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Best machine under $1200

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  • #31
    Originally posted by timdimdom View Post
    you could even try and snag a 2nd hand mazzer mini or k3 push for a grinder and land around 1200 but of course for a bday present 2nd hand isnt gonna look great.
    I have a 12 year old Mazzer Mini. Just replaced the burrs ($70). Works like new, or possibly better than new actually.
    Second hand grinder grinder like a Mazzer from a kind and careful owner would be a bargain.

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    • #32
      This may be a dumb question, but OP are you sure she wants a coffee machine?

      You wouldn't be the first to get the WFT look afterwards.

      Just checking

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      • #33
        Going to chip in here
        My first machine I spent 12 months using (good) pre-ground while living with the wife's parents waiting for our house to get built. As it was my first machine, I didn't know the difference (or any better). When I bought a grinder, I did notice the difference but the pre-ground was fine for the time I was using it.

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        • #34
          If it was me in your situation, i'd likely buy a grinder a Behmor and some greens and learn to roast them for my wife to enjoy. Machine can come later IMO.

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          • #35
            A lot of good info here but most are over your budget of $1100.00 with a grinder.
            Have a look at the Sunbeam EM7000 and the Sunbeam EM0700 grinder. I have both for quite a few years now and very happy with them. They are simple to use and it pulls great shots and the grinder is a big leap up on the EM480 I had.
            I upgraded to these from a Sunbeam 6910 and a EM 480.
            If you then get the bug then you can upgrade again to a Rocket type of machine at around $3400.00
            Good luck with ever you buy and enjoy your coffee. You should be able to package these of around $1100.00.

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            • #36
              Still think the silvia/rocky combo is a great option in this price range. Bang on 1300 combined at one of the site sponsors pages I checked. Quality machines that are very capable and will last the test of time.

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              • #37
                Originally posted by mentasm View Post
                Still think the silvia/rocky combo is a great option in this price range. Bang on 1300 combined at one of the site sponsors pages I checked. Quality machines that are very capable and will last the test of time.
                Have to agree with this one. OP's question is best machine & grinder under $1200....
                Keeping in mind this is a present for his wife, he isn't exactly going to buy her a grinder on its own. So scrap that idea. The best option IMO in the price range is a second hand machine / grinder. But again the gift thing. Scrap that.

                So a new machine, new grinder under $1200 ($1300 max) has to be the Silvia + Rocky, right? If you wanted to save $$ for now, you could get a cheaper grinder (maybe sunbeam or whatever).

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                • #38
                  Originally posted by K_Bean_Coffee
                  Rancilio domestic vs Lelit..... I gave this one a lot of thought. They're close but I like Lelit for the range of machine options and the champion grinder. That grinder is a little gem.
                  A Rancilio package is a little cheaper though and meets the under $1200 budget.
                  A few hundred extra $ will serve you well here but I guess that's the problem, there's always another option just a few hundred $ away
                  I would say this is perfect. It is a good machine and grinder combo capable of doing great espresso and latte, as good as any machine of any price.

                  I wonder though whether for some people this is too much fiddling. 99% of people just buy a grinder/machine combo with a rubber orifice in the bottom to simulate crema in the cup but in fact is rather underextracted and doesn't compare with a properly done espresso. They then buy ground coffee and then pretend the result is espresso. It isn't but some people are happy enough with the result. If you get a normal portafilter of course without such crema producer and use pre ground coffee then the result is usually even worse as there is no way to control the flow rate. It would be pure luck if it went through at the proper rate even with a good tamp.

                  My Bezzera was out of action for some time. In that time I used my Rocky Grinder and a plunger to produce great long blacks. Good stuff, not espresso but excellent coffee nevertheless.

                  I wonder if the OP should forget Espresso as he either needs a wife who doesn't mind fiddling with a Silvia or other machine to get good Espresso.

                  He may be better just to buy a Rocky grinder or similar then drink nice plunger coffee and leave the Espresso for another time. You can buy some nice roasted beans.

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                  • #39
                    Seriously A single boiler as a gift for wife? OP did say the machine would also need to be VERY user friendly.

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                    • #40
                      Originally posted by symphonie View Post
                      Seriously A single boiler as a gift for wife? OP did say the machine would also need to be VERY user friendly.
                      I remember Fred Flintstone got in trouble once when he bought Wilma a bowling ball.

                      She pretended to like it (Fred loved bowling whereas she didn't bowl) but her bewilderment turned to anger when she found Fred's initials etched on the bowling ball.

                      Motto of the story, is of course, never etch your initials on a present for your wife that you intended for yourself.

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                      • #41
                        I thought that Fred took Wilma's cash stash and bought himself a bowling ball?

                        Homer Simpson bought one for Marge as a 'present'.

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                        • #42
                          Originally posted by jymorgan View Post

                          The machine would also need to be VERY user friendly as she isn't the best when it comes to following strict procedures.

                          Is it worth stretching my budget to a new ISOMAC Zaffiro Duo (i think roughly $1500) or will this be overkill for my initial requirements/skill set?

                          Originally posted by wattgn View Post
                          I remember Fred Flintstone got in trouble once when he bought Wilma a bowling ball.

                          She pretended to like it (Fred loved bowling whereas she didn't bowl) but her bewilderment turned to anger when she found Fred's initials etched on the bowling ball.

                          Motto of the story, is of course, never etch your initials on a present for your wife that you intended for yourself.
                          So you spotted the contradiction too, wattgn!?!?

                          Nevertheless, no matter who the machine is for, the best advice offered so far in this thread is by those recommending a Breville
                          machine/Smartgrinder option.

                          For the OP this is the most logical step that not only is in budget but will serve as a significant step up in the household coffee
                          experience. It may also initiate a path to upgraditis but from a position of infinitely more and better experience and knowledge.

                          It's also the first time I can remember a sponsor plead with someone not to make a logical choice that might best suit their circumstances, for me Coffeesnobs has always been a community where novices and newbies are given advice
                          from sponsors; sometimes good, sometimes less than good, sometimes conflicting but never in a way that compromises integrity.
                          Last edited by chokkidog; 1 September 2016, 02:34 PM. Reason: lay out

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                          • #43
                            Hallelujah!! Finally a few logical posts. It's like people don't even read the original post on threads sometimes, they just respond to the most recent post or continually reply based on their personal agenda.

                            It's pretty simple really - a Silvia is a great machine and has frequently been the entry point to home espresso for coffee geeks. I've never owned one, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone that says they're super user friendly. A Lelit is possibly a bit more forgiving so possibly a better choice, but still lacks the 'set and forget' feature of something like a Breville BES920.
                            Personally I don't like appliance machines. The planned obsolescence and poor build quality irks me, but I've owned a couple of little Sunbeams and have been able to get great coffee from them. In fact I bought a used EM4820 that I cleaned, serviced and slightly modified before giving to my brother and his fiancé with an EM0440 grinder as I knew it would suit them due to its ease of use. And guess what? They love it!! It won't last forever, but it's perfect for them now and when it dies they'll probably be comfortable moving to something a bit more 'proper'.
                            So of all the options available I actually still agree with Barry that the Breville BES920 + Smart Grinder fits the OP's requirements the best. And as much as they can have issues there's also plenty of them out there that have been going well for 6 years or so with no problems. As with any espresso machine keeping it clean and treating it with care will go a long way.
                            I'm looking forward to hearing what the OP decides to buy (if we haven't already scared him away forever).

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                            • #44
                              Dunno about all of this- but given the recent Flintstones references, I reckon Andy would make a pretty handy:
                              Click image for larger version

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                              • #45
                                Grand Poobah of the local Water Buffalo Lodge.

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