Need advice on best machine . All-Clad Presso-Espresso?

CoffeeCough

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Nov 25, 2005
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I am trying to buy an espresso machine for my wife for Christmas. I don't know beans about coffee or espresso, but have been reading a lot trying to pick something decent that I can afford.

She has mentioned many times wanting a "hand" espresso machine which she has indicated is a manual press type, but I cannot find one for less than at least $500 that is recommended.

I will describe how she wants to use the machine and maybe you can recommend good options for me to consider.

She drinks an Iced Mocha every morning. You may roll your eyes at a froo-froo drink where the espresso quality doesn't matter, but she's some kind of connoisseur and very picky. To her the quality of the chocolate and the quality of the espresso are very important. She will often just go buy a few shots of her favorite espresso from a store and then come back to mix her own iced mocha at home where she can control the rest of the ingredients.

So...we need a machine that only has to make 1-2 shots once a day.

Foam or froth is not important, but if the machine does make good foam, that would be nice if she decides to make different drinks in the future.

Noise...since it is used so little noise is not a big factor. It shouldn't be really noisy though as we don't want to wake the neighbors in the morning.

Smell...I can't stand the smell of coffee so if any machine produces a significantly reduced amount of coffee smell for some reason, that would be a plus. I think I'm just out of luck in this wish though. :)

Ideally, I'd like to keep it under $200, but am flexible if added expense is really going to make a difference.

I've read that the bean grinder is even more important than the machine...is this true? If so, should I just get a basic espresso machine like the Mr. Coffee ECMP40 (under $50 locally) and spend the money on a grinder?

Lastly, I ran across the All-Clad Presso-Espresso machine on Amazon:

Amazon Link

One reviewer praised it, but I can't find any other reviews of it. All-Clad makes some of my favourite pans, but I don't know if their brand quality carries over to espresso machines. Any advice on whether this would be a wise buy or something I should avoid?

Thank you for any advice you can provide! :)
 
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