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Espresso Maker - Page 2

post #16 of 214
11/1/08 at 2:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by grimslade View Post
Best coffee in the world. A source of mine just dropped off a 1-kilo bag of the beans.
Go south a couple of hours.
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post #17 of 214
11/1/08 at 3:21am
No way. Everyone is off base.

Check out custom designed machines by Kees van der Westen.


Speedster

He's just designed a 1 group 'speedster' for home use.

I can't imagine what sort of money I would need to spend on a grinder to justify having his machine though. It'll be the sexiest thing in your house!
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post #18 of 214
11/1/08 at 3:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by grimslade View Post
Best coffee in the world. A source of mine just dropped off a 1-kilo bag of the beans.

Yes, I bought some of their coffee to bring back too
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post #19 of 214
11/1/08 at 3:44am
I want the most chrome-laden Deco-like espresso maker out there simply because I don't drink coffee and want a shiny object.
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post #20 of 214
11/2/08 at 11:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by grimslade View Post
Everyone in Italy uses Bialettis at home (although usually not actual bialettis, but mokas anyway). If they want espresso, they go to the bar.
+1

I own one, but it's such a bitch to clean at times that I have to really be in the mood to use it to actually do so. I can just disassemble my French press in the dishwasher, but you can't do that with the aluminum Mokas.
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post #21 of 214
11/2/08 at 6:24pm
My choice would be a Miss Silvia by Rancilio. I think this would fall into the MB category. Once my wife and I buy our house, this will be mine. Until then, I continue to use my moka.
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post #22 of 214
11/2/08 at 9:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by iammatt View Post
Go south a couple of hours.

OK, I have to admit, I've never actually been south of Rome.



But still, St. Eustachio rocks.
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post #23 of 214
11/2/08 at 9:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by grimslade View Post
OK, I have to admit, I've never actually been south of Rome.



But still, St. Eustachio rocks.
I would like to believe you about St. Eustachio, but have never tried it. Maybe your source would like to send some to San Francisco.
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post #24 of 214
11/2/08 at 9:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by iammatt View Post
I would like to believe you about St. Eustachio, but have never tried it. Maybe your source would like to send some to San Francisco.

I would ask her, but she's just moved back stateside. Her most recent delivery was her last. It's right around the corner from the pantheon. It can be bought at times in NY, but I shudder to think of the age of the beans sitting around small shops on Mott St. Come over some morning this week and I'll make you one with my espresso maker.
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post #25 of 214
11/3/08 at 1:50pm
I have a Bialetti Moka at home, it makes some good coffee. It even makes a little crema. Unfortunately, the way it is designed, the crema is skimmed off the top by the lid before it can enter your cup

At work we have a Jura Capresso, fully automatic and pretty low maintenance. These machines are about $1k. It makes very good espresso as far as I can tell. I am not an expert though. I think it would be pretty wasteful unless you did at least 5 shots a day. I dunno what kind of normal American family would do that many.

I've tried a Nespresso at Sur La Table, seemed fine as well. I really enjoy finding new coffees though, even if Nespresso was excellent I would miss using new beans I had found. This is Nespresso's main drawback, for me.
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post #26 of 214
11/3/08 at 3:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by grimslade View Post
OK, I have to admit, I've never actually been south of Rome.



But still, St. Eustachio rocks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by iammatt View Post
I would like to believe you about St. Eustachio, but have never tried it. Maybe your source would like to send some to San Francisco.

I think a lot of it has to do with 'being there'. Compared to what passes for espresso here, it's hard to get a shitty caffe in Italy. Heck, I think the Autogrill coffee is pretty darn tasty. St. Eustachio is quite good, but I wonder if there's any truth to the 'secret ingredient' theory and Wizard of Oz-like privacy sreen next to the machine. It's nice that more places here are making better coffee, but I can't abide the slacker-know-it-all attitude and high prices that accompany it. $3 for a tiny shot of espresso along w/ a lecture from some dude resentful of yuppies in 'his' 'hood? No thnks....
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post #27 of 214
11/3/08 at 7:59pm
Actually just returned from 3 weeks in Italy and have already blown through the 1-kilo bags I brought back from Sant' Eustachio and Tazza d'Oro (the competition located across the Pantheon). Personally, I prefer Tazza d'Oro. Wish I knew someone that would be willing to bring some back from me.

At home, I use a Pasquini Livia espresso machine and a Rancilio Rocky grinder. I experiment with a lot of different kinds of beans. Excluding the two above, my current default is Danesi.

I second the recommendation for the coffee geek site.
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post #28 of 214
11/3/08 at 10:29pm
I've used a Nespresso D350 for the last seven years or so. Its been a terrific little machine that produces consistently good espresso, so long as you get the "10" rated pods.

I find it convienient and easy to maintain - in addition to price effective. $.19 for a shot plus the little milk heater/frother and I'm happy.

Having said that, its not going to be artisan quality but beats your average espresso at starbucks or peets.
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post #29 of 214
11/3/08 at 10:38pm
We use a Saeco Royal Super Automatic Professional (silly name, I know), and it is great for casual use at home. Ugly and loud. You can even get these from Tarjay.

A friend of mine had a Synesso 2 group Cyncra put in last year...man, it rocks.


- B
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post #30 of 214
11/3/08 at 10:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bmulford View Post
I've used a Nespresso D350 for the last seven years or so. Its been a terrific little machine that produces consistently good espresso, so long as you get the "10" rated pods.

I find it convienient and easy to maintain - in addition to price effective. $.19 for a shot plus the little milk heater/frother and I'm happy.

Having said that, its not going to be artisan quality but beats your average espresso at starbucks or peets.

Is that the standard pricing? I tried Nespresso at their Madison Avenue shop and thought it was pretty good, but since you have only one source for the coffee, I was curious about the pricing.
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