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Q: I would like to buy my mother a Cappuccino/Espresso maker for Christmas. If it can make coffee too all the better. I know nothing about these machines. What brand should I stick with and what model should I go with? I've been searching the net and they seem to do different things with different options. I've been told to only get it with a burr grinder. I'm confused. My budget is about $150US. Bean connoisseurs please help!

A: I think MANY machines get returned for reasons other than malfunction. Some actually suggest a refurbished machine has had the bugs worked out already. We have ours for about 1 year without consequence. | (a) He and/or his mother already drink coffee, say using a "drip". If | he does not have one, that can still be bought in budget Probably, but they evidently WANT to drink Espresso. | (c) And that while I have not been around this board for about a year, | at one time contributors valued quality coffee over swill from a | machine that will wind up before the year is out in the nearby | landfill. Guess things have changed. Welcome back. No, they haven't changed much (but see below), but in this case we have no indication that the poster lives somewhere where quality, relatively fresh preroasted beans are unobtainable. | FYI, my own home brew comes from a Giotto ECM Ah, well here is where the group has changed. Minimal entry requirements are now a Livia, or a Wega with a rotary pumpI am tempted to write "Duh, apply for a brain transplant" to MD, but then perhaps I was rash in assuming that. (a) He and/or his mother already drink coffee, say using a "drip". If he does not have one, that can still be bought in budget (b) A grinder was not mentioned in his request. Of course, without one, he and his mother would need buy pre ground beans. Not a tasty thought in my mind. An "adequate" one on budget could be had for about $12.00 (c) And that while I have not been around this board for about a year, at one time contributors valued quality coffee over swill from a machine that will wind up before the year is out in the nearby landfill. Guess things have changed. In other words, an inexpensive drip plus inexpensive grinder plus a very nice roaster comes within budget. And that will give a wonderful coffee experience on the $150 budget. FYI, my own home brew comes from a Giotto ECM, Mini Mazzer grinder, Hearthware roaster. The most important part is the least expensive, the roaster. But, my components come in well above this lads budget. My review of the Giotto ECM is on www.coffeekid.com I would rather drink coffee from a drip made with fresh roast and an inexpensive grinder, than an Espresso made with Starbucks preground on a swill Espresso machine.