FinEPaws Senior Member Joined: 12 May 2008 Posts: 4 Location: NC Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon May 12, 2008, 4:53am Subject: My machine died...HELP!
After 7 years of useage, my Barisita Zia died. I always thought it was a great machie, till I started researching to buy a new one, and got on this forum. Now I hear I need a bur grinder. Wow I've been really acting like low class scum, with my blade grinder! I'm horrified! So, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the grinder makes the taste, but with that said, and approx. $600 to spend on both, HELP!!!! Suggestions please. Here's the picture, it's just me. One latte a day. Every morning. Maybe an extra espresso shot or two just on the weekend. I'd like to make caps for the husband, but my machine took too long to make two drinks. Needless to say he settled for the french press. (with a blade grinder! the horror, the shame, I can barely show my face,.... wait....., this is just a forum, never mind....) Anyhow, what's the thoughts here? I'm not asking for much useage, but I like a great shot of espresso, or 4 in my latte. And obviously it'd be nice for it to be consisent. I reflect now after reading the forum, that my Zia, may she rest in peace, was sometimes watery, or no crema. And I won't even go into a 25 second shot...LOL!!!! Not sure that ever happened. And I want it to last! I did maybe 3 repairs to my zia over the years. All to the portafilter. It'd be nice to keep it simple with the machine, and have more to play with on the grinder. Is this the right thought process?
So not to make the same mistakes over, what do I do?
Let me point out that I am one of those people that has to get all into what I do. Obsessed some have said. I just call it interested. I'm sure if I discover that I can tweak things, I'm going to want to be able to get creative. To give you an idea, when I learned about good beer, suddenly I had to make my own beer. But did realize that I am somewhat lazy, so never went all out enough to do everything involved in the process. IE: all grain vs. extract brewing. But enough that there is a designated refrigerator in my living room for just craft beer and homebrew. And brewing equipment all over the house. Meaning that roasting beans is probably not in the future. Get the picture?
Now, suggestions please!!!!! Not sure I can go another week, let alone day without my own lattes!!! Starbucks and I are becoming too close again!
Thank you in advance, and please enjoy a shot or two for me....
Posted Mon May 12, 2008, 9:13am Subject: Re: My machine died...HELP!
$600 for an espresso machine AND a grinder, for someone serious about espresso is a challenge.
Start by looking for a used, mazzer Super Jolly on eBay. if you get a good deal, and put new burrs in it, you might gat away for about $200-300 for the grinder (a wild guess depending on the auction, of course).
Even then, at best expect to have about $400 left for an espresso machine, so a Gaggia would probably be the best bet at that point.
The only way to better that would be to get a hand grinder like a Zassenhaus, beut even there, thse will cost about $80 or so new.. another guess.
Posted Mon May 12, 2008, 7:31pm Subject: Re: My machine died...HELP!
For about $500 you can get a Rocky grinder and Gaggia Carezza. The Gaggia is quite capable of good espresso when paired with a good grinder and fresh beans, though the boiler is small and it doesn't have a lot of oomph for steaming. It's adequate for smaller milk drinks like a traditional six ounce cappuccino, but it might not be so good for lattes. If you want more steam power, the Solis SL 70 is supposed to be good, but it's a bit more money. The Lelit PL041 is also supposed to be nice.
FinEPaws Senior Member Joined: 12 May 2008 Posts: 4 Location: NC Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Tue May 13, 2008, 5:09am Subject: Re: My machine died...HELP!
As I am dying without my coffee! and since we do drink other coffee, like french press, I couldn't wait any longer. I bought the rocky doserless and the Gaggia evolution. Together it fell right under my price range. I did buy a reburish on the gaggia. Hopefully I didn't make a blunder on my need to save a few bucks. But I kept thinking if it's all in the grinder, and the bean, I should be ok. And there's that thought that I only use the thing once a day. Though I'm worried that everything may taste so good that this will change. But knowing myself, tasting will be believing. So now I'm WAITING! I'm not a patient person.........
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