[www.thestreet.com]

I wouldn't pay 200.00 but the ones for stove tops looks good and not expensive. Anyone try any of these brands?

What is Expresso?

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I am not Ryan Seacrest, and I do not approve this message.

Forget the cheapo pod machines. They definitely don't make 'espresso' and I wouldn't even say they make coffee either.

With the Bialetti stovetop coffee makers, at least you'll get good coffee IF you use fresh ground coffee beans. I have a Bialetti Mukka which I use on occasion and it turns out decent coffee. The Mukka is kind of gimmicky because it lets you make wanna be lattes. If I want really good coffee though, I'll turn to my vacpot or La Spaziale espresso machine. The most important thing in making coffee of any kind is fresh coffee beans.

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earache



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/2009 11:08AM by earache.

Well, I don't class what he was showing as cheapo machines...at 200.00 a pop.

This is what we use, very popular with Cuban and Italian households. They come in various sizes from $20-$60.

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For $200 you can get a top of the line coffee maker like the Technivorm [www.technivorm.com] or the Newco [www.newcocoffee.com] Coffee from a $200 pod machine will pale in comparison. The problem I have with these pod machines is that they are often billed as being espresso machines. You can't get much further from the truth. You're better off spending the $200 on a good grinder. Coupled with your current coffee maker and fresh beans, and you'll rival anything coming out of one of the pod machines.

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earache

Whatever that first link was, it had nothing to do with expresso - and it crashed Safari...

Sure it did......

Why Pay More? Save Big With Espresso Makers
Contributor Gary Krakow has the easy way to beat the high cost of Starbucks drinks - do it yourself at home or in the office. New automatic "capsule" machines are easy to use and reasonably priced. Even stovetop pots are going high-tech.

I have several in various sizes. When I need to make enough for a tableful of folks, I use a large Bialetti. My mom, her mom, my spouse and her family all use it. They work well enough but...

the pressurized ones create the frothy, delicious "spuma" (froth) on top of the finished product. No spuma w/ the Bialetti (at least not enough to notice).

Interesting story about how I got my pressurized one...

I tended bar for a guy who used to work for Starbucks. The espresso machine in his restaurant was the brand the company used when he worked for them. When I asked him how he got it (does make a delicious cup of "black coffee" though) he told me he got it from Starbucks itself.

Seems the company swaps out machines every year or so, and they sell the ones they're going to lose for pennies on the dollar. I checked at my local Starbucks and - sure enough - they'd sell me a "used" one for $50. Brought it home, took it outa the box (looked like new), and who'd-have-ever-thunk-it, the machine worked like a charm. That was 7 years ago and it's still goin' strong.

Maybe worth a look-see.

The stovetop Bialetti coffee makers can be problematic unless your stove has the right shape burner to heat a small diameter pot.

For the $200 capsule machines, you are paying for convenience. The capsules are also kind of the blades for an overpriced razor.

I have not worked it out recently, but I can make pretty good coffee for about $0.10 to $0.20 per cup.

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In tha 360. MRF User Map

I've used both the Illy & the Nepresso devices.
They are common at craft services in NYC.
They both are quite good. Are they the real deal? No.
But as the very NY dude says, cheaper (and way better) then Starbugs, as he referred to.
And if your not excessively picky, they're quite alright.

I'll take a Bialetti or my French press ($40 for a [US] 5 cuppa) and be quite happy, unless Joe: the Art of Coffee opens a branch out here in the boonies.

As mentioned, good fresh beans and a reasonable grinder make a huge difference.

And mud is better than Starbugs.

I've had one of those fully-automated espresso makers for 9 years. They need a rebuilt about every 4 years (about $280), but well worth it. I can't drink much coffee any more, but it still lives on in the office for the staff, and they keep it chugging away daily. It's a Saeco model, looks like this one below. And yes, fresh ground is noticeably different than the pad models now popular.

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I'd love to get a real espresso maker some day. I use a French Press for my daily dose and I have one of the stovetop mokka makers (I forget the brand, but it's more rounded and streamlined-looking than the traditional, octagonal Bialettis).

I am generally not a latté drinker, with the exception of an eggnog latté or two around the holidays.

That illy iperEspresso Machine looks pretty nifty but the guy is crazy. It's not $150. Try $450 from illy. I would have sprung for the $150 but $450 buys a lot of beans.

None of these will produce the taste close to the real full-size espresso machine. I have tried them all, except Illy.

These machines may be a good fit - depending on your tastes for coffee.

If you're the kind of person who loves Folgers, 7-11, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks and the like, most of these pod machines and pressurized espresso makers will suffice.

However, if you actually have an understanding of coffee and/or enjoy coffee from a shop that actually knows what they are doing, then these will be unacceptable options.

Thinking that these subpar machines make "great" coffee is akin to believing that Outback makes a "great" steak and Windows is a "great" OS.

Actually, Starbucks espresso is pretty much in the top 80%-90% of what is out there. When travelling, the only place you can be certain of having a better espresso is Italy. Otherwise, it may not be the best, but is consistently good enough to beat random places in PAris or Vienna, for instance.

I hate to say it, but Dunkin' Donuts makes a half-decent espresso for a buck, yup - $1. You can ask just for a shot and they will sell it to you even though it's not on the menu. It is not recommended to replace a really good shot from a pro machine by a barista, but since DD stores are more numerous than cockroaches, it's a good thing to know.

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So get back to work and sweat some more
The sun will sink, and we'll get out the door
It's no good for man to work in cages
Hits the town, he drinks his wages
You're frettin', you're sweatin'
But did you notice you ain't gettin'?

For those of you who have convinced yourselves that Starbucks is in the top 80-90% of espresso and certain of having a better espresso only in Italy, or that Dunkin' espresso is "half-decent," I suggest you get out a bit more and educate yourselves.

Because, by no means is the espresso produced by either Dunkin or Starbucks considered "quality."

I suggest you visit:

[espressomap.com]

Check out those places then tell me that Starbucks compares.

Here's the good stuff!

[www.espressoporn.com]

Don't worry...it's safe.

Actually, one of these things might do, they can be found at big box stores, maybee?

[www.hamiltonbeach.com]

For less than 100 bucks it does a thousand dollar show!!!

Quote
Mac-A-Matic
For those of you who have convinced yourselves that Starbucks is in the top 80-90% of espresso and certain of having a better espresso only in Italy, or that Dunkin' espresso is "half-decent," I suggest you get out a bit more and educate yourselves.

Because, by no means is the espresso produced by either Dunkin or Starbucks considered "quality."

I suggest you visit:

[espressomap.com]

Check out those places then tell me that Starbucks compares.

I think you just made my point (or have not read my post carefully). In any part of the world (except Italy), there is a 10%-20% chance that you will stumble upon a better espresso place than Starbucks. In some cases, much better. But when you travel, you either do not know the area, or do not feel like spending time and money on a cab to reach a place recommended by someone else. In those cases, Starbucks is a sure bet for a decent espresso. And I consider espresso (or Turkish) an elementary 2-3 times-a-day need, not a holy grail to be enjoyed on weekends.

And yes, I do know quite a few knee-jerk elitists who refuse to patronize Starbucks, but in general that espresso is decent and consistent across locations.

The difference in Italy is that you do not need a map to search for a good espresso place - anywhere you go, you have a good chance to have a good espresso (maybe more in Rome, Milan, and lake areas than in touristy Florence and Venice, but the differences are relatively small). Therefore, a default fall-back place like Starbucks is not needed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/2009 07:12AM by dk62.

Quote
M>B>
Actually, one of these things might do, they can be found at big box stores, maybee?

[www.hamiltonbeach.com]

For less than 100 bucks it does a thousand dollar show!!!

Not bloody likely. Cheap espresso machines are a waste of money,

Quote
dk62

Quote
Mac-A-Matic
For those of you who have convinced yourselves that Starbucks is in the top 80-90% of espresso and certain of having a better espresso only in Italy, or that Dunkin' espresso is "half-decent," I suggest you get out a bit more and educate yourselves.

Because, by no means is the espresso produced by either Dunkin or Starbucks considered "quality."

I suggest you visit:

[espressomap.com]

Check out those places then tell me that Starbucks compares.

I think you just made my point (or have not read my post carefully). In any part of the world (except Italy), there is a 10%-20% chance that you will stumble upon a better espresso place than Starbucks. In some cases, much better. But when you travel, you either do not know the area, or do not feel like spending time and money on a cab to reach a place recommended by someone else. In those cases, Starbucks is a sure bet for a decent espresso. And I consider espresso (or Turkish) an elementary 2-3 times-a-day need, not a holy grail to be enjoyed on weekends.

And yes, I do know quite a few knee-jerk elitists who refuse to patronize Starbucks, but in general that espresso is decent and consistent across locations.

The difference in Italy is that you do not need a map to search for a good espresso place - anywhere you go, you have a good chance to have a good espresso (maybe more in Rome, Milan, and lake areas than in touristy Florence and Venice, but the differences are relatively small). Therefore, a default fall-back place like Starbucks is not needed.

No kidding. I guess it's reading comprehension at the literal level. I'm with you, dk62, and I have travelled three time to Italy and would say that I "know" espresso" fairly well. I don't have a big 3-group machine at home. In fact, I use an Aeropress to great results. It doesn't have the crema of the professional machines, but it makes very good espresso.

---

So get back to work and sweat some more
The sun will sink, and we'll get out the door
It's no good for man to work in cages
Hits the town, he drinks his wages
You're frettin', you're sweatin'
But did you notice you ain't gettin'?

Starbucks espresso is about on par with the stuff you get in Europe from Lavazza, Segafreddo or Illy. In other words, it's not very good.

Certainly, if you have an addiction and "need' to have espresso multiple times per day, then just about any mediocre espresso will suffice. But I'm not one of those people and can wait for quality espresso rather than waste my time, money and tastebuds on mediocre coffee.

It's like computers, I'll wait and work on my Mac rather than take the mediocre route of Windows...

Funny - I would actually gladly patronize a coffee shop displaying Illy sign, but would likely stay away from Lavazza. Considering that I refuse to drink filter coffee and that I travel a lot, I really cannot take your approach.

Ick- Under most all circumstances, I would avoid places like those you patron.

Oddly enough, I do a lot of traveling to coffee-growing countries where it becomes extremely difficult to find really good coffee (not just espresso) as their best crops are exported.