Originally posted by 254F260D05620 link=1275790026/0#0 date=1275790025
one thing you havent mentioned is your cleaning regime. when I did the sunbeam course (twice for two sunbeam machines I had), they emphasised the benefits of backflushing with water every day, and with chemicals every couple of weeks. The same was recommended when I bought my HX machine, and given the cost of the machine, Ive tried to stick to that practice. I was never as consistent with cleaning the Sunbeam and Im pretty sure that contributed to the problems it had. Regular cleaning and descaling is critically important, and neglected by many machine owners.
Another issue that comes up a lot is the steam performance dropping off over time on the Sunbeam. my brother recently bought a new EM6910 to replace his 3yo broken one, and saw a huge difference in steam power. contrary to the sunbeam manual, you probably need to descale the steam side of things as well as the brew path - theres a few posts on here recommending that you might do it outside to avoid breathing in steamed descaler solution - but it apparently fixes that issue.
After several years using my old Sunbeam, Id reckon your next step as an upgrade would be a HX machine, where youre looking at $1500+ for a second hand machine, or $2k+ new. you get to keep features such as being able to brew and steam at the same time. keep in mind that a second hand hx machine only costs about what you would have spent on a sunbeam + silvia, and will last for many years with proper maintenance. When I bought the sunbeam I considered a hx to be out of reach but really, given how long it will last, it may not end up costing much more at all in the long run. If youre not following the recommended cleaning practice, Id fix the Sunbeam and try it for a while to see if its better.
Another thing that has been mentioned over and over in this thread is that you MUST use a grinder and fresh beans if you want good coffee. it is simply not optional. sure you get coffee with supermarket pre-ground beans, but youll never get good coffee that way.
fresh beans will likely cost you no more than your supermarket ones. youll probably find that there is a roaster somewhere near you, or a cafe that sells fresh beans from the roaster they use, or otherwise even a postal service. I use all three of those options and pay around $8 to $10 per 250g for coffee roasted within about 3 days or so of when I buy it. To get it cheaper, I normally buy 1kg at a time that lasts around 3 weeks, but if youre not using that much, 500g at a time would do.
hope that helps.
Geoff

unless there was something wrong with it.
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