Newbie - Is This A Safe Machine To Start With?

[rosario]

My husband & I are newbies. Like so many people we spend too much time & money at Starbucks and want to start to make our own espresso. I am amazed at the information our here on espresso machines and have spent quite a bit of time reading up on it all. What I want to know is will these choices be good ones or should I look for something more basic. Being newbies I do not want to totally overspend on this, but do want quality results. I will be making lattes and he espresso on a daily basis.

Gaggia Classic
and either a Rancilio Rocky or Gaggia MDF

Thank you!

[zin1953]

Lucy,

The Gaggia Classic is an excellent machine to start with, as is either grinder. I had a Gaggia Coffee (pretty much the same as a Classic, but lacking the 3-way solenoid valve) and a Gaggia MDF for about 20 years, and it was a GREAT combination!

The Gaggia recovers more quickly and is more "forgiving" than the Rancilio Silvia, and it should last you for a very long time . . . barring an attack of "upgrade-itis." In other words, as long as you want it, it will work for you and should provide years and years of delicious espresso.

Cheers,
Jason

[IMAWriter]

Agree with Jason. grinder is the most important element. read some reviews on both the Rocky and MDF
I had a chance to use a Gaggia as Jason described. very nice. Use for a long while, if you decide to upgrade later, keep it as a spare. The resale is not quite as high as a Silvia.
I hate to bring this up, but if you really like milk drinks 9you mentioned Charbucks, and I can't imagine you drinking anything but milky drinks there, check out machines referred to as "HX (heat exchanger).

[mhoy]

I've a friend who just replaced the burrs in his MDF after +10 years. Perhaps he should have done it a bit sooner, but the grinder keeps on working just fine. It certainly will last a good long time.

Mark

[snaab]

My husband & I are newbies. Like so many people we spend too much time & money at Starbucks and want to start to make our own espresso. I am amazed at the information our here on espresso machines and have spent quite a bit of time reading up on it all. What I want to know is will these choices be good ones or should I look for something more basic. Being newbies I do not want to totally overspend on this, but do want quality results. I will be making lattes and he espresso on a daily basis.

Gaggia Classic
and either a Rancilio Rocky or Gaggia MDF

Thank you!

While I can't speak to the Gaggia - though I have good things over the years - I [i]can[i] tell you that I my first, and current, grinder is a Rocky Doserless and I couldn't be happier. It probably won't be long before you start hearing from folks that you have to start buying good, freshly roasted coffee (less than two weeks old) --- a doserless grinder will allow you to maximize freshness of the coffee - i.e. ground espresso won't sit around in the doser getting stale before you use it.

good luck - and have fun.

[Mark08859]

Second the motion from snaab for the Rocky as an excellent pairing for the Classic, especially the doserless. More settings than the MDF and a rock solid reputaion.

[IMAWriter]

As another point of view on the grinder, a doser helps break up clumps. The doser on the Rocky isn't the best, but can be "modded" a bit to help. Most grind per shot, so there would not be stale grind in the doser.
That said, both do a good job. Read more on the pluses and minuses of each type of grinder.