First off, hello everyone.

I'm new here, new to espresso, new to roasting - that's a lot of new for 46 years old. On the other hand I'm old to coffee, old to my 7 kids, and feeling older every morning.

I thought I'd join this fine fellowship after reading the articles and informative posts. This seems to be a really great place.

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So why am I scared?

I get compulsive. I research, learn, and spend. This espresso thing has all the earmarks of another, "Honey, remember that obsession you had 3 years ago for xxxxx? Now what are you getting into?" conversation.

I've resigned myself to that part. But this equipment is so expensive I can't afford to blow it on my first purchase.

Let me tell you where I am and maybe someone can talking me back into bass fishing or classical music or chess or bible study's or or or

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Here's a list of random factoids:


I make a 6oz serving from a moka pot every morning to drink on the commute.

The moka pot is inconsistent - most often bitter. Once every couple of weeks one comes out really good.

I've started home roasting to get the flavors I want.

I've purchased a Solis Maestro Plus to grind finer.

I've found one cafe that will produce the occasional good double. (Just enough to tempt me for better.)

I've never operated a real espresso machine. But I'm not afraid to learn/master anything that lacks the potential for a slow and painful death.

I think I want a good machine and start making my own doubles and the occasional milk drinks for after dinner or parties.

I have $1,000 tucked away for just such an extravagance.

Lever machines look really cool and fun to use.

Resale value is important when I have those conversations with the wife.

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If you have any advice for me I'll gladly make use of it.

Steve

Some tips for the Moka Pot

1) don't grind fine. grind reasonably coarse. counter-intuitive, I know. and don't tamp either.
2) pre-boil the water. this will dramatically improve your results.
3) don't keep the moka pot on the stove. Once you get a heavy stream of coming coming out, remove it from the stove entirely (some people actually use a towel in the freezer to wrap around the bottom of the pot at this point to stop the coffee from burning).

Hey Malachi thanks for the moka pot tips. I know what I'll be playing with this weekend!



Let me be more direct on my question:

I'm scared to buy a real machine sight unseen. I don't know anyone with a serious machine to help with the decision/training/example. But I have kinda limited my ideas to:

Lever action -

* La Pavoni Europiccola or Pro



Spring Lever -

* Elektra Microcasa



E61 -

* Anita by Quick Mill


So, considering my newbie-ness and $1,000 limit is there a suggestion?




Thanks,

Steve

Dan,

Sorry we both posted together and I didn't see your reply.

I'll start researching those two machines.

Thanks,

Steve

One other recommendation on the moka pot that I discovered through trial and error (the others are spot on, by the way): try using a lower temperature on the burner rather than a higher one. How low? That probably varies by pot type and stovetop, but FWIW I use a gas flame just above simmering (I also preheat the water, use a larger-than-espresso grind, and don't tamp).

Couple of other things regarding espresso machines. First, I think a lever machine is harder to get good results from than a pump machine. Just my own experience. As a single-boiler machine, it's also less than optimal for milk drinks. You can do it, but just not as easily. As long as you're aware of these limitations, lever machines are really kind of romantic and can be mastered (though I wouldn't want to be pulling multiple milk drinks on one at a party). Every machine type has its plusses and minuses. FWIW, I have a QuickMill Vetrano, which is a plumbed-in, HX, rotary-pump machine (which cost a little bit more than your current budget would allow), which I love more and more each day. I used to own a Pavoni Europiccola.

One last piece of advice: consider getting a grinder first, while you have some cash (a good one, built to last your lifetime -- and have good resale value if necessary -- will cost between $200-$500).

steves wrote:Dan,

Sorry we both posted together and I didn't see your reply.

I'll start researching those two machines.

Thanks,

Steve

Note that he also suggested two different grinders. Your Solis will not be up to the challenge so you'll really want to include a grinder in your budget.

If future upgrading is a major concern strongly suggest you look at HX over single boiler like Silvia. While Silvia is a capable machine, if entertaining she's a PITA, especially when it comes to espresso drinks with steamed milk. (FWIW I owned Miss Silvia for 4 years before upgrading to HX) Within your budget constraints you may need to forgo an HX lever like Anita but instead decent grinder and Pulser or Bezzera as Dan mentioned.

steves wrote:So why am I scared?

I get compulsive. I research, learn, and spend. This espresso thing has all the earmarks of another, "Honey, remember that obsession you had 3 years ago for xxxxx? Now what are you getting into?" conversation.

You *should* be scared! I am also a serial compulsive, as I'd guess many others here are. I used to just like coffee...

What separates this compulsion from some of my others is that I drink coffee every day, but don't have a daily urge to build some furniture, or rearrange the aquarium, or brew some beer, or make some wine or mead or a traditional Diane sauce, or catch a few stripers, or, or, or... So I tend to stick with this one.

My only advice is that once you start, make it a point to try to isolate one variable at a time and go about it in a methodical way. Dose of coffee, distribution of coffee, tamping style, brew temperature and roast profile (yes, you will come to insist on home roasting...) all affect the final result in profound ways. I wish I had been more methodical when I started, but in my ignorance I took the shotgun approach and only recently (after two years or so of flailing around) have begun to really understand what is necessary to get good, repeatable results.

Good luck, it's a lot of fun.

Paul

Paul,

Good to know I'm not the only one. The immediately previous obsession was knife making. Similar experience, once you've used a hand made knife those Henkels just aren't the same.

I'll take your warning and change one thing at a time. (With soooo many variables it's gonna be hard.)


Mike & Dan,

Really the Solis Maestro Plus ain't gonna cut it? I know it's not a solid machine (kinda disappointed when I opened the box), it probably won't last. But the grind looks really nice and very adjustable.

I understand it's very much improved over the original Maestro. At the lowest it's a finer than dust. At the highest it's still much finer than canned stuff. And there's 40 settings in between.

I'll have to think some more on the grinder issue. I was hoping the Plus would get me thru a couple of years.....

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Nobody jumped in to endorse levers. I'll take Balthazar's advice and leave the lever off the list.



Hey thanks for all the friendly advice. Moka's are coming out better. It'll have to do until I make up my mind.


Steve

steves wrote:The immediately previous obsession was knife making. Similar experience, once you've used a hand made knife those Henkels just aren't the same.

Now THAT sounds like something worth trying. Hmm...