Hi guys...this is my first post on the forum. I am currently just using a Nespresso machine but decided to make the leap to an HX machine. After lurking on here and a few other forums I became interested in the Salvatore One Black. I was then looking around on eBay and I realized that Salvatore sells direct on eBay, but the One Black was not listed yet. I emailed them and asked them to please list the One Black, the did, and I purchased one. It will be a few weeks before I get it as they custom make all orders.

Why did I want to get it through eBay instead of just by calling Salvatore...it is simple: there is a crazy cashback promotion going on right now from Microsoft Live Search (http://www.live.com) and I got 25% cashback...yes the Salvatore One Black only cost me $746! Now the current cashback percentage is down to 20%, but it is still a great deal! You can check out this post on FatWallet to get all of the details: http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/838081/

Anyways, I expect I will be back on these forums to learn from all of you as I am a complete novice. Also, as I need to fill out the rest of my accessories, I hope to find great advice on this forum. For instance, I am planning on getting the Ascaso i-mini grinder... hopefully that is a good choice for a dedicated espresso grinder that doesn't break the bank. Also, I am looking at either Paradise Roaster's, PT's, or Intelligentsia for beans as they are the closest to me (South Dakota). If all else fails, I found Lavazza Grand Espresso on Amazon for $27 shipped for 2 bags (2.2lbs each) and that seems like a great price.

Forget the Lavazza.

If your preferred vendor doesn't list your preferred carrier, call them. Some vendors will ship by carriers other than listed.

You can order several pounds, split into 1/2 pound mason jars and freeze.

Yeah, I know that the fresh roasted will be MUCH better. The thing is...I am a complete novice that has never pulled an espresso shot in my life. So there will be A LOT of learning to do. I figured the Lavazza may be more economical to start with.

I actually have never tried any of the roasters that I listed so I have no preferred vendor...yet! I hope to try them all as well as others that I have not listed.

inputusername wrote:So there will be A LOT of learning to do. I figured the Lavazza may be more economical to start with.

Yours is a common response, but I will never understand why so many drop over a grand on a killer espresso setup and then balk at spending $50 for good coffee to learn on because it's "wasteful".

More directly to my point, imported coffees typically enjoy a leisurely boat ride across the ocean, a second stopover in a warehouse, a truck ride to a distribution center, and finally another truck ride to your house. We can optimistically assume those "boat beans" took a month to arrive at your doorstep. Why spend good money on stale coffee when there's many top-end roasters at your fingertips? It's especially relevant for novices because stale coffee is exceedingly difficult to dial in because of the lack of oils; grind setting is one millimeter to coarse = blond gusher, one millimeter too fine = choked.

If you really want inexpensive coffee to practice on, I would recommend stopping by your favorite local cafe. At least then you'll have a "bar" with which to compare your results.

I am not opposed to spending money on great beans...I just figured that the first few bags would be mostly sink shots. I never thought about a local cafe...none of the ones in town roast their own, but they are hopefully fresh. I'll check that out.

Actually, I am sure that I will make a ton of shots in the first few weeks while I practice so maybe I should just get a 5 lb bag of Espresso Classico from Paradise. They are only about 5 hours away so I should get them in 1 or 2 days.

inputusername wrote:...maybe I should just get a 5 lb bag of Espresso Classico from Paradise.

That's what I would do. Divvy it up into half pound Mason jars, put them in the freezer, and you'll be good for at least a couple weeks.

If I were to go through all of the beans in 2 weeks, would I still want to do the mason jar/freezer thing? I figured the classico would last about 2 weeks without a freezer???

If you think you may actually go through 5 lb. in 2 weeks, I wouldn't bother freezing them. 14 days is within (barely) the nice, fresh window for most coffees (it's actually the end of the prime for some coffees). If you think you may be going into that 3rd week, I would freeze as soon as you get it.

I don't know, though. Personally, I would advise that you might have the best learning experience without freezing. The beans aren't going to be categorically unacceptable at 3 weeks, just not as good as they were at 3-4 days. This is something I think you ought to experience for yourself.

Welcome to the world of fine espresso. It looks like you picked a nice machine.

shadowfax wrote:Welcome to the world of fine espresso. It looks like you picked a nice machine.

Thank you! I have a lot to learn.

Regarding the freezing. I don't know the dosing of the Espresso Classico, but if I guess 18 grams per double, that would be 125 shots. I think I will realistically go through that many while I practice the first few weeks so I should be OK, but it is nice to know I have the option of freezing in mason jars in the future.

Does anyone have opinions on whether the Ascaso i-Mini is a good choice for me as a grinder?

inputusername wrote:...I just figured that the first few bags would be mostly sink shots...

They most certainly will be if you don't use good coffee.

There's a long line of chaps who visited, coffee in hand, only to have it binned directly. Once they're cured of knick-knack, tip-tap, paddy-whacking, twirly-whirly tamping nonsense and can make a level tamp, they get to lock in.

Comments range from "G.d! I wish I had a video camera!" all the way through to "That's the best shot I've ever had in my life." They always leave with a FRESH pound of whatever I'm pulling as long as they promise to bin ALL the crap in the cupboard.

Without great coffee, why bother