Coffee beans..

willhub

willhub

willhub

Caporegime
Joined
3 Jan 2006
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Location
Chadderton, Oldham
Soo as part of a birthday present I've got a selection of 10 different coffee beans.

I've never used coffee beans, so this might be something that makes me start buying beans as its often cheaper I see and opens up more choice.

The issue is, I don't have a grinder, I would be using a cafetiere, so what grinder and settings (if any settings?) would I use?

Is there any other ways as opposed to a cafetiere? Like that kettle looking thing you put on a hob? can they run on electric hobs?
 
brendy said:
Been using this since November, grinds down to espresso surprisingly well, I use it at setting 5 for my espressos. Price hasn't risen much since I bought it.

SHARDOR Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Electric, 31 Precise Grind Settings Coffee Bean Grinder for Espresso/Drip/Pour Over/Cold Brew/French Press, LCD Screen and Precise Digital Timer, Black https://amzn.eu/d/90nD2BZ

I went for the smaller of the two, still holds around 250g of beans should you want to grind enough for a trip away etc. the container holds around a third of that but I don't store any coffee in it. Either straight to portafilter or sealed container.
Click to expand...

willhub said:
Soo as part of a birthday present I've got a selection of 10 different coffee beans.

I've never used coffee beans, so this might be something that makes me start buying beans as its often cheaper I see and opens up more choice.

The issue is, I don't have a grinder, I would be using a cafetiere, so what grinder and settings (if any settings?) would I use?

Is there any other ways as opposed to a cafetiere? Like that kettle looking thing you put on a hob? can they run on electric hobs?
Click to expand...

Bought this on brendys recommendation, great grinder, better than my more expensive Wilka.

Look no further.
 
Keep seeing espresso, I'd like to make a coffee with espresso, like an americano, or add hot milk, but not sure what kind of relatively inexpensive device I could get.

That grinder does everything doesn't it you linked to, I didnt';t realise there was limitations to some grinders like hand grinders, it's like a rabbit hold coffee brewing.
 
willhub said:
Keep seeing espresso, I'd like to make a coffee with espresso, like an americano, or add hot milk, but not sure what kind of relatively inexpensive device I could get.

That grinder does everything doesn't it you linked to, I didnt';t realise there was limitations to some grinders like hand grinders, it's like a rabbit hold coffee brewing.
Click to expand...

It's even better than my Wilka, it can do espresso, which the Wilka couldn't.
 
Before diving into the rabbit warren that is espresso, you'd probably be better placed grasping a decent pour over method. It a much cheaper starting point and if you can't be bothered with learning pour over then you'll definitely want to stay clear of espresso which is even more complicated.

Cafetieres give decent results and are probably the simplest starting point. An AeroPress would probably be the best option, they make a lovely coffee but are very forgiving to learners. If you want something a bit more tricky then a V60 is a brilliant option, but they do require quite strict processes for excellent results.

Regards a grinder, buy the best you can for your budget. A Timemore C3 hand grinder is about £60 and is a very popular option with quite a large community. The Kingrinder P2 has also seen significant positive feedback recently for under £50. Either would be better than any electric grinder you'll find for the price.

I guess what I'm saying is that you're effectively taking on a new hobby which a lot of people don't realise until after the moneya spent. Before looking at £500+ for espresso setups, try one of the less complex brewing methods to see if you want to give it your time.

Personally, I love it but I'm £600 down for a espresso machine, £550 for a flat burr grinder and then 2 hand grinders for pourovers and loads of extra little goodies. It very quickly becomes a money pit if you get into it.
 
I have the Baratza Encore grinder and it's served me well with my Aeropress for many years now. I think it's regarded as the best beginner/budget burr grinder out there at ~£170.

I'd definitely start with an Aeropress. As above, very forgiving and even though I've branched out into moka pot and cafetiere occasionally, Aeropress is still my go-to. Unless you absolutely only want to drink espresso-based drinks like espresso shots (duh) and milky coffees, I don't think a massive machine is worth it for pretty much anyone at home. Leave it to the coffee shops imo.
 
willhub said:
Keep seeing espresso, I'd like to make a coffee with espresso, like an americano, or add hot milk, but not sure what kind of relatively inexpensive device I could get.

That grinder does everything doesn't it you linked to, I didnt';t realise there was limitations to some grinders like hand grinders, it's like a rabbit hold coffee brewing.
Click to expand...

You can do anything with beans:
* french press (cafetière) with larger grounds.
* aero press (a simple manual piston you use like an expresso machine)
* filter coffee machine - dripped
* espresso machine

Delonghi Dedica is a nice little expresso machine from experience. It can be programmed so you can make an americano using a long vend and a short espesso vend. The earlier 885 version does hot water at the wand as weell as steam too.
The later model 9xx had a different wand and adds more control over temps/time of the brew. I wasn’t fussed with that.
 
@willhub - what coffee kit have you got already?

The grinder linked above looks great. I went for this one which has a built in scale and timer. Useful for French press:


I love my hand grinder, but it’s a faff and there’s no way I could be bothered to do enough for a full cafetière!

I use a Delonghi Dedica to good effect.

I’m nowhere near the pro leagues in the espresso thread, but I can now properly appreciate the differences between beans and roasting methods.

Think I need to invest in an aeropress!
 
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Like the others have suggested, I would 100% start with Aeropress, especially if you prefer Americano over milk-based drinks. Relatively cheap, very easy to do, and great results even if not done properly.

If you don't mind second hand you could probably pick up a Baratza Encore, Eureka Mignon for around £100 or so.
 
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