Best espresso machines & coffeemaker combos according to redditors

Thanks! It's all lower-mid tier stuff but the best bang for the buck imo.

Espresso machine

Grinder (not the best, be warned)

French press

Got one of these at GW myself for $13 a long time ago. I took it apart and replaced all the gaskets (around 10 hours of work). It's been my daily fix for about a year now.

You might have to change the group head gasket. If you put the portafilter in it and it goes beyond that circle alignment mark then the gasket is probably worn.

Also one of your biggest enemies is if one of the two boilers is leaking. The older models had a black EPDM gasket. Later they upgraded them to these red high temp gaskets. There is one screw on the back if you take that off then take the screws off the top you can look down at the boilers and see if they're leaking anywhere. Mine was leaking super badly from the frothing boiler and I could see the stain on the bottom plate.

Feel free to PM me if you have some tech questions about this. If your thermostat is bad though I can't help you there.

edit: Sorry to burst your bubble but they're probably closer to $750 now new for a red one on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KES2102ER-Espresso-Independent-Boilers/dp/B00LU3MOHS?th=1

Still a great deal though. Although I bring it up because I think a used one might be around $300 on eBay. I mention it because you seem to need a drip tray, red flow overflow indicator, and chrome drip tray piece. That can probably run $50+. Then you need a portafilter, gasket replacement, cup rail on the top... etc. So costs can add up quickly.

We have a Jura Ena (9 I think) superautomatic. It looks a lot like this one if a lot older This machine has served my Center at a decently large Biomedical Research Institute extremely well for years now and we drink a lot of coffee (probably 10-15 lbs per month get pushed through that machine). I'd highly recommend it.

The only maintenance it has required in what has to be at least five years (and probably significantly more, its been here longer than I have) is the occasional descaling pellet. It doesn't require any filters or disposable pods, and the ceramic grinder is still plugging away as good as ever. Just dump the grounds from the tray, refill the water, put beans in the hopper and its good to go. Adjustable grind and volume settings (including the ability to set the default to a larger volume to approximate drip), and can steam/froth milk. For less than ~1400 new and significantly less than that refurbished, you can get decent beans and still come out way ahead of what you'd be paying for disposable pods.

I use this machine and love it to death! It’s simple and easy to use. The steam wand isn’t my favorite but I mostly use it for iced espresso drinks. It’s a really great value for only being $100!

Nice! For that setup I would advise against a lever-style manual machine because the downward pressure you apply to the handle might tear the shelf off the wall :( Get one with an electric pump [like this.] (https://www.amazon.com/Gourmia-GCM5500-Automatic-Cappuccino-Compatible/dp/B01MD0IHCU/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485913083&sr=1-4&keywords=espresso+machine) (they make nicer ones, too)

I'm an espresso guy and couldn't live without my Handpresso when I travel/camp. It's 16-bar, hand-pumped and completely off the grid!

http://amzn.com/B007KG5IYK

I would imagine you could ask any coffee roaster to grind it very fine for you, or if you have your own grinder, turn it down as fine as it will go. If you have an adjustable mill grinder, that's better.

AFAIK, Turkish coffee doesn't require a certain type of bean, but a medium roast will take you far unless you like your Turkish coffee with extra sugar (two teaspoons).

If you need tips on how to make it, head on over to /r/coffee. If you want an automatic option, this one works really well. I've seen cezves at Istanbul Market on Gammon and you can get vacuum-sealed Turkish coffee there.

I had the exact same combo. It's certainly fine for a beginner's setup, as the Infuser is quick to heat up and has PID temperature control, preinfusion, and volumetric (time-based) dosing.

If you want to save $100, consider also the Duo Temp Pro. What you'll sacrifice:

• No pressure gauge
  
• No programmable dosing
  
• Non-adjustable PID
  
  The Breville served me well for 3 1/2 years. I ended up trading up for a prosumer-level machine. My biggest gripe with the Breville was probably how long it took to steam, but that may be a blessing for a beginner as it gives you more time to learn how to create microfoam.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Horse-Products-KI-200-AeroPress/dp/B01EKWLF7K

I'm a huge kitchenAid fanboy and when I first found out about this machine I drooled. Then I dug into the reviews, and they are not [pretty](https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KES2102ER-Espresso-Independent-Boilers/dp/B00LU3MOHS). It looks like this current generation isn't horrible, but I would pass on this, unless you really love the aesthetic.

Creatista plus on sale for $375

https://www.amazon.com/Nespresso-Creatista-Espresso-Beverages-Breville/dp/B01LYTP2SG

If you are shopping for a Nespresso machine today that is close to this, Amazon has the BNE800 version on sale right now ($260-$390, depending on the style/color you go for) and it looks like they also have a little "coupon" button up at the top that will give you either $64.98 off or $97.47 off, depending on style/color, at checkout if you click it. I'm not sure if this is a Black Friday deal so who knows how long the price or coupon will last.

Bestbuy on eBay is selling it for $480, use code PSPRING20 to take off 20% (-$96): https://www.ebay.com/itm/322234890468

Or get it Certified Refurbished (by Breville) for $388 before tax on Amazon:
https://smile.amazon.com/Breville-RM-BES870XL-Espresso-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B00KQUEIY8/

I use a Kitchen Aid grinder similar to this one. It has a removable, dishwasher safe bowl that makes cleaning a breeze.

I feel like we're in the same boat. I got a pretty decent espresso machine - 1 or 2 models back from this - http://www.amazon.com/Breville-ESP8XL-Stainless-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0002VAFWA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1395850116&sr=8-3&keywords=Breville+espresso and it works well sometimes. I have played around more than you can imagine with a couple home grinders and just can't get the same results as buying actual pre-ground espresso....which I've found is pretty damn expensive.

I'd never been a fan of drip coffee because almost everything started tasting too watered-down for me and I was craving espresso for the same reasons I was starting to drink some hairy-chested Cali red wines. I stumbled on this machine for $125 - http://www.amazon.com/Breville-BDC550XL-YouBrew-Glass-Coffee/dp/B005I72AXA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1395850256&sr=8-3&keywords=Breville+YouBrew and the espresso machine is collecting dust. Basically now I buy whole beans (Peets and Trader Joes Italian Roast are the 2 faves and cost me about $1 a pot) and the machine grinds for each cup and I just jack the strength up near the top of the 7 settings. It does require some significant cleaning each time but I felt like it was much easier to get used to than cleaning the espresso machine. It seems like a lot to outlay for the machine but I signed up for mint.com and saw how much I spent at Starbucks (hint, more than my internet bill each month) and it was easy to dump the money in. Hope this gives you another perspective at least.

I tell all my guys to "pack your happiness", whatever that entails. For one guy it was 10 cans of smoked oysters, another needed 5 lbs of dark chocolate, I personally need my travel espresso maker and fresh coffee (handpresso) Since it's his first deployment, he might want to come up with a budget for each port. I've seen guys come back with way less money saved up than they could have had if they had made a plan before going out. Anywho, cheers, happy deployment~

To me nothing tastes as good as an espresso shot used to make a latte or flat white. The equipment costs more, but the Italian style of coffee and taste (to me) I adore. Better than my Aeropress (which is basically a glorified french press) I use at work or drip coffee. Oh, and always use quality, freshly ground beans!

Electric moka pot?

https://www.amazon.com/IMUSA-B120-60006-Electric-Coffee-3-6-Cup/dp/B07H427752/

Have been using the Breville Cafe Roma for 5+ years (with a burr grinder). It's on the lower end of home espresso machines but seems to work just fine.

camelcamelcamel.com is a website where you can check the price history of any products listed on Amazon. Here is the example, scroll down till you see Amazon Price History box and check the lowest price: https://camelcamelcamel.com/Nespresso-Creatista-Espresso-Breville-Stainless/product/B01LYTP2SG

I have seen this myself during black friday but I already had the machine....

My current machine is a Mr. Coffee ECMP10. It's actually been an incredibly solid machine. We got it for something like $50 around 12 years ago and it's still going strong.

The funny thing is, the machine is still being sold but by Breville now. They've replaced the plastic case with a stainless steel one and increased the price by about $200. See it here.

Today I found a Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma.

I had to scavange the entire store because they put the pitcher in the mug section and the 2 tbsp puck in the home decor/plate area. I now have everything but the tamper it comes with.

How good of a find was this for ~$16?

I have this one

I got a Breville Cafe Roma in very good condition (the base needed to be replaced due to warping somehow, but you can find replacement parts for the machine online). But if I recall I paid under 200$ for it. Thus far I've enjoyed owning it. The tamper it comes with is terrible however, when purchasing this machine I'd highly recommend buying a better temper.

Something like this maybe?
http://www.amazon.ca/Breville-Caf%C3%A9-Espresso-Machine-ESP8XL/dp/B0002VAFWA/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen-substore&ie=UTF8&qid=1449530532&sr=1-1&keywords=espresso+machine

I would recommend Miele. 100% designed and manufactured in Germany to crazy high standards. Here is the machine I have:

https://www.amazon.com/CM-6110-Coffee-System-Black/dp/B015P7V70Y/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1504938963&sr=8-6&keywords=Miele+coffee

The coffee is amazing - The biggest BIFL issue with these machines is their cleaning capability. They get really gunked up inside and you want one that can take care of this stuff.

https://www.amazon.com/DeLonghi-ECP3420-Espresso-Cappuccino-Machine/dp/B00YCP71VK/ref=sr_1_4?crid=28NAS3Y4JWTE8&keywords=delonghi+espresso+machine&qid=1559264636&s=gateway&sprefix=delonghi%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-4

Espresso: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007KG5IYK?pc_redir=1409544752&robot_redir=1

Grinder: most hand grinders will fit the bill. The hario slim is an excellent way to go.

Columbia!? Check me sippin' on my Kopi Luwak espresso brewed with pH balanced water, and beans meticulously weighed on my digital scale to the 0.00001st gram, on my Jura Espresso Machine in my mug handcrafted by Tibetian Monks.

You fuckin' scrub.

I'm getting a superautomatic tomorrow, so I will have one like this for sale ;)

http://www.amazon.com/Breville-ESP8XL-Stainless-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0002VAFWA/

Yiu can buy an espresso machine for under $200.

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B0002VAFWA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421368275&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=41CBH65TS7L&ref=plSrch

Save 50 cents or more per espresso.

Edit: $1+ per "espresso" with a pod machine once a day means you paid $365 for shitty espresso...PLUS the cost of the DRM'd pod machine.

Same consumption using real espresso coffee costs the same including the $150 machine and the following year you save a LOT...

Coffee in non recyclable pods is environmentally unfriendly, more expensive and of poorer quality. Believe the marketing all you want, this is shitty coffee at a premium. Making real coffee or espresso is just as convenient, tastes better, is DRM free and opens up a lot of flavour options....

Maybe I'm unrefined, but this is what I'm using now and get pretty good coffee. It just has to be cleaned a lot and is a bit inconsistent.

BVMC-ECM260 Espresso https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003L12NKU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_EPexxb9DD39Z2

Edited the post. Here's the link http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Coffee-BVMCECM260-BVMC-ECM260-Espresso/dp/B003L12NKU/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1464727889&sr=8-7&keywords=mr+coffee+espresso+machine

http://www.amazon.com/Jura-ENA-9-One-Touch/dp/B004VS32YS

$1279

A cheaper, simpler alternative, is $500 used. You will have to froth your own milk and warm the cup.

It looks like they both have their pluses and minuses. Both utilize boilers though the Saeco boiler is stainless vs an aluminum boiler in the Capresso. The Saeco only comes with a pressurized portafilter out of the box, though it looks like you can get a non-pressurized aftermarket option for it. The Capresso includes both pressurized and non-pressurized.

I think the Capresso probably has the superior steam wand which appears to get a desired consistency according to this review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYFOE0qtoE0

The Saeco has a larger water tank (85 oz vs. 42 oz in the Capresso).

Amazon does have some reviews for the Capresso which seem to be mostly good, but somewhat mixed. I think that is just par for the course in this price range, unfortunately:

http://www.amazon.com/Capresso-118-05-Espresso-Cappuccino-Machine/dp/B00FQIUW9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406834541&sr=8-1&keywords=capresso+ec+pro

http://www.amazon.com/Capresso-Professional-Espresso-Cappuccino-ESPRESSO/dp/B00FSFVN5I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406834550&sr=8-2&keywords=capresso+ec+pro

And Seattle Coffee Gear's review of the Capresso: http://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/capresso-ec-pro-espresso-cappuccino-machine

I don't mind a learning curve, so if the gaggia is just finicky and not straight unreliable, I think I would like it. What kinds of differences would I see between the gaggia and something like this? I see that the other one has 15 bars of pressure instead of 17.5, but otherwise have no idea. Basically, what am I buying for the extra 1-200 dollars?

However, devil's advocate for a minute here. (I regularly bash boomers so, I'm not sucking up to them, but making one point.)

They didn't spend $6 for a latte every morning. They spent 25 cents on diner coffee. Cut out the fancy espresso based coffees and save a bundle. Buying a cheaper espresso machine and learning how to do it pays for itself.