CSG Senior Member Joined: 8 Feb 2002 Posts: 42 Location: Idaho Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Jul 30, 2012, 4:47pm Subject: Re: How does the pairing of a Baratza Vario and Gaggia Classic strike you?
CMIN Said:
Unless your 880 is dialed in perfect at say 201 degrees, it's not really pulling espresso ;) , it's just your typical entry level steam-pump machine, which is fine. Like I said I still have a Bar32 which would be the next class up (pump not steam) and is another entry level machine. We all started somewhere, I too thought my Bar32 pulled awesome shots and couldn't get any better, man was I wrong when I used a better machine that let you control temp to espresso range consistently.... otherwise the entry machines just pull something more like a shot of coffee, not true espresso. I don't think my palette is that good actually lol, I just taste really good and bad shots like bright or smooth and deep chocolaty shots, can't pick out fig, apple, orange, sweet cherry and whatever else people seem to detail on here lol....though I can do that with microbrews go figure lol. Only appreciation was h/x, heat exchange.
Think what were just trying to say is if your budget allows the Vario, assuming the budget can also get a good machine so you can really enjoy good shots. And something with a PID added (like the Classic) or built in like the Crossland CC1 (which also has a thermoblock for fast steaming) would be excellent so you don't have to deal with temp surfing. Otherwise you'd have to do that on the other single boiler machines like the Classic or you could be pulling shots for example at 220 degrees or 190 and getting completely bitter or extreme sour shots.
What are you using for coffee right now, store bought, or fresh roasted?? That can make a big impact alone as anything from the store is basically already stale.
The Krups 880 is not a steam machine. It has a 15 bar pump and a pressurized portafilter. If you do a little research on this model you'll find that it was a fairly well thought of starter machine.
I use San Francisco Bay French roast whole beans and grind for pour over as well as espresso in our Baratza Maestro.
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,685 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Tue Jul 31, 2012, 8:25am Subject: Re: How does the pairing of a Baratza Vario and Gaggia Classic strike you?
You might want to consider a lighter roast, the darker the roast, the more you taste the roast and not the beans. To the majority here, we see French roast as pretty much charcoal with no flavors other than the roast but if you like that, then thats fine! YMMV!
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
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CSG Senior Member Joined: 8 Feb 2002 Posts: 42 Location: Idaho Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Tue Jul 31, 2012, 10:20am Subject: Re: How does the pairing of a Baratza Vario and Gaggia Classic strike you?
calblacksmith Said:
You might want to consider a lighter roast, the darker the roast, the more you taste the roast and not the beans. To the majority here, we see French roast as pretty much charcoal with no flavors other than the roast but if you like that, then thats fine! YMMV!
I've preferred a dark oily roast for about as long as I've been drinking coffee. But I understand that different beans and degrees of roast affect their taste.
As I've tried to say, I've thought about upgrading more for grins and giggles than any real dissatisfaction with the quality of my shots and beverages. It's just a cheap looking machine even if it functions OK.
Posted Wed Aug 1, 2012, 1:29pm Subject: Re: How does the pairing of a Baratza Vario and Gaggia Classic strike you?
I have the Classic (for 5 years now), and the Baratza Preciso (for the last year), for pretty much your use case, although I also roast my own beans, and use the beans from the local roaster (Barismo - who are excellent). They certainly go together pretty well. At the level you are discussing without temperature surfing or PID, then you won't taste the difference (consistently) between the Preciso and Vario, so you might as well save a few dollars there.
The Preciso is a bit better for French Press if you decide to go that way in the future, and the Classic can easily be upgraded to PID and have the over-pressure valve adjusted if you decide to fiddle later. Temperature surfing is just waiting a predetermined time after the ready light goes on, and it's something you can choose to do if you want, or ignore if you can't be bothered, on a shot by shot basis. Longer you wait, the cooler the brew temperature.
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