Advice on buying a machine

[Celeste]

Hi there,
hubby and I want a new machine. We always had auto ones and want a dual boiler manual. We have around $1500 to spend.

He's been looking at second hand ones, but I was thinking that's not the best idea for newbies, as 2nd hand ones need replacement parts and we don't know enough to understand if we are getting a dud or not.
there is a la cimbali m28 on gumtree for $800 with a grinder, but that seems too cheap (too good to be true)
i was thinking a good breville dual boiler would be most sensible - I saw the ones priced around $1500 have a grinder. Is it a good grinder?

can we get a good quality machine and grinder for $1500 that will produce cafe quality coffee??

PS we temporarily bought a tiny kambrook $70 machine from big w (to fill the coffee void Bedford to comity to a more expensive one) and I've been surprised how good the coffee tastes from that - we grind the yahava beans in the thermomix.... Much better than our auto Delonghi.

thanks

[WantRancilio10]

Hi Celeste

Welcome to 'snobs and great coffee (hopefully!)

The breville dual boiler and smart grinder are good value and highly capable as a pairing. They sell very well for good reason.

They are a bit 'all bells and whistles' machines. Some people prefer (good looking) machines that are built more like 'tractors' (where there is less that can go wrong). Often good support from Breville and vendors will deal with issues well but it may mean you have to bring your machine in to be looked at and be without it for a couple of weeks.

Otherwise for a dual boiler/HX machine with a good grinder on a budget of $1500 you might still consider second hand. Good grinders usually last a long time (with next to no maintenance) as do machines that are built like tractors (with just a little care and maintenance). But you are right to be wary. An 'as-new' machine and grinder for $1500 or even less is highly do-able and you may still have the balance of a warranty.

I'm assuming you've ruled out single boilers as an option.

Check out this forum's sponsor websites for ideas on good machines - you won't find many machines that tend to disappoint 'in-the-cup' among them (ie pods and super-autos).

[DaveD]

Hi Celeste,

Welcome to Coffee Snobs! If you do want to look at second hand machines/grinders, I would suggest looking at the for sale section of this forum. I would say that you can pretty much trust the equipment to have been well looked after by a forum member.

Cheers,

Dave

[TC]

Hi Celeste,

We have a client with an ECM (Germany) something with a rotary pump- a couple of years old and grinder which will be coming back to us and I think he'll be selling it here ex. Melbourne (us) as he's remote.

Our client upgraded to an Izzo Alex Leva and Macap M4D.

You might keep an eye out for his kit. I am unsure as to what he has in mind for price.

Cheers

Chris

[WantRancilio10]

mmm sounds interesting!

The ECM will no doubt make great coffee and probably won't be 'blessed' with lots of wiz-bang technology - that you don't really need and potentially gets in the way of becoming a better barista.

As you've seen with the Delonghi don't rely on just the machine to (try to) do it for you.

[dlight]

Hi Celeste
What did you end up buying?

[Barry_Duncan]

By all means buy a machine “built like a tractor” if you want to plough a paddock. But tractors are not designed to make great coffee.

You can follow up Talk Coffee and other Site Sponsors here for good second hand machines that they will be sure to sell in good condition, or for your $1.500 you can buy the latest Breville Dual Boiler (BDB) BES920 and a Bredville Smart Grinder.

To make great coffee you need great fresh coffee beans, skill and practice and a machine that constantly gives water at the right temperature and right pressure.

I am still making great coffee on my BDB and Smart Grinder that I bought when they were sold by Site Sponsors 4 years ago.

Barry