastic so I wouldn't hesitate in buying a higher level one such as the EM6910. And the Sunbeam grinders 0440/50/80/90 are all the same on the inside, the higher level ones just look nicer, have more features and a wider range of adjustment. None of which really matters.
With all that in mind I'd suggest these options within your budget:
1. The Sunbeam package you mentioned (haggle them down a bit if you can or get some extras thrown in).
2. A much better, but 2nd hand grinder such as Compak K3 and whatever espresso machine you can afford with the left over $$ (Sunbeam EM6910 or Gaggia Classic).
3. The best grinder you can afford and an Aeropress, then save up for a better machine some time in the next year or two.
Whatever you decide to go with make sure you do plenty of reading on this forum (and others) to find out how to get the most out of your machine. Little things make a difference - like throwing out the 'crema disk' that's in the EM6910 portafilter, and making sure you don't ever use double walked filter baskets.
Finally, be prepared to want to upgrade in the future. Whatever you get for your $500 could keep you happy for years, but it's unlikely to keep you happy (or last) forever. But hey, that's what it's all about. You could triple your budget to buy a brand new Rancillio machine/grinder package and you'll still want to upgrade at some stage in the future.
All the best, make sure you let us know how you go.
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You wont get much for 500. You would do well to look at a second hand compak k3 circa $250 and i would look at a second hand silvia say 400. Both great machines but will be above your 500 budget. On the other side you will be purchasing machines that will last a long time yet even second hand. Silvias are also easy to repair and replace stuff.
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Based on the budget (which I understand BUT as other have said spending a lil more might ACTUALLY SAVE YOU IN THE LONG RUN) you have I'd post up a WTB ad in the listing here and see what comes your way. CSers generally treat their gear very well (certainly a lot better than the average Joe Bloggs) and alas are often beset by a nasty ailment known as Upgradeitis. So that is how to best maximise a $500 budget.
When the offers come in - research them on here (generally using search is best as it'd be an obscure bit of gear that wasn't very well chronicled in these parts) and see how you go.
BUT....I would try and scrape together a lil more coin, perhaps closer to $1000, so that you get something 2nd hand that works really well and will last really well. There's an expression,"The poor man always pays twice." So IMHO just something to be aware of as a lil more $$$ will likely give you a lot more benefit. :-)
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I would look at option 2, only because you are new to brewing coffee. I mean once you get into it, who knows, you might find it too much of a hassle (gasp i know i know).
Alternatively, you could look at the best grinder you can buy (option 3) and maybe a second hand machine instead of the aeropress?
I'm still using my breville ikon even though I changed grinders three times.
That being said, buy from people reputable (e.g. here) - I just spent half a day helping out my friend who was given a BES800 full of muck, and they didn't know what was wrong with it (it didn't even extract liquid, let along a coffee drink). Do the research and legwork, and inspect the machine, and you'll get what you put into it.
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Push your budget a little to get a Silvia. Anything less will disappoint
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Great points re getting a decent grinder. Worthwhile long term investment.
A grinder you could safely buy used for something like a k3, built to last and not much to go wrong , especially if the history is credible. That would eat up around half your budget. As would a brand new breville smart grinder (often on sale for 200) which although not as solid as something like a k3, gives great performance for the $, and you can keep if for filter coffees when/if you upgrade to a traditional grinder.
With the rest of the budget the aero press is awesome as recommended already. You could get a second hand 6910 or nemox/lelit style machine if your lucky which would give you the espresso option.
Keep an eye out in the for sale section. I'm sure you will find great gear in your budget, assuming you don't need it now.
Also have a read through this site, there is lots of great info that you will find handy.
Cheers
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Welcome "MochaSam"....
As you will see posted by many CSers, especially the ones who have been around for a while, that you should aim to buy the best grinder you can afford because it is down to this single piece of hardware when used with freshly roasted high quality beans, that you will realise the best that the bean has to offer.
Given that statement, I would support your third option too as the AeroPress is no slouch when it comes to being able to produce excellent quality results in the cup. At least with owning a very decent grinder in the form of the Macap, down the road there is less to think about when deciding what to do when selecting a decent espresso machine to match it up with. I probably use my AeroPress about 40% of the time making coffee, as it just offers a different (but excellent) perspective to always using the espresso machine...
Worth a long, careful consideration in my view...
Mal.
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This is true. There are lots of dodgy sellers on gumtree. I'm yet to buy off CS so can't say much about that avenue.Originally posted by GreenBeanGenii View PostWe also have a For Sale section on this forum. Good bargains turn up there.
Make sure you approach a gumtree deal as a Caveat Emptor or Buyer Beware. Ask as many questions you can imagine. Make sure (if possible) you get a chance to see and try a coffee made from a machine being sold. Be careful of retail shops offering "deals". Sometimes their goods are grey imports, and quality of after sales service little to none.
Run any purchase you might consider past the forum. Users are a wealth of knowledge.

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