(GPGT)Espresso machine hoot

[IntelFlash]

You will need at least $1.5k to $2k for a decent heat exchanger set up with grinder i guess.
The cheapest heat exchanger is $13xx, decent electronic on demand grinder at $500 from an equipment company like www.finecoffeecompany.com. Unless you are solely a coffee black drinker, you can forget about single boilers, they are getting obsolete.

To be honest, i still have a few dozens of capsules yet to use and are expiring. I'll rather leave it to waste or give to my friends.

Though the setup cost more for a heat exchanger initially. You will eventually break even or be more worth it in the long term. So you can really put cost aside if you can afford it cause it's worth it eventually.

If you use 2 to 3 capsules a day, that's easily $60-100 a month with Nespresso and you must go to their jammed pack boutique at the jammed pack orchard road to purchase it, or do it online with a high min order.
You can easily need spend just $20-$40 with beans and you have a world of choice to choose from.

Once you start using these semi pro machines, it's hard to turn back.
Everytime i see my flow moving so nicely creating a nice viscous liquid. I'm happy. It's way thicker and flavour blossoms better. You can see and taste the difference easily. Nespresso is not say bad but there's really something lacking in the texture and can be pretty flat. The saddening part is yet it cost few times more per cup. Despite the 21 blends ,I observed that most people like just 1-3 blends and most are the ones from the high intensity. IE: Kazaar, Dharkan,Ristretto and Arpeggio.
And such strong blends are easy to find in beans form and also cheaper due to more robusta content.
The other Nespresso blends most are light and very acidic, and there's 3 flavored espressos which taste weird. There's also 3 decaf which I personally find defeat the purpose .

Convenience wise it's comparable, unless you decide to use a hand grinder and a single boiler.
A hand grinder itself will easily take 5- 10 mins to use while on demand grinders will take less than 10 seconds.
Heat exchangers takes about a min to do both froth and clean , single boilers maybe 5 mins.
Comparatively Nespresso's Aeroccino takes about 2 mins. For making milk recipes ,I am sure semi professional machines are actually more convenient. The Milk froth from the aeroccino is very dry and weird ,more like whipped cream. If doing just pure black coffee ,of course nespresso is faster.

Aluminium used in capsules is neurotoxic. Link to dementia, autism, and Parkinson's disease.
My mom starts having celeberum rapid degeneration after drinking regularly for a few years and she's the only one in her family line that has it. For the benefit of doubt i totally stopped her from using Nespresso.

 

[derazor]

Currently a simple nespresso user here. Quite curious in upgrading my coffee experience with other machines. I'm no connoisseur, and my coffee intake has been steadying at one a day. Mostly Kopi-o on weekdays, and my nespresso on Friday nights and weekends.

I'm looking to improve my coffee experience especially during weekends. The nespresso has been good enough for me but I'm just itchy

How much improvement from the Nespresso experience can I get, assuming a budget of about $1k? TIA!

Actually also can improve in such manner

1) if drink espresso, can get aeropress
2) if you like more volume, can go for kalita wave
3) or direct go for HX machine

but do get a satki grinder <-- this one buy once can last very long time

 

[Wryer]

Looks like 1k isn't going to give me much improvement huh. Well then, back to my Nespresso.

I've seen the Aeropress before, and thought of getting it for my work days. But the prep process is a little manual and I'm not sure if I have the discipline for it, especially when my work days always start with a bang (sucks, yea).

Where can I get a set (grinder, the press itself, filters) locally, and how much am I looking at?

 

[IntelFlash]

I also think if you are going for below 1k, Nespresso is still the best bet.
The cost of capsules may add up to be more expensive in the long run though.

 

[The_King]

if you don't mind doing elbow grease . you can try getting a pharos. it heart of the PHAROS is a 68mm conical coffee grinding burr set as used in top of the line commercial grinders.

i sure you find it hard to get any espresso grinder LESS then SGD2k to beat it

it will cost to less then SGD$380 plus shipping but good luck in getting one

 

[patryn33]

Currently a simple nespresso user here. Quite curious in upgrading my coffee experience with other machines. I'm no connoisseur, and my coffee intake has been steadying at one a day. Mostly Kopi-o on weekdays, and my nespresso on Friday nights and weekends.

I'm looking to improve my coffee experience especially during weekends. The nespresso has been good enough for me but I'm just itchy

How much improvement from the Nespresso experience can I get, assuming a budget of about $1k? TIA!

Not drinking so freq no pt investing on a Hx machine without grinder. Coffee beans not fresh after 3-4 weeks if cannot finish waste. Even a single boiler such as below also not worth it the improvement not great and u have to buy a little coffee beans every 3 weeks.

http://www.wholelattelove.com/Baratza/silvia_preciso.cfm

Taste is a very subjective matter, my recommendation is save up! When your nespresso broke upgrade.
If u cannot wait then sell it off.

Getting a machine u have to experiment, else doing it with the wrong grind u maybe better off using nespresso

 

[Lazy_Tiger]

Looks like 1k isn't going to give me much improvement huh. Well then, back to my Nespresso.

I've seen the Aeropress before, and thought of getting it for my work days. But the prep process is a little manual and I'm not sure if I have the discipline for it, especially when my work days always start with a bang (sucks, yea).

Where can I get a set (grinder, the press itself, filters) locally, and how much am I looking at?

around 1.5k plus can certainly get u a decent set up. $600 for a grinder and $1000 for basic espresso machine.

Aeropress does not make espresso. Its makes a very strong black coffee. I agree the clean up from aeropress is more troublesome but I feel aeropress is very forgiving and easy to brew a good cup from it. So I use a v60 or a kantan drip if i'm on the go or at work. Aeropress is $60 but i think u can certainly get it cheaper. v60 is much cheaper depending on the material and size. Plastic v60 is the cheapest. kantan drippers are self supporting paper filters so they are very light to carry but more expensive in the long run.

I currently pair it with a porlex mini grinder. about $70 i think but if u are willing to wait and spend a bit more u can get a superior grinder from overseas. Pharos, Lido 2, hausgrind, portapresso make superior manual grinders. Superior because the burr sets are real conical burr sets and are sharp unlike porlex or hario ones which are ceramic and do not cut beans but crushes them. U get alot of fines which can make your drink bitter and can actually choke your paper filter esp for lighter roasted coffees. Around 400-600 can get u a good electric grinder. COmpak k3 and lelit pl53 and perhaps a rocky with some caveats.

I take no more than 6 mins to brew a cup starting from the time i start loading my hand grinder with beans to until the last drops leave the v60. a fast boiling kettle helps. So i guess no problem if you are in a rush in the morning.

check out:
Knockhouse coffee, highlander, papa palheta, nylon, oriole cafe, coffee in a place, Tangs/isetan/taka (Hario stuff) for places where they sell brew equipment.

actually the most important is to get a good supply of freshly roasted beans. within a month from roasting date. more and more places in Singapore offer this now.
Let your tastebuds judge. Good beans are expensive because demand is there and supply is low. Roasters also need to be skilled to know how to roast appropriately to highlight intrinsic bean qualities.

How different is the quality between nespresso and freshly roasted speciality beans? Nespresso is outclassed, despite all the advertising they do. U will never go back to nespresso after u have tried freshly roasted properly brewed speciality coffee. Search back old posts from some forumers extolling how fantastic nespresso is and u will find they are the same ones who now won't touch nespresso since they've started on the freshly roasted stuff. Let your tastebuds judge.

 

[derazor]

Café Fest Singapore 2014

SiC

Who's going?

 

[IntelFlash]

Pay $25-$30 to listen to Singapore artists and cafes to advertise.

I would had considered if it's free.

 

[xiang887]

must win how many world cup then can afford this

 

[standarture]

Wow your language is so biased against Nespresso. Such bitterness. I've tasted the speciality coffees which are amazing btw and I still love Nespresso. Trying hard to make your $1000++ machine look better? You have become a coffee snob and you don't realise it.

 

[derazor]

Pay $25-$30 to listen to Singapore artists and cafes to advertise.

I would had considered if it's free.

Only Toby's is there. I'd skip

 

[calbay]

On the contrary, Nespresso's capsules are individually wrapped and they remain fresh.
I bet they have the most sophisticated sealing, roasting and grinding machine in the world.

The reason why it is not going to taste as rich is more likely due to the lesser amount of powder used. 5 grammes to make 40ml where the actual standard is min 6.5 grammes, and it's common people are using double/triple the dosage nowadays.

One thing i don't like is their spout and chamber is plastic and not heated.
Thus after extraction, the coffee will be rapidly cooled and that may mute some notes.

I don't think Nespresso is making money selling their machines, but you can be sure they have a thick margin making up from their capsules.
If you are on a tight budget, I suggest going for Nespresso.
If you can afford the initial sum or you need to make more than 2 cups of coffee a day, a semi professional is a better idea in my opinion.

 

[Lazy_Tiger]

Wow your language is so biased against Nespresso. Such bitterness. I've tasted the speciality coffees which are amazing btw and I still love Nespresso. Trying hard to make your $1000++ machine look better? You have become a coffee snob and you don't realise it.

On the contrary, I do realise I am a coffeesnob and yes nespresso tastes awful to me but this is not what you should be calling a "bias" per se. Its just a personal preference. Nespresso is terribly bitter to me and lacks complexity in the aroma. Well made espresso is also bitter but this bitterness is well controlled and pleasant. The overall profile is balanced and the aroma should be interesting and exciting.

I'm not trying to justify the cost of my espresso machine. The cost is irrelevant to what makes a better cup in fact I use a $3 v60 that can make better coffee than nespresso. If u read previous posts then u will also know that I have a wide variety of machines/brew methods inc. a nespresso. The issue is not the machine. Its the bean freshness. No matter how great u claim your tech is in sealing/roasting, coffee is an unstable organic substance than unfortunately changes for the worst over time.

If nespresso is tastes great to you then well good for you.:s22 but don't stop exploring because when u look back you will be surprise with your past standards.

I used to think 6 month old starbucks beans was great and was even trying to compare the different flavours from their different offerings.

 

[Lazy_Tiger]

On the contrary, Nespresso's capsules are individually wrapped and they remain fresh.
I bet they have the most sophisticated sealing, roasting and grinding machine in the world.

If this is the argument then all coffee stored in airtight containers should remain fresh, But we know this is not true. (Nespresso nitrogen flushes their capsules btw to displace moisture and oxygen, same as Illy, same as lavazza and same as potato chips. Standard industry practice not secret nestle magic).

I agree nespresso probably does not make money on the machines. The capsules are exorbitant. The aluminium in 1 capsule probably cost more than 5 grms of the coffee in it.

 

[patryn33]

I agree nespresso probably does not make money on the machines. The capsules are exorbitant. The aluminium in 1 capsule probably cost more than 5 grms of the coffee in it.

for all kinds of capsules machines, the biz model has been selling capsules. Not making profits on the machines. kinda Biz 101

Nespresso's Capsule Coffee Remain a Category Killer - TIME

Nestlé doesn't break out profits, but a former executive puts gross margins at about 85%, compared with 40% to 50% for regular drip-coffee brands.

in the case of neat $1-5k machines.. the profit is with the machine! no one is in a biz to make the least amount of $$.

 

[derazor]

If this is the argument then all coffee stored in airtight containers should remain fresh, But we know this is not true. (Nespresso nitrogen flushes their capsules btw to displace moisture and oxygen, same as Illy, same as lavazza and same as potato chips. Standard industry practice not secret nestle magic).

I agree nespresso probably does not make money on the machines. The capsules are exorbitant. The aluminium in 1 capsule probably cost more than 5 grms of the coffee in it.

Same business concept as gilette. They can given give the razor FREE

 

[patryn33]

Same business concept as gilette. They can given give the razor FREE

not only gilette (P&G)/ Schick , I have come across coffee companies giving old fashion drip coffee machines free as long as U are subscribing to coffee for 3-6mths.

 

[Radeon]

I think the beauty of coffee is that there are so many different brewing styles and methods and there is probably something for everybody, and there is a place for nespresso machines.

Interestingly, I came across this awhile ago and it may be interesting to see how it develops:

Caffè Firenze: A New Extraction Technology From La Marzocco & Illy - Sprudge

 

[patryn33]

a new coffee roaster pop up just a few steps away from Intelligentsia Chicago!

my pal told me its better than Intelligentsia
Coffee – bowtruss_retail