Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Help - too many choices!

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Help - too many choices!

    I have been contemplating getting an expresso machine for home as I seem to be spending lots of $$$ on takeaway coffee. I am as far from a coffee connoisseur as you could imagine - I am generally happy with any takeaway coffee that I receive and like to have flavoured syrup in it (I know that will horrify the purists on this forum). I guess what Im saying is that I have no plans to roast my own beans or get too complicated about things. I do however want a machine that will make up to 4 cups a day and that will last. The following is a list of the ones available at my local electrical retailers:

    DeLonghi Magnifica ($688)
    Sunbeam Cafe Series $800
    Breville 800 Classic ($599)
    Saeco Talea ($996 reduced from $1449)
    Breville Expresso 800ES ($399 reduced from $599)
    Breville Semi automatic ($549 reduced from $749)
    Sunbeam Cafe Series $795 reduced from $1099)

    Then there is of course the Rancilio Silvia which I see mentioned a lot with some very good reviews.

    Any opinions would be greatly received.

  • #2
    Re: Help - too many choices!

    If you are going to put syrup in your coffee just buy a cheap sunbeam ristretto (EM2300) You wont notice any difference in the flavor compared to the more expensive machines because of the syrup. Use that machine to ween yourself off the syrups and in the mean time save up for a quality european machine.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Help - too many choices!

      I should add that my husband hates coffee with syrup or sugar and seems to be able to discern between the quality of takeaway coffees so I have to keep him in mind as well.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Help - too many choices!

        Originally posted by 273C27323F3136343A3D3D3621530 link=1246340080/0#0 date=1246340080
        want a machine that will make up to 4 cups a day and that will last
        The list you have is for appliances that have a used by date (some people however get lucky). Depending on where you are and what your budget is you might be well served speaking to a site sponsor. I would do some research on this site about machines in your budget first to get an idea of peoples experiences. Be warned upgraditis is a nasty affliction affecting many here ;D ;D

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Help - too many choices!

          OK - Im biased ...  Buy a Rancilio Silvia - its in your price range, and will beat the others listed hands down. The coffee is wonderful - just dont forget a half decent entry level grinder. I got my Sunbeam 0450 for about $150 - its considered the BARE mininum. Hope this helps. Regards.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Help - too many choices!

            Originally posted by 4E656C7F6164685B68680D0 link=1246340080/4#4 date=1246355074
            Buy a Rancilio Sylvia
            Grrr. Its Silvia!

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Help - too many choices!

              Originally posted by 76575C5C5B41320 link=1246340080/5#5 date=1246355191
              Originally posted by 4E656C7F6164685B68680D0 link=1246340080/4#4 date=1246355074
              Buy a Rancilio Sylvia
              Grrr.  Its Silvia!
              ;D I just did a mod typo correct

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Help - too many choices!

                Ta - did I stuff up again ??? CV

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Help - too many choices!

                  Greetings total beginner,
                  Welcome to CS. I too was in your position less than 12 months ago. We got the sunbeam 6910 and a 0480 grinder. We drink milk based drinks and also use suryp. However the ammount that we use has fallen to about 5-7ml from the usual shot of 30ml (in some places) We can even drink good coffee without it. I always try a coffee without flavour when trying new beans or a new cafe. With the 6910 you can get very good coffee with a little work and all the other things like fresh beans ground on demand etc.
                  There has been lots of discussions about this combo.
                  I figures out based on 25 cooffees a week @ $3 saved per coffee (allows about 75cents cost) we save $75 per week which adds up to $3900 PA.
                  Good luck in your quest. I like mu gear but also cant wait till I am alowd to upgrade (when 6910 dies.mmmmm where did I put that hammer?)
                  Regards
                  Crisp Image

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Help - too many choices!

                    You will really have to work out what sort of a person you are first.

                    If you are happy with faq (fair to average quality), rarely if ever get enthused about anything, and cant be bothered to put any effort or learning into a task, and have more than enough hobbies, if taste really isnt that important, and you think take-away food is good value---then any of the machines will work, and the Sunbeam 2300 with 450 grinder is probably the cheapest and best bet.

                    If none of the above is you, then the Silvia is a proper machine, and coffee will take over your life and your tastes in coffee are likely to completely change.

                    Good luck.

                    Greg

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Help - too many choices!

                      Hi totalbeginner and welcome to CS.
                      You might also want to consider the Nemox Dell Opera at $799 from sponsor Coffee Machine Express. This is a quality machine and comes with a good quality grinder built in.
                      The version without the grinder is the Nemox Fenice at $579.
                      If you teamed this with a Rancilio Rocky grinder it would be about the $1000 mark.
                      Far better than anything on your list.

                      Cheers and happy hunting.
                      Alan

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Help - too many choices!

                        welcome totalbeginner, welcome to the coffee journey... WARNING it is addictive and may take over part of your life... or more!

                        as has been suggested you need to think about this and talk with your husband about how keen and particular you want to get about coffee, this will determine what machine to get. A lot of us here started with basic machines and now have spend thousands on our hobbies, stealing the kids popcorn makes to roast a bit of green coffee, migrating to stealing our wives bread makers and converting them into coffee roasting machines. ;D

                        All the machines you are looking at are "appliances" meaning mass produced, and sold in retail stores, and often have a limited life and once they have issues you throw them out and start again.
                        Other machines such as the Silvia, while have a greater learning curve will produce far greater coffee and last a lot longer!

                        As has been suggested call some of the sponsors<<<<<<<< and chat with them and have a play with their machines.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Help - too many choices!

                          also allow for a grinder, this is VITAL to good coffee and can transition a cheaper machine producing not flash shots, to a cheaper machine making good coffee.
                          The Sunbeam 0480 is the bare minimum as it is a conical bur grinder with "grinds" the beans, rather than chopping the beans like cheaper grinders.

                          At the end of the day, get what you can afford, but if you can push the budget a little to get better equipment such as a Silvia and Rocky, you wont regret it. ;D

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Help - too many choices!

                            I dunno about the Silvia/Rocky...the learning curve is pretty steep, especially for someone whos not really into coffee.
                            Id recommend a Breville/Krups/Sunbeam, but preferably a unit that has pressurised and unpressurised filters just to make the process easier for you.
                            Fresh roasted coffee, correctly ground in an unpressurised basket is always going to taste better, but if youre into syrup, then you may as well use supermarket coffee.
                            A Sunbeam EM450 or EM480 grinder would be my recommendation to go with your espresso machine.


                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Help - too many choices!

                              Originally posted by 763132717A6A020 link=1246340080/14#14 date=1246403920
                              but if youre into syrup, then you may as well use supermarket coffee.
                              Have to disagree with this part of your advice Steve. Seems a bit like saying if you like gravy on your beef you might as well use a cheap cut. I dont think so.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X