Markarian Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2012 Posts: 475 Location: Seattle Area Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Modded Nuova Simonelli Oscar Grinder: Vario-W, Mazzer Super Jolly Drip: Moka, Aeropress, Melitta 102 Roaster: Wear-Ever Popcorn Pumper
Posted Fri Oct 12, 2012, 2:49pm Subject: Re: Need help picking an espresso and coffee maker combo machine
The Preciso/Aroma combo is good for the money and really gives you room to grow. If you start getting more serious, you can get a non-pressurized portafilter and tamper down the line to get even more out of your espresso. I still fondly recall some beautiful shots I pulled on my little Saecos.
Guys, why is it that when hand grinders come up, nobody mentions the awesome Hario Skerton (unless I missed it)? For espresso at its pricerange, it can't be beat. I even thought its grinds were better than my Virtuoso.
Candy, the Hario Skerton is a $40 hand grinder that features adjustable ceramic burrs. It's iffy on drip and useless for French press, but fantastic for espresso and Turkish.
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,801 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Sat Oct 13, 2012, 1:13pm Subject: Re: Need help picking an espresso and coffee maker combo machine
re: why doesn't anyone talk about the Hario Skerton when discussing hand grinders...
If you read through the long thread on home barista, where Barb and Doug discuss their engineering and development, you'll see the downsides of the Skerton and why the Lido is so much better. Sure, it costs a lot more ($165 before shipping, if I remember correctly), but it's build quality is miles beyond the Hario Skerton. The Lido can do it all, drip/press, espresso, turkish...and Dave Stephens, in his review, likened the espresso grind quality to the Mazzer Mini. I personally have not done side by side to my Macap grinder, but if Dave is correct, (and he's surely experienced enough that most would trust his opinion) the Lido should also be on par to my Macap.
If you pm me, I can send you an excerpt of the HB thread, showing all of Doug's posts as he developed the Lido grinder. It includes his assessment of problems with all other hand grinders and what he did to overcome them, as well as his rationale for the general design parameters of the Lido grinder. There's even a data chart from some tests he ran. I may have also saved some other posts from the thread, which I felt were pertinent to understanding the Lido grinder to its fullest.
Having said all that, for the cost of the Skerton, it's an awesome grinder (or so I've read). I'd write more about it, but I've never used one, so I can't.
...and now, back to the originally scheduled program (the OP's question)...
CMIN Senior Member Joined: 14 Jun 2012 Posts: 566 Location: South FL Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Crossland CC1 Grinder: Baratza Preciso
Posted Sat Oct 13, 2012, 1:23pm Subject: Re: Need help picking an espresso and coffee maker combo machine
Re the Skerton, seems many prefer it's smaller brother the Hario Slim for espresso. It's also easier to hold and the top that seals it is smart, with the open Skerton you end up with beans and chaf popping out. Both are good for the money though, but the Lido is much much better and well worth it's cost over those two. I'm using my Hario Slim right now, as I busted my Preciso adjustment ring by accident last night when I forgot to take the knob off and pulled the body off... doh' lol.
But the Skerton and Hario are also slow.... really slow for espresso and nevermind turkish, takes a long time to even grind just 14G, let alone the 15-18 I generally use.
Candy Senior Member Joined: 12 Oct 2012 Posts: 6 Location: MIchigan Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Oct 15, 2012, 8:47am Subject: Re: Need help picking an espresso and coffee maker combo machine
Thank you everyone!! Seriously, you all are my life savers:) BTW what YMMV stands for? (I am prehistoric being who has VERY limited understanding of text message, my volcab limited to BTW and TMR only)
ok read through more suggestions and recommendations, now looking for manual brewing device as well, aeropress, french press and Hario V60 or Chemex ect. There are so many of them, is there any vote which one does the best job?
As for hand grinder, am I right most vote for Lido and Skerton?
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,772 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 Mon Oct 15, 2012, 10:32am Subject: Re: Need help picking an espresso and coffee maker combo machine
Yep, what he said but..... YMMV!
OK, I suppose I am the most guilty of using it, I am not aware of others using it before me on this board, but it may have been.
It is taken from the millage sticker on new cars, and the advertising on TV. The number is given as say.... 35mpg, ymmv or in other words, depending on how you drive, you will likely get a different value for MPG.
I use it to indicate that a statement I make is personal to me and you might have a different point of view or experience. YMMV
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
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