Hi there
I've decided that with the obscene amount of coffee that I drink I really am doing myself a disservice by putting up with what really does taste like ground dirt. Ie. instant. I'm looking to buy myself a good machine and as all dewy-eyed wanderers are when they come to a new hobby, I have NO idea what I'm doing! I was hoping that I could get some help with some suggestions. I've had a Nespresso pod machine (bleeeeech... currently rusting under the bench because the coffee was in most cases no better than instant) and while I love a good plunger coffee I'd like something with a little more finesse.
Ok I admit it. I'm sick of pushing a plunger like a cavewoman. I crave technology darn it!
My preferences are:
- Somewhere in the $600-$900 price range. I realise that's a bit wide. I'd rather spend less than more (sadly the kids can't live on coffee as the husband and I seem to so providing food *sigh* is an occasional hindrance) but I don't want to sacrifice quality if it means spending an extra $200. But I also realise that sometimes a cheaper machine can be just as good if not better if you know what you're buying. Which I don't. Hence tracking down you lovely lot
heh.
- I'd prefer automatic. I've been looking at the Breville BDS870 Barista Express as a guide as to what I've been looking at, but I have no idea if they're any good. I do love the experience of grinding beans and pulling a shot myself but sadly most mornings I don't have that luxury and would be better off if I could let the machine do a good portion of that work for me. Sad but true.
- We're milk coffee drinkers in general but can be coaxed to the dark side (haha, see what I did there? No? Never mind, I'm a wee bit tired...) with the right bean. We also don't use sugar. As a result the sins that might be hidden with either additive is probably going to occasionally be glaringly obvious with a dodgy machine hence why I'm willing to go up a bit in price for what is effectively only a starting machine. I realise beans and freshness have more to do with that but I'd like to keep as many variables down as possible.
- I move around a lot and can never guarantee kitchen bench space. I'll always have bench space but not knowing that I'll have room for a monster machine could be an issue. The last couple of places we've had have had huge amounts of bench space so it wouldn't be a problem but I can't guarantee that in the future. Not to mention the fact that I need something that's relatively robust as the removalists often don't give a hairy canary how well they package up our kit.
I'm not entirely against a manual machine and would certainly consider suggestions. It's just that as I said as a busy mummy I rarely have the time to stand and enjoy one of the best parts of consuming coffee which is crafting a cup entirely yourself. I also think that having a separate grinder, whilst obviously preferable, for now is an unwise move. The frequent house moves mentioned would probably lead either to one or both items being broken or lost. At least if I only have one unit there's less to damage heh.
So CS please come at me with your suggestions! I'm happy to hear any and all but please give me reasons for your opinions. "This machine is the best, I've had one for years!" is great but it doesn't really tell me much when it comes to why it's the best
And don't fear disagreeing with someone or mentioning a model that's not a popular one, I'm really not fussed by brands so long as it makes a great cup of happiness 
Any help much appreciated. I'm not new at drinking good coffee but I'm certainly new at trying my hand at it at home!
I've decided that with the obscene amount of coffee that I drink I really am doing myself a disservice by putting up with what really does taste like ground dirt. Ie. instant. I'm looking to buy myself a good machine and as all dewy-eyed wanderers are when they come to a new hobby, I have NO idea what I'm doing! I was hoping that I could get some help with some suggestions. I've had a Nespresso pod machine (bleeeeech... currently rusting under the bench because the coffee was in most cases no better than instant) and while I love a good plunger coffee I'd like something with a little more finesse.Ok I admit it. I'm sick of pushing a plunger like a cavewoman. I crave technology darn it!
My preferences are:
- Somewhere in the $600-$900 price range. I realise that's a bit wide. I'd rather spend less than more (sadly the kids can't live on coffee as the husband and I seem to so providing food *sigh* is an occasional hindrance) but I don't want to sacrifice quality if it means spending an extra $200. But I also realise that sometimes a cheaper machine can be just as good if not better if you know what you're buying. Which I don't. Hence tracking down you lovely lot
heh.- I'd prefer automatic. I've been looking at the Breville BDS870 Barista Express as a guide as to what I've been looking at, but I have no idea if they're any good. I do love the experience of grinding beans and pulling a shot myself but sadly most mornings I don't have that luxury and would be better off if I could let the machine do a good portion of that work for me. Sad but true.
- We're milk coffee drinkers in general but can be coaxed to the dark side (haha, see what I did there? No? Never mind, I'm a wee bit tired...) with the right bean. We also don't use sugar. As a result the sins that might be hidden with either additive is probably going to occasionally be glaringly obvious with a dodgy machine hence why I'm willing to go up a bit in price for what is effectively only a starting machine. I realise beans and freshness have more to do with that but I'd like to keep as many variables down as possible.
- I move around a lot and can never guarantee kitchen bench space. I'll always have bench space but not knowing that I'll have room for a monster machine could be an issue. The last couple of places we've had have had huge amounts of bench space so it wouldn't be a problem but I can't guarantee that in the future. Not to mention the fact that I need something that's relatively robust as the removalists often don't give a hairy canary how well they package up our kit.
I'm not entirely against a manual machine and would certainly consider suggestions. It's just that as I said as a busy mummy I rarely have the time to stand and enjoy one of the best parts of consuming coffee which is crafting a cup entirely yourself. I also think that having a separate grinder, whilst obviously preferable, for now is an unwise move. The frequent house moves mentioned would probably lead either to one or both items being broken or lost. At least if I only have one unit there's less to damage heh.
So CS please come at me with your suggestions! I'm happy to hear any and all but please give me reasons for your opinions. "This machine is the best, I've had one for years!" is great but it doesn't really tell me much when it comes to why it's the best
And don't fear disagreeing with someone or mentioning a model that's not a popular one, I'm really not fussed by brands so long as it makes a great cup of happiness 
Any help much appreciated. I'm not new at drinking good coffee but I'm certainly new at trying my hand at it at home!

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