[bummrush]

Ive been roasting for yrs. I had a behmor,but between the low voltage issues and keeping that heat sensor thing in the back right side clean ,which i kept spotless,i couldn't get the machine to work right.

[DaveC113]

I've spent more time doing research, (thanks to those who contributed!). I'm pretty sure I'm going to pick up a Bezzera Strega, it seems perfect for my tastes and is good with lighter roasts, which are becoming more popular around here, Ozo and Conscious are my favorites and they stick to lighter roasts for the most part. My research revealed I need a machine with higher preinfusion pressures so it needs to have a preinfusion pump... the standard lever machine would not have worked well in this capacity from what I've learned, but would be ok for dark roasts, traditional espresso blends.

I can get one for about $900 less than US prices from Europe, this is key as price does matter to me! I can also get the model with rotary pump and ability to plumb it in for the same price as the vibration pump models are here, so it's maybe more like $1-1.1k off US prices... it does require 240V power but that's not a problem for me, just an inconvenience as I can do the work myself.

https://www.wholelattelove.com/bezzera-strega-lever-espresso-machine

[bummrush]

I understand a lighter roast,i can appreciate the acidity.But i need a medium to light dark going on dark. But nowhere near what charbucks does. Nasty coffee.

[Ponkbutler]

The Bezzera Strega is a nice little machine and the rotary pump a good option, but don't be too unadventurous in the belief that a high-pressure preinfusion is better for light roasts

[twitch54]

But nowhere near what charbucks does. Nasty coffee.

Agreed, overpriced garbage

[DaveC113]

The Bezzera Strega is a nice little machine and the rotary pump a good option, but don't be too unadventurous in the belief that a high-pressure preinfusion is better for light roasts

Thanks, I know I have a lot of experimentation and learning to do!    After ~15 years using mokka pots this should be interesting, and who knows, my tastes might change with the new machine...

[borism]

Thanks, I know I have a lot of experimentation and learning to do!    After ~15 years using mokka pots this should be interesting, and who knows, my tastes might change with the new machine...

Having refined my espresso set up at home I recently had the experience of getting a cup of coffee at work and essentially throwing it out because of the unbearable taste. So, I think your tastes will definitely change.

[mick wolfe]

Well, it's only fair to tell all those who pitched in on this thread what I actually ended up buying.  First off,  thanks to all who insisted a more upscale grinder was a must ......even before the espresso machine. Sorting through all the suggestions was truly enlightening. Unfortunately, it became pretty confusing as well. After about a week or more of additional information gathering, (and further confusion) I decided to call one of the bigger online retailers for everything coffee and speak to a consultant. I thoroughly explained my goals and rough budget of around 1K for both machine and grinder. To my shock, he came back with two suggestions that totaled a shade less than $500. I guess he was trying to say that within my budget, these two products offer the best value....regardless of the fact they only added up to half my 1K budget. The beauty of this whole consultation was he made no attempt to upsell or expand my budget. So it must have been obvious to him I was only a semi-serious coffee snob. He bluntly told me to buy a Gaggia Classic and Baratza Encore burr grinder and enjoy. Yep, so I reneged on my claim that I would not by another Gaggia. Needless to say however, the Classic is far more serious machine than the Carezza. For those who stressed the importance of a decent grinder, you were indeed correct. I now feel I have a lot more control of the final coffee product with the refined grind settings on the Encore. So in summary, I'm quite happy with this fairly economical purchase. I know neither will elevate me to full coffee snob status, but they certainly took me several rungs upscale from where I was. Thanks again to all who shared their thoughts and knowledge.

[Philistine]

That's great news on the recent purchase Mick, I had a Baby Gaggia for years and very happy with it, I also looked at the Bararza grinders recently and had one on my list before getting a different one that matched the espresso machine.  You might want to look at adding a PID controller to the Gaggia Classic, other AC members might want to add their experiences and you might find user reviews on some of the coffee forums:

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=6

[guf]

Cool! I'm excited to share your experience and research with others.

[artur9]

Any suggestions now on where to get good espresso coffee for an espresso machine?

[roscoeiii]

Any suggestions now on where to get good espresso coffee for an espresso machine?

Espresso Vivace from Seattle are the best I have ever had.

[mresseguie]

Any suggestions now on where to get good espresso coffee for an espresso machine?

You might find this difficult to swallow, but Ristr8to Lab in Chiangmai, Thailand has stunningly good coffee beans. We were there just two weeks ago. I do believe it's available for worldwide
orders. I have no idea how much it costs though.

https://www.facebook.com/ristr8to/

Alternatively, there's a roaster in Corvallis, Oregon that often sells Mexico Chiapas beans that are wonderful.

http://www.oregoncoffeeandtea.com/index.html

Michael

[S Clark]

Or you could just go whole hog and buy a Beyhmore 1600 and start roasting your own.

[borism]

As I said before in this forum I am a long-term Gaggia Classic user. It is a great basic machine and responds well to some tweaking like an Auber PID and OPV adjustment (down to about 9-10 bars).

Here is a great resource, should you want to play with it:

http://www.gaggiausersgroup.com

On the other hand, I was perfectly happy for most of my GC use just enjoying the coffee and not obsessing about continuous improvement.

[randytsuch]

Redbirdcoffee is where I buy my beans from.

If you buy a 5lb bag, their price per bag is very good compared to other espresso roasters.

I vacuum seal and freeze about 1/2 lb bags so it stays fresh.  You should use beans within a couple weeks of their roast date, or they go stale, especially for espresso.

Randy

[artur9]

You should use beans within a couple weeks of their roast date, or they go stale, especially for espresso.

Hah! like they would last so long.  We run out of coffee every 3 or so weeks, almost like clockwork.  That last week is spent digging out the last few ounces from the grinder.

[Philistine]

Or you could just go whole hog and buy a Beyhmore 1600 and start roasting your own.

I didn't have a roaster close by so also had to buy on line, to make it economical I had to buy more than 2 weeks supply - the beans not for immediate consumption were vacuum sealed and frozen.  All the artisan roasters, and coffee forums, advise not to freeze - I found that they're right, roasted beans stored this way are not as fresh.  For this reason I switched to home roasting and also have the Behmor roaster, I've nailed roasting Malabar Monsoon Gold for espresso, but need more control of the roasting process for the different beans I use for regular Aeropress coffee - I'm researching the computer controlled Hottop roaster, but holding back due to the $1600 cost and the degree of insanity!  What's also holding me back is local coffee shop/roaster has opened in the last year that's only a few miles away - this is by the best option. they do the hard work and have the expertise, if they'd been around before I started home roasting I probably wouldn't have started.  If I could turn back the clock this would be my preference:

1) Buy from a roaster that you can economically buy 1-2 weeks supply.
2) Home roast.
3) Mail order.

For anyone considering home roasting: I started with the FreshRoast air roaster and then migrated to the Behmor, the FreshRoast was too fast for me and didn't being out the nuances in the coffee, the Behnor is much slower and works great with the Malabar beans, it brings out the subtlety, but it's not good at higher roast levels.  The other advantage is cost - on average green beans are at least half the cost of roast beans, you quickly recover the cost of the roaster and start saving money, in addition to having the freshest coffee available.  The downside is that it's just another obsession to deal with!

[Odal3]

Well my aeropeess adventure had a small break since I managed to loose the filter cap...but I got a new one yesterday.

Here are some of the winning recipes from the World Aeropeess championship

http://nordiccoffeeculture.com/what-is-the-best-way-to-brew-aeropress-coffee/

And here is the 2015 winner
https://www.worldaeropresschampionship.com/recipes/

Thanks for all the info on grinders. Are there any other budget friendly to consider (less than $200)

[Odal3]

The downside is that it's just another obsession to deal with!

   This is what I worry about too.  Trying hard to keep it at least budget friendly.