My husband is a huge coffee snob (self-proclaimed) and has been wanting a home espresso machine for years. Our 10 year anniversary is coming up and I’d like to get him one. I don’t drink coffee myself though and my only experiences are coworkers complaining about the ones in our office being constantly broken. Any suggestions?
Hi,
I’m planning to buy an espresso machine and I’m deciding between two options.
From what I can tell, both make excellent espresso and latte - no concerns about cup quality with either.
But they’re very different in philosophy:
If you had to choose between them, which would you pick, and why?
Hey people of reddit,
I need some perspective from people who actually know what they're doing, because I'm spiraling a bit.
I'm a complete coffee novice who recently got really excited and bought a Mazzer Philos (€600) and a Bezzera Matrix DE (€880), yes, I know, it was stupid. The thing is, I've only ever brewed V60 with some cheap timemore grinder, and the results have been underwhelming (shocker, I know). I haven't even attempted espresso yet because the learning curve feels intimidating, and the maintenance aspect (backflushing, etc.) is honestly already stressing me out. Especially with such an expensive machine.
Here's my situation:
- I enjoy coffee but I'm not sure I want it to become a full-on hobby
- I don't plan to brew every single day, or not that much because I sometimes feel sick if I drink too much coffee.
-I don't want the BEST machine and the BEST espresso cup but I still want to enjoy it.
- I want to explore different methods (pour over, AeroPress, maybe espresso one day)
- I already have a Hario Switch which I enjoy
- I don't want to keep investing heavily, I'd rather consolidate or at least invest smartly
- I cracked on great deals but I think I "bit off more than I could chew"
The Philos is a great grinder and I'm leaning towards keeping it since the grinder matters most. But I'm questioning the Bezzera, I could sell it at the price I bought it used and pick up something simpler (Rancilio Silvia, Bambino, or Gaggia Classic for €200-300 used), or even go lever with a Flair Pro 2 ( around €200 secondhand) which honestly appeals to me for its simplicity and no maintenance/little.
Alternatively, I could skip espresso entirely for now, sell everything espresso-related, and just grab a Fellow Ode Gen 2 or 1Zpresso ZP6 dedicated to filter - and revisit espresso later when I actually know what I'm doing.
My main questions:
Is the Philos overkill if I'm mostly doing pour overs for now? Or is it future-proof enough to justify keeping?
Flair Pro 2 vs entry-level semi-auto (Silvia/Bambino/Gaggia) for a low-maintenance beginner - what would you choose? Or if you have any other ideas ?
For someone who wants to explore first before committing, what would your setup be?
Thanks in advance, I know this is probably a classic "GAS got me" post but I genuinely want to simplify and actually enjoy the process rather than stress about gear.
I’ve just received this in an email. If anyone still wanted one and missed out on the original batch, the last ones are on the way..
A few days ago, I ran a poll asking what water temperature you use to start a cezve/ibrik brew. The votes were heavily split between Hot Water (to avoid over-extraction) and Room Temp, while the traditional Cold Start approach got the fewest votes.
I set up a controlled, side-by-side test in my kitchen to see the physical and chemical differences. (Image attached for foam structures).
The Variables: Fresh, traditional medium-dark roast. 1:10 ratio (7g coffee to 70g water). Identical low-heat setting on the smallest burner to ensure consistent thermal input.
1. Cold Start (8°C / 46°F) - 3:35 min brew time
The foam was thick but unstable, full of large, aggressive "fisheye" bubbles. Taste-wise, it was woody and had a lingering bitterness. Leaving super-fine grounds on direct heat for almost 4 minutes simply bakes the coffee and causes a chaotic release of CO2.
2. Room Temp (22°C / 72°F) - 2:25 min brew time
The absolute winner for this roast. It built a silky, homogeneous microfoam. The harsh bitterness was completely gone, leaving a soft, syrupy, and highly balanced body.
3. Hot Start (60°C+ / 140°F+) - 1:40 min brew time
The foam was very flat and matte. Surprisingly, despite the super-fast brew time, the cup tasted noticeably bitter and hollow.
The Technical Takeaway (The Roast Level Factor):
Many world champions advocate for a hot water start (60°C+) to aggressively cut brew times to around 1.5 minutes. However, they use ultra-light, highly dense specialty beans (like a washed Ethiopian) that require that thermal push to extract delicate floral notes without baking.
But if you drop a traditional, more porous medium/dark roast into 60°C water, it experiences severe thermal shock. It extracts way too fast, instantly pulling out harsh tannins before the cup can balance out.
If you are brewing a traditional roast, Room Temp (2:25 min) is the undisputed sweet spot. What are your thoughts on thermal shock with finer grinds?
I recently got an Ode Gen 2 so I can have an electric grinder at home and keep my Comandante C40 for travel/work.
But honestly, I can’t get a good cup out of the Ode.
With the Comandante I’m at 25 clicks (~750 microns) and it’s basically perfect every time. With the Ode I tried matching grind size visually and with the Onyx calculator, which puts me around 6–6.6.
At 6 it tastes bitter and a bit astringent. As soon as I go coarser it just turns weak and underextracted, but still with weird unpleasant notes.
I’ve tried everything from like 6–9 and just can’t find that sweet spot like I can with the Comandante. I calibrated it so the burr chirp is right at setting 1, so I can hear if the burrs are off after some time.
Anyone else having these problems? I don’t really want to believe the grinder is the issue since it’s so widely recommended.
Hey everyone, I'm trying to decide between a convection (like the typhoon) roaster and a traditional drum roaster for roasting East African coffees ((matter of fact, any origin) with the intention of making capsules (coffee pods).
Any info on this topic appreciated!
I've watched basically every Hoffmann video twice and I keep going in circles so figured this community is the right place to ask about the best coffee maker for my actual situation.
Here's what my coffee life actually looks like: I drink two or three cups in the morning, almost always black and I usually like light to medium roasts. No espresso for now. Also no milk. usually brewing for one, occasionally two.
What I think I need:
I've had enough under-extracted muddy drip coffee to last a lifetime and I want to understand what a good cup actually is. I'm not in a rush in the mornings, I work from home so I don't need a one-button solution. I'm happy to be involved in the process.
I'm also trying to be honest with myself about the learning curve.
The Hoffmann Aeropress and V60 videos make both look approachable but I've read enough posts to know that I might mess up. How long does it realistically take to dial in a pour over before you're not guessing every morning? Is it weeks, or more like a few months of paying attention?
Im asking because part of me wonders if I should start with something more forgiving like a good automatic brewer just to build a reference point for what well-extracted coffee tastes like before I try to replicate it manually.
The machines I keep coming back to are the Fellow Aiden and the Breville Precision Brewer (mostly because no temperature or boom variables in my hands during the process).
But then I'll watch the V60 video again and think that spending $300 on an automatic brewer when I could spend $30 on a dripper and put the rest toward a good grinder is just fear of commitment.
So I'm genuinely asking for someone who is willing to learn but doesn't want the first three months to be a frustrating mess, what’s the best coffee maker for my case?
I’m in the market for an electric grinder.
I currently have a Timemore C2.
I brew Monday-Friday V60/areopress and moka pots on the weekends (using James’ approaches). We don’t have an espresso machine. I’m happy with the manual grinder but my wife hates it and won’t make coffee because of the effort required to grind the beans. Im interested in seeing if there was a suitable option out there. In away that a good grinder could be in the £150-£300, (I’d rather be closer to 200 than 300).
I’m a little at sea trying to understand the difference in burrs but I’m guessing flat is preferred.
I was hoping the community can help with some recommendations.
Hi all, I've been brewing filter coffee with 5l Waitrose Essential bottled water (which is the same as Tesco Ashbeck) which produces good results, but I have recently been considering buying an RO machine and remineralising either with my own mineral mix or with an off the shelf one like Third Wave packets.
Does anyone have experience switching from Tesco Ashbeck to RO+remineralised water? Was the difference noticeable in the final cup or was it worth it? What have the pros and cons been from the bottled water mentioned?
I am looking for feedback from people who have specifically made this switch as the main reason I am looking to switch is for a better final cup. Thanks.
Hey guys
I'm blind and need a little bit of help with something visual. I'm experimenting with the Hoffmann V60 recipe. I'm doing nordic light roast mostly on a C40. What would be a good grind size range? I know it's different from grinder to grinder and all, but i need a place to start. He shows it in the video but despite trying to get an image description with AI, it wasn't very helpful. I have a feeling that it's finer than i usually go, but since i can't see it's reference i have no real idea.
Hope you can help!
Is anybody else sad about this? The Zense is being pitched as a direct replacement, but it’s substantially more expensive. I think having a decent electric grinder for under £100 is really important for making specialty coffee accessible to more people. What would you recommend now to somebody looking for a first electric grinder for a V60 around the £100 mark?
Hi! I am absolutely new to all of this and would love to get a good manual grinder. I would mostly need it for moka and espresso. I think I will choose between one of these ones:
Timemore S3 ESP
Timemore C5 ESP PRO
Kingrinder K6
1Zpresso J-Ultra
Or if you maybe have another one to recommend in the 100-200€ range. The only manual ones I am considering is the Baratza Encore ESP. But don't know if it's better getting a manual one.
Thanks in advance!
I see a lot of people trying to mix whey protein into their morning coffee and ending up with a disgusting clumpy texture. The problem is basic thermal physics.
Whey protein denatures and starts to cook at around 160°F (71°C). If you dump protein powder into a fresh pour-over brewed at 205°F, you are literally cooking the protein into rubbery chunks.
To fix this without ruining the coffee workflow, I use two methods with my glass and stainless steel setup. Either let the coffee cool in the carafe to below 150°F before mixing, or create a liquid slurry first. Mix the whey with a splash of cold water in your cup, then slowly pour the hot coffee over it while stirring.
Has anyone found a specific unflavored protein isolate that dissolves better in hot liquids without altering the tasting notes?
A couple weeks ago someone talked up a sale at MEMLI coffee lab so I ordered a couple bags. Then the original post was removed by the moderator!
Beans arrived last Friday (roast date on both bags is April 4). I took this photo on Friday, the bags still look like this. I emailed the company on Monday and have not gotten a response yet.
“I’ve attached a photo: I thought it was strange that the Fincas Las Calaveras looked vacuum sealed and the Kenyan is not. Three days later the bags still look like this — which I think is strange because the Honduran does not seem to be degassing. This seems wrong — can you explain?”
I haven’t yet opened the bags because I may want to return these. Maybe everything is fine, but it sure seems weird to me. Is it possible there are unroasted beans in the first bag?
I've read the reviews and comments here.
My OXO 9 cup is 11 years old. It still works, but I think it's simply wearing out. Liquid has leaked between the walls of the carafe. The controls are finicky. The carafe lid was also filled with liquid - customer service replaced that at no charge. Even with regular descaling, the clear parts are cloudy, the rubber covered in white, etc.
I run a small household and generally drink one big mug per day. Brew 4 cups.
I drink French roast, prefer dark coffee. Don't use cream. Grind beans at brew time. I've read some comments here that the 8-cup machine is not ideal for stronger coffee. I also like the convenience of the 9-cup timer, although that's not a deal breaker. Accurate or not, I've bought into the notion that cone-shape filter systems are better than baskets - perhaps that's just marketing?
I'm not really interested in other methods or manufacturers. Plus, OXO offers a good discount for existing customers, and there's an additional OXO discount from my credit card carrier in April.
Thoughts on OXO 8-cup or 9-cup, one big mug daily, strong french roast.......
Hey everyone,
I’m looking to add a dedicated filter grinder to my setup. My current grinders are great for espresso, but I’m just not getting that super clean, tea-like clarity I want out of pour overs and French press.
Right now I’m running:
Niche Zero (daily espresso)
CF64V (mostly for experimenting with modern espresso)
They both do their job, but for filter they lean a bit too “rounded” and blended. I’m chasing more separation—floral notes, acidity, all that good stuff you get from lighter roasts when things really dial in.
A few things I’m trying to stick to:
Electric only (not looking to hand grind right now)
Prefer solid build quality — I’m a little wary of stuff that feels too plasticky or has known QC quirks unless the cup quality really justifies it
Budget is ideally under $1k, but I can stretch if there’s a real jump in performance
Grinders I’ve been looking at:
Timemore 078 — seems like people love it for clarity, but I’m curious about long-term reliability
Mazzer Philos — expensive, but looks built like a tank. Is it actually worth it for filter?
Zerno Z1 — I know the wait is brutal, but is it basically endgame for this?
Also wondering if I should just upgrade burrs/alignment on the CF64V instead of going for a whole new grinder, or if something like 78mm burrs is really a different experience for filter.
Would love to hear what you all think, especially if you’ve compared these side by side or found any sleeper options I should be looking at.
Thanks in advance.
Good day! the temp of espresso shot in a cup is around 55-57 degrees after 2 heatings is it normal temp? because on my taste its some colder than I want, but how can do it warmer i don’t know. And who have pro 3 which temp in your cup ?