Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
awesome to hear of the positive experience at talk coffee - may have to go down there soon, thanks!
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Beginner wanting to upgrade
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Guest repliedRe: Beginner wanting to upgrade
Forums are great but hands-on with an expert is better! A great outcome and a great machine (bargain)! Pictures pictures pictures ;-)
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
Final update: I am very, very happy with the coffee coming out (espressos - havent ventured on anything else yet). Thanks once again to all who helped.
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
Well done mate [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
Enjoy your new toy and many excellent coffees.
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
Well, there seems to be a very happy ending to this story - or perhaps I should say beginning.
Just home from seeing Chris at Talk Coffee. I decided to spend a bit more (a new computer can wait) and got the Diadema Junior Plus semi-auto ($2000). The Gee made lovely espresso, but the Diadema is clearly a step up (heat exchanger) and I decided not to go with the Gee now and upgrade in a year but to do the full upgrade now.
Mind you, it will take me a while to make espresso like Chris. I havent poured 1.5 million shots (yet).
So thanks to all, especially Chris who came in on a day off and spent an hour demonstrating and explaining.
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Guest repliedRe: Beginner wanting to upgrade
Reading the original post, N-W clearly states that he has a new Rocky Grinder. The Rocky is a very good grinder! Is it the best? No! Is it flavour of the month? No. But having lived with one for a number of years (and many other grinders that have been onsold) I can put my hand on my heart and say that the Rocky is a boring, robust, no-fuss very good grinder! The OPer was actually in the market for a new machine...Originally posted by 090F1C170D0F031E4E0 link=1293099510/14#14 date=1293527505Go with the silvia with pid and a very good grinder.
Excellent decision N-W to actually go and play with the machines and talk to an industry professional... as opposed to people like me who are enthusiasts and at best gifted amateurs. The nice fellow at Venezianos in Brisbane has offered me the opportunity to play with a Gee even though I am not in the market for one. What a nice fellow! Even if I hate it (unlikely) what would give me to advise others on anything other than the colour (only to be contradicted by my wife anyway), not having lived with the machine or understood it from a professional perspective!Originally posted by 1A2F2225110D2128282B2B4E0 link=1293099510/15#15 date=1293529235however I am tired of self-appointed internet experts bad mouthing gear they havent even seen. If it was rubbish, it would not be on range.
Great decision N-W and keep us posted!
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
Thanks everyone for taking the trouble to reply. I was away for a few days. I am indeed contacting Talk Coffee and making an appointment; I see they reopen on Monday and will be met by a shiny new email from me.
Im very interested to hear that the Silvia is only a sideways step. If anyone has time, can they enlighten me as to why? Its considerably more expensive and seems to be much better made. Do I need an entirely new operating system, as it were (forgive the computer analogy) to improve?
This is like when I got into hifi - its an utterly new world. But no doubt, as with that, the rewards are concomitant.
thanks again, n-w.
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
Thanks for your "contribution" Gary. :
Firstly- A review of an "evaluation unit" does not a review make.
Secondly- Regurgitating said review does not achieve anything whatsoever. These go to testers so that manufacturers can refine their product.
If you have first hand experience with the machine, please enlighten us. If not, perhaps get some and write from an educated viewpoint rather than parroting that of a stranger.
Although a tad rough around the edges, the GEE has no competitor until you hit HX territory and for the milk coffee drinker on a budget, it should be short listed.
The GEE outperforms a non PID Silvia and the reviewer clearly didnt use it well or received a defective machine. You can go straight from shot to steam so long as you preheat the thermoblock. No single boiler machine will do this.
The OP may choose to come and make his/her own evaluation and thats fine, however I am tired of self-appointed internet experts bad mouthing gear they havent even seen. If it was rubbish, it would not be on range.
My GEE v any standard Silvia, or better still, you and your PID one if youre game- any time...
Chris
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
I think you should stay clear of the Gee not as robust as you think after this review.
Go with the silvia with pid and a very good grinder.
http://theotherblackstuff.ie/machines/gee-in-review/
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
I dont have to stand in front of it while it heats up so I dont count that in the preparation time.... Anyway 10 mins isnt really a strict requirement, a decent coffee is more important. I cannot do this with my existing machine despite lots of tinkering with the grind / tamp / extraction methods so I would like to get a good machine.
Ive got an ok grinder and Im pretty interested in the Silvia, but if the Gee is superior then I would maybe look at one of those.
Do most shops that sponsor CS let you test drive them?
I havent looked much farther than myers and the web so far
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
I like it for this reason! Im still dialing it in though.Originally posted by 62574042724A5748444941250 link=1293099510/11#11 date=1293415715The only espresso machine I know that doesnt need a long warm-up is the manual Presso--you warm it with hot water!
Greg
(What about the twist or the portaspresso?)
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
Any machine/grinder combo will make coffee in less than 10 minutes.
Some require 30 minutes or more warm-up time before that 10 minutes. The only espresso machine I know that doesnt need a long warm-up is the manual Presso--you warm it with hot water!
Greg
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
So long as you have a decent enough Grinder, from whoa to go using an AeroPress will have a great cuppa ready in 5 minutes or less. If you prefer coffee with milk, then add another couple of minutes to heat up the milk by what ever is your preferred method. Makes a beautiful Flat White.... 8-)Originally posted by 6661677C7B726C2520150 link=1293099510/8#8 date=1293329655I have mine with milk and I want something that can have 2 flat whites perfect and ready to go in about 10 mins in the morning...
Mal.
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
Nothings ready to go in 10 minutes.
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Re: Beginner wanting to upgrade
Hi
I am contemplating the exact same purchase at the moment - a Silvia for ~$750. Is the GEE much better?
Ive got a cheapo Breville at the moment which is rubbish.
I have mine with milk and I want something that can have 2 flat whites perfect and ready to go in about 10 mins in the morning...
Brock
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