3 in 1 coffee machines

[stewie]

How well does the 3 in 1 coffee/espresso machines(where you grind the beans yourself) work compared to a real espresso machine.

 

[shadow745]

You mean the machines that offer drip on one side and espresso/cappuccino on the other? Most of these are steam type units that are a joke for any real use. There are a few like the Cafe Nero by DeLonghi and others that have an actual pump espresso side along with the drip to save space. Most have some decent type of boiler or thermoblock, but most also have pressurized portafilters or baskets to help newbies out. Actually it hampers making any real progress. If you want decent results and save space by having it all in one then they're OK. BUT I haven't seen one yet that will compare to a good semi-auto espresso machine like the Gaggia line-up or what have you. And yeah you'll need a decent grinder to match both sides. Later!

 

[stewie]

Yip. Was talking about them.
Thanks for the reply. Kinda what I expected. It's just that the decent espresso machines are like 10x more expensive and I don't wanna spend that much at the moment.

 

[shadow745]

There are a few 3-in-1 machines that are decent and I happen to have one of them. It's a Capresso BAR351. I have been thinking about selling it and there was one other member here interested if that was the case. If I talk my wife into letting me sell it I'll send you guys a few pics of it and go from there. It offers drip on one end, pump espresso on the other. It's actual pump driven too, not steam like so many of the cheaper ones. Later!