Hi all,

I found you after spending a bit of time googling around trying to learn about espresso machines and grinders and have spent a happy 2 or 3 hours just browsing around some of the reviews, how-to's and threads here. Thank you for such a fantastic site - the information I've learned has been fantastic. I'd like to ask your opinion on what will be my first purchase and first foray into making my own coffee.

The main reason for having to ask is so many of you seem to like neat espresso so there are fewer threads on milk frothers. I tend to go for the milk-based coffees, latte in particular. So I'm after a rig that will be suitable for me to learn how to make a half decent latte and microfoam milk.

Current shopping basket is looking like this:-

Gaggia MDF grinder
Gaggia Classic espresso machine

I have a decent bean supplier close to me (Monmouth Coffee).

Is that a suitable combo for a learner?

I've read about double-boilers for milk frothing, but don't really want to throw more than £500 at this.

Is the Gaggia Classic going to cause me a problem do you think ?

Also, what kind of a tamper should I get for the Gaggia? Amazon have a couple, but they don't give dimensions, and I'm not sure if all machines are 58mm or if there are variations.

Many thanks.

deanelwood wrote:Is that a suitable combo for a learner?

I've never used either the Gaggia Classic or Gaggia MDF grinder, but they're recommended so frequently for entry level equipment, I'll take it as a matter of faith that they'll work for you (e.g., searching "Gaggia MDF" yielded pages of positive commentary; further searching for the Classic will undoubtedly yield the same result).

By my reading, the results of searching Gaggia Classic tamper size yielded the general consensus on several forums that 58mm is the right tamper size and a quick check of vendor sites confirmed it.

An SBDU is a poor choice for 'half decent' latte. You either steam while the espresso decays or brew while the milk cools and collapses. A used HX would be a better choice.

Decide if you are serious about making great espresso. Salt away 50 or 100 quid a month until you can purchase capable kit. An arbitrary £500 limit is a ticket to frustration.

At this price range, and for somebody who just wants lattes - I'm a proponent of trying Nespresso (or some other pod system). They typically are carried at high end kitchen shops, and they have demo units for free samples (and often very good return policies if you don't like). My friend was in Europe recently, and surprised at how popular Nespresso is over there.

I thoroughly enjoyed the years I "cut my teeth" on entry-level Saeco pump machines (paired with used conical burr hand grinders). I don't see it as a path to frustration, but rather as an enjoyable (and affordable) way to enter the world of espresso - in fact many people simply keep this equipment for years because they are satisfied with the espresso. I still use a cheap (Francis X1) pump machine regularly, and I make great (to me) espresso with it.

As a quality check, I'll simply say that virtually every guest I have ever made espresso for has commented on how good it tastes. Now, these folks are not coffee-cuppers, but it gives some idea of how someone uninitiated, or those used to coffee-shop espresso, will find the average espresso made on an entry-level kit.

I simply don't like brewed coffee, so the save and wait option would not work for me.

PC

deanelwood wrote:Hi all,

Current shopping basket is looking like this:-

Gaggia MDF grinder
Gaggia Classic espresso machine

My daughter has a Gaggia Classic which I have used. In that price range I think it is a good choice. It is helped quite a bit by the addition of a PID kit. Steaming is adequate, particularly if you replace the existing steam wand with a Silvia wand or at least remove the plastic "enhancer." There is a good support group with knowledgeable people on Yahoo.

hperry wrote:My daughter has a Gaggia Classic which I have used. In that price range I think it is a good choice. It is helped quite a bit by the addition of a PID kit. Steaming is adequate, particularly if you replace the existing steam wand with a Silvia wand ...

Agreed, any of the little Gaggias will make a good entry level machine, especially if you can find some coffees that aren't too picky about temperature. And then if you want to spend a little bit more money to upgrade them you can get a PID kit for more consistent temp control, and/or a Silvia steam wand for much better frothing.

But I can't recomend the MDF grinder, I had one for a couple months, and it was adequate at best, frustrating at worst. For about the same price you can get a Le'lit PL53 or a Nemox Lux (which are very similar), they both use the same concial burrs which are small, but work well, and are much easier to adjust than the MDF. You can also look at the Baratza Vario, which is more expensive, but probably worth the extra money in grind quality and usability, and by all accounts is great value for money.

As Dan said, Gaggia Classic and MDF are well seen in the forum...

I upgraded from a cheap machine to a Gaggia Baby Twin a few days ago and I'm very satisfied with the overall quality of it. Mine has a thermoblock for the steaming and a boiler for brewing, so you can make lattes with a little more of speed than other single boiler Gaggias.

Never used the Classic, but as far as I know is one of the best rated Gaggia machines, maybe the number one.

About the MDF never used either, but it seems to be a great grinder with horrible design flaws like the doser and the big grind retention in the chambers. If you mind about having stale coffee inside your grinder I'd suggest you doserless options as the Lelit 053, Baratza Virtuoso Preciso or even Rancilio Rocky, that are all under US$ 350,00.

Thanks everyone for your comments. You're an incredibly helpful bunch! Thanks also for the PM's which I received also with some pointers. On the basis of your comments, I've spent another few hours reading.

I've upped the budget a bit, and decided to get a better grinder (probably the Baratza Vario). It's really clear on reading the forums here that it's the best place to spend the bulk of the budget. I'm now also considering the Gaggia Baby Twin to get the benefit of faster use of the steam wand. And I may upgrade the wand later for a Silvia replacement.

That's again - the information and help on here has been invaluable.