Bean to Cup Coffee Machines 2021

[Cadder]

Would you mind sharing links to the accessory items you purchased?

I am very new to this and on the hunt for the right scales etc.

Absolutely. I love my setup but I know it's probably a bit different to the usual, so bear that in mind as you look at what I have bought so far

Dosing funnel:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B094JMZ1DH/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_KZVYVX7HSJ0P1KG77MAW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Dosing Cup:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09B72MQ6G/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_2YQCW9DT8BDDN5J1JQTR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Tamping Mat:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B097PW8BCJ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_HAVXWZRY9GCTGBT7RB9P?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Distributor/Tamper:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0896Q41R9/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_7195DVGVNAR7JY5V3Q0B?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I also drew up a replacement steam lever to be machined for my Sage BE. I'm still waiting for it but in the meantime the Crema Coffee lever came back in stock:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GDSKLPS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_B8CQZBD3AA5D7MM7AYCX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I really like my setup. I wouldn't recommend my scales though, which is why they're not included in this post.

My typical morning routine is:
- switch machine on and give it half an hour
- pre-heat espresso cup and machine with an empty shot through the portafilter.
- weigh beans in dosing cup
- pour beans into empty hopper and grind all back into the same dosing cup.
- weigh ground coffee to check for any loss in grinder
- fit dosing funnel to portafilter
- sit portafilter with funnel over the cup (portafilter upside down) and then flip all to get grounds in portafilter
- tap sides of portafilter to even out and settle the coffee
- distribute and tamp
- fit portafilter to machine and pour a shot of espresso

It all runs nicely now. Without the two dosing accessories I'd be flinging coffee everywhere.

 

[jpaul]

what about the BE stepless grinder mod ? similar mod on my rocky grinder really helped,
also the BE pump pressure mod (it's a bit like putting a dimmer switch on pump) reduces some of over pressure, and enables this new slow pour(hybrid filter maker) style ..

Melitta glass espresso cups were last years asthetic improvement and keep shot warmer - haven't touched the illy porcelain since, keep meaning to get some glass for capuccino's too,

 

[Ninco!]

Brilliant thanks @Cadder for listing and taking time to share your routine - appreciated and saved!

 

[Bug One]

Was very tempted with the BE after reading this thread - but after watching numerous reviews decided to go with the La Specialista, mainly for the tidiness of keeping the coffee inside the machine whilst tamping.

The old kettle and toaster need to head towards the bin now....

 

[Participant]

Ny only complaint with the BE is that it struggles with consistency when producing multiple shots in one go but it’s not designed for commercial (style) use.

There's a step in between one double shot and commercial use though and I agree I find that it struggles with back to back for some reason.

I have to clean it out each time or it chokes on the next shots.

 

[Brazo]

There's a step in between one double shot and commercial use though and I agree I find that it struggles with back to back for some reason.

I have to clean it out each time or it chokes on the next shots.

When you say clean it out do you mean running a shot of water through with no coffee in the portafilter?

I might have spoken too soon. The auto cut off has stopped working on our machine so when you press the button for a shot the water just runs and runs until you turn it off.

 

[jpaul]

There's a step in between one double shot and commercial use though and I agree I find that it struggles with back to back for some reason.

I have to clean it out each time or it chokes on the next shots.

yes - what do you mean clean it out . ... residue in brewhead ? because maybe grind is (too?) fine - what's extraction time.

I can see there maybe some temperature recovery time before the next shot, but you do get that on HX (prosumer) machines too, and have to wait.
is it a BE pro/touch with the thermojet system, versus older thermocoil ? where there is some trade-off of heat up time and thermal mass.

but after watching numerous reviews decided to go with the La Specialista, mainly for the tidiness of keeping the coffee inside the machine whilst tamping.

Did you buy from Amazon - yes I think they are pretty similar to BE, but I've not seen whether thermocoil design is very similar ? (even identically sourced?)

 

[Charles Darwin]

I have a sage oracle touch, the more i learn the more I wish I had a grinder and a cheaper machine like the Bambino +. I had picked up the Barista Pro as a wedding gift a few months ago for around £559 from https://www.bestcoffee.guide you get extra discount if you sign up to the news letter

This is a good deal
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00VVHHPGS?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=pepperugc03-21&ascsubtag=2335183383

 

[jpaul]

interesting sage analysis, unfortunately they don't say anything about relative electricty consumption, or temperature stability, but time difference not so great.

Total Latte Time
If we look at the overall process times by adding on a relatively standard espresso shot length of 30seconds, the Thermoblock machines are in last place, taking just barely under 2 minutes to make a latte. Almost 40 seconds quicker, but still in third place are the Thermojet machines taking 83 seconds. Now, for the Dual Boiler machines, it’s also important to note that they not only transition instantly, but they can also brew and steam at the same time, meaning that we won’t add on the espresso shot time to their totals, as those two processes are happening at the same time. This means that the Oracle sits in seconds place with a latte time of 40 seconds, and the Dual Boiler is in first place with a latte time of 33 seconds. Nice!
https://lifestylelab.ca/which-breville-espresso-machine-is-fastest/ amazon affiliate

 

[Mobius 1]

We have a melitta caffeo. Cannot fault it. Fantastic bit of kit.

 

[Participant]

We have a melitta caffeo. Cannot fault it. Fantastic bit of kit.

I was looking at those. Is it possible to make two long coffees like cappuccino or americanos at the same time? Some of the reviews say not.

I have a Sage Barista Express and am getting a bit bored with its inconsistency and how long everything takes.

 

[Cadder]

I have a Sage Barista Express and am getting a bit bored with its inconsistency and how long everything takes.

How are you making your coffee? Do you weigh it in and out before tamping? Have you set the two buttons to suitable ratios of water to the coffee you use?

I've had a Sage BE for 7 or more months now and it's fantastic. I make two espressos every morning and most days another two cappuccinos or lattes. A dual boiler could be quicker but I am massively impressed by this machine. I've also found consistency to be a 'me' thing. If I change something, the coffee changes. If I keep it the same, coffee stays the same.

 

[Participant]

How are you making your coffee? Do you weigh it in and out before tamping? Have you set the two buttons to suitable ratios of water to the coffee you use?

I've had a Sage BE for 7 or more months now and it's fantastic. I make two espressos every morning and most days another two cappuccinos or lattes. A dual boiler could be quicker but I am massively impressed by this machine. I've also found consistency to be a 'me' thing. If I change something, the coffee changes. If I keep it the same, coffee stays the same.

No I don't weigh it, I use the same beans and grinder volume setting each time. The first one of each batch is always consistent, it's the second one (after the tamp and brew head has been used once) that turns out poorly.

So to reiterate the first shot of each batch is perfectly consistent each time, so it's nothing to do with weighing it.

 

[Cadder]

I have read that when the grinder is warmed up by the heat within the machine, it needs to be adjusted a little bit as it moves slightly. I haven't found that to be the case with my machine though. I weigh the beans in and check their weight once ground, then pull a shot of espresso. I've made 4 coffees on the bounce for us and friends and they all turned out excellent.

 

[Participant]

Maybe my oily beans and fine grind (3) are jamming things up somehow.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Maybe my oily beans and fine grind (3) are jamming things up somehow.

Usually, it's the opposite. Typically lightly roasted beans are harder to grind for the grinder. Oily beans are roasted longer and easier to break down, simply cooked more in the process.

To find out why, weight it, just try to see a few times to see if there is a difference.

 

[Bug One]

I used some Italian Blend beans, and the machine immediately bunged up. Had to get a new set of bottle cleaners to get all the compacted grains out.

 

[Cadder]

I have had all types of beans going through. Monsoon Malabar are fun, I have to stir the beans with a slightly wet spoon handle before grinding. The weirdest were a range from a local roasters and the beans were tiny. They went through the grinder like gravel. The rest of the bag was poured into my "spare beans" jar. Didn't fancy doing that again.

 

[jpaul]

Yes beans like Mandheling waitrose beans are oily and gummed up someones ecam auto, and my rocky in an earlier thread -
you end up with a slower feed through the grinder and they are ground more finely, so shot/extraction would change over time
I didn't buy them again after cleanup of burrs and grinder body.
I don't see why grind would recover for next days round of shots though, unless you were alternating with another bean type.

 

[Brazo]

How are you making your coffee? Do you weigh it in and out before tamping? Have you set the two buttons to suitable ratios of water to the coffee you use?

I've had a Sage BE for 7 or more months now and it's fantastic. I make two espressos every morning and most days another two cappuccinos or lattes. A dual boiler could be quicker but I am massively impressed by this machine. I've also found consistency to be a 'me' thing. If I change something, the coffee changes. If I keep it the same, coffee stays the same.

I find my machine to be inconsistent but my brothers machine to be more consistent (irony lol). Bottom line is they are cheap machines and if you want proper shot to shot consistency especially when doing multiple shots then it’s hello San Remo and bye bye 10k.