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Which bean-to-cup that tastes like filter coffee ... ?

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  • ElShauno
    commented on 's reply
    I'm not an expert on pricing but can only reiterate that the Soul is the current flagship of Delonghi's lineup - and the Elite has been discontinued, having been released in 2015. I'd be very wary of buying one new at such an inflated cost.

  • Ascanio1
    commented on 's reply
    Again, good afternoon, ElShauno and, again, thank you for helping me.

    I was about to buy the DeLonghi Souls, as discussed, when I realised that it's one third cheaper (£500) than the Elite which it replaces which, you inform me, is of lesser quality than the Soul. Can you help me understand how it's possible? The newer top of the line (Soul) costs one third less than the previous top of the line (Elite)? Usually, the newest model is always a little bit more expensive. This one is one third cheaper! How is it possible?

    Thank you in advance! Tommaso

  • Ascanio1
    replied
    Thank you, again! Again, precious information. I will go for the Soul! Grazie! I will post images once I get it installed!

    Leave a comment:


  • ElShauno
    commented on 's reply
    The Elite is the premium model from the previous generation - the Soul is the premium model from this current generation. I have read from someone on this forum when I was doing research - someone who servies them - that the Soul has steel flat burrs and is the best grinder he/she/they have seen in a B2C.

  • Ascanio1
    commented on 's reply
    Thank you ElShauno! I appreciate the detail of the explanation that helps me decide. Only one last question re Soul Vs Elite, I read somewhere that the grinder on the Elite was better and it offered more drinks. Was I misreading?

  • ElShauno
    commented on 's reply
    Coffee Pot is just a way of brewing multiple Long coffees back to back, in the one, supplied pot. Good for entertaining, but same brew method as the Long coffee I described.

    I'd go for the Prima Donna Soul - it's their best machine yet. I wanted a cheaper entry back into B2C as I had mixed emotions - but in hindsight, I might have waited for a good deal on the Soul. Bigger drinks menu, better milk frother, app compatibility for fine tuning, and an upgraded grinder.

    That said - I certainly have no desire to upgrade. I got a Magnifica Evo and it's great. Simple, easy to use, makes espresso, coffee, strong espresso and latte, and I have dialled it in and set the volumetrics to get a great shot every time. When set-up correctly, the stigma of watery, bitter coffees is just that - a stigma and nothing more. It does out about 15.5gms at Strong strength.

    The produce in cup is about 90pct of the best shot from my previous dual boiler and flat burr grinder set-up - but is far more consistent. Sure, overall, it lacks a little of the body, texture and clarity due to the limitations of B2C - but the taste and most of the notes are there and I am in the category of people who prefers this style of espresso, as I was adding a touch of water to most of my shots on the semi auto.

    I can't speak for the Oracle Touch but it's not in the ballpark of what I'm after re convenience - it's a semi-auto machine with a few more conveniences baked in. It still makes espresso but only with manual input.

    My go-to for a longer coffee on the Delonghi is to brew a Doppio+ (strong espresso - hgiher dose, longer pre infusion and longer output) then add hot water to taste. It's really good. When I have the time, my workaround for top-notch, crisp filter is a Delterpress. It's a filter-focused version of Aeropress and produces a cleaner cup. Get a hand grinder, 14-15gms of beans, and keep the Delter beside your B2C and use the hot water for it. Best of both worlds

  • Ascanio1
    commented on 's reply
    Thank you for your advice.

    I short listed these De'Longhi and Sage ... One De'Longhi (*) brews a "coffee pot" ... what is it?

    (*) De'Longhi Prima Donna Soul One (more options for longer brews, including coffee pot)

    Which De'Longhi would you go for and why, considering that - IF WE CANNOT BREW FILTER - then the next parameter is price vs quality?

  • Ascanio1
    commented on 's reply
    Thank you! I will keep it in mind! Grazie!

  • ElShauno
    replied
    I just changed from semi to super auto and my observation is that the Delonghis are your best choice. Consensus seems to be that Jura may be slightly better at espresso. But if you are drinking a wide variety of drinks Delonghi seem to have you covered. Their Long coffee function uses a pulsating low pressure brew method. You can also brew a Doppio+ (their version of a high dose espresso) and water down a la a long black. Pretty good, though not quite as clean as filter coffee. I roast my own and medium works really well in these machines set to high temp. Watch James Hoffmann’s video on YouTube where he dials in superauto machines. Enjoy!

    Leave a comment:


  • 338
    commented on 's reply
    Hi Ascanio, welcome, as a new member you probably don't know the rules but worth a quick read. It might be worth typing out the model rather than just posting a link, the mods will remove any links not to sponsors and then your post becomes meaningless

  • Ascanio1
    replied
    I found https://www.delonghi.com/en-gb/bco43...ker/p/BCO431.S

    The challenge being that, while I could put the grinder on top of the brewer and, maybe, big maybe, get away with the ground coffee preparation, it still does not offer the half dozen different coffee based drinks...

    Are there any other brands that make something similar?

    Leave a comment:


  • Ascanio1
    replied
    Thank you. One more question would be which grinds coarser between the de Longhi Elite and the Sage Oracle. Does anyone know?

    Leave a comment:


  • Barry O'Speedwagon
    commented on 's reply
    I doubt that any of them are going to grind coffee for use elsewhere. The Oracle looks like it could, but I would assume that you have to have a portafilter locked in to start the grind process.

    The essence of these machines is having a grinder set up so that it feeds a filter basket with minimal loss of grinds elsewhere.

    If you want to be 100% sure, have a look a the instruction manuals for each machine. If there is an option such as you describe regarding the grinder, it will be in the manual.

  • Ascanio1
    replied
    Do any of the B2C listed offer an option to pour boiling hot water and to ground coffee for use separately? If yes, then could I not use that option to add ground coffee in a filter, inside a very basic filter holder on top of a cup and press hot water only?

    Leave a comment:


  • justacuppa
    replied
    I think what you are describing in a B2C machine is quite difficult to find. If you can narrow it down to the machine that makes the best espresso in which you can either dilute or make a long black, you will have better chances. James Hoffman did a pretty comprehensive review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZEM1cC86t8
    He also has an video on how to dial in your B2C machine to get the best out of them.

    I assume you are assigned to the task of picking a machine for the office.. but if you don't want to compromise on your coffee, have you considered using a hand grinder and an aeropress? You just need access to hot water and good beans to make good "filter" style coffee at work, and easily tucked away when you are done.


    Leave a comment:

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