CoffeeForums Coffee Facts

Q: Can anybody recommend a value for money (UK), available home Espresso maker that gives a really good crema. I like cappuccino/latte style and occasional Espresso. I have a 'Krups Filter Maker' which is good; I am thinking up to £200 budget, Gaggia? Cheers in advance. Coffee Boy

A: Hows about a little "Take Five" first...or, since it is the holiday season and all, maybe somthing from "A Brubeck Christmas"? How's our local guy Bobby Millitello these days? excellent! another jazz fan. I'd say Gaggia or a second hand Silvia, i got mine (plus rocky) in an unbelivebly good deal from an alt.coffee -er for 250. Could do what you want for a couple of hundred. Gaggia Carezzo is the no frills Gaggia and should be fine. Sorry about the decor on it. That is US without a grinder. you see, Espresso ground coffee stales v quickly - like hours. Espresso is a weird stuff. It comes out grot unless you get about a couple of oz in 25seconds... seriously. That means you have to adjust the temp, volume and er, grind until you get that flow rate. The grind is v critical - on my Rocky grinder one click equals about 5 seconds; there are 80 clicks in a circle and a circle is a normal thread - so its an ickle bit. So a whirly blade grinder cannot be precise enough, and the cheaper burr grinders aren't either, so you can't get away with the 20 marks and sparks one, but the 50/80 quid starbucks barrista will be ok for a year or so. Try www.kwilson.fsnet.co.uk and click through the coffee machine.