Over the past few years I’ve gotten a small handheld blade grinder, an Aeropress, a French Press, and started roasting my own beans.
The problem is that while some changes stick (like the grinder and the bean roasting), some changes just take up space (I usually use my Mr. Coffee over the Aeropress or French Press).
With that in mind, I’m looking for an espresso maker that is low budget, since I may not use it that often; but is still nice enough that I’m not going to hate espresso making because the machine is bad (ie: low pressure, low heat, leaks, etc).
Most espresso makers I’ve seen are a few hundred to a thousand USD; but since I’m worried I may end up almost never using it (or just using it to froth hot chocolate), I’m looking for one that’s around 100 USD or less.
While I expect you all have loftier targets for your espresso machines than that, I am hopeful if you don’t have any specific recommendations you can tell me what signs to look for that an espresso machine is of decent quality.
EDIT:
As you may have gathered I’m hardly an expert on coffee matters, so I really appreciate your help.
It sounds like for the time being I should stick with the Aeropress I already have and maybe upgrade to a Mokapot (or even a medium range espresso maker) down the line if I really take to it.
For what it’s worth, I did watch the recommended James Hoffman video and was able to make a decent (to me) cappuccino using the Aeropress and French Press I already had on hand!
Thanks again for all your help!
I agree with some other comments here that $100 won’t get you what you’re hoping for.
A better upgrade would be to start saving for a good handheld burr grinder (like an 1zpresso model) to replace the blade grinder. Your French Press and AeroPress will likely taste notably better!
If you do want to venture into good espresso, as someone else mentioned, start looking into Cafelat Robot or Flair. Both can make fantastic espresso at higher quality than semi-automatic machines of the same price point and require much less upkeep. But, for any espresso, you will need more gear (scale, tamper, vessels, etc.) which adds to the price. And all espresso machines will massively benefit from a good grinder.
Good luck!
Look for a $500 espresso machine that’s used in selling for $200 or less
How could you possibly have gone as far as to roast your own beans and then chop them up with a blade?
Frankly, I’d encourage you to direct your funds towards a proper grinder over an expresso machine. The difference in quality, once you dial it in for your brewing method, should smack you in the face.
To answer your question https://youtu.be/avM-XsaTBIc?t=535
As some have stated, I’d start with a mokapot and a better grinder. If you don’t want to spend hundreds on a good grinder, then kingrinders k6 manual grinder is amazing for about 120. Basically a over engineerinered peppermill.
What about a moka pot?
Maybe a used flair classic, if you can live with manual lever brewing. I love mine, but you have to like making espresso and not just drinking it.
Edit: you’ll need a proper grinder no matter which machine you choose.
Without trying to be gate-keepy about espresso, $100 is really too cheap. Since you just have a blade grinder, you’d have to get your coffee ground at the store/coffee shop. That makes it difficult to get the pressure/flow rate right without a pressurized basket.
If I were you, I’d stick to trying to make “espresso-style” drinks (especially if you want milk drinks) with your aeropress, or maybe getting a cheap mokapot, and if you want to spend some money to improve your coffee, spend it on a burr grinder.
If you are set on trying to get up and running with “true” espresso, look for used manual lever machines like a Flair or a Rok, and get coffee ground at the store, and get a pressurized basket.
I have a Breville Bambino, which I think is the low end of acceptable, but it’s 300 USD new.
Not sure about $100. That’s a push.
I have a cheap (but not that cheap) Delonghi Dedica which is a bit plasticy in places, but makes pretty good coffee. We bought it because it’s narrow and fits on our limited kitchen top. It’s about £180 if you can go higher.
For me, it was a huge step up from a mocha pot. Despite trying all the tricks, for me a mocha pot always made bitter coffee.
Have you tried second hand?
Like others have said, your biggest problem right now is the grinder. A blade grinder makes boulders and dust. There is no way to get good even extraction from that. There are decent hand grinders from Timemore and Kingrinder starting at $50+ and decent electric grinders from Baratza and Fellow from around $150. These would cover all of the non-espresso grinding needs. Espresso grinding will cost you a little more.
As far as good budget espresso machines go, Lance Hedrick posted this as the new budget choice:
Side question, what’s your roasting process?
On topic: As others have said. Investing in a proper grinder may be the next step instead of an espresso machine.
I used to have a popcorn popper with the side vents, but that broke; so now I use a popcorn popper with the vertical vents and a glass chimney from an oil lamp. I usually roast through the end of the first crack, which usually winds up around Full City.
I have noticed a number of comments suggesting a new grinder. I’ve always had an “if it ain’t broke” mentality when it comes to buying new things, but I saw Costco had a burr grinder for ~50USD; so I may try to pick it up.
I am a little curious, though. How does that grinding method affect the flavor? I thought it just affected the uniformity of the grind…
Uniformity is everything my man.
A blade grinder will break your beans in random sizes. You will have big chunks with almost zero extraction (basically wasted) up to super fine powder that will get grossly over extracted (bitterness to the max), and everything in between.
A good burr grinder helps keeping everything “in the middle”, so you can get a much more controlled extraction.
I don’t know about this 50$ Costco grinder but if it’s electric, it will be shit. You won’t find any decent grinder, even straight from China like a DF64 for less than 350.
Your best bet for constrained budgets is a good mid-range manual grinder from 1zpresso. It will be night and day compared to your blade grinder.
