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  • Advice on getting a new machine

    Hello all, I am new to the forum and quite new to making my own coffee! Was given a Brevile Cafe Roma a few months ago and although it doesnt make a bad cup of coffee...I want better! I have read some of the forum and SIlvia seems to be very popular in the $700 bracket but is there anything else a little less expensive that anyone can recommend? Also need a grinder!
    Many thanks
    John

  • #2
    Re: Advice on getting a new machine

    This topic http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1163234999 here should give you some help with looking for a machine. And I am quite sure that if you continue to read more you will find that there is advice and suggestions given all the time for ideal machines for different situations.

    Welcome to Coffeesnobs BTW!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Advice on getting a new machine

      Welcome strawdog.

      Talk to the site sponsors and theyll work within your budget.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Advice on getting a new machine

        ....have a look at the post I started a few posts down on the Sunbeam EM6910 for a little under the Silvia.

        Cheers

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Advice on getting a new machine

          There is also the Gaggia Classic available too. Team that with a gaggia Grinder (MDF) or Ibertal Grinder and you will have a nice package for not too much $$$.

          If you cannot afford an electric burr grinder there are some good hand burr grinders around.

          I have a turkish brass grinder that did a great job as I got sick of inconsistant coffee when using the old blade grinder.

          Sorry this is not a site sponsor, and I did look at the site sponsors for a pic of what I meant (I would not recommend you buy from this site either).
          Non-Sponsor link removed and picture attached below Cindy

          These are very good hand grinders and very good value for money.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Advice on getting a new machine

            An old school friend was over the other night and she recalled her parents using a similar grinder for their coffee when she was young (say 35 years ago).

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Advice on getting a new machine

              My parents mothballed their manual Trespade conical burr grinder for many, many years after buying a "thank God for this" electric chopper.

              I hated that Trespade. It was my job as a young kid to grind away -- so you can imagine the relief when all I had to do henceforth was press a button.

              Maybe that is why I now suffer from tennis elbow --ironic, since Ive never held a raquet.

              But a couple of years ago, when a cheapo coffee machine came on the scene, out of the necessity for a consistent grind, I reprised the Trespade.

              After a few months of tedium, bought an Iberital and Silvia and handed the manual monster down to my son (along with that first cheapo coffee machine).

              Its a well built machine, with nice scalloped cherrywood wood body. The internals are rugged steel, but with an unfortunate amount of play in the top bearing due to age.

              Nothing Ive seen in shops today, with their thin laquered brass bits, compares. I am certain these contemporaries would barely see out a year, let alone several decades.

              -Robusto




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              • #8
                Re: Advice on getting a new machine

                many thanks for the posts.
                I guess in a perfect world, I would be making coffee in a Silvia (a $700 world).

                There seems to be more of them on this forum than anything else. Whats up, do youn all have shares in Rancilio?!

                Cheers
                John

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                • #9
                  Re: Advice on getting a new machine

                  I dont have a Silvia.
                  (I nearly bought one though.)

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Advice on getting a new machine

                    Hi strawdog,

                    I thought that I should re-iterate what the others have said: at this price point, the grinder is the important part. Even if you buy a silvia it will not produce good results unless you get a good grinder.

                    Cheers,

                    Luca

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Advice on getting a new machine

                      Get my La Cimbali to fund my get a Mazzer foundation =] or not....hahaha...just as happy to keep both

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                      • #12
                        Re: Advice on getting a new machine

                        Originally posted by strawdog link=1167077752/0#7 date=1167121280
                        many thanks for the posts.
                        I guess in a perfect world, I would be making coffee in a Silvia (a $700 world).

                        There seems to be more of them on this forum than anything else. Whats up, do youn all have shares in Rancilio?!

                        Cheers
                        John

                        LOL! I guess in a way, those of us who own a Silvia do have shares in Rancilio! Except we just dont get any dividends...

                        I think that for the price, the Silvia is a good for those of us who care to have a machine that kind of looks the real deal and want to make great coffee, which you can do with the Silvia! Those who want to make lots of coffees at this price may well get the Sunbeam, which to me is a massed produced souless machine. The Rancilio is made by the Italians! How cool is that!? Well, pretty cool in my own estimation, along with my scooter and the Ducati, weve got a few Italian made things around us. (The truck is American however and that is another long and boring story...:P) Well, there is something to be said for Italian design, IMO...

                        But youre looking for price by the sounds of it, strawdog, so I should think that some of the Sunbeams or Gaggias might be something to look at. You could even go down the road of a good second hand machine, this way you can at least look for a package deal and pick up a decent grinder as well. There was a rash of Silvias and Rockys being sold here recently...oops there I go again about the Silvia! :-[ LOL!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Advice on getting a new machine

                          Originally posted by strawdog link=1167077752/0#7 date=1167121280
                          many thanks for the posts.
                          I guess in a perfect world, I would be making coffee in a Silvia (a $700 world).

                          There seems to be more of them on this forum than anything else. Whats up, do youn all have shares in Rancilio?!

                          Cheers
                          John
                          The fact this machine has sold so well around the world has fortunately produced a wealth of information about it on the internet. Perhaps/probably more has been written about it than any other coffee machine.

                          Despite its shortcomings --were talking here about a single, small, boiler, no-frills machine --at least would-be buyers have access to numerous reviews.

                          --Robusto

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Advice on getting a new machine

                            There is a second hand Gaggia for sale here http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1166063894. For a level entry machine you couldnt do much better. I am not sure if it is still available but there is also a very good grinder available too.

                            I love my Gaggia and, if you did buy that machine, than you could spend the money you save on a very good grinder, and there are three that you could choose from. I got a very good deal on my Gaggia MDF because it had a small scratch (I cant see it, and have difficulty finding it) on the casing. Though I hate to pay full price for anything, and have been known to barter people down.

                            Thankyou Mal for fixing that pic for me, I did feel guilty for posting the link.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Advice on getting a new machine

                              If you decide on the silvia.....make sure you factor a quality grinder in to your budget, otherwise you will be disappointed.

                              Comment

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