Espresso Maker

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by romafan

thnx - by 'flavors', do you mean different types/roasts of coffee, or vanilla hazlenit creme & such?

what is the model to choose?

Go to Sur la Table on Spring and have a look at the different models. Get a complimentary espresso too. I have the cube and I'm happy with it because I don't drink cappuccinos and don't need any of the milk heating/frothing parts.

 

[dopey]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Go to Sur la Table on Spring and have a look at the different models. Get a complimentary espresso too. I have the cube and I'm happy with it because I don't drink cappuccinos and don't need any of the milk heating/frothing parts.
Do you use it to make espresso or one of the other drinks? Do you recall what they call the coffee that is in between a shot of espresso and a normal cup of coffee? I had it in the store and it was really good. NVM: I looked it up - Lungo.

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by dopey

Do you use it to make espresso or one of the other drinks? Do you recall what they call the coffee that is in between a shot of espresso and a normal cup of coffee? I had it in the store and it was really good.

Lungo. I only make espresso and espresso lungo.

 

[gomestar]

really stupid questions here, but how do you make a lungo on a Nespresso machine? Just keep the on button in the on position? (I've never operated a Nespresso)

also, can you make a double shot with a Nespresso?

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Go to Sur la Table on Spring and have a look at the different models. Get a complimentary espresso too. I have the cube and I'm happy with it because I don't drink cappuccinos and don't need any of the milk heating/frothing parts.

They had a sale on them at Gilt recently, and may again. I was tempted to buy another, but couldn't figure what to do with another.

Originally Posted by dopey

Do you use it to make espresso or one of the other drinks? Do you recall what they call the coffee that is in between a shot of espresso and a normal cup of coffee? I had it in the store and it was really good.

NVM: I looked it up - Lungo.

Lungo, as you noted. I don't like them, but my wife drinks them religiously. Really good coffee. It's too bad that so many people are put off by the Nestle name, because the coffee is a lot better than most of the super gourmet stuff people go gaga over.

 

[gdl203]

There's two buttons - short and long. You can also leave the capsule in and press the button again to get an extra-long drink (like an americano).

For a true double espresso, you'd use one capsule for an espresso shot and a second one to top it up. I've never done that - I always go lungo when I want a longer espresso

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by iammatt

They had a sale on them at Gilt recently, and may again. I was tempted to buy another, but couldn't figure what to do with another.
I have one at home and one in the office.

For anyone who missed the Gilt sale and don't need the fancy box, Nespresso itself has a factory outlet on eBay and the prices are hard to beat. Shipped straight from Nespresso.

 

[BB1]

Some purists will likely sneer, but I bought this Bosch super automatic about 2 years ago and love it: http://www.wholelattelove.com/Bosch/benvenuto_b30.cfm It is actually made by Jura in Switzerland, but has slightly different controls that more closely match Bosch's style of ergonomics. When fed Etheopean or Kenyan beans that have been roasted within the last few days the flavor is outstanding. I have not had a better cup at any commercial establishment, although maybe I never visited the right place. I can at least say it makes a far better cup than I have ever been able to make on my own. I make about 5 to 10 cups a day with it, so it has easily paid for itself.

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by gdl203

For anyone who missed the Gilt sale and don't need the fancy box, Nespresso itself has a factory outlet on eBay and the prices are hard to beat. Shipped straight from Nespresso.

Don't tell my wife.

 

[pabloj]

Originally Posted by gdl203

I have one at home and one in the office.

For anyone who missed the Gilt sale and don't need the fancy box, Nespresso itself has a factory outlet on eBay and the prices are hard to beat. Shipped straight from Nespresso.
Mind posting a link? Thanks

 

[gdc_2008]

Originally Posted by RJman

Are there other Gaggia Classic owners here? I'm finding that the only preground coffee I can buy is Illy as everything else isn't ground fine enough. When I buy beans, even grinding them to Turkish coffee fineness isn't enough -- I end up having to regrind and tamp really hard in order for the espresso to brew adequately. Anyone else finding this to be the case?

Sounds like a grinder issue. What grinder are you using? Also, how are you tamping? It took some experimenting to get the grind right, like any machine...plus it'll take 1 or 2 shots each new batch of beans to dial in the grind (unless I'm using the same ones).

For pre-ground, the closest I've gotten was with Illy, but it still pulled a crap shot. Have you tried using the single basket and the ESE Illy pods? I bought some when my grinder went down, then realized I didn't have a single basket

 

[CDFS]

^Edit: Best advertisement for Nespresso

Originally Posted by gdl203

I've used Nespresso for at least 12 or 13 years now and I chuckle (internally) when I visit friends with more "prestigious" equipment, who grind their own coffee and serve me a result that is significantly inferior to the N espresso. IMO, there's nothing wrong with the Nespresso equipment or system itself either - great, durable machines, great quality beans. If that makes you feel better, Corton, a 2 Michelin star restaurant, serves only Nespresso at the end of meals. This is not the equivalent of the non-iron shirt at all. It's a perfect example of OTT snubbism that's disconnected from the reality of the product's quality.
I was surprised myself at how palatable nespresso schmoffee really is. It's not easy and a lot of work to serve similar quality espresso. But, imho, if done correctly, an espresso with a decent semi-automatic takes the cake, by far. I've as of yet not tasted the same with an automatic.

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by gdc_2008

Sounds like a grinder issue. What grinder are you using? Also, how are you tamping? It took some experimenting to get the grind right, like any machine...plus it'll take 1 or 2 shots each new batch of beans to dial in the grind (unless I'm using the same ones).

For pre-ground, the closest I've gotten was with Illy, but it still pulled a crap shot. Have you tried using the single basket and the ESE Illy pods? I bought some when my grinder went down, then realized I didn't have a single basket

I had the beans ground to the finest setting at my coffee shop and they still weren't fine enough. I tried tamping hard, I tried tamping lightly, I tried filling up the basket all the way, I tried everything I could think of and the espresso still brewed through ultraquick and was underextracted. I ended up pulling out my blade grinder and regrinding the ground beans down to very, very fine. I can then tamp down hard and get a good shot.

I know that Nespresso is pretty much a guaranteed decent shot every time, but I like being able to play with my machine, to experiment with different beans and coffee roasters, to have that interaction. It is sort of like the difference between liking a quartz watch which keeps better time and liking a mechanical watch despite the fragility and the outmoded technology...

I've used the Illy pods, they are OK.

 

[gdc_2008]

I can dig on Nespresso...though I was staying at a friends house with one and I drank WAY too much espresso that way.... RJ...spend some money on a grinder. Grinding beans on some random grinder at the finest setting means nothing...you have history on when their grinder was cleaned, how worn out it is, or even how fine or corse beans need to be in your machine. I'd suggest looking into the Capresso Infinity burr grinder. Mine was like $80, and it works great for me. Its not perfect, but I enjoy messing around with the Gaggia so $80 wasn't too much to spend. In short, you won't pull a good shot with that machine until you deal with the grinder issue. I know, before I got my Capresso I would go to various places and use different settings on different grinders always chasing the right settings. Then you have nasty stale espresso that doesn't work right with the machine.

 

[Crakaveli]

thinking about asking for a delonghi ec155 and capresso infinity for my birthday/christmas. do those seem like good inexpensive options for a novice espresso maker?