Manual expresso machines....thoughts?

[acotts]

[QUOTE=Tristan;303018
BTW, if you're a coffee snob why are watering it down with milk?? ;-)[/QUOTE]

Well, it started with my GF wanting to get more calcium in her diet so she bought a Moka. It was pretty good. Then I gave it a whirl and did it just a bit better (supposedly).

Now, I make the coffee every morning. I put hers in a to go cup while she gets ready, and mine I drink while watching the news.

... its "our thing" lol.

[C.Dyer]

Fuck me. I cant believe I mispeled espresso. I suck.

You also mispelled mispelled. So there's that too...

[false_aesthetic]

We've got really limited counter space.
My maaaaa sent me a "Handpresso" for my birthday last year.

It's really not that shabby and provides you with the crema that you want. Clean-up is easy. You just need a burrrrrrrrrr grinder to re-grind and of the pre-ground espresso (if that's something you're into... Illy or whatever)

An inventive chap could probably rig up a Lezyne pump for the handpresso easy as pie.

Remember to tamp it real good like cuz if ya don't it'll produce brown water and not too much more.

[robin3mj]

You also mispelled mispelled. So there's that too...

Likewise...

I'm with the boss- leave it to the pros to pull the fancy shots.
Kettle, burr grinder, various size French presses, and the small-sized moka pot and I am good to go.

[Tristan]

So what are people using for a small grinder? Ideally something manual rather than electric and needs to grind superfine for the espresso machine.

[lukasz]

We've got really limited counter space.
My maaaaa sent me a "Handpresso" for my birthday last year.

It's really not that shabby and provides you with the crema that you want. Clean-up is easy. You just need a burrrrrrrrrr grinder to re-grind and of the pre-ground espresso (if that's something you're into... Illy or whatever)

An inventive chap could probably rig up a Lezyne pump for the handpresso easy as pie.

Remember to tamp it real good like cuz if ya don't it'll produce brown water and not too much more.

I was thinking about getting a mypressi Twist for travel, but I ain't made of money--and it requires nitrogen cartridges. Went the Aeropress route, but apparently the Twist makes perfectly good espresso. Just like most other things, this ain't rocket science. Push the right amount of water at the right temperature through the right amount of beans ground to the right consistency. Apparently even a hand-held device powered by nitrogen cartridges does it well enough.

So what are people using for a small grinder? Ideally something manual rather than electric and needs to grind superfine for the espresso machine.

I'm getting myself a Porlex Mini, as seen here: PORLEX Mini Stainless Steel Japanese Ceramic Burr Coffee Grinder . It'll do what you want. OE also sells a few others that would do the trick. I also keep an old wooden Zassenhaus mill at my parents house to grind up coffee when I visit. I found it cheap at a Turkish market in Berlin. It is pretty fun to use. My uncle was telling me about how they used to use mills like that to grind stuff out on the farm in Poland when he was growing up. He really gets a kick out of it: "they come up with all these new inventions and he's using an old wooden mill."

[jjmstang]

The wife bought me one of these for Valentines Day :-)

https://www.nespresso-us.com/products/machine?pid=31

They offer a large assortment of different types of espresso cups. You buy them in 10 pack sleeves.

-Rick

[acotts]

You also mispelled mispelled. So there's that too...

wuz joke

[acotts]

The wife bought me one of these for Valentines Day :-)

https://www.nespresso-us.com/products/machine?pid=31

They offer a large assortment of different types of espresso cups. You buy them in 10 pack sleeves.

-Rick

lol. You would be hard pressed to find something more different than what I was contemplating purchasing. Thanks though.

[prcrstn8]

The wife bought me one of these for Valentines Day :-)

https://www.nespresso-us.com/products/machine?pid=31

They offer a large assortment of different types of espresso cups. You buy them in 10 pack sleeves.

-Rick

I'm not in favor of the non-recyclable pod waste but just out of curiosity, how does the espresso taste?

[lawhoo]

It's actually alright. Some local homewares stores have demonstrations regularly, and if I am walking by, I always accept the offer of a free drink. It doesn't have the character of fresh, properly brewed espresso (not even close for me), but it is a decent drink in kind of the same way Starbucks is.

I'm not in favor of the non-recyclable pod waste but just out of curiosity, how does the espresso taste?

[C.Dyer]

Likewise...

Oh my god, you're right. D'oh!

I think I win the jackass of the day award...

[ericpmoss]

As others mentioned, you will need a grinder (never too much stuff!). The competition Robur on sale looks pretty good, but this fits in with your manual mojo: OE PHAROS Hand Coffee Grinder

[acotts]

Wow, that a beautiful machine!

Effin' A, the payback on a manual setup will be measured in decades. lol.

[lawhoo]

For anyone that has a machine and doesn't already have a bottomless portafilter and a deeper basket, it's a great combination. I just picked a factory bottomless for my Silvia, along with a triple basket, and the coffee is even more amazing. It allows for deep, rich shots - all the way up to syrupy - that the stock double basket could not produce due to dosing volume limitation.

[ericpmoss]

I just got a 1989 Olympia Coffex (the pump version of the Cremina) from eBay, and can say it's worth every penny. But if you want really portable, try: portaspresso - The Ultimate Espresso Experience

[lukasz]

Whoa, that portable espresso thing is crazy. I must say that I am a tiny bit skeptical at the quality it could produce.

[fatallightning]

if you like your moka pot, you'd love an aeropress. i think the body and taste are cleaner and more aromatic.

[Cookietruck]

i think my favorite roaster in town is about to start roasting again.
so happy.

[Too Tall]

I've been testing an Brikka made by Bialetti

It is a moka pot however they have added a screen that creates very passable crema.
If you grind for slightly more course than espresso you get a darn fine cup of (dare I say) espresso.
It ain't ESPRESSO but it is good.
I've been making cappuccinos with this and they are spot on perfect.
This is worth having.