Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

DarkShadow · 4 Nov 2022 at 10:39

Raymond Lin said:
errrrrr, why so many espresso machines?

Upgraditis. I never got around to selling the Classic, over the years they just have piled up. I'm not sure I could sell the Silvia as the build quality won my trust, so I'll keep it as my backup machine.

Grimley said:
I used to own a Classic & replaced it with a Silvia 5 years ago, still own the Silvia. I wouldn't buy a Sage, they are not built to last IMO. I'd rather pay extra for a quality E61 machine.

I felt the same way but the featureset for the money still beats most. The more I've gotten into the Dual Boiler/Oracle community, I'm not as sceptical any more. Most parts are just as serviceable as most e61 machines and there's a wealth of info out there. They're not as simple to work with but you get used to it.

DarkShadow · 4 Nov 2022 at 10:43

Siliconslave said:
looks like a gaggia classic, rancilio silvia, Sage barrister pro (or similar) and sage precision brewer. Afaik only the Gaggia uses a e61 size grouphead.

2008 Classic w/ Rancillio wand, Silvia V4 and Sage Oracle (Dual Boiler).

All are 58mm but slight variations in lugs which is really frustrating, as I have a dedicated drawer for PFs.

jpaul · 4 Nov 2022 at 10:46

OK E61 means to me their mechanism with the pull down lever (sense of occassion) and the pre-infusion & heated head - not just size

It was the panarello steam wand thingy and the right lever that looked delonghi'ish , DL designs always look steam punkish to me. I expect a naked steam nozzle on £500+ machines.

e: gratuitous e61 animation ... although if you are on a tank pump needs to help preinfusion

Raymond Lin · 4 Nov 2022 at 10:55

You have the same era Classic as me, with the same wand.

Is the Silvia really that much better? I can't seem to justify the difference, especially without offsetting the cost by selling the Classic.

DarkShadow · 4 Nov 2022 at 10:57

jpaul said:
OK E61 means to me their mechanism with the pull down lever (sense of occassion) and the pre-infusion & heated head - not just size

It was the panarello steam wand thingy and the right lever that looked delonghi'ish , DL designs always look steam punkish to me. I expect a naked steam nozzle on £500+ machines.

It's chunky for sure but the built-in temp sensor allows for automatic hands-free milk prep or manual. Results are impressive for a decade old tech.

DarkShadow · 4 Nov 2022 at 11:02

Raymond Lin said:
You have the same era Classic as me, with the same wand.

Is the Silvia really that much better? I can't seem to justify the difference, especially without offsetting the cost by selling the Classic.

Taste wise? It won't be a noticeable difference from my tests. The weight and build quality difference is huge.

I prefer the cup clearance, water tray and temp surfing routine on the Classic. But the Silvia just feels like a nicer experience.

Invest the money in a PID. The only reason to upgrade is for premium materials/dual boiler if you make more milky drinks.

The Classic is a fantastic, serviceable machine.

jpaul · 4 Nov 2022 at 11:10

DarkShadow said:
It's chunky for sure but the built-in temp sensor allows for automatic hands-free milk prep or manual.

yes that's useful, how's the cleanup (just made an 11's hot chocolate on mine),
can you dip tip to the base of pot to see if that's a good temp; with tip mostly near top for bubbles, I normally touch base a couple of times during 30-40s steaming takes.

DarkShadow · 4 Nov 2022 at 11:15

jpaul said:
yes that's useful, how's the cleanup (just made an 11's hot chocolate on mine),
can you dip tip to the base of pot to see if that's a good temp; with tip mostly near top for bubbles, I normally touch base a couple of times during 30-40s steaming takes.

Clean up is straight forward, a damp cloth over the tips and when you lower the wand it automatically purges 3 pumps. I remove the tip once every 2 weeks and give a soak but a deeper clean every 1-2 months depending how active the machine has been.

Yeah, it'll give a live reading regardless of position if you decide to go manual.

Grimley · 4 Nov 2022 at 18:02

Raymond Lin said:
You have the same era Classic as me, with the same wand.

Is the Silvia really that much better? I can't seem to justify the difference, especially without offsetting the cost by selling the Classic.

Having owned both, I would say the Silvia is better when fitted with a PID. Temperature surfing is a pain without it. But get a new one. The older ones have a poor quality powder coating and the Chassis rusts, which is what mine is starting to do. You can buy a galvanised chassis for them, But I don't want to take mine apart and fit a new chassis, sods law I would forget how to put it back together again.

Raymond Lin · 4 Nov 2022 at 18:19

Grimley said:
Having owned both, I would say the Silvia is better when fitted with a PID. Temperature surfing is a pain without it. But get a new one. The older ones have a poor quality powder coating and the Chassis rusts, which is what mine is starting to do. You can buy a galvanised chassis for them, But I don't want to take mine apart and fit a new chassis, sods law I would forget how to put it back together again.

I think if i ever upgrade, i would go next tier up, I think this would be too a small increment to make it worthwhile. Probably PID in the Classic instead.

Buckster · 6 Nov 2022 at 17:14

I'm after my first espresso setup - currently use a V60 or Aeropress

Considering a Sage Grinder Pro I know there are maybe better alternatives but I don't think near to 155 odd (when in sale) and one of my bug bears with my current Dualit grinder is how messy it is even if I'm careful

Was thing of pairing it up with either a Bambino Plus or Duo Pro but I can't decide - I've not seen either in person but the Duo Pro looks more durable and I like the larger drip tray but the Bambino Plus is much more recent design and has 9 bar extraction Vs 15 on the Duo

Price is similar for both they are within about £40 of each other

The milk frother will be very rarely used I drink black coffee - bit longer than an expresso so I will be adding hot water

I considered cheaper expresso machine and better grinder but seems next step up is quite a bit more in money above the Sage grinder

Any suggestions please ?

DarkShadow · 7 Nov 2022 at 15:20

Buckster said:
I'm after my first espresso setup - currently use a V60 or Aeropress

Considering a Sage Grinder Pro I know there are maybe better alternatives but I don't think near to 155 odd (when in sale) and one of my bug bears with my current Dualit grinder is how messy it is even if I'm careful

Was thing of pairing it up with either a Bambino Plus or Duo Pro but I can't decide - I've not seen either in person but the Duo Pro looks more durable and I like the larger drip tray but the Bambino Plus is much more recent design and has 9 bar extraction Vs 15 on the Duo

Price is similar for both they are within about £40 of each other

The milk frother will be very rarely used I drink black coffee - bit longer than an expresso so I will be adding hot water

I considered cheaper expresso machine and better grinder but seems next step up is quite a bit more in money above the Sage grinder

Any suggestions please ?

You may still be able to find a Eureka Crono with espresso burrs for £150~ although it was discontuned. I believe the Mignon Manuale 50 took over but it is more for effectively the same machine.

All the said, the SGP is a good machine for the money and good resell value but it's a bit frustrating the discontinued the Crono which was a real belter for the money.

You'll be happier with either machine but I would get the Bambino as I believe it has a PID and feature-rich for its size.

Grimley · 7 Nov 2022 at 16:34

Buckster said:
The milk frother will be very rarely used I drink black coffee - bit longer than an expresso so I will be adding hot water

Any suggestions please ?

I'd buy a Mokka pot & save a bit of cash.

Matty8787 · 8 Nov 2022 at 13:13

Breville (sage) Barista Max - £299 down from over £400, yay or nay?

Cadder · 8 Nov 2022 at 13:16

Matty8787 said:
Breville (sage) Barista Max - £299 down from over £400, yay or nay?

I may be mistaken but Breville are not Sage in the same way that Sage are Breville.

Sage UK are Breville equivalents from US/Canada and mayyyyybe Australia? Someone here may know.
Breville UK don't get raving reviews.

Matty8787 · 8 Nov 2022 at 13:22

Cadder said:
I may be mistaken but Breville are not Sage in the same way that Sage are Breville.

Sage UK are Breville equivalents from US/Canada and mayyyyybe Australia? Someone here may know.
Breville UK don't get raving reviews.

I wasn't sure, the machine looks the same? I'll wait for someone else to chime in haha

jpaul · 8 Nov 2022 at 14:36

Matty8787 said:
Breville (sage) Barista Max - £299 down from over £400, yay or nay?

Matty8787 said:
I wasn't sure, the machine looks the same? I'll wait for someone else to chime in haha

how was the product actually titled & model number, did advertiser call it breville ? , which in the UK (agree) is not the same as the australian company Breville that own sage&lelit.

barista max seems an unambiguous model name though .. seems a reasonable price ... only issue I hear are some concerns about drink temperatures with the new (near instantaneous) thermajet heater,
but can maybe address that by pulling empty shots first to warm head&pf.
predecessor duoplus was £200 pre-covid ... I'd probably stilll get a de-longhi dedica at (was) sub £100 as a very similar spec machine.

Dave85 · 8 Nov 2022 at 14:43

In case anyone ever gets curious I got a free Nespresso vertuo and they are as bad you think they are. Could not wait to finish all the free capsules and get back to pulling decent shots rom my Sage

. And I'm no coffee snob I love a good freeze dried mre coffee.

Cadder · 8 Nov 2022 at 14:52

This is the Breville Barista Express (.com website)

Barista Express - All In One Espresso Machine | Breville | Breville (US)

Grind, dose and extract all in one with the BES870 espresso machine. Elevate your coffee experience today.

www.breville.com

Same item branded as Sage Barista Express:

Barista Express - Coffee Machine for Home | Sage (GB)

Discover an exceptional barista coffee machine for home with the SES875. Grind, dose, & extract all in one for a crafted third-wave specialty coffee.

www.sageappliances.com

This is the UK Breville Barista Max:

Breville Barista Max Espresso Coffee Machine

When it comes to coffee, there is nothing better than making and enjoying a cup at home that tastes just as good as the café. Enjoy effortless café-quality coffee in the comfort of home with the Breville Barista Max espresso maker. An espresso machine inspired by commercial...

www.breville.co.uk

Notice the different logos on the website. Definitely different company @Matty8787

jpaul · 8 Nov 2022 at 15:15

Breville UK can still be selling re-branded BrevilleAustralia ie Sage products, or previous generations which, looking back, is what I'd thought.

jpaul said:
Breville max - ok curry's excellent deal still at 299 - I don't get that barista express is much more expensive there
and seems to have all the same functionality like temperature&pre-infusion adjustment, 58mm portafilter
-doesn't seem to have timed grinder like express - personally would be a don't care as I always grind/weigh individual shots (Rocky)

lol there's a new Sage machine just released

Barista Express Impress - Assisted Manual Espresso Machine | Sage

Explore a new, innovative assisted tamp system made up of 3 components that make manual espresso making easier than ever before.

www.sageappliances.com