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Recommend me an espresso machine!

M

Matt2

Diamond Member
SO my girlfriend has become obsessed with espresso and coffee.

She wants an espresso machine for Christmas and since I already got her something, I need this to be less than $100 but still gets the job done.

Thanks.
 
Thanks for the link.

I still wanna shoot for under $100 because her main gift already broke the bank this holiday season.

What makes the expensive espresso machines THAT much better than the sub $100 ones?

She's not a coffee expert, nor is it a hobby of hers, she just likes the taste.
 
if it HAS to be under 100, Target and Wallyworld both carry a Hamilton Beach model for roughly $70. It's amazing for the sub-100 price, but won't hold a candle to the gaggia classic, let alone anything else in the $150-300 range. but it's got good pressure, pretty consistent it seemed, and has a 58mm portafilter, extremely unheard of in cheap units, and the included portafilter is pretty solid, but I hate the way it has built-in drip holes, versus a single spout that splits from there (like pro portafilters that are common on units from gaggia and upwards), as the HB portafilter tends to have one cup fill up faster than another, but that was only in the beginning when I wasn't tamping evenly and filling evenly.
that's the other thing, she does know espresso is kind of forced into being a hobby due to the amount of work required? your going to need a grinder, a burr grinder (not a blade) and ones that grind consistently for the fineness of espresso tend to be minimum of $100.
you'll also want a tamper. if she's fine with store-bought espresso roast packages, that's fine, depends on her taste. if she don't like that she'll likely prefer self-roasted beans, but as I said, that's work. quite a bit of it actually.
 
CoffeeGeek.com

A good espresso setup consists of the machine and grinder. My best low end recommendation would still come in at about $300-400, a gaggia espresso and cunill tranquilo grinder.The grinder is more important than the espresso machine I have never seen a good solution at $100.


Alternatives: you could get her a nice moka pot, that's one of those stove top coffee makers. nice moka pot.
I think she might like that, it looks nice and makes a decent drink, a better drink than any excuse for a $100 espresso machine.

She would probably love these cups, they make a larger version as well.
 
when shopping BE CAREFUL to ask if it'll accept your own ground coffee.

some of them only accept "pods" that you discover you will have to buy forever from the espresso machine company.

sub $100 not much happening.

Edit: Are you located in Brentwood by UCLA? If so, see if that ultra-discounter of high quality merchandise is still around there, used to be in Beverly Hills: ADRAY's. That'd be exactly the kind of store to score a deal on a high quality espresso machine.
 
I have an Gaggia Espresso that I got for about $175 Amazon, and I use it with a sub-$100 Capresso conical burr grinder that I bought way earlier. I'm extremely happy with the set up so far 🙂 Nice crema comes out especially with freshly roasted beans
 
Top chefs still use a French Press (or even a percolator). Cheap. Easy to use. Great coffee.

Espresso machines under $100 are pure junk. Not reliable. Weak pressure. Crappy cofffee.
 
I'm telling you guys the lady wants an espresso machine, so the lady is going to get an espresso machine 🙂

I'm also telling you guys that it HAS to be under $100. I dont think she is going to know the difference because she is the one that told me they were like $80 at Macy's. I only capped it $100 because I realized how large a price range they fell under. That and the fact that I already bought her (us) a 50" HDTV and Tiffany's, so I am flat broke. I go to San Diego State and I make chump change, so $100 is going to be the limit.

When she first showed me the espresso machines and she said that she would get the beans AND grind them at the grocery store.
 
I am perfectly happy with my $30 Mr. Coffee espresso maker. I also have a $30 bean grinder. If you get a good brand of beans like Starbucks, Caribou, Green mountain, etc. and grind them fresh, then you don't need a $600 espresso maker. 😛
 
In any case, get her one of these Cuisinart Burr Grinders. They Are $29.00 at Costco. Anything similar would be well over $100.00 at Starbucks. I like mine much better than others I've had. You're not going to touch any kind of a decent espresso machine for under $200.00

Cuisinart Burr Coffee Grinder, $29.00 at Costco

While you are at Cosco buy a Two Pound Bag of whole coffee beans, French Roast, about $10.00. Then get what is really an Italian Style Coffee pot, that are often called espresso makers. I used one for years.

Espresso Maker, $15.99
 
Just head over to the coffeegeek forums and you'll see this asked and answered many times. It all comes down to this:
You need good beans (roasted less than 10 days ago), a good grinder (they usually range from about 150+), a capable machine (gaggia espresso is a nice starting point at $200), enough practice to put it all together skillfully.

Here's something people find surprising: a good shot of espresso is best enjoyed straight, nothing added at all. It simply doesn't need it, it tastes rich, usually chocolaty, certain beans will lend some fruit flavors and other nice things. It should never be sour or bitter or taste bad in any way.

Steam "machines" don't work, water is too hot and low pressure. Stay away from delonghi, mr coffee, krups, kitchen-aid.

I'd get her something else like a press pot or moka pot for now, save for a quality espresso setup.

Personally I started with a krups a few years ago, I thought it was great. Then I found coffeegeek and it has all been downhill from there. I spent two years with a Rancillio Silvia and Mazzer mini grinder, now I just upgraded to a La Valentina AKA BFC Junior Plus. (it's a light commercial machine)

I hope that helps, there's a lot more to learn about espresso and it's pretty interesting.
 
Originally posted by: SagaLore
I am perfectly happy with my $30 Mr. Coffee espresso maker. I also have a $30 bean grinder. If you get a good brand of beans like Starbucks, Caribou, Green mountain, etc. and grind them fresh, then you don't need a $600 espresso maker. 😛
Click to expand...

Same here. I just buy a new $30 Mr. Coffee espresso maker every other year because of wear on the screw top and the finish of the basket holder.
 
Originally posted by: dr150
Top chefs still use a French Press (or even a percolator). Cheap. Easy to use. Great coffee.

Espresso machines under $100 are pure junk. Not reliable. Weak pressure. Crappy cofffee.
Click to expand...

This poster has a good point.

A French Press with a good grinder and French roast beans makes a great cup of coffee. That's what I use every day. I have a full size French Press and a two-cup model. I also have a percolator, a Mellitta Drip Maker, a Mr. Coffee Drip Machine, an Italian stovetop cappuccino maker, and a hand operated Turkish coffee grinder.
 
Originally posted by: everman
Just head over to the coffeegeek forums and you'll see this asked and answered many times. It all comes down to this:
You need good beans (roasted less than 10 days ago), a good grinder (they usually range from about 150+), a capable machine (gaggia espresso is a nice starting point at $200), enough practice to put it all together skillfully.

Here's something people find surprising: a good shot of espresso is best enjoyed straight, nothing added at all. It simply doesn't need it, it tastes rich, usually chocolaty, certain beans will lend some fruit flavors and other nice things. It should never be sour or bitter or taste bad in any way.

Steam "machines" don't work, water is too hot and low pressure. Stay away from delonghi, mr coffee, krups, kitchen-aid.

I'd get her something else like a press pot or moka pot for now, save for a quality espresso setup.

Personally I started with a krups a few years ago, I thought it was great. Then I found coffeegeek and it has all been downhill from there. I spent two years with a Rancillio Silvia and Mazzer mini grinder, now I just upgraded to a La Valentina AKA BFC Junior Plus. (it's a light commercial machine)

I hope that helps, there's a lot more to learn about espresso and it's pretty interesting.
Click to expand...

This, especially the bolded part, is everything you need to know OP. You're not going to get a proper espresso machine for $100.

Personally, I'd go with the Moka Pot. It makes a clean, prelude-to-espresso brew that is enjoyable even if you are a hardcore espresso fanatic. Still though, you're going to have a hard time getting a worthwhile grinder + Moka Pot for $100.

In short: Good luck 😀
 
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