From: css@boa.ccsf.caltech.edu (Chris Shenton)
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
Subject: Re: Espresso Machine Recommendations? (longish)
Date: 6 Oct 92 00:23:55 GMT
Organization: Hughes/STX, Lanham, MD
NNTP-Posting-Host: boa.ccsf.caltech.edu
In-reply-to: ericr@vcd.hp.com's message of Mon, 5 Oct 1992 17:16:38 GMT

In article <Bvnrzr.BEx@vcd.hp.com> ericr@vcd.hp.com (Eric Ross) writes:

   I am looking for a decent but not overly expensive pump espresso machine.
   Are there any recommendations or things that I should be looking for
   when shopping for on?

This may be a bit long, but here goes. After tracking this group's
discussion for a month, I spent about three months in search of the best
quality, still-affordable espresso set-up. I'm happy with the choices
we made.

There's four kinds of devices for making ``espresso'', but only two
real ones. The impostors are: (1) the small aluminum stove-top
percolators, (2) the steam pressure cylinder electric models from the
likes of Krups, Braun, Maxim, et al for $40-$100. The two real types
of espresso machines heat water to about 190-200F to prevent steaming
the grounds and use either (3) a motorized pump or (4) a manually
operated piston to force the water through the grounds at about 10
atmospheres pressure.

We had a type (2) but wanted something which could produce espresso
comparable to what you can get in competent restaurants or Italy.

Net citizens here recommended the Baby Gaggia and Coffee Gaggia pump
machines. The former was about $500 - $600 depending on store, too much
for my budget.  The latter was advertised at $200-$300 but unobtainable.
Depending again on which retailer I talked with, they said that Gaggia was
either in an Italian version of Chapter 11, or Gaggia had changed US
distributors and things were confused and not available. I called *all*
the coffee, gourmet and department stores in the DC area (where I reside),
plus coffee Meccas Starbucks (Seattle), Fantes (Philly), Zabars (NYC).

Given the shaky appearance of Gaggia (as a company, not as a machine
:-), we began to look for other brands/options. Zabars had the Baby
for about $425, the lowest I'd seen anywhere, very tempting; they also
had the highly rated Olympia Cremina (piston) for about $375 and
Coffex (pump) for I think about $475.

Starbucks had the Saeco Rio Vapore (pump) which net folks and Fantes both
recommended. It was $325, and came with a two year guarantee for home use
and a one year guarantee for *commercial* use.  We went with the Saeco;
the price was reasonable and we figured it could handle more (ab)use than
we could give it.  Fantes also had it, but for about $100 more.

My housemate got that, and I picked up the Gaggia MDF grinder from Zabars.
Again, their price was significantly lower than all other places I
checked, $130.

It's *real* nice to have high quality espresso, several times a day.
The only bummer is that I've found out quite quickly how badly most
restaurants can screw it up: thin, bitter, no body, no crema -- bleh!

PS: We've been trying a bunch of different espresso vendors, too: Illy
    (Italy, ground, can), Segafredo (Italy, ground, vacuum bag),
    Starbucks, Green Mountain (VT), Roasters on the Hill (DC), and
    M.E. Swings (DC). IMHO, the Starbucks is definitely the richest
    and smoothest, with Illy, Segafredo and Green Mountain making up
    the second tier: a bit of a bitter edge, not as full-bodied.
    (No I haven't tried Peets yet, but plan to).


Your milage may vary. Flames and corrections welcome. :-)

-- Chris

   High tech is potent, precise, and in the end, unbeatable.  The truth
   is, it reminds a lot of people of the way I pitch horseshoes.  Would
   you believe some of the people?  Would you believe our dog?  Look, I
   want to give the high-five symbol to high tech.
				-- President George Bush.
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink